Page 5 of Unforgettable Cowboy
After ending the call, Hayes lay back on his bed, feet still planted on the floor.The room was stark.No childhood memorabilia remained.He and his brothers had made a point of emptying their rooms before leaving home, donating, recycling and tossing the bits and pieces of their lives so that Wade wouldn’t be stuck curating their belongings.Because of that, Hayes’s room contained a dresser, a bed and a layer of dust on the floor, a far cry from the custom cabin he’d lived in on the Buckhorn Ranch.
No fancy mini appliances, hardwood floors and tile.
No micromanagers.No HR department.
Hayes smiled despite his exhaustion.He’d take it.
Chapter Two
Bailey’s former home,a narrow 120-acre parcel sandwiched between the Tree Fork Ranch to the west and Jim Reed Farms to the east, had been uninhabited since the summer after Bruce Harris, her mom’s second husband, walked out on the family.Because of the memories attached to the place, Bailey had never considered returning, or even visiting, until she’d become fed up with her day job and turned to silversmithing western jewelry, buckles and bits full-time.It had been her mom who’d pointed out early that spring that the old homestead was a place she could live rent-free and still be close to the local rodeos where she set up shop during the summer months.Bailey had agreed, thinking it was time to lay certain ghosts to rest.And it was hard to pass up free rent.
The old homestead hadn’t been much when Bailey lived there, just a double-wide trailer, which her mom had kept spotless in order to keep Bruce happy, a hay barn, a chicken house and a few sheds for storage.It was worse now.The double-wide and the memories it contained were long gone, thus saving Bailey the trouble of torching the place, but the barn and chicken house were still standing.Kind of.
Bailey parked her truck next to her live-in horse trailer, a fancy affair she’d bought from her friend and college roommate Jenna Meyers after she’d seriously embarked on her career as a silversmith, with living quarters in the front and room to sell her wares in the back.It worked perfectly driving from rodeo to rodeo.It had also worked perfectly to help Jenna hide her beloved mare from her soon-to-be ex, who was trying to claim the horse as his own.It had been quite the affair, stealing the mare away while Jenna and Chance had been at a rodeo on the other side of the state, but Bailey had no qualms about helping her friend keep what was rightfully hers.
When she’d asked Wade if she could board her horse on the Tree Fork Ranch, he had inspected the mare’s brand, gave Bailey a long look, then had simply nodded.He’d asked for no details, and she gave none; but she was certain he knew that she didn’t want anyone to know that Dakota Sunshine was at his place.
Bailey sat in the truck, waiting for the headlights to fade and her eyes to adjust to the darkness before she opened the door.And then she listened.Just in case.She was still on high alert due to the events of the evening.
You need to get a dog.
Indeed.She might have gotten away from Hayes with the help of a canine protector, but that would have opened a new can of worms.If she hadn’t known who’d been chasing her, then she would have called the sheriff, who may have then discovered Dakota Sunshine hidden on the ranch, which would have led to even more trouble…
Stop.
Bailey headed to her trailer, which she kept locked despite the isolated location of her property.She was, after all, a woman living alone.The jangling of the keys sounded overly loud in the silence of the night, then the lock clicked and a few seconds later she was inside with the door closed behind her.
Bailey stood, once again listening, then snapped on the lights and crossed the small space to pull a bottle of water out of the tiny fridge before sitting in her work chair.She took a drink as she studied the engraving tools laid out on the table in front of her.She’d hoped to get the silver concho blank that was secured in the ball vise at least partially engraved before she went to bed that evening, but she wouldn’t chance working while adrenaline was still thrumming through her body.Too great of a possibility of her hand slipping and then she’d either have to abort mission or come up with something creative to incorporate the mistake.
So much for a few more peaceful weeks working for Wade during the day and focusing on silversmithing in the evenings.She’d keep working on the Tree Fork, because she and Wade had an agreement, and frankly, Wade needed the help as much as she needed to keep Dakota out of sight.His permanent ranch hands were due to return in two months and she’d been concerned about who would fill the gap she left when she hit the road again after the Copper Mountain Rodeo.Hayes’s arrival had solved that problem.He could take up the slack until Wade’s ranch hands returned.
In the morning, she was going to make certain that Hayes understood how much Wade needed help, so that he didn’t head back to that fancy-ass ranch up north once he arranged care for his uncle.
*
Hayes stood inthe center of the driveway, studying the peeling paint, broken windbreak boards and loose fence rails.When he and his brothers had lived here, their chores—painting, fence repair, mowing—had been meant to keep them out of trouble.It hadn’t worked, but the ranch had been properly kept up.After they’d left home, and the Parkers had moved in as permanent employees, the place had continued to be well maintained.
That was no longer the case.
Hayes grimaced as he watched a loose soffit board on the barn thump in the light fall breeze.This had to be dealt with before the whole damned thing came off.
A distant noise caught his attention and he turned to see a rooster tail of dust swirling in the distance, the opaque cloud tinted pink by the rising sun.The day crew from Jim Reed Farms, no doubt.Due to Parker’s leave of absence, Wade had leased out the land instead of working it himself, leaving only the cattle to care for along with the inevitable fencing repairs and water maintenance…which led Hayes to the question he hadn’t asked Bailey the night before.Who was helping with the cattle side of things besides her?
Hayes ambled to the parking area and waited until the pickup pulled to a stop a few minutes later.Two lanky men in their early twenties climbed out of the cab.
“Morning, Hayes,” one of them called cheerily, as if seeing Hayes on the ranch was an everyday occurrence.“Any news on Wade?”
It took Hayes a moment to recognize the guy who spoke because the last time he’d seen Ben Reed, he’d been fifteen or sixteen.Now he was in his twenties and sporting a fierce black beard, which gave him a pirate-y look, despite the well-worn straw hat he tilted back as he approached Hayes and held out a hand.
“He was doing all right when I called yesterday but was still sedated.I couldn’t talk to him.”
The other man introduced himself as Andy Bird, Jim’s son-in-law.“Bad luck, what happened.Good thing Bailey was here.Who knows how long he might have lain out there if she hadn’t seen the mare running across the field?”
That was something to think about.Wade wasn’t getting any younger and, as Jordan had suggested, probably shouldn’t be living alone for much longer.Another thing to consider in the life equation Hayes was putting together.He’d definitely stay until Parker was back and could resume full duties.
“I heard you’re riding in the Copper Mountain.”
Hayes smiled a little.He might not be a pro anymore, but he liked keeping his finger in the pie.And it was a rare year when he’d missed riding in his hometown rodeo.“Thought I’d give it a go.”
