Page 95 of Heart & Hope

I still and meet his gaze. A shit-eatin’ grin stretches over his face, and I punch his shoulder. He howls a laugh, tossing his head back.

Fuck you, Mack.

Just fuck you.

“Make sure you come back, you hear?” I utter on threadbare breath.

“Abso-fucking-lutely, Reedsy.” He winks.

I roll my eyes at him, but the fire blurs in front of me and I swallow past the boulder that formed with his last words.

Huddo’s precious herd at my back is bellowing up a storm as we roll down the side of the mountain and start out along the stretch toward base camp. The two large white tents that Ma puts up every year sit behind Harry’s Chevy. Small figureswander around, stopping to watch as we push the herd closer. Ma must have wrangled one of her friends to help.

We’re the first to arrive. Hudson and Harry’s crews must be still coming down. Mack calls out behind me, his voice cracking after a week of hollering, the same as mine. Magnet ducks from side to side with the slightest leg pressure as I try my best to keep the cattle back. Last thing we need is a stampede barreling toward Ma. The stretch between us and the camp may as well be miles, at the slow pace we’re going at.

Shouts split the air a moment later. Chancy plows down the side of the hill beside Harry’s cattle. Who are, by the looks of it, flying blindly down the face of the mountain.

“Fuck! Mack?”

“Yeah, I see it!”

“Curly, hold the herd!” Mack and I gallop toward Harry and Chancy. The hat on my head flies from its tight hold and tumbles onto the short, snowy grass. The herd is frenzied, and I can hear the cuss words from the old man’s mouth from here. His men are struggling to catch up in the rough terrain, and Harry is a one-man show trying to slow a runaway train.

I push Magnet forward, and his ears flatten. The thousand-odd pounds of gelding under my seat moves in quick powerful strides. A heartbeat later, Mack flies up beside me. We intercept the runaways, and Harry throws us a look mixed between relief and pure fire. The herd getting away from him has gotta burn.

“Whoa!” I spin Magnet around and duck him fast and sure, side to side, as the lead beasts slow. Adrenaline blazing through my veins, I draw in a breath and hold on to the pommel. Magnet lowers his head and turns on a dime again and again between bursts forward. Mack and his mare do the same on the other side at the head of the rushing cattle.

Something like a million dips and sways later, the herd is back to a walk. Harry trots over, Chancy frothing at the bit, her flanks covered in sweat and slushy mud up to her hocks.

“I got it, son,” Harry says. The closest thing to athank youI’m gonna get from the old man. I nod and move out of position, letting Harry take my spot. One of his crew relieves Mack, and we lope back to our herd, collecting my hat en route.

“Reckon it was wolves?” I ask.

“Most likely; guess Harry’ll say when we’re back.”

With all the excitement, we have closed in on base quick. Ma stands with her arms crossed in front of the main tent. She saw the whole thing. Sometimes I wonder if she ever worries about Harry. They both exude confidence and partnership every day. But with the work we do, surely, she must worry about him. He’s not gettin’ any younger.

When the cattle are herded and a few of the crew take sentry, I trot over to the main tent and swing outta the saddle. The second my feet hit the ground, I release the collective breath I have been holding since the moment we left the homestead.

God, it’s good to be almost done. Almost home.

Something strawberry drifts in the air.

My overactive, Ruby-obsessed imagination.

Or, more likely, Ma’s cookin’. And I miss Rubes like nothin’ else. It hits somewhere deep in my gut and sends an ache to my chest.

“Ma.” I walk to where she stands and wrap her in a hug.

“Hello, my boy. Long week?”

“You could say that.”

“It’s about to be worth it.” She winks, and confusion sets in on my face.

No idea what that’s about.

“Harry having some fun?” She laughs, but the happiness doesn’t meet her eyes, and her gaze falls away. Yeah, she worriesabout him. But when Harry pulls Chancy to a halt beside us, she simply looks up and smiles. “Hello, my love.”

---