Chapter 14
No matter how excited she was to be headed to Crooked Creek, Sasha wasn’t sure she was ready to give up moments like this.
She was stretching on the front porch of her house.
In recent discussions, Uncle Walker had emphasized the value of keeping as mobile as possible to improve her riding.
While some of his warnings seemed a long way off in terms of her excellent seventeen-year-old flexibility, it was worthwhile advice overall, so she’d follow it.
Next to her, Jinx lazed in the porch swing, looking very comfy as she petted Dixie, the dog curled up beside her.
The summer had passed in a flash, and Sasha had enjoyed every minute of it. Even making her pro/con list regarding Crooked Creek had seemed more like a fantasy than reality as she’d kept being interrupted by helping the expectant aunties and then visiting and cuddling the new babies.
But it was now officially September, and time to think more seriously about answering the question on everyone’s minds.
Including Jinx’s.
“You’ll be gone all week?” Jinx asked. “Are you really going to move?”
“Still nothing official, but Mom and Dad suggested that September is a nice time to try new things. Since school usually started then.” Sasha paused, switched legs. “Dustin and I are headed out in the morning. We’ll spend the week, and this time I need to think with a new mindset.”
“Do I want to run this place?” Jinx offered.
Sasha laughed. “Not going there off the bat. I have a long way to go even if that’s the direction I’m headed. No, I need to think about what it would look like if Crooked Creek was home instead of somewhere I visit.”
Jinx tilted her head to the side. “I’m going to miss you.”
“Ha on that. You’ll be busy at High Water getting your training in all things ranch. Plus giving Logan heart eyes.”
Her friend flushed. “We’re going on a date on Tuesday.”
“Ooooh, tell me more.”
Jinx shrugged. “A movie and ice cream.”
“And kissing,” Sasha teased gently. “I know you’re going slow. Good for you, and good for Logan. It’s fun to watch you guys figure this out.”
“Yes, there will be kissing,” Jinx offered before making a face. It vanished a second later, so Sasha didn’t push.
If Jinx wanted advice, she’d ask one of the dozen people eager and waiting to offer. If that was Sasha, she’d help however she could. If not? Jinx would figure it out.
Still, it wouldn’t hurt to plan ahead a little. Just in case an important conversation needed to happen.
“I’ll be back next Sunday. How about you and me plan our own date for Monday to get caught up?” Sasha offered.
“Yes,” Jinx agreed. “Part of me wants you to hate it there, but I’ll be a grown-up and say I hope you have a wonderful time at Crooked Creek.”
Those two conflicting thoughts were rolling in Sasha’s gut as she made the final approach to the ranch the next morning. She’d worked the ranch before, but it had always been under her dad’s supervision.
First time as a grown-up, basically on her own.
Although, yes, Dustin was along, but he owned that special place in Sasha’s life of being Bruncle Dusty—close enough in age they’d grown up together for the most part.
Beside her in the truck, Dustin had reclined his seat to nearly horizontal, snoozing for most of the drive. Sasha loved that he hadn’t insisted on being behind the wheel. She owed her dad, and uncles, and Charity, a big thank you for training him well.
It was nice to have the first view of the ranch privately, so to speak.
Sasha had been there many times. Had even admired the way the distant mountains to the south seemed to rise out of nowhere and shoot skyward.
A stark contrast to the mountains west of Silver Stone, with the foothills coming first, with their gentle rise and fall before becoming the upward thrust of the Rockies.
Crooked Creek was pretty enough. Not as familiar, but not…wrong.
Just different. That’s what she was going to remember as she tried on the idea of moving and learning and adjusting.
Uncle Frank was waiting for them when she parked outside the ranch house. He stepped forward, and she noticed that he paused briefly when she hopped out of the driver’s side instead of Dustin.
Still, he recovered quick enough. Strode forward and offered his hand. “Sasha. Glad you’ve come.”
“Thanks for having us out,” she returned.
He shook Dustin’s hand as well, adding a firm pat to his shoulder. “Always good to have family from Silver Stone visit.”
Sasha reached into the back seat and pulled out her bag. “We can drop our stuff in the bunkhouse and get to work.”
Uncle Frank hesitated. “I thought you’d stay in the house with me.”
Which also worked. “Sure.” She tossed her bag over her shoulder. “Dustin said harvest is going well?”
“Far fields are halfway done. The weather’s been holding—not too hot and no rain, so we hope to finish this week.”
