Taking the Reins(64)

Red would have thought the same thing, to give the boy a few easy jobs, shit work nobody else wanted to do. He was eager enough—and likely hungry enough—to do it all without complaint. But now Red had other ideas. “Why don’t I take you ’round a little, show you the place before you decide if you want a job.”

Bill scoffed, like not wanting the job wasn’t even possible, but followed along easily enough. “Sure.”

They started at the arena, then wound their way past the garage and the pasture before ending at the barn. As Bill greeted each horse by name—going by the nameplates on the doors—and with a scratch, Red made up his mind.

“How were your grades this year?”

“Huh? Oh.” Bill looked over distractedly before going back to inspecting Ninja. “Won’t get official grade cards for another week or so. They come in the mail. But I’m expecting all As and Bs. One C, I think.”

“A C? In what, gym?”

Bill laughed. “English. I hate all that analysis crap. Can’t a guy just read a book and say if he liked it or didn’t? Why do we have to talk about the theme and what the author meant and all that?”

Red laughed, remembering his own thoughts in high school being similar. “Can’t argue there. But they say it’s important. So my suggestion is to bring that grade up next year. Or there might not be a place here next summer.”

“Yeah, I can do that.” Bill nodded. “So do I have the job?”

“You’ve got the job.” Bill whooped, and Ninja gave him a look that suggested what he could do with his whoop. “Sorry, bud.” With a final scratch, Bill followed Red out of the barn. “So what should I do first? Any errands to run? Hay to load?”

“Slow down there. We’ll get to it.” Red headed back to the arena and his office, Bill chirping the entire way about his excitement. Taking his keys from his pocket, Red went to unlock the door and realized it was propped open. He nudged in and asked Bill to wait outside.

His mind immediately went to Peyton, as the only other person with a key to his office. There were any number of reasons why she would need to get in there. Paperwork and his computer with files, all things she might need access to. But she wasn’t inside, and there were no notes or anything to indicate she’d been in there looking for him. And he was pretty sure she would have locked the door behind her, if that’s how she’d found it.

Not to mention, after their little blowup over his apartment, he doubted she’d give him any reason to come after her again with questions.

He took a quick survey of the room, saw everything still appeared to be in place, and resigned himself to going through it all with a fine-tooth comb later in the day. Damn, not what his day needed.

“Bill, hey. Didn’t hear you drive up.”

Speak of the devil. Red heard her voice echo inside the arena.

“Hey, Peyton.”

“You come here looking for work? Or are you here about a horse?” she teased, and he finally saw her edge into his view from the office doorway.

“I was here for a job, but Red already hired me!” The boy’s excitement was infectious.

“Did he?” Peyton’s voice was silky, not a hint of sour. But Red could tell from the way she tilted her head, she wasn’t pleased. “I didn’t know he was hiring.”

Aw, shit.

“Well, looks like we’ve got another mouth to feed.” Peyton batted playfully at the bill of the teen’s baseball cap. “Why don’t you head home for today and tell your mama what you’ll be up to this summer. Come back tomorrow at seven and we’ll get started.”

Bill started to trot off but she called out, “Hey, Bill! Grades?”

“As and Bs and one C,” he yelled back on his way to his truck. “English!”

“Work on it,” she advised, just like Red had known she would. And with that, his doorway was filled with pissed-off woman.

Surprisingly, the look she shot him didn’t do a damn thing to douse the hard-on he was sporting under his Levi’s.

“What was that all about?”

Red shrugged. “Billy’s a good kid. Eager. Wants some summer work. Thought he’d be a good addition.”

“Yes, I agree with all that.” She scowled. “But since when were you hiring around here?”

“Okay, look, if it’s the cash you’re worried about, I’ll pay the kid myself.” Since Red had intentions of using Bill mostly as an assistant or apprentice, it was logical anyway. Not that money was ever really a problem for him. Not with the paychecks he was able to demand.

“The money isn’t the issue.”