Chapter 5
CHAPTER FIVE
DEVIN
I stare at the pastries in the cabinet with indecision. Both the cinnamon rolls and the apple fritters look so good.
“Which would you suggest?” I ask the short, slim guy behind the counter.
“That’s a very personal choice. It depends what you’re in the mood for.” He laughs, and I can see I’m not going to get any help from him.
“I’ll just have to try them both, then,” I reply and see him smirk slightly. Maybe this was his tactic all along and I totally fell for it.
“Can you add five assorted donuts in as well, please?” I ask, and he grins. “They’re not all for me,” I say hastily, and he chuckles.
I start on the cinnamon roll first as I walk the road north to Dawson’s farm.
Then the apple fritter completes my breakfast. Not the healthiest, but I’ll probably work it all off again, and I was too late this morning to go to the diner for breakfast. I’m not sure why I decided to buy donuts for everyone at the farm, though.
Today is the end of my trial period, so maybe it was to soften the blow if Zane lets me go.
Or to celebrate if he hires me. It’s certainly not a sweetener to help him choose.
I don’t think that would work with Zane.
When I reach the farm I can see there are a couple of customers waiting, even though it’s early and the feed store isn’t open yet. Zane is already unlocking the door, so I put the donuts in the office and help him.
“Busy already,” I say to Zane, as he pulls his truck up and I start loading it for deliveries.
“Yep,” he agrees but doesn’t offer anything more. I keep glancing at him, trying to work out from his expression whether he’ll hire me or not. He stays as impassive as ever, though, so I give it up as a lost cause.
“Hi, Devin,” Nova calls as he appears across the yard.
“Hey, Nova.” I grin in greeting and receive one back. He helps me load the last of the feed sacks onto the truck.
“We had fun last night. You should have joined us,” he says.
“Why? What did you do?”
“We went to Pints and Pool and they were having a karaoke night.”
“Really? I didn’t know they held them.”
“Yep, every month. Do you like karaoke?”
“I do. I’m no great singer, but it’s fun all the same.”
“Sandy and I sang two songs each and one together.”
“I would have loved to hear that,” I reply, which appears to be the right answer by the width of his smile.
“You should come to the next one.”
“Maybe I will.”
“You know who doesn’t like karaoke?” Nova whispers so loudly that it’s not a whisper at all. But I lean in anyway.
“Who?” Though I think I can guess.
“Zane. Sandy and I tried to get him to join in but he wouldn’t. He’s so bor-ing.”
I can’t help but laugh at the way he says it, and he joins in.
The familiar prickle of disquiet makes my hair stand on end and I look up. Zane is staring at me from across the other side of the truck bed. His face looks so dark I almost expect an eclipse.
“Is everything loaded?” His voice is sharp enough to cut steel.
“Yes sir,” I reply and shut the tailgate. His jaw must constantly ache from how tight he holds it. I get another glare before he climbs into the cab. It looks like those donuts will be commiserative after all.
“I don’t think your brother likes me,” I say to Nova as Zane pulls out of the yard.
“Zee doesn’t like anyone, except me.” He almost dances back into the feed store, and I follow him, chuckling at his nickname for Zane.
We have a long list of tasks so I start working through them, and I make steady progress until Zane returns a couple of hours later. He strides on his long legs towards the office.
“Devin,” is all he says, and I move to follow him. I almost want to add another “yes sir,” but he doesn’t look like he’d take it in good humor and I’ve already allowed my mouth to get me into enough trouble. I’ll save those comments for the in-crowd chat with my brothers. He sits at the desk.
“Shut the door,” he commands, and I obey, standing in the only space available, wedged between the door and the filing cabinet. We’re so close I could reach out and touch him. I wonder why he’s called me in. Probably to let me go. He’ll probably be very blunt about it too.
“—so, starting Monday for six weeks.”
“Sorry. What?” I realize I’ve been in my own head and missed what he’s said.
“Six weeks. You said you only wanted something temporary.”
“You’re offering me the job?”
He gives me an exasperated sigh, which I can’t really blame him for.
“Yes, starting Monday for six weeks. If you still want it.”
“Err, yes. Thank you.”
He nods as if that settles it.
“I was sure you were going to fire me.” My surprise makes my mouth run, and I wince a little. His face fills with a frown.
“Why? I need help and you work well. The customers seem to like you. Six weeks will give me a chance to find someone permanent.” He says it as if it’s the most logical solution, which I guess it is. But I still can’t quite believe he’s hired me.
