Learnin' The Ropes
Read Learnin' The Ropes Online
Authors: Shanna Hatfield
A Sweet Contemporary Western Romance
by
USA Today
Bestselling Author
SHANNA HATFIELD
Copyright © 2012 by Shanna Hatfield
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.
For permission requests, please contact the author, with a subject line of "permission request” at the email address below or through her website.
Shanna Hatfield
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
Table of Contents
Praise for Learnin’ The Ropes
“It's a sweet easy read for someone who wants a little different twist for a happy ever after book.”
Amazon Reviewer
“If you enjoy contemporary Western romance, then you'll love Learnin' The Ropes by Shanna Hatfield. I liked the fact that the hero is an out-of-work mechanic--a nice change from the wealthy super-suave hero type seen in so many romances. It was great fun to experience the hero's transition from city guy to cowboy, especially in the Oregon setting. By the way, the book also includes a gigantic dog (named Baby) as an important character and for comic relief.”
Amazon Reviewer
“Fast paced but enough to keep you interested. Believable characters and situations. Loved the romance!”
Amazon Reviewer
To those willing to take a chance,
chase their dreams,
and make a difference.
Lesson One
Location, Location, Location
“Git yerself out of thet durn city
and into God’s country.”
Tyler Lewis read the classified advertisement a third time, trying to decide if he was desperate enough to apply for the listed position.
As he leaned against his truck door with the newspaper propped on the steering wheel, cold seeped into his back from the rain-splattered window. Persistent hunger gnawed at his inside, and he concluded he was, in fact, that desperate.
He read the ad again.
Wanted — Good mechanic able to work on a variety of equipment in Harney County, Oregon. Certification a plus. Wages congruent to experience. Room and board included. Must like animals.
Ty took a deep breath, quickly typed a text message and hit send to the number in the ad before he could change his mind.
A year ago, if someone had told him he would be living in his pickup, unable to find a job, and willing to do just about anything to make a few bucks, he would have laughed in their face.
That was before the garage where he’d worked for seven years laid off all but their newest mechanic to cut costs. Ten months later, Ty had less than five hundred dollars left to his name and everything he owned was packed into his pickup.
Released from his position with a promise that he would have his job back as soon as business picked up, the once busy garage in a Portland suburb went out of business within a few months, leaving Ty no hope of being rehired.
After applying for every open mechanic job he could find, he interviewed for positions doing everything from janitorial work to flipping burgers. Still, he couldn’t convince anyone to hire him. There were too many people in the same sinking boat.
Five weeks ago, he gave up his apartment and moved into his pickup. With rapidly dwindling funds, he sold all of his furniture and anything else he didn’t need. He was left with his tools, clothes, and one box of mementos from his childhood.
Although it was expensive, the one thing he refused to give up was his smart phone. Without it, he would be completely cut off from the rest of the world. It served as his phone, computer, camera, radio, filing system, and number one job-hunting tool.
Abstractly wondering if he’d lost his mind for responding to the latest ad, he Googled information on Harney County. Absorbed in the unsettling information he found, a tap on the glass at his back startled him.
The blurry vision visible through the water streaks made him grin as he rolled down the window.
“Hey, you might melt out here,” he said to his sister, Beth, as she stood under a huge umbrella.
“Not likely.” She smiled and motioned for him to get out of the truck. “Come inside and have some dinner with us, Ty. You’ll freeze out here tonight. The weatherman said it might even snow.”
“In Portland? You’re talking crazy.” Ty stuffed his phone in his pocket and slid out of the truck. Quickly locking the door, he followed his sister across the street and up to the tiny studio apartment she shared with her husband. Ty tried to hide a smile as he watched Beth waddle off the elevator and down the narrow hallway. Eight months pregnant, she definitely looked the part.
As she opened the apartment door, the smell of baking bread made Ty’s stomach grumble in anticipation. Beth gave him a narrowed glare.
“Did you eat anything today?” she asked, staring at Ty after he helped her remove her jacket and hung it on a peg by the door.
