“I think it’ll be fun. We’ll find out about each other by trying things we think the other person will like.” He signaled the waitress, settled the bill, and handed MJ one of the two fortune cookies.
She unwrapped it and broke it apart, pulling the small paper out and holding it up to the light at the edge of their table. “A dark-haired man will surprise you.” She looked at Rob and raised an eyebrow. “Oh, really? I can’t wait to see what you have in store for me.”
He broke his fortune cookie open and read the fortune. “You will get the dream you’ve been searching for. Hmm. Sounds promising.” He gazed into her eyes and smiled. “Although I’ve already found my dream woman.”
MJ felt her face heat. What a sweet-talker. She sighed and rubbed her hand over her heart where she felt a tingle.
He winked at her and grabbed her hand as he scooped up the bag of leftover food with the other. “Let’s go home.”
After storing the leftovers in the refrigerator, they both put on jackets to take Maverick for a walk. No matter how many times they’d taken the same route, there were always new smells, and MJ imagined they told the dog a story of other animals and people who had passed that way.
Rob walked by her side, with his hand around her waist, but let her control the leash, and set the pace.
“I love this,” she said. “It feels good to be together, and to end every evening with a walk around the block with Maverick.”
“I think so, too.” He leaned down and stole a quick kiss.
“I hope Maverick likes it as much as we do.”
“I think he does. Look at him.” Rob pointed at the Belgian Malinois’ bouncing gait.
She smiled, and Maverick looked over at her, giving her his best canine grin. “I always think he’s up to something when he gives me that look. It seems full of mischievousness.”
“I agree. I remember he’d get that look on his face when he’d steal Trevor’s socks and hide them.”
“I didn’t think of him having a normal dog life like that.”
“Maverick had a job to do, but he knew when to be serious and when he could be one of the guys.”
“Do you think Maverick will have enough activity in retirement?”
“I don’t know. We can probably continue to do drills with him.”
“You mean like marching?”
Rob laughed. “No, I meant hiding things and then letting him find them. Sniffing out explosives, gunpowder—that kind of thing.”
“That would probably be good. Will you want to have him work on the ranch?”
“Ultimately, on my own ranch. I’ve got to see how he is around cattle and horses.”
She reached out and stroked the dog’s head. “You’ll do just fine, won’t you, boy? Maybe on Thursday, we can see how he is around Jethro and Tyler. You know, see if they’ll be okay with you bringing him around.”
“That’s a good idea. Let’s head back. I’ve got an early morning tomorrow. I need to be at Jethro’s by seven.”
Chapter Thirty-Four
Rob arrived for his first day of work at Jethro’s a few minutes early. The sun lightened the sky just above the mountains, gradually spreading and illuminating the farm into a shadowy landscape. The lights were on in the house but not in the barn.
He clambered up the porch steps and knocked loudly on the wooden door. Jethro opened it a moment later, an insulated coffee cup in his hand. He checked his watch as he greeted Rob.
“Right on time. Good. I like a man who’s punctual.” He smiled a devilish grin. “You passed the first test.”
Rob cocked an eyebrow. “How many tests will there be?”
Jethro cackled. “Depends. I make them up as I go along.”
“Good to know.”
Jethro lifted his coffee cup. “Want some coffee? I’ve got another cup like this. You can bring it with you.”
“Sounds good.” He followed Jethro and helped himself to an insulated cup advertising the Farm Bureau, and the two headed for a nearby barn.
“Go on up to the loft and throw down about twelve bales. I’ll feed the horses while you’re doing that. We’ll load the bales into the trailer and pull them out to the near pasture with the Gator.”
He did as he was told, and soon he was glad he’d been doing pushups so he could handle the physical demands required to pick up the eighty-pound bales and toss them into a pile on the floor below. He stacked them onto the small flatbed trailer attached to the four-wheeled all-purpose vehicle. By the time he’d finished, Jethro was back, and nodded his approval.
“Seems like you’re a good worker. So far. Might want to pace yourself.” He got into the driver’s seat, and setting his coffee into a cup holder, he took a soda can out of the other cup holder and spit into it.
“My girlfriend and I were talking, and we want to invite you to our place for Thanksgiving next week if you don’t have other plans.”
Jethro gave a humorless laugh. “No plans. My kids don’t come home much no more. I’m pleased to join you. That’s right nice.”
He started the motor with a roar, and Rob jumped into the passenger’s seat quickly. His boss gave him a running commentary on where they were going, and how to get there. They unloaded the hay into a feeder, and the cattle quickly lined up like kids in the school cafeteria. They checked the water trough to make sure it was clean and full. Jethro counted the head of cattle, explaining that he checked them every time
