Chapter Twelve

Molly was true to her word and did have a go at trying to find a job. She used the main computer in the living room to search for job ads, but she had a feeling that most of the jobs here would be advertised either in shop windows or by word of mouth. She did sign up to a website that claimed it had the most job ads and the most success, just in case. 

She also figured she might be able to go past some of the few ranches that were still scattered along the outskirts of Pleasanton, see if she could help out doing the work. It would help work her upper body. 

Her first port of call was the Rodgers ranch, despite what her sister had said. It was just silly to forbid her to hang out with him, especially without giving a reason and when he was all she could think of. It was a Saturday, so people would definitely be in. She carefully headed onto their property but met no one. She hesitantly knocked on the front door, hoping they wouldn't all already be out in the stables and the fields. 

"Hello?" Molly called out carefully, just as the door opened. She assumed the girl now stood in front of her was Beth; she did look similar to Jake. 

"Hi, how can I help?" 

"Hi I'm Molly Rodgers, I live next door," she started. 

"Oh yer Molly! Hi I'm Beth," the younger girl said enthusiastically and surprised her by pulling her in for a hug. 

"Nice to meet you. I ehm, well I was just wonderin' if you guys had like an opening for someone to help around the stables? My sister and I both need jobs and it's not the biggest town to find those in," Molly explained what she was doing there. 

"Oh I'm gonna have to ask my daddy, but we probably don't," Beth sounded apologetic. "Come in," she invited her in anyways. "It's so exciting y'all have moved back, I never remember havin' any neighbors. Have ye met my brother Jake yet?" she launched into conversation. 

"Uh huh, once or twice," the visitor said vaguely, not sure what the girl's brother would want her to know. "Y'all have a nice house," she said, picking up her accent without thinking about it too much. 

"Thanks, our ma did it up a few years before she left," Beth answered. "Would ye like anythin' to drink? We have iced tea," she offered as she led the way into their kitchen, which had a very similar lay out to the Matthews' kitchen. 

"Yes please, if that's okay," Molly nodded as she looked around her. 

"Sure thang," the younger girl assured her and set up about getting two glasses and the massive pitcher of iced tea from the fridge. The visitor jumped when a door banged open, and two Labradors bounded into the kitchen. "Don't mind them," Beth told her. 

"Bethy, have ye seen my toolbelt?" a familiar voice called out, followed by its owner who stopped short in the doorway. "What she doin' here?" Molly looked up from petting both dogs, in surprise at the annoyance in his voice. 

"She just be visitin', don't forget ye manners," his sister told him off and passed a glass to the girl in question. She then passed him the other glass, almost forcing him to stay in the kitchen for longer than he clearly wanted to. "I'm gonna check with daddy for ye," she then told her new friend, because clearly they would become good friends, and headed out of the kitchen to find him. 

"Get out," Jake said now. 

"Don't you think you're taking this too far?" Molly asked, still really surprised that he felt this strongly about it all and even more that her memory hadn't done him any justice; he was so much sexier in real life. "Look, I just came to introduce myself and see if y'all needed help on the ranch. But just so you know, I bought a lot of country CDs yesterday and I will admit that what I said yesterday was wrong and doesn't apply to George Strait or a couple of the others I listened to. I actually liked most of what I bought," she explained before he could even answer. He looked at her curiously, thinking over his response as he drank his iced tea. 

"So ye don't think country is all accents 'n drawls?" he checked, trying not to let his eyes wander down her body.

"Just Dolly Parton, she still bugs me. But I liked the George Strait CDs I got, as well as Granger Smith, Brad Paisley, Luke Bryan, Faith Hill and Shania Twain," she listed, seeing a small smile creep onto his lips now. 

"Ye had me convinced until ye mentioned Shania," he teased as he put his empty glass in the sink and leaned against the kitchen island near where she was sat on one of the bar stools. She braved a smile in response. 

"So... will you please consider teachin' me to ride again?" she asked slowly. 

"Suppose ye weren't all that bad. We might be able to turn ye into a decent rider yet," Jake said after leaving her in suspense for a minute. She gave him a relieved smile. 

"Thanks Jake." 

"Don't mention it. Come on, let's take these hounds outside 'n maybe we can pick up where we left off," he motioned for her to follow him. As soon as she got up to, the dogs followed her out too, already liking this new girl. 

Duncan caught up with them as Jake showed her around a bit. Unfortunately, he couldn't pay her, but if she did do any work after her riding lessons, he'd be happy to put in a good word for her with some of his friends at the other ranches. 

Beth joined in to watch her next lesson, giving her pointers when Jake wasn't listening. 

"Bethy, ain'tchya got homework to do?" he asked a little frustrated after about the tenth interruption. His sister kept asking Molly questions, which distracted her from what he was trying to teach her. 

"I'm gonna do it tomorrow," she responded. 

"How about now?" Jake warned her. 

"Fine," she got up in a huff. 

"Forgettin' somethin'?"

"Bye Molly, nice meetin' ya," Beth said with a wave. 

"You too. Come by any time you need help with your homework," Molly offered, still holding onto the horn of the saddle as Bullet pawed a little impatiently.

"Yer gonna regret offerin' her that, she'll be bargin' ya door down day 'n night," Jake warned her with a chuckle. He usually helped Beth with homework, but he was sure that his sister would want to take advantage of someone else's experience... as well as try to set them up. 

"I don't mind," she smiled, "she's a nice kid." She also assumed that at some point Beth might want to have a woman to talk to that wasn't her age, not having her mother around. 

"Yeah, that she is. Now, back to yer lesson. Ye think ye okay to take the reins yerself?" Jake got back to business. 

"I dunno," Molly said a little insecurely, feeling like she might fall forward if she let go of the horn to do so. She blushed when he looked her up and down for a second, trying not to read too much into it. 

"Yer leanin' too far forward," he said and took her by surprise when he tried to move her into the right position, one hand on her hip and bottom and the other on her stomach. "That's better," he said, missing the flustered look on her face. "Take these," he handed her the reins now, trying to play it cool. She had to admit that she did feel more comfortable in this new position, but she couldn't help still feeling his hands on her. "When yer ready, dig yer heels gently into his side to get him to move. I'll still be right here," Jake continued his instruction, now forcing her to concentrate. 

It took her a minute or two before she dared, but then she got Bullet to break into an easy walk. "I can't believe I'm actually doing this," Molly gushed, feeling incredible. 

"Yer doin' well. Remember to move with him," he encouraged, to make the most of how good she was feeling right then. He let them walk in circles around the riding area, letting her practice the movement and changing directions for a bit. He had to admit she was picking it up quicker than he thought she would, based on how her mounting had started.