Page 35 of Waiting for the Rancher
“No, Maverick. I’m not riding.”
“You can ride with me.”
“No.” Her tone held a finality that stopped his next sentence.
He’d known Hazel didn’t ride. In all the years they’d been friends, she’d always refused—only ever went places by wagon or foot. Sterling had once told him that Hazel’s fear of riding stemmed from the time she’d gotten lost while traveling west across the prairies with her family. Course, Sterling hadn’texpounded much. And Maverick hadn’t really thought about it much over the years—had accepted that Hazel loved the horses but never rode them.
But today, at this moment, he’d expected her to see the urgency of the situation and make an exception.
Tanner was watching their interaction. “I’d offer to go with you, but I have to head out.”
“We’ll be fine,” Maverick said.
“You’ll have no trouble. The mare won’t have gone far in her condition.”
“See?” Hazel broke away from Maverick’s grip. “If we weren’t wasting time arguing, we’d probably be halfway there.”
Maverick had half a notion to go get his horse and toss Hazel over the saddle whether she wanted to ride or not. But the plain truth was, her comfort and wellbeing were more important than Candy and the foal. If Hazel didn’t want to ride, he wouldn’t force her.
“Reckon at the very least, I oughta bring my mount along to haul the supplies we need.”
Hazel opened her mouth as though to disagree, but then she closed it and nodded. She knew as well as he did that they needed a few basic medicinal supplies and instruments just in case anything went wrong during the foaling.
Course, he was bringing along his rifle and his pa’s. He wasn’t planning to be caught unaware or get trapped again.
He’d made one too many mistakes already in his life and didn’t want to make any more, especially any that might endanger Hazel.
13
She was a silly ninny. That’s what.
Hazel followed after Maverick and his gelding, letting him lead the way deeper into Dead Man’s Gulch as he followed hoofprints, droppings, and other signs of Candy’s trail.
But after traveling for a good hour by foot and still not finding the mare, the anxiety inside Hazel was pulsing with greater intensity. And she’d started berating herself for not being willing to ride a horse so that they could travel faster and cover more ground.
But just the thought of sitting atop the horse stirred bile inside her and sent a bitter taste to the back of her throat. Even with Maverick near, she couldn’t imagine herself riding.
The truth was, she’d made peace long ago with the fact that she would never mount a horse again. And most of the time, she didn’t think about the disadvantages of not riding.
But today... at this moment, she was afraid her reticence would hurt Candy.
She could only hope the mare hadn’t foaled yet and had simply gone off to prepare for the birth. After all, yesterday during the examinations, Candy hadn’t been completely ready. Yet, if the mare had already foaled and had faced any sort of trouble, Hazel didn’t want to be too late to help.
“How much longer do you think we have?” Hazel couldn’t stop the inquiry. No doubt Maverick was annoyed not only by her resistance to riding but also by such a stupid question.
Instead of scoffing at her question, Maverick paused and peered around. “My guess is that she took shelter in the thicket ahead.”
Dead Man’s Gulch had been a playground during their growing-up years, and Maverick was familiar with each twist and turn. Even though it was in the foothills to the west of the High C Ranch, it veered north and followed along the Blue River leading to the Noble Ranch. If they went much farther, they might even end up on Noble land.
The rocky terrain was covered in moss, and a few spruce and fir trees had pushed through the granite and grew in clusters. They’d already passed a group of mountain sheep—bighorns—climbing nimbly among the higher rocks. Several rams had the heavy horns that curled around their faces, but most were ewes with their young lambs.
Maverick’s hand had hardly let go of his revolver during the entire hike. His back had remained rigid, and he’d been preoccupied with scanning the landscape.
She guessed he was nervous about venturing off the ranch after all that had transpired with the horse thieves and his pa’s death, but he wasn’t letting his anxiety stop him. If he was able to face his fear with such bravery, wasn’t it time for her to do the same?
“I’m sorry for refusing to ride.” She offered the apology softly, wishing even now that she could make herself climb astride his mount but not knowing if she really could.
“I understand.” He replied just as quietly, still scanning the area.
