The Country Rose

Chapter 13: Sizzling Stays

Chapter 13: Sizzling Stays

A bead of sweat dripped from under the brim of Austen's ragged baseball cap. It was not quite noon and the heat of summer was already beating down on the ranch.

"Damn, it's hot," he told Hades as he groomed the beast, teased by the cool drops of water bounced off Hades's dark coat. "Tomorrow, we'll get on the trail earlier."

Hades nickered his approval.

"I'm calling in sick tomorrow," Grant announced as he walked into the stables carrying a box of tools. By the damp look of his shirt, the heat was affecting him too. "It ain't been this hot, this early, in years."

"You say that every year," Austen said with a laugh and finished spraying Hades and patted him dry. "And good luck telling the boss."

"Yeah, the guy's a tyrant. I say he needs to get laid," Grant teased.

Austen shot him a glare from under the shade of his hat. "Last I checked that had nothing to do with a lazy worker."

"Lazy? What would you do without me?" Grant's smile stretched ear to ear. "Who would help you keep this place running?"

"Oh, I don't know, probably Hank who does twice the amount of work and half the complaining," he shot back which caused Grant to laugh lightly.

"That's cause he's old. What else does he have to do?"

Austen glanced up from under Hades's long neck and arched a brow at his friend. "I dare you to tell Hank that."

"Hell, no," Grant said as he stowed his supplies away. "I'm not getting my ass kicked today."

Their friendly ridicule continued as they finished their morning tasks and headed back to the house for lunch. Kinsley was already seated at the wood table with papers spread in front of her and half a sandwich in her hand.

"Hey!" she yelled as Grant snatched the other half from her plate.

"Well, you should have made us one too," he said with a mouthful.

"It's the twenty-first century, make your own."

Grant answered with three large bites.

Kinsley's light eyes narrowed. "I hope you choke."

Austen shook his head. Growing up, he never needed to torture his sister the way a big brother did. Grant took care of all on his own. Defusing the situation, Austen reached for the papers in front of her and asked, "Work or school?"

"Work," she said as she slapped Grant's greedy hands away from the rest of her food. "Making sure everything is taken care of before I leave tonight."

Austen nodded and shifted through the paperwork. He was thankful Kinsley took an interest on the numbers side of running a profitable ranch. She had a mind for numbers and business concepts that would easily take her far. She was twenty-two. She could go anywhere, and yet, she chose to stay and help run their father's dream. It was more than Martin Phillips could have ever asked for, and something Austen would always be thankful for. Especially the way she sped up her final year by taking summer courses in Marburg.

"So what time are you leaving?" Austen asked, already knowing what she would say. Every Monday since her new semester began, Kinsley left for Marburg at five thirty. It would give her just enough time to have dinner and settle into her best friend's place.

Austen was in the midst of pouring a glass of water when he heard her say, "I'm not heading to Caroline's until seven thirty."

Cold liquid splashed against his hand as he missed the rim of the glass. He had to bite his tongue to keep from swearing, but that did not stop the slew of curses that flew through his mind. He was in deep shit.