Page 33 of Rival
Chapter Fifteen
Mason
I’m just heading out the back door after breakfast when my phone buzzes in my pocket. Annoyed at having to deal with people this early, I stop and quickly scan the text from Jaxon.
I received your email. I’m going to look into it further.
I roll my eyes and choose not to respond. It’s not my job to prove to baby Thorton that his dad screwed over paying customers, but I did it. Any time I’ve heard locals asking about recommendations for a good contractor, I’ve never held my tongue. They all need to know the Thortons aren’t reliable, evenifJaxon has the reputation of being a decent guy to work with. I’ll never use them. I’d rather pay someone to come in from out of town than go to them with my business again.
Tucking my phone into my pocket, I walk into the barn to collect my newest employee who I saw walk in twenty minutes earlier. The moment the door shuts behind me, a crying cat is shoved into my face. One with fur a bit different from my currenttenant. As soon as I lock eyes with the creature, I know my answer.
“No!”
I don’t believe I could have been more adamant about how fucking serious I am right now.How in the world am I in this situation again?The bruised, watery eyes of Edith are staring up at me with so much sadness and hope that I feel as if I’m being sucker punched.
“Iknowthis looks bad. It’s just… I think it’s little Buck’s sister, and she seems so lethargic, as if she hasn’t had anything to eat in forever.” Holding the kitten in front of my face, I notice it’s almost identical to the one currently causing havoc on my farm. It’s another loud, meowing baby with crusty eyes and ragged fur. “She looks just like him. I don’t know what else to do with her.”
“I’m not takin’ on anymore cats here. This isn’t your home, Edith. We aren’t an animal rescue, and I don’t have time to deal with all this shit.” Everything in me is screaming to stand firm or I’ll be overrun with this tiny woman filling this place with strays. But when she pulls the kitten back against her chest and cradles her, despair leaking out, I know I’m fucking sunk. “Fuck…” I trail off, rubbing my palm against my tired eyes.
“I’m sorry. I know it’s rude of me to ask. I’ll see if maybe the animal shelter has room. I called them when we found Buck.” She sayswelike I was a part of all of this. “But they had no space in the foster homes. Maybe they do now.”
“No,” I groan out, stopping her. “It’s only one more. This is the last one, though. You hear me, girl? If you find the rest of that damn litter, don’t even think about bringin’ them in here. They have a way of findin’ their way back, and I don’t want to be overrun with them.”
Her smile lights up the dim barn, and she holds the meowing baby out to me again. “You’re amazing, you know that? Thank you so,somuch! I promise, I’ll care for her the same as Buck.”
“Buck? You finally named the flea bag?” I won’t deny that it’s kind of a good name for a cat, but I’ll never admit it to her.
Edith frowns, then bends down to pick up the object of our conversation and holds both of them to her body. “He doesn’t have fleas. I’ve been checking every morning.”
“If you name them, you’ll get attached. You shouldn’t get attached ‘cuz we don’t even know how long you’ll be workin’ here.” My warning is enough to make her recoil, but I refuse to mince my words. We both know this arrangement isn’t going to last for long.
“Her name is Bonnie.”
She whispers so softly I have to lean forward to ask, “What was that?”
“Bonnie. I named her Bonnie. So, they’re Bonnie and Buck.”
Pointing toward the loft, I snap, “Put ‘em up there. We got shit to do.”
“Yes, sir.” Hurrying away from me, I wait as she settles them deeper into the stacks, then she’s standing in front of me a moment later, brushing the strands of straw and fur from her clothes. “What would you like me to do today? I don’t have to work at the barn this afternoon, so if there’s extra chores you’re needing done, I’m available until dinner.”
Well, that changes things. I was just going to have her clean out the barns again, the same as earlier this week, but since I’ve got her for longer, I’m tempted to test her out more. Checking my watch, I do quick math and realize I’ve got her for over nine hours.
“You bring a lunch with you?” I ask, leading us from the barn over to where we keep our horses.
“I didn’t. Should I run home and grab something?”
I shake my head. “It’s fine. In the future, though, when you’re here on days you can work longer, make sure you can feed yourself. My mom will provide lunch today. We’re gonna get back on Austin and run the property, look for holes in the field and fill them.”
Breathlessly, she asks as she’s trying to keep up with me. “Why do you fill them in? It’s just an overgrown field, right?”
“Holes can break legs. It’s a tedious, but inexpensive way to keep the herd safer. Can you ride by yourself?”
Edith stops and widens her eyes in panic. I don’t know why I even asked if the last time is any indication of her ability to sit on a horse, but I didn’t think through all of this with her having to ride in front of me again.
“Guess that’s a no. You need to figure this shit out, Edith. I’ll put you in front of me today, but going forward, you’re gonna be on your own. Get some damn lessons if you need to, but this,” I wave a hand between us and the horse barn, “is gonna quickly become a problem. Get me?”
“I have a friend,” she blurts out, and I narrow my eyes.
