a few sideways stares as I ride up in the back of the truck like I’m the grand marshal of the saddest one-car parade in history.
The truck pulls up and parks beside the other ranch vehicles. I hop down from the bed and try my best to restore my battered appearance, dabbing tentatively at the blood on my forehead, patting my hair down, and then heaving a sigh of defeat. At this point, it is what it is, and it’s gonna be what it’s gonna be.
“He’ll probably be up in the house,” Karl says, pointing in the direction of the farmhouse I was just admiring. “Jack.”
I tip my head in thanks and offer a limp wave before I set off to meet my new boss. All eyes are on me as I walk the few yards between the truck and the front porch. I stick out like a sore thumb in this setting, but instead of giving in to the sudden flood of nerves, I try to recall any details Helen might have mentioned about her job over the years.
Let’s see, I know she’s an executive assistant, and in that role she…assists. Damn. I know nothing. Has she ever said anything about her boss? I can’t remember. I mean, she must enjoy her job if she’s been here for almost six years…or maybe she’s stayed so long because it’s her only option? It’s probably hard to find work in such a rural area—and I mean RURAL. The journey from San Antonio to Cedar Creek felt like I was going through some kind of time warp. With each passing mile, the countryside became less and less populated, the roads transitioned from concrete to asphalt to dirt, and I’m not sure they even get cell service out here. That’s what I’m thinking about when I knock on the front door of the farmhouse and it’s whipped open a second later.
A tall, thin woman stands on the threshold wearing jeans and a pearl snap shirt. Her white-gray hair is cropped short in a pixie style and her steel eyes seem to cut right through me. She’s not wearing a stitch of makeup. Still, she’s beautiful, regal almost, with a few wrinkles rimming the corners of her eyes.
I open my mouth to introduce myself, but she beats me to the punch.
“Whatever you’re sellin’, we either don’t want it or already got it.”
Then she steps back and slams the door in my face.
I’m so shocked that it takes me a minute to gather my wits before I knock again. This time I hear her sigh on the other side of the door before she pulls it open.
“Oh, and we’ve all heard the story and found the Lord, and we don’t need any more, thank you.”
Another slam.
I don’t knock again because I can see the woman watching to see if I’ll leave.
“Don’t you people ever listen? Do I need to go get my shotgun or are you gonna leave this porch without me having to chase you off it?”
My eyes are wide as saucers. Is she really going to shoot me if I don’t get off her porch? What kind of place is Texas?
I put my hands up like she’s a police officer and I’m under arrest, then I proceed with caution.
“I’m not selling anything. Please don’t shoot me.”
The door swings open again. She frowns and gives me a once-over before meeting my gaze again.
“What do you want then?”
“A job.”
She finds that pretty hilarious, laughing so hard she has to reach out for the doorframe to steady herself. She slaps her knee with the other hand, looks up at me, and then folds back over in laughter.
“You came all the way out here lookin’ for a job? Oh man, that’s funny,” she says, drying her eyes. “Okay, what’ll it be, missy? Carpenter? Welder?”
“I—”
“Who put you up to this? Dotty? That old trickster. I’m gonna get her back so good, she won’t even see it coming—”
“I don’t know who Dotty is. I’m Helen’s sister, Meredith. She was supposed to call ahead and mention that I was on my way?”
With that announcement, her laughter finally dies. She inspects me with new eyes.
“You don’t look like Helen.”
“We have different moms.”
Her eyes thin in speculation. “Hmm. Well your daddy must’ve had broad tastes.”
I smile, unsure whether or not to take that as a joke.
“Right, well, if it’s a job you need, you’ll have to go talk to Jack. He’s over by the barn doin’ an all-hands.”