Real Cowboys

Needed ASAPCertified K-8 Teacher Near Owyhee, Idaho, One-room school Grades 1-8 Approximately 20 pupils Benefits include a two-bedroom cabin Fax rÉsumÉ to Marge Goetz, School Board President 208 555-8809 Will do a telephone interview KATE STEELE SMOOTHED the creased job circular and reread the ad for the umpteenth time. The promise of housing was a bonus. She checked her cover letter one last time before stealthily rolling her wheelchair into her father-in-law's ranch office and firing it off on the fax. Impatiently, she waited for confirmation of receipt. When it slid into the tray, she folded it with the other papers and tucked them behind her in case she ran into her mother-in-law in the hall. Kate's watch said 9:00 a.m., which meant the Steeles" Fort Worth ranch had been in full swing for three hours. It would be eight in Idaho. Kate hoped Marge Goetz worked eight to five. A preliminary search on her laptop hadn't found any mention of the town of Owyhee, but a county by the same name bordered Idaho, Oregon and Nevada. Agriculture was listed as the county's main industry since the mines had played out. Farm country sounded wonderful. Kate had been born and raised in Kansas. At least it would get Danny away from his grandparents" ranch, which perpetuated his obsession with calf roping and rodeos. Rolling along the hall, Kate told herself not to pin her hopes on this job. Why would Marge Goetz have to look as far as Texas to find a teacher? The hiring committee probably wouldn't be keen on the fact she was a widowed mom with an almost eleven-year-old son. Plus she hadn't taught in a while. She wondered if that was why she'd lost out on five positions in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. It was late in the year to find a teaching job, but that didn't stop Kate from crossing her fingers. By four o'clock that afternoon, Marge Goetz had called and offered Kate the job. Once Kate hung up, she pinched herself to be sure she wasn't dreaming. But the thrill didn't last long. At supper, Kate had to break the news to Royce and Melanie Steele--and Danny. Melanie, Kate's mother-in-law, almost dropped the bowl of green beans she was passing to her husband. "Idaho?Kate--dear--you can't be serious. I said I would ask Rich North, principal at Tumbleweed, if he'd let you sub. It's just I've been busy lately." "I appreciate that, but I really wanted a permanent job." "Nonsense, you're not ready to be in a classroom full days." "Dr. Pearsall thinks I am." Kate glanced at her son to reassure him. Danny had tended to worry about her since the car accident. "I'm fine," she insisted. Melanie set the beans down and rushed from the room. Royce, a taciturn rancher, followed his wife. Kate wondered sometimes if he'd be happier if she just stayed in her wheelchair in the background. he'd disapproved when she'd ordered a pickup with hand controls and an automatic lift to load and unload her wheelchair. Royce said Colton's life-insurance settlement should go toward Danny's future. Kate didn't point out to her father-in-law that if she hadn't culled money from her meager food budget to pay the premiums, her rodeo-chasing husband wouldn't have had life insurance. And the Steeles" plan for Danny's future was that he'd one day be a champion calf roper, like his father. Danny was silent after his grandparents left the table, even though Kate tried to get him to talk to her. She regretted not telling Danny her plans first--the fact that she hadn't was just one more indication that she needed to be on her own with her son. Much later, when she went in to say good-night, Kate found him sitting at the window. He had one arm draped around Goldie, his golden retriever. The other held a worn lasso that had been his dad's. "Hey, guy, you should be in bed." "I don't want to move." He pinned her with serious hazel eyes. "I heard MimiFox, Roz Denny is the author of 'Real Cowboys ', published 2007 under ISBN 9780373714124 and ISBN 0373714122.