Chapter 13

Alice

Joe ambled into Alice’s office and she waved him over. He took off his hat and ran his fingers through his thinning blonde hair. He looked like he hadn’t slept in days.

“Hi, Joe,” Alice said, looking up from her work. “You look tired, is everything ok?”

Joe shrugged his shoulders.

“I’m fine,” he said setting his hat down on her desk.

He didn’t look fine.

“What’s up?” she asked kindly.

“Not much. Ted Collins stopped by this morning asking about Solomon. He wants to buy him next spring. He liked the look of him I guess. I suppose we should start his training soon. Misty is a little more relaxed with him now,” he said casually, sitting back in the chair.

“What about Jewel? She’s ready to breed and she should be in estrus again in a week or so. I was thinking about pairing her with Amedeo. Do you think they would be a good match? He sires some gorgeous offspring, and they both have lovely temperaments,” she suggested, knowing Joe would give her good advice.

“Yeah, I think she will respond well to him. He has been sniffing around the fence when she is in the paddock and she has been showing signs of approval. Can’t hurt to try. We can always pair her with Zeus on her next cycle if she doesn’t take to Amedeo. He’s always a sure thing, the horny beast.”

He grinned. Alice chuckled in agreement.

“Ok, let’s get them together,” Alice proposed confidently. “Also, since this will be our last breeding season, I think we should breed Skye. It’s been almost three years since she has foaled. Pair her with Fergus again. That was an excellent match.”

Joe sat forward and nodded, playing with the edge of his hat, his eyes downcast. Alice waited to see if he had anything else to offer before she spoke again, breaking the silence.

“So, what did you want to talk to me about last night, Joe?” she prodded cautiously.

Joe looked up at her, but didn’t speak. She could tell he had a lot going on behind those eyes. She waited patiently. Joe was a man of few words, and he always put a lot of thought into them before sharing them.

“I have been on the ranch here with you a long time, Alice, and for your daddy before you,” he began.

Alice nodded kindly, encouraging him to continue.

“I have always been loyal and I’ve just done what needed doing. I suppose that will never change. I like being here. I guess I feel like this is home,” he shared quietly.

Alice’s smile was guarded, wondering where he was going. He continued.

“Things are changing around here, good or bad, who is to say. This is your business, Alice, but I like to think that in some ways, we are family. I have always tried to give you good advice and look after you,”

He paused and carefully looked at her. Alice nodded but offered no verbal reply, waiting for him to continue.

“Well, I guess two things are on my mind. I have been wondering, with all of the changes happening, where I fit in. I’m a rancher through and through. I’m just not sure I’m cut out for resort life. I’m not exactly a social director,” he said, smiling sheepishly.

Alice softly raised her brows and smiled back kindly.

“The truth is, I’m better with horses than with people, and the thought of tourists rotating in and out of here on a constant basis kind of makes me jumpy,” he admitted.

He picked his hat back up and brushed the rim with his fingertips nervously. Alice smiled and leaned forward.

“I get that, Joe, but you don’t need to fret about it. I know that you aren’t comfortable around people, but there will be plenty for you to do around here. The horses are still going to need a handler and someone to care for them, and no one knows their temperaments better than you, Joe,” she assured. “We won’t be breeding anymore, true, but I’ll still need you.”

Joe looked down and nodded his head solemnly.

“Do you Alice? Do you need me?” he asked, his voice barely a whisper.

Alice looked at him carefully, uncertain of the depth of his question. She paused for a moment considering her response.

“Of course I do, Joe. Like you said, we are family,” she offered kindly.

Joe looked up, his eyes swirling with emotion. He looked confused, yet hopeful at the same time. Alice smiled at him cautiously, uncertain what he needed from her.

“You’re like a brother to me, Joe. I can’t imagine you not being here,” she added.

Joe let out a quick sigh and shrugged his shoulders, leaving Alice to interpret his body language. What more could she do to reassure him, she wondered.

“I see,” he said, nodding softly. “Well I guess that’s fine then.”

“Please don’t worry, Joe, everything will be fine as soon as we put all this construction behind us. You’ll see. Things will be great. I just know they will. The arena will be done before the end of summer and I’ll be looking to you to manage the operations,” she assured him enthusiastically.

