"Heard somebody offered you a fortune for those weeds."
She picked up a box of fencing staples.
"Someone made an offer."
Wade leaned against the counter.
"And you turned it down?"
"Yes."
He stared.
Then shook his head.
"Your father would've taken the money."
Marlene stopped.
She looked toward him.
For a moment, anger rose so sharply that she could barely breathe.
Then she set the box on the counter.
"My father spent forty years worrying about what would happen to the ranch after he died."
Wade frowned.
She continued.
"I don't think either of us can say exactly what he would've done."
Several men nearby became quiet.
Wade's expression hardened.
Then he laughed.
"Still stubborn."
Marlene nodded.
"Apparently it runs in the family."
She paid for the staples.
Then walked outside.
Behind her, the men began talking again.
But this time, she didn't feel the need to prove anything.
She had inspected the contract.
Understood the risks.
And made a decision.
That was enough.
In 2006, Marlene hired her first permanent employee.
His name was Daniel Ortiz, a twenty-seven-year-old mechanic and farmworker who had grown up in the region and spent years moving between seasonal jobs. He knew engines, understood irrigation equipment, and had enough experience handling livestock to recognize when a task required caution. He was also willing to learn about a crop he had never seen grown on such a large scale.
Daniel arrived for the interview carrying an old work notebook.
Marlene met him beside the barn.
He looked toward the cactus rows.
Then whistled softly.
"That's a lot of green."
She smiled.
"Not enough yet."
He laughed.
They walked through the fields while Marlene explained the work.
The job involved maintaining equipment, helping with planting and harvesting, keeping access paths clear, and supporting the seasonal crew during busy periods. She also wanted someone willing to record observations rather than simply complete a task and forget about it.
Daniel listened carefully.
Then asked about wages.
Marlene gave him the figure.
He looked surprised.
"That's more than the last ranch offered."
She nodded.
"It's what I can afford to pay reliably."
He studied her.
Then asked whether the job would last.
Marlene took a breath.
"I intend it to. But I won't promise that a drought or market collapse can't cause problems."
Daniel looked toward the fields.
For a moment, he seemed thoughtful.
Then he smiled.
"Fair enough."
She hired him.
Within three weeks, he had repaired two pieces of equipment that Marlene had considered replacing, improved the organization of the tool shed, and begun helping her document the maintenance costs of the operation.