Chapter Two
Garrett pulled into the driveway of Serenity Ranch.
He blew out his breath as he put the truck into park.
Taking stock of some inconsistencies, he made a list of items to bring to their attention.
He hoped it might get him a foot in the door.
Unsure of why they needed ex-military to run a cattle ranch, his suspicions grew.
Hoping he might be able to put all his skills to use, Garrett wanted, more than anything, a place where he fit in.
The man in charge, Matthew Cartwright, stepped onto the porch of the old farmhouse and stared expectantly at him. Bolstering his courage, he slid out of the driver’s seat, walked up the steps, and extended his hand.
“I’m Garrett Johnson. Thanks for meeting with me this evening.”
“I don’t hire the ranch hands. Mac handles it. Why did you ask to see me?” Matthew asked.
“I’ve worked on a ranch since the age of seven.
This place smells like a ranch, appears like a ranch, but it doesn’t run like one,” Garrett said, staring Matthew in the eyes.
“I’ve tried getting hired on for the past six months and never received a call.
It’s given me a ton of time to think about things. ”
Matthew straightened as he sipped his coffee. “Do you want to tell me what you mean?”
“I’ve attended the beef auctions. With land of this size, you can easily accommodate double the amount of cattle you order.
Yet your current foreman orders enough to keep suspicion down,” Garrett informed him.
“To the discerning eye, you run a legitimate cattle ranch. To someone who’s run one and trained to see anything suspicious, I’m guessing you have some other operation going on here. ”
Matthew Cartwright never flinched. “I’m afraid you’re mistaken. I suggest you keep your opinions to yourself. We don’t want any trouble here.”
Garrett shrugged. “What kind of quandary can a cattle ranch get into? I heard you hire military. I approve wholeheartedly. In fact, I’m a veteran. Considering some of the hands from Mystic Ranch have applied and not a single one has gotten hired, it only fuels my suspicions.”
“Did you ever consider I don’t want someone from a competing ranch working for me? Your theory doesn’t amount to shit. You’re part of the Navy SEAL, and we haven’t called you either. What theory you think you have, doesn’t exist,” Matthew said firmly.
“I never mentioned my military status,” Garrett said triumphantly.
“No, but you mentioned you applied. If you recall, at the bottom of the application, you permitted a background check,” Matthew said, setting his cup on the railing.
The sound of a vehicle coming down the drive caused both men to turn and watch as Mac pulled alongside Garrett’s truck. The older man got out of his vehicle and pulled his hat down low as he approached the porch.
“Thanks for coming,” Matthew greeted him. “Garrett Johnson decided to pay us a visit.”
The older man shook his hand. “I’m Mac.”
“Nice to meet you,” Garrett said as the older man took a seat.
“We’re discussing how the ranch works. Mr. Johnson seems to think we’re running a covert operation here,” Matthew said as a woman with long brown hair made up into a braid came out, carrying a cup of coffee for Mac and a plate of muffins.
“Delaney called and told me you were on your way,” she said, setting the dish on the table beside Mac.
“Thanks, Rachel,” Mac said, winking at her.
“May I get you something to drink, Mr. Johnson? You’ll need it by the time Matthew finishes with you,” she said, smiling.
“I’ll take a cup of coffee, ma’am,” he said politely, startled by her use of his name.
“I’m afraid I’m not as covert as you believe. The window’s open,” she explained saucily before retrieving his coffee. A minute later, she handed him a mug and disappeared back into the house.
“Since we’ve established you have done a background check on me, why haven’t you called me for an interview?” Garrett asked. “My ranch experience alone garners at least a phone call and possibly an interview.”
Mac glanced at Matthew and nodded slightly.
“Perhaps we’re wondering why a man with five million dollars in the bank wants to work as a ranch hand, especially when he already has a job at Mystic in the next town,” Matthew said, staring at Garrett.
Garrett sighed and motioned toward one of the rockers. Matthew nodded and moved to another one on his left while Mac sat on his right.
“My grandfather died and left me a small ranch. The old bastard raised me until I turned fifteen. My mother came for me then, and I lived with her, never seeing him again. I enlisted right out of high school, and they granted me leave to attend his funeral. My grandfather named me his sole heir, and my mother and her boyfriend disagreed with his decision. They burned the house down. I sold the land to a manufacturer and invested the money. Unfortunately, I’m not a man who can stay idle.
I tried it for a few weeks and found it tiresome,” he admitted.
Mac glanced over at Matthew and tipped his hat forward.
“What made you suddenly take the bull by the horns, so to speak? Did something happen at Mystic Ranch?” Matthew asked.
