Page 5 of Charlie Takes a Chance

“Yeah, she’s Magnolia’s friend. She’s going to fix up the house before we come for Christmas,” Nash replies. I can hear laughter in the background, making it sound like he’s at a restaurant.

“Do you remember the part where I told you your aunt and uncle had trashed some things?”

“Oh yeah, don’t worry. Charlie’ll be able to fix it right up.”

“They shot a hole in the roof,” I reply dryly.

“Max, it’s okay. She’ll be fine with it. Besides, if you don’t get along with her, you can just stay away from her.”

It’s annoying that he can read my mind so fast. Yeah, I’m not worried about the job being too big for her. I don’t want her in my space. So, if Nash says I get to stay away from her, that I can do. I’ve got enough work that will keep me busy. All I’ll be doing is coming back here to crash and sleep.

There’s muffled talking in the background, and then Nash sighs. “Actually, Magnolia is wondering if you can check in on her occasionally.”

I stand up straight. “What do you mean?”

Nash is technically my boss—at least one of them. He and his grandpa hired me a couple of years back to oversee everything. On top of a really nice salary, I had the option to buy into the operation, so I did. But before a working relationship, Nash and I were friends, which gives me the qualifications to give a clap back.

“Maybe make sure she doesn’t need anything,” he hedges.

“I’m not going to fix up the house,” I reply firmly.

“No, no, nothing like that. You could make sure she’s okay.”

“Like, every couple weeks?” I have work to do. And babysitting a city girl doesn’t even come close to a top priority.

“Every day,” a feminine voice chimes in the background.

“What the he—” I cough. “I’m not a babysitter.”

Nash groans. “I know. I’m sorry. It’s just…Magnolia isn’t used to being so remote out there and is worried about Charlie out there by herself.”

“We’re not remote. The town is only thirty minutes away!” The ranch driveway alone takes fifteen of those minutes. It’s not like it takes us an hour to get back down to town. There’s a market and good cell service only a short distance away. If she needs help, she can go get it. Sometimes I’ll be a farther distance away when I’m checking on the yearlings on the other side of the ranch.

Nash continues, “I know that, and you know that, but Magnolia isn’t used to that. Just make sure Charlie hasn’t broken her neck by falling off a ladder or something like that.”

“Maybe you should have thought of that before you sent a fall risk to fix up your house,” I say with a laugh.

Nash chuckles. “It’ll be fine. Text me if you need anything.”

“I don’t think Charlie will last two days here, so I think this whole conversation is pointless.” That woman is going to leave a cloud of dust in her wake tomorrow.

“You don’t know Charlie like I do!” Magnolia yells over the phone.

“Nash,” I say slowly, “do you still listen to your phone calls at top volume?”

He’s quiet for a minute. “Maybe?”

“Sheesh. Good thing I wasn’t reminiscing about some of your more embarrassing moments,” I say extra loudly so Magnolia will hear.

“You wouldn’t.”

“Actually, I would. Like the time you proposed to your science teacher? With an active volcano project?”

“I was ten. And how was I to know Mrs. Haggerty was married?”

“Her name wasMrs. Haggerty,” I reply dryly. “And she was sixty.”

“I’m hanging up now.” He clears his throat. “Oh, and if you could check on Charlie twice a day, that would be great!” He hangs up the phone before I can shoot back a reply.

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