head hit the pillow.
Chapter Two
Coal woke up just after sunrise and dressed, then slipped quietly from the house to walk to the bunkhouse. Melissa watched her as she walked quickly across the yard and disappeared.
“Good morning,” Harley said when he heard her enter the kitchen. “Grab you some coffee and have a seat.” He’d already cooked a large pile of bacon. “How would you like your eggs?”
“Over easy would be great,” she said.
“Did you sleep good last night?”
She shot him a smile. “I barely remember lying down.”
“This heat can be an ass kicker.”
“Yeah, it can, but I’ve been in worse,” she said.
Harley waited to see if she would elaborate, but instead she walked over to the counter and dropped some bread in the toaster. “The rest of the crew still sleeping?” she asked.
“Yeah, I usually get up early, eat and then cook for them as they get up,” Harley said.
“That’s very nice of you. Have you eaten yet?”
“No, so drop me some toast too. There’s homemade apple jelly in the fridge.”
Coal took him two plates and put utensils out on the table as she waited for the toast.
“You did a good job yesterday, and I think you even impressed Stan, which isn’t easy.”
“I try to give a hundred percent to every job. You want butter?” she asked when the toast popped up.
“Yes, please,” Harley said as he slid three fried eggs onto her plate and cracked more into the frying pan. “Go ahead before they get cold.”
She seasoned her eggs and spread some jelly on her toast. She had just begun to eat when Harley joined her at the table.
“So how did you come about the name Coal?”
“My mother was a full-blooded Apache, and when I was born I had a head full of coal-black hair. When my father remarked on it, she decided that would be a good name for me.”
“I bet you have confused quite a few people with that name. I know Stan was expecting you to be male.”
“Yeah, I picked up on that pretty quickly yesterday when I arrived,” she said with a smirk.
“He’s a good man to work for and will treat you fairly as long as you work hard.”
“I don’t mind the hard work at all,” she said and took a bite of bacon. “Thanks for a great breakfast.”
“You are very welcome. I took out a pot roast for dinner tonight. Remind me to ask Melissa if she will put it on for us later today.”
“Will do. Do you guys like biscuits with your roast?”
“We usually make a few cans.”
“How about some homemade ones?” she asked.
“That would be awesome.”
“Did I hear someone mention homemade biscuits?” Gene asked as he entered the kitchen.
“Coal is going to make some to go with a pot roast tonight. Grab some coffee and I’ll cook you some breakfast in just a minute.”
“Take your time; I’m still trying to get my eyes open.”
She had finished eating and stood to place her dishes in the dishwasher.
“Did you get enough to eat?”
“Yes, I did, thanks. If you don’t need my help I think I’ll grab another cup of coffee and go check the stock until the rest of the crew is ready.”
“That’ll be fine. They should start rolling in now.”
“See you in a bit then,” she said and left the bunkhouse.
†
She walked across to the corral and climbed up to the perch she had the previous night. In the daylight, the horses eyed her with more curiosity. The black stallion approached her boldly and sniffed at her worn boots. “You are a handsome devil, and I bet you are as fast as the wind.”
His ears pricked forward as if he were listening to her every word.
Her attention was drawn away from the stock as Stan’s truck came bouncing down the drive. He saw her sitting on the top rail and smiled as he parked his truck.
“Good morning,” she said as he walked toward her.
“Morning, did you rest well last night?”
“Yes, I did, thanks, and you?”
“Slept like a baby. You like what you see here?”
“They’re some
Chapter Two
Coal woke up just after sunrise and dressed, then slipped quietly from the house to walk to the bunkhouse. Melissa watched her as she walked quickly across the yard and disappeared.
“Good morning,” Harley said when he heard her enter the kitchen. “Grab you some coffee and have a seat.” He’d already cooked a large pile of bacon. “How would you like your eggs?”
“Over easy would be great,” she said.
“Did you sleep good last night?”
She shot him a smile. “I barely remember lying down.”
“This heat can be an ass kicker.”
“Yeah, it can, but I’ve been in worse,” she said.
Harley waited to see if she would elaborate, but instead she walked over to the counter and dropped some bread in the toaster. “The rest of the crew still sleeping?” she asked.
“Yeah, I usually get up early, eat and then cook for them as they get up,” Harley said.
“That’s very nice of you. Have you eaten yet?”
“No, so drop me some toast too. There’s homemade apple jelly in the fridge.”
Coal took him two plates and put utensils out on the table as she waited for the toast.
“You did a good job yesterday, and I think you even impressed Stan, which isn’t easy.”
“I try to give a hundred percent to every job. You want butter?” she asked when the toast popped up.
“Yes, please,” Harley said as he slid three fried eggs onto her plate and cracked more into the frying pan. “Go ahead before they get cold.”
She seasoned her eggs and spread some jelly on her toast. She had just begun to eat when Harley joined her at the table.
“So how did you come about the name Coal?”
“My mother was a full-blooded Apache, and when I was born I had a head full of coal-black hair. When my father remarked on it, she decided that would be a good name for me.”
“I bet you have confused quite a few people with that name. I know Stan was expecting you to be male.”
“Yeah, I picked up on that pretty quickly yesterday when I arrived,” she said with a smirk.
“He’s a good man to work for and will treat you fairly as long as you work hard.”
“I don’t mind the hard work at all,” she said and took a bite of bacon. “Thanks for a great breakfast.”
“You are very welcome. I took out a pot roast for dinner tonight. Remind me to ask Melissa if she will put it on for us later today.”
“Will do. Do you guys like biscuits with your roast?”
“We usually make a few cans.”
“How about some homemade ones?” she asked.
“That would be awesome.”
“Did I hear someone mention homemade biscuits?” Gene asked as he entered the kitchen.
“Coal is going to make some to go with a pot roast tonight. Grab some coffee and I’ll cook you some breakfast in just a minute.”
“Take your time; I’m still trying to get my eyes open.”
She had finished eating and stood to place her dishes in the dishwasher.
“Did you get enough to eat?”
“Yes, I did, thanks. If you don’t need my help I think I’ll grab another cup of coffee and go check the stock until the rest of the crew is ready.”
“That’ll be fine. They should start rolling in now.”
“See you in a bit then,” she said and left the bunkhouse.
†
She walked across to the corral and climbed up to the perch she had the previous night. In the daylight, the horses eyed her with more curiosity. The black stallion approached her boldly and sniffed at her worn boots. “You are a handsome devil, and I bet you are as fast as the wind.”
His ears pricked forward as if he were listening to her every word.
Her attention was drawn away from the stock as Stan’s truck came bouncing down the drive. He saw her sitting on the top rail and smiled as he parked his truck.
“Good morning,” she said as he walked toward her.
“Morning, did you rest well last night?”
“Yes, I did, thanks, and you?”
“Slept like a baby. You like what you see here?”
“They’re some