Page 41 of The Breakdown

“There we go. That’s more like it.” June clicked the mouse and closed the page. She leaned back in the office chair and crossed her arms. Darkness had settled in outside and they’d just finished supper and were getting ready to turn in for the night. June was just doing her nightly check of the website and reading over her emails. She’d gotten quite efficient now that Natalie had shown her step by step how to do it. It wasn’t as complicated as she’d worked it up to be.

“Have you given any more thought to those job applicants Natalie and I printed out for you? We need to call them in for an interview.”

Vaughn sank down onto the couch and ran her hands through her hair. “God, I don’t know.”

“Well, you better know some time soon. We need new hands around here. You’ve said so yourself.”

“I did.”

“So what’s the problem?”

Vaughn glanced up at her. “I’m worried we’re just going to end up in the same position we are now. With a couple of disrespectful, lazy ranch hands who think they’re better than the work at hand.”

“Yeah, I’m a bit worried about that too. Which is why I think we ought to interview a bunch rather than a few. We’ve got seventeen applicants. Natalie says we can even interview them over the computer if we want. Might be more efficient that way.”

“It would be,” Vaughn said. “But we need to see how they are with the horses before we hire them on.”

“Agreed.”

“But I suppose we can start by weeding them out virtually first.”

June cocked her head, confused.

Vaughn explained. “Over the computer.”

“Oh. So you want to get started, then? I can send out the emails tonight, asking for vir—”

“Virtual.”

“Virtual interviews for Wednesday and Thursday. Course it’s going to take a while, so you’ll need to let Natalie take over for you on those days. Best to show her the ropes some more tomorrow.”

Vaughn groaned. “You know how I feel about letting someone else do my job.”

“I do know, but you’re going to have to do it, Vaughn. Sooner rather than later.”

“Yeah, I know. Its just that…she’s a novice, Gram.”

“She can hold her own. She’s quite tough. Plus, she’ll have Benny and Greer and Suzanne will be here those days.”

“I’m not worried about that.”

“Then what are you worried about?”

“What if she gets hurt?”

June smiled. “Ah.”

“Why are you smiling? I’m being serious.”

“I’m smiling because you just told me all I need to know about the situation, dear child.”

“Oh, I did not.”

“You care about her.”

“Well, of course I care. I don’t want to see her get hurt.”

“You care about her more than you’re saying. Don’t even try to argue either.”

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