“Yes, I do.”
“I’m just a little early. I’d be happy waiting out in the lobby until you’re finished and ready for me.”
He wasn’t much older than the new waiter, Bodine mused, but she didn’t think he’d blush. His eyes, a hazel that edged toward green, stayed steady and respectful.
“No need for that. Come on into my office.” She gestured, led the way.
Though they had some wear on them, he’d shined up his boots. He also wore clean Levi’s with a Western-style checkered shirt, a fleece-lined denim jacket, and a black ridge top hat, which he took off, politely, and set in his lap when he took the chair she offered.
“So, Esau, you’re from the Garnet area.”
“I am, like my daddy, and his daddy before him. Most call me Easy, Miss Longbow.”
“Easy. You’ve done some traveling.”
“Here and there. I followed the rodeo awhile, picked up ranch work when I needed. The names I gave you in that file you got there will tell you I know how to work, and I know horses.”
“Why did you give up the rodeo circuit?”
“The fact is, I couldn’t much afford to keep with it. It’s costly if you don’t hit in the money regular, and I took a couple of hard spills. On that, my pa’s getting older, and I come to realize if I got laid up, he wouldn’t have anybody to help him out when he needed. We got a few acres some south of Garnet. He’s a tough bird, and takes pride in it, but in some years, maybe he won’t be able to do all he does.”
“The work here can be sporadic during the winter season. You might not get forty hours a week.”
“I’ll take what I can get.”
“Do you have your own mount?”
“Not right now, as I had to sell him off. I could maybe get one if you want.”
He smiled when he said it, showing a chip in his left incisor and a kind of dopey, affable charm.
He has a good face, Bodine thought. A little tough, a little weathered, like a lot of cowboys who spent hours in the saddle, under the sun, in the wind. He kept his hands still. They showed the kinds of calluses she expected from someone who worked with horses.
She’d already had a background check run, and he’d come up clean. High school dropout, but as he’d said, and those in his file confirmed, he knew horses.
“It’s not required for you to have your own mount. We have our stock, and we bring on more in the spring. Have you ever taught horsemanship?”
He opened his mouth, shut it again, and took his time. “I want the job, so it’s hard to say no. I can’t say I’ve spent much time showing anybody how to ride. Was a girl I met in Abilene I showed some riding to, but that was for fun like. Mostly people I’ve spent my time with know.”
She couldn’t call him the brightest bulb in the lamp on the basis of the interview, but he struck her as polite, honest, and amiable enough.
And she was in a bind.
“It’s more than working with horses, tending tack, feeding, and grooming. We cater to our guests, and some won’t have been on a horse before, or not in years. Trail rides are popular, and those who lead guests out have to learn themselves: How to match the horse and rider, how to watch on the trail to make sure a guest who doesn’t know a horse from a giraffe doesn’t get into trouble—and has a good experience.”
“Horses are easier to figure than people, but people aren’t that hard, seems to me, if you pay attention.”
“I can’t argue with that. Why don’t we go over to the Equestrian Center, you can have a look at that part of the operation, and we’ll meet up with our head horseman.”
He rose. “I’d be pleased to.”
CHAPTER FIVE
Bodine managed to get home in time for dinner, avoiding Clementine’s wrath and spending the best part of an hour filling her family in on the new hires while they ate.
“You rounded up a lot in one day,” Sam commented, sipping at his nightly after-dinner two fingers of whisky.
“One more tomorrow, but every one of the hires wanted the job, presented well, and passed muster with the respective managers.” She glanced at Chase. “With Abe out, I had Callen take a look at LaFoy.”
“He’d know what to look at.”
“LaFoy.” Sam frowned in thought. “I don’t think I know any of that name around here.”
“He’s from around Garnet.”
“Can’t place the name.”
“Well, we’ll see how he works out, but before I left him with Callen, I had a good look myself. How he handled himself, handled the horses, interacted with Callen and Ben, who was working at the time. Before I left them I told Callen to let me know if he had any reservations. Since he didn’t, I hired LaFoy. And I took your advice, Mom, and talked to Maddie about doing a weekly lesson.”
“I think that’s going to work out fine. And I’m happy you liked Chelsea. She’s going to be an asset, you mark my words.”
“I did like her. Jessie, on the other hand, loved her. And I liked that she stayed on for a couple hours, getting her feet wet. Shows initiative.”
“You told us Mrs. Puckett’s niece was smart,” Rory put in. “You didn’t tell us she was hot. Really hot.”
“Down, boy,” Bodine muttered even as Maureen wagged a finger.
“You keep your hands and your charming self to yourself, Rory Carter Longbow.”
“But my charm, it just can’t be contained.”
“I’ve got plenty of rope in the barn to hog-tie it if we need to.” Chase finished the meal as he’d started the day, with black coffee. “I ought to let you know I talked with Abe this evening.”
“How’s Edda?” Bodine asked.
“She’s doing all right, but this whole business scared him. He’s thinking of taking Edda to visit with their son and his family for a week or so over Thanksgiving. And he’s thinking about spending a couple weeks with their daughter for Christmas.”
“He didn’t say anything like that to me,” Bodine began.
“Well, let me finish it out. It seems their kids are pushing for it, and more yet, it came clear to him that once he comes back to work, she’s going to do the same. He says he doesn’t see a way to stop her. He wants her to have a good stretch of time first, and this, and the trip to Arizona would do that.”
“I can understand that, but—”
“He came to me before you,” Chase went on in his quiet steamroller style, “because he wanted to know if I was clear with you putting Cal on in his place, since we hired Cal for the ranch and it wouldn’t just be here and there, or filling a hole now and then, but full-time managing until spring.”
“Yes, but—”
Chase just lifted a finger, which had Bodine rolling her eyes.
“What I said was this: Cal’s an asset here. But the way things are, he’d be a bigger asset to the resort, so—and Dad agrees—we’re fine with letting you have him through the winter if that’s what works. On the condition that that’s what Cal wants, too, as it’s not what he was hired on for.”
Bodine waited, exaggerating the pause. “That it?”