The Targeted Pawn by Sally Brandle

Fired before she started? No, the Bull Boss couldn’t do that to her. Elon gripped the underside of the table edge, willing him to give her a trial run. One stinking opportunity to prove she wasn’t as worthless as Tim maintained. She bit her lip. There wasn’t enough cash to return to Seattle. “I drove here in good faith. Give me a chance, Mr. Calderon.”

Rane took in a deep breath, then let it out slowly. “You did me a favor helping my bull, so I’ll do the same.” He folded her letter and rested his fist on it. “Wasn’t expecting to accommodate a woman.” His glance flicked outside and back to her. “There’s an unused bedroom and attached bath down that hall.” His face softened for a split second before he flipped his thumb over his shoulder. “You may bunk in my grandma’s room. She didn’t handle stairs either.”

She’d handle him all right. Her fingers relaxed. “Sounds ideal. You have an MIG welder?”

He glanced around the kitchen, as if noticing the mess for the first time. “Yup. Welding can wait until tomorrow. Start by feeding the men at five o’clock. Plenty of grub in the storeroom through the door by the sink.”

“I’ll fix a hearty meal.” She palmed her locket. “I don’t have a cell phone. May I call my sons to tell them I arrived?”

“House phone’s on my desk in the far corner of the living room. No incoming calls after ten at night, Montana time. Anything else?”

“When do you cut checks?”

“On the fourth and the twenty-eighth.” He rifled through the stack and pulled out a photocopied timesheet. “Normally the men hand in hours three days earlier. I can take yours that morning.”

“Thank you. I can work through the weekend to catch you up.”

“Good. Other questions?”

Angel needed an advocate. “Just tell me where to park my car and oh…I, ah, have a dog.”

“Your car’s ok where it’s parked. Didn’t realize you brought a guest,” he said, in a voice turned soft as suede.

The calm before the storm? “Hadn’t planned to adopt a pet. A jerk tossed her from a truck on the highway an hour ago.” She clenched her fist. “I won’t abandon Angel. That’s what I named her.”

His boots scraped the floor as he pulled them in. He rose to his full height. “Angel can bunk inside, or I’ll find her a temporary doghouse.”

“I won’t let her bother you.”

“Dogs never do. If she needs kibbles, ask for Fred. He’ll find someone headed to town.”

The man did have a heart. For the first time today, she smiled. “Thank you. I’ll find something to feed her tonight,” Elon said.

Rane leaned over her, close enough to show dark stubble on his perfectly sculpted jaw. The guy’s black lashes appeared thick as paint brushes. His eyes glowed a deep shade of russet.

Flutters swirled in her belly. She blinked several times and leaned back.

With one fist braced on the papers, his chest stiffened into a shield. “Animals I trust, Ms. Hardy. Women are another story. A month’s trial, then we’ll talk.” He straightened and walked out, leaving a trail of spice-scented annoyance.

The front door slammed shut. Elon flinched.

So much for the misconception of a kindly old rancher. Nope. Her fortyish boss possessed the ability to morph into a hardened commander with one scowl from his squint-eyed, condemning looks.

She fingered the buttons on her blouse. How gracious of him to give her a month’s trial run. The divorce might take a year.

Rescuing Angel had helped win him over. They both needed a home until she got the settlement check, and she’d use the pup’s plight again if necessary. She removed a crusty saucepot from the sink. Stacking dirty fry pans cleared a space under the faucet to scour a water bowl for her dog.

Stagnant air surrounded her. “Uggh.” The place needed an open window and a stiff breeze. A metal ring hung from the middle of the lowered roller shade. Tugging it sent the blind snapping upward. She shoved open the pane of grimy glass on a window that faced her car. Dust particles danced in the filtered sunlight. Outside, the men gathered in the corral around the bull.

She collected Rane’s papers, crossed into the living room, and dropped them onto a desk capable of seating six. Angel would think she’d been abandoned again, but first she’d phone her boys.

Brandon didn’t have late classes. She punched in his number and smiled to hear his voice. “Hi. Hoped to catch you. Made it to the beautiful ranch. Cowboys and cattle.”

“Glad to hear, Mom. Beats deadbeat dads.”

She couldn’t agree more but wasn’t going to bad-mouth Tim. “Did Jeremy tell you the cost of his book?”

“I think he said two-fifty for a stupid, newly minted, print-only book. I’ll look for a part time job online tonight.”

The shameful practice of overcharging for a college book hadn’t ceased. “I’ll send him the money next week. I’d prefer you concentrate fully on schoolwork.”

“Okay. I’ll tell him. Thanks for leaving the freezer full.”

 “You’re welcome. Tuesday’s my first payday. It won’t be a windfall, but we’ll manage. I’m sorry about the divorce drama.”

“We’re all better off without Dr. Deceitful judging our every move. We think he’s gone off the deep end.”

 “Let’s not jump to conclusions. I’ll open a bank account tomorrow so I can transfer money to you, okay?”

“Yeah.” He cleared his throat. “Please be careful. Did you smash your phone?”

Her eyes teared from pride of their protective instincts and sadness at the reason. “I did. You boys mean the world to me. I’ll be back in Seattle soon. Love you.”

“Back at you.”

Her stalwart Brandon sounded worried. The handset wobbled into the cradle. “Damn you, Tim,” she whispered.