Free Wild Man Creek by Robyn Carr Page A

as Denny Cutler. “Denny’s been looking for something permanent around here. He’s a friend of mine and I can vouch for him.”
    “Nice to meet you, Denny,” Jill said, putting out her hand.
    “Ma’am,” he said.
    “I need some help with a few things. I have to buy a truck first of all, preferably an old truck that runs well. I’m going to need to haul things for the yard and garden. Know anything about trucks?” she asked.
    “Some,” he said, flashing her an engaging grin.
    “When you say that, I hope it means you know enough.I’m also thinking about cutting down some trees and making a path to a back meadow. Oh, and I have to erect a fence to keep the deer and rabbits out of the lettuce. It’ll be a long fence.”
    “Wow,” he said. “Sounds like stuff I can get done, but I don’t have the equipment.”
    “Can the equipment be rented?” she asked.
    “I can certainly find out. I worked for a landscaper one summer in high school. Worked me to death, but I learned a couple of things. Thing is, it’s been a long time, so I might not be as fast as you want.”
    “Do you work hard?”
    “That I do,” he said with a nod. “There’s another thing—it would have to be temporary. Like Jack said, I’m looking for a good full-time position. I have résumés and applications out there, but it’s a tough job market. I could use a project, but if I get a call…”
    “Understood,” she said. “What’s your fee?”
    He looked a little thunderstruck. “I have no idea, ma’am.”
    “Okay, that’s going to have to stop. I’m Jillian or Jill or Miss Matlock if you’re feeling very formal, but I’m thirty-two years old and ma’am kind of rubs me the wrong way. How’s sixteen an hour? That’s double minimum wage.”
    “Whoa!” Colin and Denny said at once.
    “What?” she asked.
    Denny grinned largely. “Yeah. I mean, yes, ma’am, that’ll work.”
    “Jillian. It’s Jillian. I’ll see you tomorrow morning by eight. Jack can give you directions. And would you mind telling him I’ll need a dinner to go?”
    “You bet, ma’—Jillian. Thanks. I’ll do my best.” And he walked away to speak to Jack.
    She turned to find Colin leaning his head into hishand, elbow resting on the bar. “That was almost unbelievable.”
    “I’m good at delegating,” she said, lifting her wineglass. Then she shook her head. “What the heck was I thinking? Or not thinking? Seeds on the internet? Why not?”
    “Maybe you were too busy digging in the dirt?” he suggested.
    “No, that’s not it. My mind was in the past, not the future. I was thinking about the old garden, not the new garden.”
    “Time for a fence?” he asked.
    “If the wildlife gets into my radishes and lettuce, no big deal. But I won’t sacrifice Purple Calabash, tomatillo or Russian Rose! Besides, there’s a couple of apple trees on the property—the deer will be fine. Well fed, in fact.”
    “And the rabbits?”
    “I’m afraid they’re on their own.”
    “Thirty-two, huh?” he asked. “I woulda put you at about twenty-five.”
    She laughed at him. “I guess that’s better than having you ‘put me’ at forty-five!”
    Jack wandered over and she asked, “Can I get something to go, Jack? Anything? I have to get home.”
    “House on fire, Jillian?” he asked.
    “I hope not. I just got a tip about seeds from your local expert, Dan, and I want to get on the computer.”
    “Let me go dish you up a little something,” he said, heading for the kitchen.
    She took another sip of her wine, smiling.
    “Just how long is your rental lease?” Colin asked.
    She turned toward him excitedly. “Don’t you get it? If I can find the seeds and make it work, that’s all I need to know. I can do that in a few months, but I have that house and land through the summer. And you can’t imagine howhappy it would make me to grow some of that rare stuff my nana used to grow.”
    Colin left the second half of his beer on the bar and stood to