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The door opened behind us and a lean, strong-jawed man walked through. Dressed in jeans and a T-shirt with a beer logo etched across the front and boots, he brought the scent of fresh air in with him as if it were permanently attached to him.
This was Thad? I thought he’d be more buttoned-up.
Finley stared at him with her mouth slightly open before pulling herself together, standing up straighter and buttoning her suit jacket. “Hello, sir, are you checking in?”
“No, I’m a Moon. Soren. I run the ranch.” He looked over at Caspian with raised eyebrows. “What’s going on here?” His question sounded more like, “Who the hell are these two?”
“Finley’s our recently hired hospitality coordinator,” Caspian said. “And this is Elliot Young, my new pastry chef—if she accepts my offer.”
Soren didn’t offer me or Finley his hand to shake. Instead he glowered at me and then her. “Do either of you know how cold it gets here in the winter?”
“Sure do. Bloody freezing, innit?” Finley clapped her hand over her mouth momentarily. “I mean, yes, it can get quite cold. I’m going to invest in a new jacket. After my first paycheck, that is.” She smiled brightly, clearly unbothered by Soren’s rude attitude.
“You came here without a jacket?” Soren asked Finley. “Knowing the weather?”
“I have a jacket for London weather, which is all I’ve needed. Until now.” She lifted her chin, eyes flashing with animosity, but only for a second. As she had before, she quickly replaced her irritated expression with a bland hospitality. Had she studied how to do that in school? Back in the kitchen, we never had to worry too much with personal interaction with customers. However, I could imagine that those who studied hospitality learned tricks to disguise their true thoughts and feelings. Let’s face it, some guests were rude. Apparently, so were some ranch managers. Soren Moon was a cranky old man in a hot cowboy’s body.
I stole a quick glance at the grumpy brother. He didn’t look much like Caspian, other than they shared similar hair both in texture and color, only Soren wore his cropped short.
“Every time I turn around, we’ve hired someone new,” Soren said to Caspian. “I hope all this hiring is necessary.”
“It’s our slow of time of year, and it’s a Tuesday,” Caspian replied, mildly. “The busy season’s just right around the corner.”
“We’re full this coming weekend,” Finley said. “I can’t wait. Meeting guests is so much fun. I keep a little journal to jot down memories of people I’ve met during my shift so I won’t forget them.”
“Why would you want to remember them?” Soren’s nose wrinkled as if he smelled something rotten.
The door opened, and a man wearing jeans and a flannel shirt walked through, thus we didn’t get to hear Finley’s answer. I was curious, too, I have to admit. Why was it important to her to remember details of the folks she’d met along the journey of life? Maybe I’d ask her sometime. Once we were on friendly terms. Two new girls, navigating Crescent Moon Ranch together.
“Ah, Thad, there you are,” Caspian said, before introducing me.
Thad had dark brown hair and mischievous brown eyes. His mouth curved upward naturally, making it seem as if he was always smiling.
“What’s going on?” Thad asked. “Are we having a party and you forgot to invite me?”
“Apparently we’re on a hiring spree,” Soren said drily. “Otherwise, people appear to be multiplying.”
Was he against more staff? I really hoped this place wasn’t going to turn out to be completely dysfunctional, with all the brothers fighting for power as in a television drama.
Family. I had none left. No longer would Aunt Biddie be at home waiting to hear from me, sitting in her yellow kitchen with a cup of tea and whatever book she was reading. She’d always been interested in my life, asking for every detail and never forgetting anything I ever told her. Who would I share the good and the bad with now that she was gone?
“Ignore him. I’m Thad Moon.” He shook my hand. “I’m assuming you’re here interviewing for the pastry chef position?”
“That’s correct,” I said. “Nice to meet you. If there’s any multiplying around here, it seems to be the Moon brothers.”
Caspian and Thad laughed. “There’s two more of us, if you can believe it,” Thad said.
The doctor and the genius tech guy.
“Am I the only one who never knows what’s going on around here?” Soren asked, sounding like a cranky toddler. So far, I wasn’t a fan of this particular Moon.
“What do you want to know?” Thad asked, grinning.
Soren looked stumped for a moment. “Actually, nothing. I came in here to get a cookie.” He strode over on long legs and helped himself to two from the plate. “And to hide out. One of my workers brought his kids to work, and they’re annoying me with a thousand questions.”
“Do you not like children?” Finley asked, eyes widening in what appeared to be utter disbelief.
“I have no opinion of them one way or the other,” Soren said. “Other than they’re aggravating when I’m trying to do real work.”
