Jobs required things like social security numbers and IDs. I’d have to find someone willing to pay me under the table and who knew what kind of work that would end up being.
I didn’t feel comfortable bringing it up right now, with all three of them staring at me, but something told me that Jeremiah and Reece would understand the need of paying off-the-books. Dear God, not that I ever wanted to explain just what the hell my situation was, but I could probably get away with some half-truths.
It was certainly a much better option than trying to befriend a whole new strange employer when I had a good potential one right here in front of me.
So I made a split decision and held out my hand to Jeremiah, focusing all my attention on him and not the searing gaze I could feel from his twin coming from behind him. “When can I start?”
He sat down beside Ruth at the breakfast table and held out a hand. “Right now, if you’re rested enough, with breakfast. Reece is good with a quick camp breakfast too, if you want to take the morning off to get your bearings and start later this afternoon.”
“Oh, no!” I held up a hand to stop Reece in his tracks. I wasn’t sure I could handle any closer proximity to where he stood, still by the door. “I got it. Take a load off with your brother.”
And that was how it began.
My first day on the job.
Cooking breakfast and then Jeremiah suggesting after we were all finished that I should go out with Reece for the morning rounds to learn what to look for and how to tag the newborn calves myself so I could take over the job.
He said it so casually. Just ride out with Reece.
Meanwhile, I was freaking out more and more on the inside because when I’d accepted the job, I’d just assumed yesterday was a one off, that I wouldn’t be working anywhere near Reece on a regular basis.
Only to find myself staring down the business end of a four-wheeler ATV with a single seat, with Reece asking if I wanted to drive or ride behind.
“B-behind,” I stuttered, feeling my cheeks go scarlet.
He just grinned.
I glared at him, as a thought struck me. “Did you tell your brother to offer me the job? Because look, last night was just a one-off. Don’t go thinking that—”
He held up his hands before I could go any further. “Nothing of the sort. I did tell him he should come by and see how much we’d gotten done on the bunkhouse, but that was all. I swear I didn’t say another word. Your work impressed him all on its own.”
“Oh.” I stood there, feeling a little silly. “Well.”
“So last night was just a one-off, huh?”
My head jerked up, just in time to meet his gaze. I nodded firmly. “Yes,” I said, before climbing on the back of the long four-wheeler seat. It was like an extended motorcycle seat that forced you to straddle it.
Reece came up and climbed on in front of me, grabbing hold of the handles and revving it to life.
He looked over his shoulder at me. “Hold on to me. It can get bumpy.”
“I’m fine, thanks.”
He shrugged. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
With that last ominous statement, the four-wheeler jerked forward. My hands flew to the frame of the ATV underneath and behind me. Anything so I didn’t have to grab onto him.
Though as smooshed together as the rest of our bodies became as the four-wheeler jolted forward, it was all but a moot point. I still clutched onto the back frame, refusing to hold on to him.
He didn’t go too fast though, and I had a feeling he was taking it slower than he usually would, for my benefit.
It was chilly out and without any gloves on, my hands and fingers were immediately freezing. But as the crisp February air blasted me in the face and we drove straight out into the pasture, leaving the house in the distance behind us… well, it was surprisingly sort of exhilarating.
Riding ATVs was definitely not anything Jeff would have let me do. Certainly not in the cold open air like this.
We crested one small hill and then a whole valley opened up, the winter sun bearing down through the heavy white clouds onto the wheat-colored land. Nothing was green here. It was all spun-honey-brown, as far as the eye could see. Faded grasses shivered and listed as the wind blew through.
And then we finally got to where the cattle were. I gasped when I saw them herded together, munching on both sides at a line of hay that had been unspooled down the field for them. There were so many. I tried to count but quickly gave up.