a reason to live(21)
“I’m going in now,” I said, opening my door.
“I’ll just wait here,” she mumbled.
“Suit yourself. I’ll be back in a jiffy,” I replied, then climbed out and shut my door.
“Excuse me, sir,” I called out to Gregor.
He gruffed out, “A moment, lass,” in a warm Scottish burr that had Americanized over time, and hung a second pot of flowers on the porch truss. When he was done, he turned to me and smiled.
Whoa, no wonder Maxine was smitten. His smile would weaken any woman’s knees, no matter her age.
“Now then, wee lass, what can I do you for?”
“I, uh, I saw your sign,” I pointed toward his window, still a little dazzled if truth be told. “I’m here for a couple of months or so. It may be longer, may be shorter, but while I’m here, I need a job.”
“Is that so?” He raised a brow in humor.
“Yes.”
“Hmm. Tell me, can you cook?”
“Um, yeah. Are you looking for a housekeeper?”
“I’m looking for a cook.”
I looked back at his business sign to make sure I’d read it correctly and noted he indeed ran rafting tours. “But don’t you run rafting trips?”
“That I do, lass. Gregor MacGregor at your service,” he announced, putting out his hand for me to shake.
“Sage Sloan.” I smiled and shook his hand.
“Now then, I am lookin’ for a cook. Typically, I conduct one-day excursions on the river, but I added three-day trips to my itinerary recently. I had my guide’s doin’ the meals but they aren’t the best cooks. So I need someone to cater to the privileged city folk who pay me to take them down the Yukon.”
“So you’re looking for someone to cook for a large group, three meals a day while on the river?”
“That be the gist of it. Can you swim?”
“I can swim.”
“Ever run the rapids?”
“No, but I’m not afraid to try and I’d love to learn.”
“Then you’re hired.”
“Just like that?”
“Just like that. I’ll have one of the guides take you to the river and teach you the basics before our first trip.”
“Thank you, so much. My life’s been a little . . . off-balance recently, so this is just what I needed.”
“Happy to help. Do you have time to fill out the necessary paperwork?”
“Yes, sure.”
Gregor motioned for me to lead the way to his office, but not before I caught him looking at Maxine’s Jeep.
Hmm . . .
I filled out the necessary paperwork and gave him my number so he could call me later and tell me who would be training me. He gave me a list of meals that worked best on the river. I was to choose what I wanted to cook, and then he would give me his credit card so I could purchase the food.
“I’ll text you once I find out who’s available. Most of my guides have full-time jobs and work for me on the weekends. I’ll see who has time this week to get you squared away.”
“When is the next rafting tour?”
“Not ‘til Friday, so we have a few days to get you water ready.”
“Okay. Thank you again, Mr. MacGregor,” I said, reaching out to shake his hand. “I appreciate you giving me the job.”
“Happy to have you, lass. But please, call me Gregor. Any friend of Maxine’s is a friend of mine,” he answered, jerking his head toward Maxine’s Jeep.
I don’t know why I said it; it just slipped out of my mouth before I could stop myself. “You should ask her out for a drink or something.”
“Pardon?” he replied, confused.
“You should ask Maxine out for a drink or dinner.”
Gregor’s face softened and he looked at Maxine before he shook his head. “As much as I’d love to do that, she’s off-limits.”
“Off-limits? Why?”
“Because, lass, she is the Queen of Trails End and her King is dead. The court jester does not court a grieving Queen.”
I looked back at Maxine for a moment, wondering how far I should push the matter. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, I thought and then whispered, “Maybe the Queen is looking for the court jester to sweep her off her feet?”
“Aye, she might. But the Prince of Trails End would run him out of town if he so much as looked at his mother.”
Max . . . Hmm.
“Gotcha. I’ll think on that,” I smiled.
“You do that, lass. In the meantime, I’ll find a guide who’s free and call you later.”
“Right. Later, Gregor,” I smiled, then turned toward Maxine’s Jeep.
When I opened my door to see if she was ready, I caught the tail end of a conversation she was having on the phone.