"I thought I'd go out front and see if Vern needed any
help," Cory said.
"He's all done," Cook said and handed Garth a dog biscuit
from a jar on the counter. "He had a young man out front
helping him when I peeked out the window."
"A young man? You mean Jasper?"
"No, I've never seen this one around here before." Cook
went back to her pot. "Handsome, though," she added.
"They headed for the barn."
"I better go see who it is," Cory said, already striding
for the back door.
She called out as soon as she reached the barn, and Vern
hollered from his small office at the back. Cory threaded
her way through all the equipment in the back half of the
barn and stopped dead in the doorway of the shop that
doubled as Vern's small office.
Cook's stranger stood up when she appeared in the doorway
and literally took Cory's breath away.
Shaggy hair and dark brown curls perfectly teamed with a
matching beard was her first thought. Her second thought
was broad -- really broad -- shoulders beneath his black
flannel shirt, and hips so narrow his black jeans sagged
a bit on his frame. His sleeves were rolled up, and those
forearms and biceps belonged to a working man.
Good grief! Stop staring Cory!
She jerked her gaze to his face, and blue eyes stared
back. Blue eyes that caught her gaze like a predator
traps prey. Blue eyes that twinkled with just enough
devilment to cause a wicked flutter in her belly. Blue
eyes that looked startlingly familiar.
Maybe she just wanted them to look familiar, so she could
already know this handsome man.
"Mac here is our new help."
She heard Vern's voice and fought to break free of that
predatory stare. No time for one last once-over.
"Wh-what?" She forced her eyes to Vern who grinned at
her.
What had she missed?
"I said... Mac here is our new help," Vern repeated
slowly enough she felt her cheeks flush at having been
caught not paying attention.
"New help?" She blurted.
She couldn't afford the help she had let alone new help.
"I need him," Vern said flatly.
"You need--" She cleared her throat. "Vern can I talk to
you in private. Please?"
She backed out of the office and headed for the horse
stalls. Not hearing Vern behind her, she turned. He'd
stopped just outside the office door and didn't look as
though he intended to move any farther, so she stomped
back.
"We can't afford him," she hissed.
"He'll work for next to nothing as long as we let him
stay," Vern said in a normal and much-too-loud voice.
So much for discussing the stranger privately.
"Why is that? No one works for nothing," she argued.
She still kept her voice down. The stranger may figure
out what they were saying, but she didn't have to make it
easy for him.
Vern shrugged. "Says he likes it here. Wants to stay a
while."
"How long is a while?"
"Don't rightly know. I guess that would depend on the
work and how we treat him." He pulled his ball cap off
and reseated it. "Me? I don't ask questions. I don't tend
to look a gift horse in the mouth when I get one."
Cory frowned at the indirect criticism.
"We don't know anything about him," she huffed.
"We know all we need to know."
"We don't even know his last name. We need to know that
for me to pay him."
"Don't need his last name to hand him cash," Vern pointed
out. "That's why he come so cheap. He wants to work for
straight cash. And don't look at me like that. We've done
it before. If Mac wants us to know his last name, he'll
volunteer it. So far he hasn't, and I'm good with that."
"Well--"
"You should be good with that, too. We don't often get
the blessing of free help around here." He gave her a
pointed stare.
"Free?"
"Almost free. Practically free."
"He could be a thief for all we know."
Vern shot her a quelling glance as though she'd insulted
him.
"My gut instinct says he's a good man," he said
indignantly.
Vern's gut instinct had guided dozens of the resort's
business decisions since Hutch had passed away. She
winced. Vern's gut had never steered them wrong.
"And we can use the extra help," he added when he saw her
resolve weakening.
She was beaten, and she knew it. "Whatever."
Vern grinned.
Two could play his game.
"Betsy Eadle says the toilet in cabin five is backed up.
Go tell our new help to unclog it and clean up in there."
Betsy Eadle and her sister Leah were the resort's
housekeepers and two more of the help Cory could barely
afford now. "Then come back and go with me to Clark
Lumber Company," she continued. "You promised to help me
pick out and load lumber for the dock board
replacements."
Vern was already shaking his head. "I'll fix the john in
cabin five. That one's always tricky. You can take Mac to
the lumberyard. Just let him get a look at the dock
first, so he knows what you need."
Vern turned and went back in the office before Cory could
argue. Decision made.
"Can't tell who's the boss around here," she muttered and
stomped out of the barn.