Page 40 of Loving Carter

Of course, I could also fall for her, but I’m not the falling in love type. I’ve never been in love, and if I haven’t by this age, I probably never will.

I call Scott, the handyman we sometimes use around the camp, and tell him about the bike. Then I head out of the office to check on the kitchen. Evie Parsons started last week, and so far, it’s been going great. Not only is she a terrific cook, but she also makes special dishes for the aunts. They adore her, which means my biggest worry is that she’ll find a better paying job and leave us. As I enter the dining hall, I make a mental note to offer her a bonus when this group leaves.

“How’s it going?” I ask when I enter the kitchen.

“Good. No problems,” she says.

Even though breakfast ended only a short time ago, the kitchen is tidy. I don’t know how she does it. If I had to do this job, I’d have pancake batter on the walls. But Evie is calmly arranging the clean cups on the shelf.

“Can I do anything to help?” I ask, not sure what I could do but willing to try.

She turns and faces me. “Could I teach a cooking class to the kids?”

Her request catches me off guard. She wants more work? “I’m sure they’d like it, but do you really want to take on the extra work?”

She’s a petite woman with a quick smile. “It will be fun, plus I’ll have them make things we’ll also eat for either lunch or dinner. The kids will feel special knowing they helped cook the food.”

“It’s a great idea, and I’ll pay you for it.” When she starts to protest, I say, “That’s nonnegotiable. If you do more work, you earn more money.”

I’m glad when she finally accepts my offer. I really like Evie. She’s a nice woman, and I once again make a mental note to give her a bonus on top of the extra she’ll earn from the classes. I can’t leave the ranch until I find capable people to work here, and Evie is definitely capable. I don’t know much about her personal history, but I know everyone can use extra money. Thankfully, money isn’t a problem at the ranch. We’re doing very well, and I believe in sharing good fortune.

We spend a few minutes going over what supplies she’ll need and when she should hold the classes. Once everything is set, I head back to the main house. I want to check on my aunts.

Since I walk in the back door, I head toward the front porch. Long before I reach it, I can hear the two women talking about astronomy. Tillie is maintaining that Pluto is being mistreated by scientists, and Edna keeps maintaining that Pluto got too much credit for too long and “should be ashamed of itself.”

I bite back a smile. I wonder who will win this argument?

“How are you two today?” I ask, walking onto the porch.

Both women are sitting in the rocking chairs they never seem to leave during the day. Even with the fan and cooling mist, I don’t know how the women stand it. I’m sure the Devil himself would complain about the heat during a Texas summer.

“Aren’t you hot out here?” I ask.

“Why would we be hot?” Tillie asks this question like it’s perfectly reasonable.

“Because it’s a million degrees today,” I tell her.

Edna waves one hand to dismiss my comment. “Pooh. It is not. Don’t exaggerate.”

I take out my phone, check the weather, and say, “You’re right. It’s not a million degrees. But it’s over a hundred.”

“That’s not hot,” Tillie says, rocking slowly. She crinkles her nose. “Do you find it too hot these days? Is it difficult for you working with the guests because it’s hot?”

The answer to that is a resounding yes. Unless I’m by the pond, I’m always melting like the Wicked Witch of the West. Even now, I’m sweating just from the short amount of time I’ve been outside.

“You should take up yoda,” Edna says. “Yoda is very good for you.”

I try not to laugh. “Yoda? Do you mean yoga?”

“Yes. That. I saw something on television that said yoga helps keep you cool, calm, and collected. I’m not sure what they mean about the collected part, but you would probably like being cool and calm.” Edna smiles up at me.

My aunts are older, but they’re not so old that they don’t know what they’re saying. “Very funny, Aunt Edna.”

Both she and Tillie laugh.

“We’re not making fun of you,” Tillie says. “But I do think she’s right about yoga. It would help you relax and think through your major life decisions.”

The two sisters exchange looks, and I have no idea what they mean.

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