Joe raised his brows and looked at her cynically.

“You think this will all be done in five to six weeks?” he asked skeptically.

Alice shrugged.

“Sure. We’ll be installing the plumbing and electrical in a few weeks. You can see the framing is almost up and the roof is being installed next week. We have already placed an order for the wood and drywall panels for the offices and for your living quarters in the back. Billy said we will be able to open for business by the end of September,” she offered confidently.

When Joe winced at the sound of Billy’s name, it didn’t go unnoticed. Alice cocked her head and regarded him for a moment, uncertain if she should question his doubt. Joe offered his opinion anyway.

“Billy said that, did he?” he asked, unamused.

Alice nodded cautiously.

“Yes. We went over everything last night and he updated me on the progress,” she replied, trying to keep her voice steady.

She knew Joe had reservations about Billy and didn’t want to trigger an argument.

“Is that all you did last night?” he asked tersely.

He met her eyes, challenging her.

Alice sat back in her chair and tightened her lips, sighing deeply. His question was laced with accusation, but it was his tone that confused her. He sounded more jealous than concerned and this was completely out of character for him.

Joe shook his head a let out a sardonic snort. Alice looked away and shook her own head slowly, unsure how to respond. She remained silent for a minute until she heard him take a deep breath. She looked back at him, trying to hide her discomfort.

“You two are getting quite cozy with each other is all,” he said, a little less abrupt, perhaps regretting his terseness.

Alice questioned him with raised brows.

“I’m not blind, Alice. I see the way y’all look at each other and the boy had his arm around you when you were on your way back to the house. Is there something going on?” he asked flatly.

As much as Alice wanted to deny it, she couldn’t lie to him, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t understate it a little. Alice had been single for many years, dating only here and there, but nothing serious, and she had never brought a man around the ranch. Maybe Joe was feeling threatened by Billy, but for what reason exactly? The worst part was that he was treating her like she was stupid, and he should know better, she thought. Alice tried to calm her frustration before offering him an answer.

“I guess there is some flirting going on. I won’t deny that I like him, but I’m not a silly young girl anymore, Joe. I’m well aware that he has a job to do, and I don’t mean to interfere with that. He told me early on that he means to keep moving, so I’m not about to fall head over heels,” she sugar-coated.

She was falling head over heels and doing her best to keep herself in check.

Joe nodded his head, trying to keep his expression flat, his feelings hidden, but Alice could see he wasn’t happy. She waited for him to speak.

“Just be careful, Alice. I still don’t trust the guy,” he warned. “Plus, you need to keep a level head so he doesn’t forget who’s boss. It don’t take much for a man to forget his place.”

Alice shrugged and slowly crossed her arms in front of her, partially concerned but mostly just frustrated. She needed Joe to relax about the whole thing. She had enough on her plate without having to placate him too. At the same time, she knew he was just watching out for her.

“I know how you feel, Joe, trust me. My head is in the game,” she assured him, her voice thick with forced confidence.

Maybe she was distracted, she thought. When Billy was around all she wanted was to get lost in his kisses, and when he wasn’t around she couldn’t stop thinking about his mouth, and his hands, and his...

“Alright, Alice. I guess I’ll get back to work,” Joe said, placing his hat on his head.

He stood up and moved the chair back under the desk.

“What was the second thing, Joe?” Alice asked, remembering he said there were two things on his mind.

Joe looked at her, his brows raised.

“What’s that, Alice?” he asked.

She got the sense he was stalling, considering something important.

“You said there were two things on your mind,” she reminded him.

Joe shrugged and let out an impatient sigh.

“Nothing. It was nothing. I’ll see you later,” he replied, and quickly showed himself out.

Alice filled her afternoon with plenty of hard work, staying out of the way of the construction site. She did catch a glimpse of Billy here and there but he was busy himself, only having time to wave at her from a distance.

She didn’t mind. After her conversation with Joe, she was feeling conflicted. Maybe Joe was right. Maybe she needed to stay focused and keep things professional with him. In a few weeks, things were going to become even more complicated, and a romantic fling didn’t fit into the picture.