Chapter 43
Forty-Three
E ight weeks later…
“You haven’t liked any of the candidates I’ve sent your way?”
Sam peeled the label off the water bottle he’d been drinking from. What he wouldn’t give for a cold beer. But alcohol was just something he couldn’t chance with his heart. He’d rather be around for fifty more years.
The way Daisy was bugging him about finding an office manager for the ranch was about to drive him up a wall, though. He took a deep breath in and counted to ten.
“Am I stressing you out?”
“Yes,” he laughed as her eyes grew big. “But I know you’re doing this because you’re worried about me. Just know, there is no way I’m leaving Sunny to be influenced by Emma alone. I mean, I trust Jake to step in too, but I’ve got to see this thing through with her.”
Hank and Daisy had done Madison’s baptism right after Christmas, with Sam, Emma, Jake, and Grace all standing up as Sunny’s godparents.
“Glad to hear it. In that case, I need you to pick someone to at least interview. Maybe they aren’t coming across as the right fit on paper, but talking to them would show that they are.”
“I don’t think that’s the problem, Daisy. I ended up talking to that Dewayne guy from Kansas City, and he was the biggest asshole I’ve ever seen. I’d want to punch his face on day one. I don’t want someone like that on the ranch.”
“Sam, you need to find someone…”
“My cardiologist told me the other day he’s never seen a recovery like mine. That I’m stable and healthy. I’m fine.”
“You’re stable and healthy because we’ve all been working together to make sure you’re not working too hard. You can’t manage it all by yourself. Even your dad had more help than you do on the ranch and it was too much for him.”
“He also had high cholesterol for years before his heart attack. I’m fine. It was a random thing.”
“I’m not going to sit here and argue about your health with you. That’s a job for your wife one day. But I would like to hand you off to her with lower stress levels and a better sense of balance in your life. So, for the love of God and everything that is holy in this beautiful land that He gave us, please, please , pick someone to come help at the ranch.”
“Fine. You have another list you want to give me?”
Daisy smiled, reaching into her bag as she pulled out a folder. “Of course I do. I think this batch of candidates is the best we’ve had so far. I ranked them in the order I think you should interview them in. The top candidate is, as you would expect, on top.”
She slid the folder over to Sam.
“Evelyn Williams? Your top candidate is a woman?”
“Sam Cooper. I am going to pretend I did not just hear that sexist comment come out of your mouth!”
“I didn’t mean it to come out like that. It’s just, we haven’t had any women apply to the position before.”
“Yeah, and maybe that’s the problem.”
“I don’t think so.”
“Would you just look at her resume?”
“She’s from Wisconsin…”
“Yes.”
“That’s a big move, to come all the way down to Texas.”
Daisy shrugged. “Maybe she wants to escape the super cold winters.”
“She’s got an employment gap right now.”
“And?”
“And… why would someone leave over ten years at their job for… nothing?”
“You’re focusing on the wrong things. Evelyn worked for over ten years as an office manager for a livestock veterinarian .”
“That’s not the same as ranching.”
Daisy grabbed the folder from his hands.
“I’m setting up a phone interview with her for next week. I’ll let you know the time and I’ll come to the ranch to sit through it with you. You will give her a fair chance.”
“Fine.”
“Fine?”
“You’re scary when you’re like this.”
Daisy laughed. “Yeah, I am. Pick someone so I can stop being such a pushy bitch and get back to being your sweet neighbor.”
Evie wrapped her sweater tightly around her body as she thought over the question her potential new boss had just asked. While she would have preferred to meet Sam Cooper face to face, or even over video, she had a feeling the rancher wanted to keep things old school.
“Mr. Cooper, I’m very well versed in the simple day to day tasks required of office managers, including data entry, file maintenance, business account balancing, and payroll needs. I was in charge of all those areas and more at my previous job.”
Jeepers. Why was her voice quivering? She needed to sound more confident, but it was hard after everything she went through. Evie had planned on spending her whole career working for Dr. Bowman. Instead, he’d been personally responsible for the end of her career and the false criminal charges brought against her. Asshole.
“Yes.” The gruff cowboy’s voice came across the line, cutting through her thoughts. “I understand all that from your resume. It is quite impressive, if I’m being honest. I’m just wondering, Ms. Williams, why the desire to move from Wisconsin all the way down here to Texas?”
She should have prepared for that question better. Evie had lived in Wisconsin all her life. She’d grown up loving the crisp springs, cool summers, and snowy winters. It would be a loss to her to move somewhere where the heat scorched her skin three seasons of the year.
Her stomach tumbled as she thought about everything she’d endured over the last few months. The job opportunity at the Red River Ranch had come at a time when she was spending each evening in bed, crying her eyes out over the false accusations that had ripped her life apart.
“To be honest, Mr. Cooper, it’s more about the job opportunity than the location. I think that I am the exact candidate you are looking for. I’m hard working, dedicated, loyal, and the minute I am a part of the Red River Ranch family, I will do everything in my power to make sure it’s a success. I want to lighten the administrative burden for you, Mr. Cooper, so that you can focus on the part of ranching that you love.”
Over the next ten minutes, Evie answered the typical questions about her competencies and previous work history and asked a few of her own about the history of the ranch and what Mr. Cooper was ultimately looking to get out of her as an office administrator. They exchanged pleasantries and a promise from him that she’d be hearing back soon about the position. And then, she ended the call.
Tears of hope sprang into her eyes. Stupid hormones. Normally, she’d push them down and try to be strong, but something about the job in Bell Ridge set her heart at ease, and it’d been so long since she’d felt hope that her fresh start was within reach.
She sighed as her body flopped down onto her sofa. Evie moved her hand to the gentle swell of her pregnant belly. Nothing was more important than getting somewhere safe and putting down roots for her baby.
Evie opened her laptop, clicking on the tab where the official website of Bell Ridge waited for her to explore. Yes, she could absolutely see finding sanctuary in the sleepy town. If she was offered the job, there was no way she could turn it down. This would be her new start.
Will Evie be able to find a fresh start in Bell Ridge? Or will the past catch up with everyone at the Red River Ranch and pose a threat to her newfound happiness?