Read Online America's Sunset: A Post Apocalyptic Fight for Survival by Norman Christof - Free Book Online

and knowing how to break them in.”
    “Hang on a minute.” Jake sat down across from Maggie. “This guy is not a cowboy, is he?” Maggie didn’t respond. “Okay, I see where this is going.” Jake didn’t even try to hide the grin. “Now, don’t let all those cowboy romance novels you read get the better of you here. This is strictly a financial decision. We’re looking for good tenants that we know can pay the rent and be responsible.” Maggie fiddled a bit with the papers in the folder. “Is he a good-looking cowboy at least?”
    “Now you stop right there, Jake Banner. Don’t you be insinuating that this old retired girl’s got some schoolgirl crush. You won’t be making me blush at my own kitchen table.” Maggie finished shuffling the papers in the folder and closed it.
    “No, dear, I wouldn’t dream of it. Although, I’m pretty sure now I know which of our prospective candidates you’re going to pick. I just hope he’s as good with the rent as he is at breaking horses.” Jake’s grin went full Cheshire-cat. It wasn’t often that he got the better of Maggie, and he couldn’t remember the last time he saw her blush. “But you’re wrong on one point. You’re not just some old retired girl, you’re my beautiful old retired girl.” With that, Jake got up and gave her a kiss before heading up the stairs.

 
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter 12 ~ The Prepping Bug
    Jake knew he was living every prepper’s dream. He wasn’t rich, but he was comfortable and careful enough with his money that he had enough to get by, and enough to plan for the future. He’d always wanted to be an engineer, but his parents didn’t have the money when he was younger, so he ended up working his way up the hard way. He figured if he was smart enough, and if he worked hard enough, maybe he’d be able to work himself up through the ranks to an engineering position from within the industry. It all seemed so idealistic now when he thought about it, but to a young, ambitious eighteen-year-old kid it made perfect sense.
    He did pretty well in spite of a limited formal education. Jake understood that just because he couldn’t go to school, it didn’t mean he couldn’t learn. He spend a lot of time at the library, researching and reading about everything he could get his hands on related to engineering. Chemistry, calculus, mechanics, physics, algebra, and electronics all fascinated him. The longer he studied while working the construction jobs, the more he realized he liked learning more than the thought of going to school. He figured that at least this way he could indulge his passion, and still make money. Plus, he got to see real life engineering in practice on the job. It was the best of both worlds.
    Over the course of his working years, he spent time with just about every construction company in the state of Texas. Or at least, it felt like he had. He liked the variety of different kinds of work, and employers were always happy to have a guy that was both good with his hands and his brains. Eventually, after twenty-seven years in the field, Jake changed careers. Construction work was a young man’s game, he figured. Not that he couldn’t hold his own with the young bucks coming into the industry, he just had other ambitions. The University of Houston was looking for a Research Librarian in their engineering department. Jake applied on a lark, and based on his hands on experience and self taught education, a very down to earth recruiter gave him the position. He worked there while the kids were students on campus, splitting his time between Big Springs, and Houston. He and Maggie missed each other, but both agreed it was nice having one of them close to the kids. Maggie managed to keep the homestead running, while visiting Houston as often as she could. When his youngest graduated, Jake retired.
    There was an endless list of projects to work on at home … a list that grew as fast as he completed it. He figured the