Read Online Dorothy Garlock by A Place Called Rainwater - Free Book Online
Authors: A Place Called Rainwater
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a little ashamed that she had forgotten to take care of the poor thing.
The wash house sat back twenty or more feet from the hotel. Justine had had it put there because she feared the heater that was needed to heat the water for the large commercial washing machine might cause a fire. She had invested in the appliance when the oil boom had brought more business to town.
The door of the frame building was open and the window shutters propped back. As Jill approached, the black and white shaggy dog, lying just inside the doorway, looked up and growled.
“Calm down, Fertile.” Thad's deep voice came from inside the building. “It's just the
boss
coming to see if I'm earning my keep.”
Ignoring the dog, Jill stood in the doorway. Benches and tubs had been pushed aside to make room for Thad, who sat on the floor with the wringer from the washer between his spread legs. He had a wrench in his greasy hand and a smudge on his cheek.
“Fertile? ”
“Fits.” His dark hair tumbled over his forehead; his clear green eyes gleamed with amusement. “She's about to have a batch of pups. Besides that, she likes the name.”
“She'll answer to any name as long as you feed her, ”Jill scoffed.
“She likes me.”
“I'm not surprised. You're both dirty, hungry and lazy.” Jill tried to keep the laughter out of her voice and failed.
Thad's laughter rang out. “But she's pregnant and I'm not.”
Jill looked down at the shaggy dog. Her eyes were on Thad. He'd always had a way with animals. Jill recalled seeing him ride into the yard back home with his dog at his heels. His horse, too, followed him like a dog when he wasn't on it. Thad always had time to pet their dog, Sidney, who went into raptures when he was around.
There had been a time when Jill herself went into raptures when Thad came to the farm. She had been fourteen and Thad five years older. To him, she had been the pesky kid sister of his best friend. To her, he had been as handsome as any hero she read about in the dime novels she had sneaked from Joe's room. Thad had teased her, pulled her hair and treated her in the same way as had her older brothers, Joe and Jack. It had been frustrating until she had grown out of the crush.
“Hand me that small wrench.”
“Which one? ”
“The smallest.”
Jill stepped over the dog in order to reach the bench where the tools were laid out, selected the one Thad wanted and put it in his outstretched hand.
“Where did you find the tools? ”
“In my tool chest.”
“They're yours? ”
“Uh-huh.”
“Is that what you do? Work on motors? ”
“That and a few other things.”
“Like what? ”
“Drill, rig or weld pipe — that is, when I'm not lawyering, doctoring or toe-dancing.” His head was bent so that she couldn't see his face, but she knew he was laughing silently because his shoulders were shaking.
“I'd like to see that sometime, ”she said seriously. “Can you fix the motor on the wringer? Laura and Mrs. Cole will be here tomorrow to do the washing.”
“I think I can have it ready by then if you'll stay and keep me company while I work on it.”
“Sorry to disappoint you. I have better ways of spending my time. Radna is cooking dinner and will call you when it's ready.”
Jill headed back into the hotel thinking what a difference a day made. Today Thad had been almost the boy she'd had the crush on so long ago.
It was the middle of the afternoon when Justine called as Jill passed the door to her room. It was left open so she could hear, as much as possible, what was going on. Jill turned and went into the room to see Thad standing beside her aunt's chair.
“Thad's going to take me out onto the porch. There's a cushion on the floor of the wardrobe. Will you get it, please, and put it in the chair? ”
After Jill placed the cushion in the chair, Thad maneuvered the chair through the doorway and down the hall.
“I've been longing to sit on the porch, but I didn't want people to see
The wash house sat back twenty or more feet from the hotel. Justine had had it put there because she feared the heater that was needed to heat the water for the large commercial washing machine might cause a fire. She had invested in the appliance when the oil boom had brought more business to town.
The door of the frame building was open and the window shutters propped back. As Jill approached, the black and white shaggy dog, lying just inside the doorway, looked up and growled.
“Calm down, Fertile.” Thad's deep voice came from inside the building. “It's just the
boss
coming to see if I'm earning my keep.”
Ignoring the dog, Jill stood in the doorway. Benches and tubs had been pushed aside to make room for Thad, who sat on the floor with the wringer from the washer between his spread legs. He had a wrench in his greasy hand and a smudge on his cheek.
“Fertile? ”
“Fits.” His dark hair tumbled over his forehead; his clear green eyes gleamed with amusement. “She's about to have a batch of pups. Besides that, she likes the name.”
“She'll answer to any name as long as you feed her, ”Jill scoffed.
“She likes me.”
“I'm not surprised. You're both dirty, hungry and lazy.” Jill tried to keep the laughter out of her voice and failed.
Thad's laughter rang out. “But she's pregnant and I'm not.”
Jill looked down at the shaggy dog. Her eyes were on Thad. He'd always had a way with animals. Jill recalled seeing him ride into the yard back home with his dog at his heels. His horse, too, followed him like a dog when he wasn't on it. Thad always had time to pet their dog, Sidney, who went into raptures when he was around.
There had been a time when Jill herself went into raptures when Thad came to the farm. She had been fourteen and Thad five years older. To him, she had been the pesky kid sister of his best friend. To her, he had been as handsome as any hero she read about in the dime novels she had sneaked from Joe's room. Thad had teased her, pulled her hair and treated her in the same way as had her older brothers, Joe and Jack. It had been frustrating until she had grown out of the crush.
“Hand me that small wrench.”
“Which one? ”
“The smallest.”
Jill stepped over the dog in order to reach the bench where the tools were laid out, selected the one Thad wanted and put it in his outstretched hand.
“Where did you find the tools? ”
“In my tool chest.”
“They're yours? ”
“Uh-huh.”
“Is that what you do? Work on motors? ”
“That and a few other things.”
“Like what? ”
“Drill, rig or weld pipe — that is, when I'm not lawyering, doctoring or toe-dancing.” His head was bent so that she couldn't see his face, but she knew he was laughing silently because his shoulders were shaking.
“I'd like to see that sometime, ”she said seriously. “Can you fix the motor on the wringer? Laura and Mrs. Cole will be here tomorrow to do the washing.”
“I think I can have it ready by then if you'll stay and keep me company while I work on it.”
“Sorry to disappoint you. I have better ways of spending my time. Radna is cooking dinner and will call you when it's ready.”
Jill headed back into the hotel thinking what a difference a day made. Today Thad had been almost the boy she'd had the crush on so long ago.
It was the middle of the afternoon when Justine called as Jill passed the door to her room. It was left open so she could hear, as much as possible, what was going on. Jill turned and went into the room to see Thad standing beside her aunt's chair.
“Thad's going to take me out onto the porch. There's a cushion on the floor of the wardrobe. Will you get it, please, and put it in the chair? ”
After Jill placed the cushion in the chair, Thad maneuvered the chair through the doorway and down the hall.
“I've been longing to sit on the porch, but I didn't want people to see
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