Learnin' The Ropes by Shanna Hatfield Page B

lend yours to the task.
    10. Respect the flag and our nation.
    11. Be clean — both on the outside and inside of your person.
    12. Never stop learning.
    13. Never make fun of someone who gave it their best.
    14. Never wear your spurs or dirty boots in the house.
    15. Fight fair, be brave, and stand up for what’s right.
     
    Ty had always followed rules number one through four. He also tried to follow rule six as well as eight through thirteen. He was learning to apply “sir” and “ma’am.” Since he had not yet been coerced into purchasing a cowboy hat, he wasn’t worried about rule number seven. The same went for rule number fourteen since he had neither spurs nor cowboy boots. As for rule fifteen, that was part of the unwritten code he’d set for his life. He tried to live peacefully with everyone, but if he had to, he would stand up for himself and do it honorably.
    He thought of teaching his nephew how to throw a right hook when he was old enough. It was going to be hard to be absent when the little guy made his big entrance into the world. Despite Beth’s protests, he and Nate had a plan all worked out so he could virtually be there to hear the baby’s first cries.
    After returning to work, Ty finished the plow and hooked it up to a tractor, dragging it out of the shop so he could get started working on a harrow.
    He dug in a drawer that housed an assortment of nuts and bolts, organized by size, trying to reach into the back to the size he needed. Firmly tugging, the drawer seemed to be stuck, so he worked it around until he got it out. He bent down to peer into the space and noticed a crumpled envelope in the back of the cabinet. 
    Setting down the drawer full of parts, he smoothed out the envelope. He noticed a scrawling hand had written “Lexi Jo” across the front. Hastily unfastening his coveralls, he stuffed the envelope into his pocket, refastened the coveralls and got back to work, wondering if the letter was from Lexi’s dad.
    Hours later, he glanced at the clock and jerked off his coveralls, running to the bunkhouse with Baby hot on his heels. It was his turn to make dinner and he forgot about it. He had less than an hour until everyone showed up, ready to eat.
    Lexi had hired two housekeepers in the past few weeks. One lasted almost a week while the other one only made it until noon her second day. She might have lasted longer except Baby scared her half to death when she opened the kitchen door and ran in barking.
     For now, they were back to cooking and cleaning for themselves.
    Ty grabbed steaks out of the freezer and stuck them in the microwave. While they thawed, he ran outside and fired up the gas barbecue, then hustled back in, washing a bunch of potatoes.  In no time, he’d cut them into chunks, and dropped them in a bowl with a little olive oil and spices. When he removed the steaks from the microwave, he stuck the potatoes in.  He hit the preheat button on the oven, then opened cans of green beans and dumped them in a skillet with crumbled pieces of bacon left over from breakfast.
    He popped three cans of biscuits and placed them in a greased pan then stuck them in the oven.
    After seasoning the meat, he took the steaks outside to the grill, put them on low and hustled back inside. A thorough search of the pantry turned up instant cookies and a handful of leftover butter cookies. He made the pudding, pouring it in individual bowls then sprinkled crushed cookies on top.
    Working with one eye on the clock, he removed the potatoes from the microwave and smashed them, stirring in grated cheese, sour cream and more of the bacon, along with a little ranch dressing before dumping the mixture onto a foil-lined cookie sheet. He stuck it in the oven with the biscuits, hurried to set the table, and mixed up a gallon of lemonade.
    While he frantically pulled dinner together, Baby sat by the door watching him run in and out. When he talked to her, asking her why she didn’t remind him it was