Page 9 of New in Town

He pictures her full pouty lips and button nose. He remembers the way she smiled at him, and how she tucked her long, wavy brown hair behind both her ears when she focused. “Get a grip,” he mutters to himself, looking down to see that Brett has responded.

Brett

And you care because?

Grey

People can be assholes around here.

Brett

True. But what’s your deal?

Grey

I just think we should try to help. I want to ask her to come up for the annuals on the horses.

Brett

Yeah, we’ll help. Ask her.

Satisfied, he slides his phone back into his pocket and throws his truck in drive. He’ll be back in a few days for Pippa’s vaccines and can ask her to come up to the ranch then. As he drives back home, he can’t help but think about Brett’s question. Why does he care so much?

Telling himself that he’s just trying to be decent to someone who needs help, he brings his focus to the dirt drive he turns onto. He feels settled by the familiar sight as he travels under the arch that has a large “H” embossed in it. Now back on Hayes property, the sun is almost set, casting a glow across the valley he calls home.

He turns around the large white farmhouse and makes his way up the drive to the two cottages off to the side, clad in white board and batten siding matching the farmhouse. He parks and grabs his Stetson off the dashboard, placing it atop his head once again. Looking up, Grey sees Brett sitting on his porch waiting for him.

Growing up, he was getting in more fights than he could count with other guys, his age and sometimes older. He had a target on him as a teenager, and he isn’t sure how it started how it started. But every time he won a fight, a bigger guy wanted to prove he was tougher and take Grey on. Each year it seemed to get worse until Brett stepped in.

Everyone knew you didn’t mess with the Hayes family, and Brett extended that protection to Grey, too. His own parents had never wanted kids and one day during high school they moved out of town for his dad's job, leaving him behind. He had complained about not wanting to leave, and apparently his parents had decided to grant him his wish. A note on the kitchen table read,the people at Hayes Ranch will keep looking out for you. And that was it. He wasn’t surprised, but he never understood what he did wrong to be left like that.

They had been right, though. Brett had insisted Grey move in as soon as he found out. And Floyd, the team lead, had taken Grey under his wing and taught him everything he knew about ranching.

Striding up the steps to his front porch now, he moves past Brett to open the door and let Pippa out. “I’m glad you finally got a dog. But I’m surprised it was so… impulsive,” Brett says as Grey takes a seat beside him.

“This is what happens when you send me places alone apparently,” he responds, eliciting a gruff chuckle from Brett. “So what’s up? I know you’re not sitting out here to talk about a dog.”

“It’s Floyd,” Brett starts, registering the worried look on Grey’s face and adding, “he’s fine. He’s just wanting to back off on some duties around here.”

He relaxes hearing that Floyd is okay. The eldest ranch hand is like a father to him in this new family he found. Then, it dawns on him what Brett is getting at. “He doesn’t want to be team lead anymore.”

“Right. Just the wrangler, working less hours.”

“So you need a new team lead.”

Brett raises his eyebrows at Grey, “I was thinking you.”

“I don’t lead.”

Brett laughs at his comment. “You’re already the point man, leading is literally what you do.”

“I lead cows. People are different,” he says with a shrug, looking out over the valley. Dusk is settling in, and the mountains are like dark fortress walls against the deep blue sky. He loves this ranch, knows every detail of it like the back of his hand.

“This is why you sent me to the auction alone,” he says after a moment.

“It’s not why, but I figured it would be a good gauge for how you feel about more responsibility. That wouldn’t be a normal thing with this role, but you know that. Honestly, you’ve already taken over half the leadership responsibilities for Floyd these last few years. We would just make it official.”

“And if it’s not for me?”

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