“Yeah. Today’s a lot better than Friday.”
“I heard. Zeke’s a hardball.”
“No kidding. He’s the toughest one to break.” I had to wrestle a stubborn colt into a pen at the tail end of my first week at the job. Nearly took my back out. Feisty little beast.
Jake frowns. “How’s Baize doing?”
“Great. I charted everything.”
“I’m sure you did, but I want to hear it from you.”
“A few more weeks and she should be out in the field again.”
Jake nods. “I like the sound of that.”
“So do I,” Hunter says. He stands up when he sees us enter.
“The vet did a great job,” I say.
“It was money well spent,” Jake says.
“Absolutely.” I nod. “Soon, you’ll never know Baize was injured.”
“I was about to make some coffee,” Hunter says, changing the subject. “Rhett, do you want a cup?”
“Maybe this is a bad time to talk…”
“If it was, we’d tell you.” Jake sets me straight. “My best friend is inviting you for coffee. I’d take his offer if I were you. That’s about the only thing he can make in the kitchen without burning the damn thing to the ground.”
I chuckle.
“As if you’re a superstar chef,” Hunter says. “Rhett, ignore him. Coffee?”
“I wouldn’t say no. Thanks.”
Hunter turns his business partner. “Jake?”
“I’m due for another cup,” Jake says. “Thank you.”
“On her way back to the house, Miranda dropped off a box of glazed pecan Danishes left over from the morning pastries,” Hunter says. “I think they’ll go down nicely with the coffee. “What do you think, Rhett?” He flashes me a teasing smile.
“You two know how to treat your ranch hands.”
“That’s why we have the best ones and we keep them for a long time,” Hunter says.
“What he said.” Jake points to his business partner.
I nod.
“Don’t be a stranger. Take a seat,” Hunter says.
I do.
A few minutes later, Hunter walks back with coffee and Danishes.
It doesn’t take long for us to polish off three Danishes each and a big cup of piping hot coffee.
“That hit the spot,” I say. “Thank you so much.”
