Page 3 of Wrangling Hearts
My father’s eyes narrowed, his jaw ticking in that way that always meant he was done being polite. “It’s harmless fun, Mount. They’re just kids. And besides, it’s a shared creek behindbothof our properties. Or did you start buying up that land, too?” He worked the leather rein in his hand, body tense. “Taking what’s supposed to be mine just wasn’t enough, was it? Like father, like son.”
What was he talking about? I fidgeted, looking over at Beau, who looked just as uncomfortable as I felt.
Mount’s jaw tightened. “Your father gave up his right to this land when he decided to be a goddamn snake.” My eyes went wide. What did he mean snake? He shifted closer, and I saw Emmett take a step forward out of the corner of my eye. “You know what we do in these parts to snakes? We cut their heads off.”
Tess gasped and clung to my side.
“Dad,” Beau ground out. “Don’t do this. Not in front of the girls.”
“Why don’t you listen to your boy, Mount,” Dad said. “Things don’t need to get ugly just cause you can’t keep your anger in check. It was just a harmless prank.” He looked at the boys. “Right, boys?”
A chorus of low, “Yessirs,” came from them.
“This ain’t about some prank anymore,” Mount said. “This is about how your kids can’t seem to stay outta trouble.”
Dad slid off his horse, and I looked to my siblings, all of them on edge. I knew Dad and Mount didn’t get along, but I didn’t know it was like this.
“Don’t talk about my kids like yours weren’t there too. You think you’re so much better than us, flashing your money around, but you’re not.”
Mount got down, and my spine went rigid. I pulled Tess closer. “Maybe if you spent more time raisin’ them, and less time tryin’ to outdo me?—”
“That’s rich coming from you,” Dad interrupted. “The only reason you have this land we’re standing on is because you stole it from my family.” His face was red, his forehead vein bulging. I’d never seen him so angry before. Savannah and Delilah were huddled together, mouths ajar. “You’ve built your success on the back of my family’s suffering, and you know it!” he yelled.
Panicked, I turned to Beau, mouthing, “Do something.” It was our job as the oldest siblings to shield our younger siblings, and they definitely needed to be shielded from our fathers coming to blows, which would happen in the next few seconds if Beau didn’t step in.
“You have my clothes,” he whispered, looking down at the jeans and white shirt balled up in my fists.
I handed them to him, and he turned, putting on his jeans. I looked at anything but his ass, aimed directly at me. He left the t-shirt on the ground and stood between our fathers, placing his hand on Mount’s chest. “Give it a rest,” he said, voice rough. “Let’s go, Dad.”
Mount pressed against Beau’s hand like a bull desperate to get out of his pen. “Only sufferin’ your family’s had has been your own damn fault!”
Beau shoved against him, grunting. “Dad! Don’t do this in front of Anna.”
It was like a flip had been switched, and Mount looked over at his daughter, a horrified, remorseful expression on his face. Her cheeks were streaked with tears while she held herself. Heswallowed, looking at Beau. He nodded and straightened his shirt before he got back on his horse and left, kicking up dust.
The other girls handed the boys their clothes back silently, and we parted ways, something unspoken in the air. It was thick, heavy. A division of some sort. I couldn’t quite explain it, but I knew things would never be the same after today.
Emmett, Savannah, Delilah, Tess, and I all walked back to Golden Bridle with our dad. Periodically, I glanced over my shoulder to find Beau, Anna, Colt, and Weston walking towards their house, looking as torn up as I felt. I had no idea there was so much animosity between our fathers.
When we got home, I helped Dad untack his horse. We worked in silence, but when I couldn’t take it anymore, I asked, “What was that, Dad? Why do you hate Mr. McLeod so much?”
He let out a heavy sigh. “Claire, there’s something you need to understand. It’s probably about time I tell you this anyway, since Golden Bridle will be yours one day.”
“The Hayeses and McLeods have a long history,” he started. “It goes back for generations. For years, our families had been good friends and neighbors. But then in the seventies, my father and Mount’s father thought about joining our two ranches.” I had often wondered why the ranches hadn’t just joined. Circle M had the cattle, and we had the horses, so it made sense.
We brushed both sides of the horse, and I’d never seen my father’s face look so resentful before. He was a kind, generous man. He wouldn’t hurt a fly. And yet now, and earlier with Mount, I saw a side of him I never wanted to see again.
“The deal was all written up, but then one day, without warning, Beaumont bought the land for himself, cutting your grandfather out of the deal.”
My jaw dropped. “What? Why?”
He scoffed. “Because the McLeods are greedy, Claire. Because that was his plan all along. He bought the land andnearly bankrupted my father in the process. He had to sell off half his herd and fire about two-thirds of his ranch hands.”
My hand fell, the paddle brush dropping to the ground. We didn’t even have ranch hands anymore. Not ranch hands plural anyway, just Carl, who helped Dad with training here and there. “We’re broke?”
My father wrenched his jaw. “We’re not broke. We’re just…not doing as well as the McLeods.” His face hardened. “Becauseof the McLeods.”
I didn’t need him to elaborate any further. They ruined my family, betrayed us, and that was all I needed to know.