Garett frowned as they turned the tables on him. “I don’t fit in there.”
“What makes you think you will here?” Mac asked, picking up one of the muffins and taking a bite out of it.
Rubbing his jaw, he glanced out over the fields. “I don’t. I hoped working alongside my brothers-in-arms might give me something in common with them. The last couple of days have felt like hell. Snow and I seemed to get along with one another, and suddenly, she doesn’t want me around.”
“Ahhh, it’s over a woman,” Mac deduced.
“No, not really. I seem to attract the wrong kind. Snow and I seemed…friendly. I thought she might want more, but it’s not in the cards.
She prefers someone she met recently. You’ve investigated me.
Then, you know, I don’t speak about the money.
I’ve run through my fair share of women and never come out on top.
I do, however, have skills you might need. ”
“Why don’t you purchase your own ranch and run it?” Matthew asked, watching him. “Mac runs the ranch to my satisfaction, and I don’t believe I need another manager.”
Garrett took his hat off and traced the rim. “I don’t want the responsibilities, which come along with having one. I like running the hands, but not worrying about the payroll, insurance, and injuries.”
“You can hire a foreman to do all of the crap you hate,” Mac suggested.
“Yeah, I probably can,” Garrett admitted. “I’m saving for something special. I haven’t found it yet. When did it become a crime to have money in the bank for security purposes?”
Matthew sipped his coffee, slowly regarding him. “Your military record seems impeccable. If given the chance, what things do you think need changing?”
“Your rotation shifts are too predictable. I can easily cut the fence and have a herd out before your men ever make the next round. Your driveway obviously has facial recognition, and it explains how you knew my name before I even introduced myself. The cattle numbers need to be increased, and your orders for feed and incidentals must be placed locally a week before they’re needed.
It’ll make you more credible for the locals.
Your men need to leave the ranch. We rarely see anyone at the Blue Moon, and the locals barely recognize them from the ranch.
It’s a small town. People talk. If you think they don’t see some of the oddities, you’re stupid.
I mean no disrespect,” Garrett confessed.
“Plus, you need to go out on Saturday night to the local joints. Take the pretty lady out for a nice dinner.”
Matthew growled. “You’ll leave her out of this.”
Holding his hands up in surrender, he gave up trying to convince the two men.
He wanted to feel needed if it came right down to it, and it didn’t matter how much money sat in the bank.
He attracted the wrong kind of woman when he really wanted someone who knew how to stay loyal, cared about him, and wanted a partner.
Seeing his hopes dashed before his eyes, Garrett finally gave up.
“I’m sorry I wasted your time. I’ll be going. I need to give my notice to Mr. Baron and figure out where I’m headed next.”
“You’re very perceptive. It’s come to our attention that Mac will be needed somewhere else on the ranch.
I’ll need someone to cover him. You’ll be responsible for assignments, and if someone doesn’t carry their load, you’ll report them to me,” Matthew informed him.
“You’ll be required to sign an NDA and if you utter one word about our ranch operation, you can forget about the money in your account. ”
Garret wanted to leap for joy. Six months of trying to find out more about their operation made him more curious by the day. These men did more than ranch, and if he guessed, they ran black ops.
“When can I start?” he asked, tapping down his eagerness.
“I’ll give you three days to settle in. Mac will oversee your orientation. You’ll stay on your side of the ranch. If I catch you nosing around this place, I’ll string you up by your balls myself,” Matthew threatened. “Did you give notice to Mr. Baron?”
“No, not yet. I plan to do it as soon as you offer me the job. I understand the need for discretion,” Garrett said, feeling lighter than this morning after his confrontation with his former lover.
“Go get your stuff, and when you return, I’ll show you where you’ll bunk,” Mac offered. “You can fill out all your paperwork then.”
Garrett rose and shook their hands. “Thank you for the opportunity. I’ll return in a couple of hours with all my belongings and my horse. Do you have a place for me to board him?”
“We’ll make room,” Mac assured him. “Bring him to the barn on the left. I’ll have the hands clear a stall for him.”
Garrett slowed his body down to keep from skipping down the steps.
He slid into the driver’s seat, feeling elated at the prospect of working at Serenity Ranch.
Maybe the incident with Snow forced him into action.
He knew the moment the man stepped out of the woods, and she insisted on Garrett leaving, he no longer wanted to work there.
Hopefully, this move gave him something to wake up for in the morning.
With a bit of time, maybe Matthew and Mac would learn to trust him.
He missed the satisfaction of helping others in need.
The military showed him the world’s misery and its evil.
He wanted to find something good about it.
Something in his gut told him Serenity Ranch offered more than what met the eye.