“Excellent.” Dustin strode on the opposite side of Sasha. “How’re the new horses fitting in?”
Uncle Frank shook his hand from side to side. “They’re both solid stock, I grant you that. But they’re a little flightier than I like.”
Dustin opened the front door of the house and gestured Sasha in first. “Make sure Sasha gets a chance to ride. She’s familiar to them, so once they’re happy here, they’ll accept your regular team easier.”
“Good idea.” Frank motioned to the stairs. “Get settled, and I’ll go update Adam that you’re here and ready to be put to work.”
Ten minutes later she and Dustin strolled down to the barn and met with the Crooked Creek foreman, Adam West. The man in his mid-forties welcomed Dustin enthusiastically before offering Sasha a firm nod.
“I know you’ve helped out before. Let’s see how things go this week.
If you have any questions or suggestions, let me know. ”
“Will do.”
Adam lifted his chin at Dustin, a sly smile on his deeply tanned face. “Keith and Amy are waiting for you with the baler.”
“Getting dusty then,” Dustin offered good-naturedly. “You have to put me up on a horse sometime while we’re here.”
“We will, now get.”
“Getting.” Dustin offered Sasha a wink. “Have fun. Don’t worry when Adam starts to complain he can’t keep up with you. Old people get tired quickly.”
“Funny man. Move your ass.” Adam pushed Dustin toward the area where the tractors were parked. He caught Sasha’s gaze as he tilted his head toward one of the UTVs. “You’re with me.”
He handed over a beat-up old clipboard. She got into the vehicle next to Adam then scanned the work list as he started the side-by-side. The engine coughed then growled as she noted the tasks were similar to ones she’d done before at Silver Stone, although Tucker’s writing was more legible.
West pasture #2 trough. Two mineral tubs to south field. East pasture #3 water pump. Treat calf with pink eye. Grease tractor #2. Inventory fencing staples and wire. Bring in horses for training.
Adam was quiet as he headed them to the west, which gave her time to look around. Crooked Creek had good bones, but the more closely she examined things, the more Sasha noticed the place was…weathered.
Like a half step from being where she needed to be.
Tractors and machinery were parked in one area, but a little willy-nilly.
The wear and tear on the barns was fine, but a broken door swayed on one side of the high hayloft, and a couple of haybarns in the east pasture leaned more than they should.
With the strong winds in the area, Sasha guessed they’d tip over sometime during the next winter.
When she hopped out to open an access gate, the bottom corner dragged. A shallow crescent in the dirt proved it had been dragging for a while now.
She hopped back in and looked for a pen. She made a note on the back of the work paper then sat back and looked around again.
“Something wrong?” Adam asked.
“Making a note for the maintenance board.”
He eyed her for a moment, but didn’t say anything.
Drat. Did he think she was slacking off? “It’s a little thing, easily fixed, but I don’t think we have any new hinges with us.”
“No, we don’t.” Adam faced forward again and got them rolling. “Good idea to take notes. You’ll have to talk to your uncle about the maintenance board.”
Something in his tone sounded off.
Sasha pushed the odd reaction aside as best she could, diving in with full energy to the repairs and fixing and lifting and the rest that working with Adam required.
But she also kept seeing things—small things, but ones that if they weren’t fixed now, the next repair would be expensive or complicated. Loose handles on the mineral tubs. A gate chain that was now baling wire—which would work, until it didn’t.
They searched for the grease gun in the machine shed for fifteen minutes while Adam cursed under his breath before finding it.
When they broke for lunch, Sasha was ravenous, and her brain was full to the brim with ideas. The mess hall was warm and noisy and smelled delicious, and Sasha scooped up a hearty portion of chili, heaped it with pickles and grabbed two buns.
Dustin was already seated at the end of one table with Uncle Frank, talking earnestly. Frank looked up as she pulled out a chair to join them, his expression unreadable.
At least until he glanced at her plate and his brows rose for a split second before he pulled himself together. Too funny. Her dad always said she had the appetite of a linebacker, but so far, she burned it off easily.
“How’d the morning go?” Dustin asked.
“Good. Got all the things on our list done and the horses are ready for training this afternoon. The view from the far east field is incredible, Uncle Frank.”
Frank dipped his chin approvingly. “Too far off the road for the house, but one of my favourite spots.”
“I can see why.” Sasha took a big spoonful of chili and had to fan her mouth. “Your cook is really good.”
“We like him.” Frank buttered another bun. “Glad you had a good morning.”