disposal.â
âBig plans?â
âI promised Jared Iâd bring quiet horses to the Kidsâ Club riding lessons that start this weekend.â Her only cousin, a single dad, worked long hours in a machine shop during the week and then volunteered for the local recreation program on his weekends. âAfter all the help he gave me after Dad died, I figured it was the least I could do.â
âAre you helping with lessons?â
âJust providing mounts. Jared has high school kids helping with lessons.â Lex frowned at Danielle. âWhere is Kelly?â Who was the kind of person who never missed work, never missed a meeting.
Danielleâs mouth flattened as she said, âJob interview.â
Lex set her cup back on the saucer. âNo.â
âAfraid so. County courthouse. Primo benefits.â
âWow.â They paid Kelly fairly well but werenât in a position to offer anything better than bare-bones benefits. âWhat now?â
âSheâll know tomorrow if she gets the job and has promised to do everything she can to help us find someone.â
âI donât think we can find someone like her.â Kelly made every customer feel special, even the crotchety ones like Mrs. Lacombe, who came to browse and complain about prices at least once a week.
âI know,â Danielle said wearily, âbut we have to think about whatâs best for Kelly.â
* * *
O F COURSE K ELLY got the job. Danielle called later in the afternoon to break the news to Lex, who was just heading out to feed.
âI can help out at the store until we get someone.â Lex loved stocking the store and guiding the business decisions, but she wasnât the warm and fuzzy people person that Kelly and Danielle were. Sheâd been in deep mourning for her father when she and Danielle started the business, and because of that, Danielle had taken charge of the day-to-day operations. She also pulled in a larger percentage of the proceeds. It worked well. Danielle had more income and Lex had the time she needed to focus on her farm.
âI have an idea,â Danielle said slowly. âWhat do you think of interviewing Annie Owen?â
âAnnie Owen?â Lex barely kept herself from saying, Are you nuts? Instead she said, âWhy Annie?â
âHer name is perfect. Annie?â Lex rolled her eyes and waited for the real reason. âWe know her. She needs a full-time job. It would help her and it would help us.â
And also bring Grady, Annieâs brother, firmly back into Danielleâs sphere.
âBut,â Danielle said, âif you have a problem with hiring her, I wonât call.â
Lex could almost hear her dad saying, Step back , as he often did when Lex felt the urge to fix matters that werenât necessarily her concern. She liked Annie Owen, had nothing against her, except for her brother. And honestly, the only thing she had against him was that heâd been utterly selfish in regards to her friend.
Let things play out. Stop trying to save everyone.
Fine. Sheâd back off...but that didnât mean she wouldnât remain vigilant. She smiled at Danielle and gave a dismissive shrug. âIf youâre good with it, Iâm good with it.â
âIf youâre concerned about me and Grady, donât be. I went to see him.â
âI figured you would.â
âYes. And I felt...nothing.â Danielle gave a small shrug. âIâd bet the store that Grady felt the same.â
âWell...thatâs good news.â Very good news. No more worrying about her friend getting mixed up with a selfish bull rider.
âIt is. And now thereâs no reason not to hire Annie.â
Lex gave a slow nod. âI agree.â
âGreat. Iâll see if she wants to meet us at the store tomorrow.â
* * *
âA RE YOU SURE about this?â Annie asked, casting Grady a concerned look as she