Wordlessly, he nodded and hung his coat next to hers.
“What did you eat?” Beth asked, not quite believing his response, knowing he would sometimes only eat one meal a day.
“Half a granola bar.” Ty refused to make eye contact with her.
Beth sighed and turned into a kitchen that was smaller than her former storage closet. Nate, her husband, lost his job seven months ago and they gave up their former spacious apartment to cut expenses.
She handed Ty two pieces of bread slathered with peanut butter and jam before returning to her dinner preparations. He leaned against the wall between the kitchen and the main room of the apartment. Only by great effort did he manage to keep from wolfing down the sandwich as he watched his sister.
Beth and Nate waited eight years to start a family. They wanted to make sure their careers were stable and they had adequate finances to provide for a child. Unfortunately, the week after they found out she was expecting, Nate came home with the news he’d been laid off from his job as a technical engineer.
Employed as an office manager for a busy dental office, Beth had great benefits and a good salary. Even with her income, they were forced to give up their nice apartment and move into the tiny studio until Nate could find another job.
Months of his applications being rejected left the couple worried about what would happen when the baby arrived. Beth originally planned to take three months off on maternity leave, but now she planned to return after three weeks. Nate might have to become a stay-at-home dad if things didn’t turn around soon. None of them could imagine how they would squeeze a baby into the cramped living space.
Ty stepped around a corner into the open living area, taking in the couch and small television, the small kitchen table surrounded by chairs, and the king-sized bed that took up the bulk of the floor space. Even if he felt right about intruding into Nate and Beth’s home, which he didn’t, there wasn’t room for him.
He moved to the kitchen doorway, leaning against the doorjamb, and watched Beth stir something in a big pot. The mouth-watering aroma of chicken and herbs filled his senses. The last good, hot meal he’d eaten was with Beth and Nate four days ago.
The few odd jobs Ty acquired through friends and acquaintances provided a little cash. He saved what he could, but always bought a few bags of groceries and brought them over to Beth and Nate. In trade, she cooked him a hot meal while he made use of the bathroom, taking a long, hot shower and stretching out on their couch for an hour or two.
Without a home of his own, he sometimes parked across the street from Beth’s apartment when he wasn’t out job hunting or hanging out at the library researching jobs.
Since it was February, it was too cold and wet to stay outside much. He would certainly be glad when spring arrived. Winter was definitely not the best time to be homeless.
“What can I do to help?” Ty asked, washing his hands at the sink, ignoring the pangs of hunger that ripped through his stomach.
“Set the table?” Beth asked as she peeked into the oven, holding her hand under her rounded belly as she bent over. Before she could stand up, a gasp escaped from her lips and she gripped the counter.
“You okay, sis?” Ty gaped at her in concern as he dried his hands. If she went into premature labor, he was the last person she wanted around for help and support. He couldn’t stand to see a woman cry, suffer, or be upset.
“Yeah, the baby is pretty lively today. No need to worry,” she said, grabbing Ty’s hand and holding it on her stomach. Tiny little kicks against the palm of his hand kept him holding his hand there for several moments.
“I tell you, he’s going to be a first-class kicker on the football team,” Ty said, smiling at thoughts of his future nephew.
“
She
could also be a ballerina or a soccer player.” Beth’s brilliant blue eyes, an identical shade to Ty’s, twinkled with amusement.
“So have you and Nate finally settled on names?” Ty gathered up plates and silverware, setting them on the table.
“We’ve got the list narrowed down to a dozen each.”
“Wow, that is real progress,” Ty teased, placing the butter dish and napkins on the table.
He and Beth both looked up as Nate came in the door, tired and dejected. Nate spent his days filling out applications, participating in interviews, and trying to drum up some interest in his resume. The past few months he grew accustomed to hearing he was overqualified, too experienced, or the business couldn’t afford someone with his skill set. Those doing the hiring didn’t even give him a chance to say he’d happily take a huge cut in pay just to be employed.
After dropping his umbrella next to Beth’s and hanging up his coat, he gave her a warm hug before extending a hand to Ty.