Page 77 of Tough Love

“You can’t stay?”

“I have to help ready everything for the roundup. And you need to rest before we start Monday.”

“What, are you my boss now, Rawlins?”

I stare at her. When I don’t respond, she rests a hand on my jaw. And I feel like a creep at that throwaway mention of being her boss and telling her what to do. How the fuck does Justin sleep at night?

“Nope, definitely not. But at the risk of having to share my tent with Morley for a week, I would really like you to catch some rest and get better to save methatparticular torture.”

She giggles and drops onto the bed. The coffee splashes a little, and she turns and picks it up, taking a sip. “I’ll be there. Can’t have you rolling over and hugging Justin in your sleep instead of me, Huddy.”

I chuckle and dot a kiss to her forehead. “Absolutely not.”

She swallows her mouthful, and I tuck her hair behind her ear. My gut flips, like it hasn’t already done it a thousand times before when I get close to her. “Get some rest. Call me if you need anything, please.”

“Uh-huh.”

She puts the coffee down and pulls me down to her, but then hesitates. “I don’t want to make you sick.”

I turn my face and she kisses my cheek, then my jaw, then my neck. I might not catch her cold, but I definitely have a hard-on now. I groan, torn between not caring if I get sickand remembering she is and needs rest, not what’s currently occupying my bloodless brain.

“Bye, Huddy.”

I linger by the doorway as she settles onto the bed and bites into the toast. She looks so much better than she did last night. Walking down the stairs, I am fully aware I left my heart behind with her.

Chapter Twenty-Two

ADDY

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous. Actually, that is also a lie. I’m more than nervous—I’m anxious, kind of terrified, to be honest. After a few long hours in the truck, pulling the goosenecks, we are gathered at the base of the mountains. The ones that I wondered at from the hill by the vista. They looked so majestic from there. Now, looming above me and capped in snow, they are plain intimidating.

Sergeant moves under me, chewing at the bit. At least he’s not chomping it. I have a horse loaded with supplies tied up beside Sergeant. I am to tail behind and go where needed over the next seven days of this roundup. And the air is cold.

Hudson says it is colder in the mountains where we are heading. Great. Potential frostbite and fear—what more could a girl want in her career? So, I am bundled up with a parka, Wranglers, long boots, and thick socks that are under my jeans, and three layers under the coat and gloves. Dry ones in my small, condensed pack on the back of my literal packhorse. It’s a surreal feeling. I feel like I’m in the middle of aYellowstoneepisode.

Hudson assembles the crew of ten riders. Harry, Reed, and Mackinlay are amongst them. Six of the men I have seen aroundtown but don’t know. Louisa will be coming in five days’ time, in the truck, bringing food and keeping up with our progress every few days. Being so remote, it is smart to have her drop in. She has a satellite phone and first aid supplies.

“Right!” Hudson says. Rocket is a live wire on his feet, anticipating what happens next.Heis literally chomping at the bit. Hudson sits steady in the saddle. “We split up. Covering the most northern, western, and eastern boundaries of the ranch. Nothing beyond the river on the other side. Harry takes the northern end. Mackinlay and Reed, the eastern. I will take the western boundary. Two men with each party. In two days, we herd them to the ridge, and push them down the mountain. Back here in five days for a rest, then push them home. Any issues that need attending to, we deal with then. Search every pocket, every valley and peak. The estimated head count for this roundup is around a thousand. I want no beast left behind. Any questions?”

None.

They have done this every year for who knows how long. The men mutter and split between Harry’s party, Mack and Reed’s, and ours. Hudson shifts the reins against Rocket’s neck and sidesteps closer to where I sit on Sergeant. “You okay, Addy?”

“Yup. Keen to start.” The words are forced, and Hudson gives me a knowing look. I’m a trillion percent happy that he didn’t assign me to another party. The two men who are riding with us say polite hellos and dip their hats.

“Hi,” I offer back.

“Right. Be safe, make sure you don’t leave any stragglers. We will catch you all in five days.” Hudson tilts his chin toward the mountain.

Actual yeehaws crow as most of the men push their horses into a lope and head for the ascent of the mountain in front of us, each one of them with a bedroll and supplies tied to the back of their saddle. A lariat hanging from the side of each man’s saddle.And Mack, Harry, and Hudson all have a rifle slung over their backs. I don’t even want to think about what that’s for.

I can imagine Reed loving this wild adventure. He stands in the stirrups as he and Mack gallop toward the thick mountain forest. The two men with Hudson and me eye the mountain like they want to gallop off into the wilds like the other two parties did. But with a glance from Hudson, they mill about on their excitable horses.

“Addy, this is Ned and Mick. Mick, Ned, this is Dr. Howard. The vet.”

“Please, call me Addy.”

“Addy,” Ned says dipping his hat. He is grey-haired, possibly a little older than Harry.

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