Page 48 of Red Hot Rancher

“So that means we have an opening. And Lieutenant Mills is talking retirement.”

Caleb had heard the same, but he’d been too distracted with planning ways to afford his house and get more income out of his ranch to dwell on it.

The chief cut in. “What are your plans for the future, Caleb?” The chief had a way of treating all of them like sons. Maybe that was why his owns sons had resented Caleb, but that was water out of the hose.

“I’m working on my emergency management degree.” He loved both of his jobs. “My plans are to stick with the department. I love my job.”

LT rested his elbows on his desk. “And we’d like you to stay. We’d also like to see you move up. Have you given thought to continuing your education so you’ll qualify for these openings as they happen?”

“I did. Before the storm.” With sheer fortitude, he’d continued with his college courses. Both to feel like he was still moving forward, and because, like the LT had said, he needed to keep thinking about his future.

The other guys nodded, knowing exactly which storm he meant.

“You have a lot on your plate, Cruise,” LT said. “However we can help, let us know. But I’d like to see your name in the pool of applicants for driver engineer.”

That driver engineer position would be one rung up the ladder. One step closer to lieutenant. He’d been working here long enough to start considering promotions. Hadn’t he been telling himself that he was a firefighter with experience?

The chief’s gruff voice interrupted his thoughts. “We’re not in our twenties forever. Sometimes, it’s the back that goes. Or our knees. Or we have an accident, illness, what have you. My point is, you gotta start planning now for when you’re older and can’t haul hoses and crawl up ladders anymore. And a promotion won’t hurt the checkbook.”

Reality sank in as he calculated the starting wage for a driver engineer. If he got the job, he could approach the bank again. On that salary, he could afford a higher mortgage even without widening the income and expense gap of the ranch.

And if he could build on that income, he’d be set for when he was promoted again.

LT tapped the desk. “Why don’t I email you the job qualifications and all the information I have on continuing ed? If you have any questions, hit me up, anytime.”

“Thank you, sir.” He nodded again to Chief Bradford. “Chief. Thank you.”

“You were always a hard-working kid, Caleb,” the chief said. “I would hate to lose you.”

Caleb frowned once he left LT’s office. Had they heard he was seeing Brigit and that she was planning to move? Did the whole town think he’d go with her?

The whole town except her.

Chapter 14

Brigit trailed her fingers over the mouse pad on her laptop. The page on the screen was open to jobs in Arizona. Close to her parents.

She’d exhausted places in Minneapolis that she was qualified for, but that damn lack of experience—relevant experience. At this rate, her sleazy ex qualified for more jobs than she did because of his insurance background.

She knew practically no one else in other major cities, and moving somewhere and starting over was no longer appealing. How times had changed.

At night, she slept with Caleb in his room, but during the day, she applied for jobs in here. She was isolating this part of herself away from the fun she had with Caleb. This damn computer shadowed her relationship with Caleb.

She slept with him. Ate with him. Did chores with him. But they weren’t moving forward, not as a couple.

There was nowhere for her to go. She was happy, for now, but she couldn’t continue to rely on Caleb, Justin, and her parents to support her through life.

Clicking to her other screen, she scowled at the dismal list of positions in Moore. Night clerk at the bigger hotel in town. Gas station attendant. Nurses. She should’ve gone to nursing school. There were always openings, and they actually paid a livable wage. Unlike the gas station and night clerk. The benefits in those places helped, but not enough.

Besides, the only creatures she wanted to nurse had cloven hoofs. Maybe she should’ve set her sights on veterinary school. But no. Then she would’ve been a full-time vet watching everyone else ranch. Might as well make a clean break.

Only it wouldn’t be clean anymore, would it?

Caleb.

He’d gotten home from work this morning and run out to his place to check on things. I’ll bring home lunch. I have to talk with you about work.

Her work, or his? He hadn’t said, but he seemed part excited and part stressed.

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