The Miner's Girl

Chapter 106

(((September 2, 2016)))

The past two weeks have been really hectic and busy. Parker and Rick have both put in overtime on the wash plants, running them harder and longer. Parker's hired a few new guys, and they've caused him some headache. Even with the overtime, Parker still isn't getting the gold he needs each week. But he has high hopes that he might get the 200 ounces he needs from Sluicifer this week and 100 from Big Red.

Today is the first day that Parker has actually stayed in the trailer for any amount of time, and I'm helping him run some numbers and make calls. With the end of the season coming up, we'll have to pay out a lot of bills. So I'm good at getting that set up for him.

Parker had just gotten off the phone with Rick, and he groaned as he threw his phone on the desk. He leaned back in his chair, looking up at the ceiling as he covered his face. I stopped typing bills and numbers on his laptop to reach over and massage one of his shoulders.

"I'm going to have to fire Andy." Parker said as he rubbed his face before sitting back up. "There's just no other way around it."

"What's he done now?" I asked.

"Just typical stuff like the past week. Not being prepared, having to borrow tools from Mitch, and he doesn't seem to be competent enough to do anything but a mechanic. And he can't even do that." Parker ranted.

"It's like Chris said the other day to me. Out here, you gotta be willing to do anything. You can't just have one job. You go where you're needed." I said. "And he just can't seem to understand that. I don't think he's got enough experience at all."

"You're damn right he don't." Parker said as he opened a new window on the laptop. "I guess I need to give him his release papers. He's just not working out. He's not made for this type of work."

"No, he's really not." I agreed. "But it's not like that's his fault."

"Yeah, it's not his fault." Parker said as he typed. "Just some people are good for this work and some aren't."

"And it's hard to find the good ones." I added.

Parker huffed. "You got that right, baby. The guys I've hired in the past two weeks, I don't know about them. One already drove a excavator in the swamp."

"I know." I smirked. "I can't believe you didn't fire him."

Parker shrugged. "He hasn't done anything since then. And he's just here for the night shift most of the time. I don't have to see him."

I chuckled. "Yeah, you're asleep at night, ain't you, baby?"

"Or doing other things." Parker smirked as he typed.

I giggled as I put my head down on his shoulder beside me. I looked back up at him to see him looking at the laptop screen and scrolling. "So what do you want for dinner?"

"I don't know." Parker shrugged. "Whatever you make is good to me."

"Prime rib?" I asked.

"Yeah, that sounds good." Parker said. "We haven't ate that in a while."

"Ooo, it's getting colder!" I said excitedly.

"And where's the good in that?" Parker asked.

"I want soup and chili beans. I don't make them when it's hot because they're winter comfort food. Now I can make them though." I smiled excitedly as I held his arm.

"Sooo what are you making tonight?" Parker asked.

"Prime rib. I'll make soup tomorrow night." I said.