“Thank you,” I say again, and then nearly jump out of my skin when there’s a tapping on the door behind me. I spin round to see Arlene holding a tray with a teapot and some mugs. I open the door and move out of her way.
“I thought you boys might like a tea break.” Arlene says and squeezes past me to put the tray down.
“That’s perfect timing. I have some donuts to share. We can celebrate since Zane just hired me.”
“I’m glad to see he has some sense,” Arlene says, and I carefully make sure I don’t look at Zane for his reaction to that. She pours the tea while I pass the donuts around.
“There’s one for Clive as well.” I place the bag with the last donut in it on the tray.
“Thank you, Devin. That’s very thoughtful of you.” She gives me a kind smile.
“What would you have done with the donuts if I hadn’t hired you?” Zane asks before taking a bite.
“Eaten them all myself in misery I guess.” I shrug and the corners of his mouth twitch ever so slightly.
I’m determined to get a full smile from him before my six weeks are up.
By then my DUI program will have finished and I can get my license back.
Hopefully I can then find a trucking job and be back out on the highway.
But before then, now I know I’m going to stay in Foggy Basin, I have more pressing needs.
“Arlene, you wouldn’t happen to know of any place where I can stay, or anyone who could rent me a room, would you? I’m at the Foggy Inn but I’d like something a little more fixed and less expensive.”
“Let me think,” Arlene replies, and purses her lips in thought.
“What about the barn?” Nova pipes up.
“What is that? Do they rent rooms?”
“No, silly. Our barn.” He waves his hand towards the wooden barn that houses the horses.
“I don’t want a stable,” I say, confused.
“Not a stable, in the room above.” Nova looks pleased like he’s had the idea of the century.
“It’s true,” Zane adds. “Dad had it made years ago. We used to breed a few horses back then and it was so he could be close when they were foaling. But it’s basic. It has electricity but no running water.”
“Could I see it?” It’s worth that at least.
Zane gives me a look that says he clearly thinks I’m crazy, but he leads the way across the yard and we all trail after him.
In the corner of the barn is a staircase leading to an upper floor.
Zane opens the door and I follow him in.
It’s a large room, but he wasn’t joking when he said it was basic.
There are a couple of chests, a set of shelves, a table, and two chairs.
In one corner is a large bed, which looks solid but the covers look moth-eaten.
Over everything is a thick layer of dust. It looks like no one’s been up here for years, except maybe some mice.
“Like I said, it’s not much. The lights work and there’s a faucet in the barn downstairs,” Zane says. It’s not ideal, barely even practical, but it is possible, and would save me the walk up from Foggy Basin every day.
“I’ve stayed in plenty of worse places,” I say brightly, trying to sound optimistic. “Could I stay here?”
“Are you sure?” Zane’s brow furrows deeper than normal.
“Yes. How much?”
He looks around the room as if assessing it.
“You clean it up and keep it tidy and you can stay for nothing.”
“Really? Are you sure?”
“It’s not like anyone’s using it.”
“Thank you, Zane. I’ll come tomorrow and start cleaning it up.” It’s going to save me a lot of money, and for the first time since I lost my trucking job, I feel happier.
My happiness and excitement dim slightly on Sunday morning when I see the room again with fresh eyes. No wonder Zane thought I was crazy. But I’ve already checked out of the Foggy Inn and hauled my sports bag and backpack a mile up the road. I’m not taking them back again.
“It’s not that bad,” I mutter to myself as I open the window that looks out onto the yard and farmhouse beyond.
A breeze swirls in and disturbs the dust, which makes me cough, so I shut it again quickly.
I manage to locate a broom and get to work sweeping the floor.
Nova comes by and says he wants to help, but mostly perches on a chair and admires his nails until Sandy arrives and they drive off towards town.
My next visitor is Arlene, who brings me some fresh bedding.
“That’s not necessary,” I say, but I am grateful for it. I was going to buy some myself, but it’s better if I don’t have to.
“I’ll bring you some more bits later, when I get back from town,” she says after nodding approvingly at the progress I’ve made so far.
I carry on with my cleaning, working on clearing the shelves.
I uncover a few plates, and a few knives and forks, and set them aside for cleaning later.
As I dust and sweep, I sing my way through my favorite country songs.
Especially a few from Dolly. I even add a little dance routine to “Nine to Five” as I mop the floor.
Halfway though, a loud crash sounds from the house. I don’t stop to think, I just drop the mop and race across the yard in the direction it came from.