Page 36 of The Soldier and the Cowboy

“Hey, you made it,” Bailey said, bumping his shoulder as he came to stand beside her.

“Wouldn’t have missed it, thanks for the invite. How’s it going here?” he nodded toward the hive of men now putting the calves through their paces with a practiced ferocity.

“I don’t know. I’ve been in the kitchen all day. The rest of the ranch has been quiet, disturbingly so. Wouldn’t you think it would be the other way? They know calving is going on. This is their chance to create havoc. But it’s crickets out there. It’s making me antsy.”

“Either you scared them off or they’re taking their time, planning something big,” Sully said. “Guess what I heard at the jail the other day?”

“What’s that?” she asked. She linked her arm with his. Somewhere along the way her mild loathing of him had turned to a brotherly sort of affection, and he seemed to feel the same about her.

“They have a nickname for you.”

“The jail?”

“The members of the cartel who are currently incarcerated,” he said.

“What is it?” she asked, already smiling in amused anticipation.

“La diabla loca.Crazy she devil.”

“They may be terrible people, but that’s a cool nickname,”she said.

“That’s a cool nickname,” he agreed.

Cal caught sight of them and jogged over, resting his hands on the fence on either side of Bailey’s. “Anything to report, Major Dunbar?”

“All’s right as rain, boss,” she said.

“With an expression like that, you’re sounding almost local,” he said. “Hey, Sul,” he turned to the ranger, smiling. “What brings you out? Some kind of trouble?”

“No, some kind of supper.La diabla locais cooking.”

Cal bestowed his attention once again on Bailey. “Is that right?”

“How’d you know he was talking about me?”

“Who else, darlin’? Paella?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Well, I can hardly wait. Want to come in here a bit?” he offered.

She held up her hands, palms out. “Don’t want to get my fingers dirty today.”

“Sissy,” he said. He took off his hat and placed it on her head before turning to rejoin the fray.

“You know, ‘round here giving a woman your hat is as good as a proposal,” Sully said.

“I think I’m about ten years too late on his proposal,” Bailey said, somewhat sadly.

“Let me tell you something about Cal. He’s tenacious. That’s what made him a good quarterback. That’s what makes him a good rancher. He also despises change. At some point he’s got to realize he has to let go of Isabel and accept there are some things that have to move along, despite how much he tries to hold on.”

“In the meantime, every day that goes by makes me look alittle more foolish,” she said.

“No one who knows you could ever think you’re a fool,” Sully said.

“Thanks,” she said. “I should go back inside, check on things.”

“Want some help?” he asked.

---