Page 18 of Ava
As she set the table, she looked at them with a frown. “What do you do, other than work construction? Do you do anything else?”
“The construction business is only to help out Morgan. I’m Alfie,” he said, and she had been correct in her earlier assumption. “If I’ve got any down time, or not helping the J’s on a build, I’m a leathermaker.”
“Which means?”
“It means I make things with leather. Some examples are belts, and I even custom made the seats on all of our motorcycles.”
“They are very comfortable,” Morgan said as she set a pile of silverware on the table and started placing them beside the plates.
“Do you do anything else?”
“I’m trying my hand at something, but it’s a secret. I have no clue if it’ll work or not.” He looked up and saw everyone looking at him, but he shook his head. “No, not until I know whether it’ll work or not.” His siblings knew not to push.
“What about you guys?” She looked at the other Stuart men.
“I’m an engineer,” Justin said as he flipped the bacon, and began breaking eggs into a bowl. “I’m the one that designed the barracks, or I fixed what the original engineer didn’t do.”
“I’m John, and Josh and I own Stuart Construction. We came out here to help Morgan.”
“Will you be going back to wherever you came from?”
“I’m not,” one of the A’s said, and nodded to her. “Alan, I’m a woodworker. Though I’ve been helping out the J’s on the barracks, I’ve been able to find work in town, and I’ve set up a small shop out behind the bunkhouse.”
“You have?” Morgan asked in shock.
“I have, and I’ll get with Wyatt later about maybe building a shop, but I’m making do now, because I’m also looking for a place to live. No offense against my brothers, but the camper is getting a little too cramped for me.”
“We’ll have to sit down and talk later.” Morgan frowned at him, but he only nodded.
“And the last A? What does he do?”
“That would be Alex,” Justin said as he dipped some bread Dolly had been slicing into the eggs, and placed it on a hot, sizzling griddle. Ava’s mouth watered, and stomach rumbled when she realized she would be having French toast and bacon for breakfast—her all-time favorite breakfast meal. “He wants to be a rancher. Every free minute, he’s working with Wyatt, Dillon, or Wilson, trying to learn the stuff.”
Ava nodded, and took the glasses from Dolly, and put them on the table. She then filled them with the juice she had been handed. As they worked in silence, she contemplated what she’d learned, and for some reason, she felt good about all the Stuart men, and the fact they all had different interests, regardless of them being triplets. On a sigh, she finally took her seat from last night, and didn’t have long to wait until Wyatt, Dillon, Alex, and the two teenage boys returned.
She frowned and looked around the table when everyone sat, and the food was put in the middle on several overflowing platters. “Where’s April?”
“The morning sickness is kicking her ass this morning,” Dillon said as he sat down and downed half his juice. “She said she’d be over if she felt better. I don’t think she’s going to make it.” He grinned when Dolly sympathized with him, and Morgan shook her head. “Don’t worry. Before I go out to the range, I’ll stop in and check on her.”
“Tell her to call me if she needs anything.” Dolly stressed, and brought over yet another platter of bacon.
“Me too,” Morgan said around a mouthful of French toast.
“I will, and thanks.” Dillon took his share of the food, and everyone was quiet for several minutes as they all ate the breakfast Justin had cooked. She looked up at one point and saw Justin studying her, and she felt her cheeks heat, so she quickly lowered her lashes. When she looked next, he had a smirk on his face, and she only shook her head at his expression.
CHAPTER9
After Ava nudgedher plate away from her, Morgan leaned over and spoke. “After breakfast, I’ll take you down to the barracks, so you can walk around and get a feel for what I’m trying to accomplish there, then we’ll go to my office, and I’ll read you in on the reason I hired you.”
“That sounds good, I can’t wait to get started. I’ll just help Dolly with the dishes, and then I’ll be ready.”
“No, since the boys cooked, I’ll clean up the dishes. I know you all have work to do. Boys, you better run up and shower to get ready for the bus, you have forty-five minutes.” When DJ started to say something, Dillon shook his head.
“Not today, son. I’ve left the truck with April in case she wants to come over here to visit later. I highly doubt she will, but with her truck in the shop, I couldn’t leave her stranded. You’ll have to take the bus.”
“Okay,” DJ said, but Ava saw the disappointment in his expression. As the two teenagers pushed their chairs back and headed deeper into the house, she looked at Morgan with a frown.
“Don’t they live on the other side of the ranch?”
