Page 1 of New in Town

1

GREY

The morning sky casts an orange glow washing over the stretch of basin before him. Coffee mug in hand, Grey makes his way down his front porch steps to his black Ford King Ranch truck. He doesn’t need much, but he loves his modes of transportation—truck, motorcycle, and above all, horse. What he wouldn’t give to be making his way down to the stables right now instead.

A sigh escapes him as he throws his truck door open and removes his Stetson, tossing it on the dash before climbing inside. Putting his truck in drive, the sound of gravel crunching below his tires is soon drowned out by Tyler Childers crooning through the speakers. He nods to Cooper, the young cowboy sitting on his own front porch next door to Grey’s cottage. The kid grins eagerly back at him and he wonders if Coop is old enough to be going to these auctions instead of him yet.

As he makes his way out onto the state route from Hayes Ranch, he begrudgingly has to admit that he does enjoy traveling through town at this time of day. With most people still sleeping peacefully in Sterling Ridge, he is alone on the road as he drives past the historic white church and makes his way up Main, just as he prefers. He appreciates the small town—the modest well-kept buildings are nestled perfectly into the Laramie Mountains, making it a truly nice place to live.

Today he hasn’t gotten so lucky. His boss and best friend Brett, owner of Hayes Rach, is sending him to a cattle auction a few towns over… alone. He’s gone more times than he can count with Brett and their surrogate father, Floyd, but never alone. This is a first. He takes a steadying breath as he flexes his hands on the steering wheel. With a glance at the time, he’s already counting down the minutes until he’s back on ranch land.

* * *

Cattle auctions are crowded and hectic as far as he is concerned.

His saving grace is that he doesn’t have to sell or buy today. Brett had sent him to get a pulse on local closeouts happening. His reason for sending Grey specifically is that he claimed Grey is the only person he trusts to not get caught up in the adrenaline of the auction and buy something anyway.

Having crossed through the barns, he comes to the auction rings. He takes his hundredth deep breath of the morning before pulling open the glass door and entering a small arena like space. Settling into one of the red cushioned stadium seats at the top, he hopes none of the other local ranchers notice him.

“Greyson, I’m glad I caught you before the auction started,” a deep voice booms behind him.

So much for going unnoticed, he thinks as the man he knows from a ranch one town over comes to sit beside him.

“How’s it going, Samuel?” he asks, keeping his eyes on the ring before them.

“Better now that I found you. Floyd always says you have a good sense for things. How much do you think twenty head will go for today?”

He resists the urge to shrug as the first round of cattle are being led in. The auction may not have started yet, but he isn’t taking any chances. “Your guess is as good as mine, Sam. I haven’t gone around to any pens, done any research. I’m just here today to report back to Brett.”

Sam chuckles beside him, his round belly jiggling with his laugh.

“Careful, Sam,” he warns, the corner of his lip tugging up. The movements to bid are subtle, and sometimes people bid on accident by moving at the wrong time.

“I just couldn’t help myself. No one comes to an auction and leaves empty handed. Not someone like us, at least.”

He smiles. “I’m not worried.”

As the words leave his mouth, he can’t help but notice the increase in his heart rate and tightening in his chest. He is worried, but it has nothing to do with buying impulses. He looks up at the clock on the wall wondering how many hours he has to be here to get the information Brett needs.

* * *

He quickens his pace as the exit comes into sight. He never particularly enjoys the auctions, but this one is worse. Probably because he is here alone. He still isn’t sure why Floyd didn’t come as well. Brett may have been busy, but what was the team lead’s excuse?

Whatever the reasons, here he is, representing the team, talking the business end of cattle ranching on his own.And he has been stuck doing a lot of talking, more than he anticipated and it is making his skin itch. With the auction over now, he is eager to get to his truck and have an hour of peaceful mountain highway before him. Focused on his goal, he is surprised when a male voice calls out, disrupting his thoughts.

“Howdy, sir! Need a cattle dog?”

Turning towards the man, he sees a small ball of blue speckled fur, no older than a few months, curled up in a box. Eager to keep his attention, the man continues.

“She’s the last one left. I sold the rest today but she’s the runt of the litter. My wife will kill me if I try to bring her home and say we’re keeping another dog.”

He sets his mouth in a hard line, studying the man now holding up the puppy. The ranch had a dog in the past, but not for the last few years. And he has always wanted one that truly belongs to him. Grey watches as the puppy runs a paw sloppily over her face.

“How much?” he asks, voice gruff.

“How much cash you got on you right now?”

he withdraws his leather wallet from the back pocket of his jeans and scans the bills.

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