Page 55 of All Night with the Cowboy
“Settle down, son,” his father muttered. He was standing closer to him now, and Tanner let one bull through before opening the chute for the next, still doing his work as they talked.
“We’ve got some good weights recording today, you’ll be impressed,” Stretch called out from the other side of the wooden chute. “Might be one of our best years yet.”
“Good, I’m happy to hear it,” Walter replied. “But tell me, did you ask my son for help or did he come down here looking for work? Hope he hasn’t been getting under your feet.”
Stretch made eye contact and Tanner just nodded. He wasn’t about to ask the man to lie for him, but his body rippled with anger at his father’s comment. He might have thought he was being funny, but one thing Tanner was not was a nuisance—children with nothing better to do and no skills got under a man’s feet, not a seasoned rancher.
“Seems like he wanted to keep occupied,” Stretchsaid. “And we were pleased to have the help. It’s always good having one of your boys lending a hand.”
Tanner owed him a beer for that reply.
“Ain’t no one better flying the helicopter around the ranch, either. He’s been a mighty good help these past few days.”
Tanner groaned. Maybe he didn’t owe him a beer now that he’d gone and told his father how long he’d been there for. But it was true, he was damn good up in the air, because he’d been flying almost as long as he’d been driving a car.
“So let me get this straight, while I was away you moved in and you’ve been working here like a madman? I thought you were supposed to be resting up? Wasn’t that the point of all the physical therapy?”
Tanner stretched his back out, sore and wishing to hell he was resting up. But resting and staying still meant his mind would start wandering again, and that was the last thing he needed. Long dark hair, brown eyes, golden skin begging to be touched—he pushed another bull through. Why couldn’t he get her out of his head?
“Come on, son, we need to walk,” his dad said. “Can you spare him?”
Stretch laughed. “Well, I’ve been enjoying the time off to tell you the truth, but sure. He’s all yours.”
Tanner took the last recording then climbed over the railings, holding his hand up in a wave to Stretch and the other ranch hands. It’d been nice spending time with them, just hearing them talk shit and being part of a team—he missed the banter from the guys he traveled around with and saw at all the competitions he rode at. They might compete against one another butthere was a real sense of camaraderie once the competition was over for the day.
“Son, we need to talk.”
Tanner wiped at his brow with his forearm, the plaid shirtsleeve removing the layer of sweat and dirt. Being in the pens all day was hard work, and it was dusty as hell. “Sounds serious.”
“The last thing I need is you getting all hot under the collar, but I’ve had some news and I want to talk through some options with you.”
Tanner stopped walking and looked at his dad. He noticed the lines on his face, noticing how much he’d aged, wishing the clock would stop ticking so damn fast. His father drove him nuts sometimes, but he couldn’t imagine not having him around any longer.
“You’re worrying me, Dad. I thought you were going to ask if I’d stop riding for you, but it’s something more, isn’t it? What happened in New York?”
Walter sighed and walked over to the closest fence, hitching his boot on a rail, elbows bent and resting on the timber. Tanner joined him and waited for him to get whatever it was off his chest.
“I wasn’t in New York. I was in Dallas getting some tests done.”
“Tests? What kind of tests?”
“I’ve got cancer,” he said. “I’ve kept it quiet because I didn’t want to alarm you kids, but I’m going to need to start treatment and I need to get my affairs in order.”
“Christ,” Tanner swore under his breath. “How could you go through that and not tell us? Does anyone know? I would have come with you, I would have dropped everything and been there for you. We all would have.”
His father looked calm, but Tanner’s heart was racing, his head full of questions. The old man had clearly had time to process all this but… dammit! He was not ready to lose his father.
“I’m sorry,” Tanner said, clearing his throat and trying to swallow away the lump that had formed there. “What do you need me to do?”
“The cancer’s in my prostate, but my urologist and oncologist are both optimistic,” Walter said. “I’m a strong bastard and I damn well told them so, so don’t go expecting me to die on you anytime soon.”
Tanner laughed despite the somber topic, knowing that his father would face any treatment like a battle and be determined to win it. He was like that with everything in life, and he had no reason to think he’d treat cancer any differently than he would a business competitor.
“What is it you want to ask me? You want me to give up bulls, is that what this is about?” Tanner felt his pulse ignite but he balled his fists, forcing himself to stay calm. This was different, this was his dad’s health, and he needed to keep a clear head instead of being reactive.
Walter shook his head. “I’m not telling you what to do with your life, Tanner. We’ve had that conversation too many times already.” He turned to look at him. “I’m also not planning on being ten feet under any time soon, but it’s made me think a lot about things. Your brother deserves his seat on the board, but he’s not a rancher like you are, and Angelina’s the same. She’s an amazing businesswoman but she’s no rancher, either. Mia loves the land and I’d like you two to work something out when it comes to living on the ranch or dividing the land up, but it’s you I need running things here when I’mgone.” His father clapped a hand on his back. “This isyoumaking the call, Tanner, not me. But you need to decide whether you want to make your own way in this world once I’m not here, or if you want to step into my shoes and take up your birthright. That’s your decision to make, not mine, and I won’t pressure you into anything.”
Tanner gulped. This was way too real, talking like his dad was already gone. “You talked to the others about this yet? About any of this?”
