Page 32 of Untamed Heart
Cole. He was holding out a coffee cup, the contents throwing a haze of steam across his face.
‘What a gentleman,’ I replied, returning a small smile.
‘Milk and sugar over there,’ he added, acknowledging my words with a nod.
‘I like it as it is,’ I replied, watching as his mouth twitched. He appeared to fight back a reply, settling for a nod before wandering back over to the campfire.
Something had shifted between us.
I drank my coffee alone, keeping my eyes on the view ahead, not trusting myself to turn to the one behind, the one that would probably stare right back. It felt like the precipice of a whole other level of trouble, trouble that I couldn’t afford to get into. There was only a week or so left before my return flight home, and there was too much to fix there without making more problems for myself here.
Once we’d all packed up, the real work started. Lil and I kept to the left of the herd as Cole and three of the other cowboys drove from the back; Bailey stayed near the front, with Jesse and another two cowboys hanging right.
It was slow, steady progress, sometimes hard work when a calf got separated, but after a few hours, Jasper felt like an extension of my legs, my thoughts, as I guided him into a flat gallop to bring a breakaway group of cows back in. Several times we had to change direction on a dime, and by the time we trotted back to the main herd, Lil was whooping, a broad smile lighting up her face.
‘Goddamn, that horse loves you!’ she yelled over the noise of the herd, shaking her head. ‘Sure you can’t make it over every time we drive them?’
‘Maybe,’ I called back, slowing Jasper as we reached a steeper incline, leaning back in the saddle as he picked his way down the slope. I couldn’t quite bring myself to admit how much I’d like that.
By the end of the day, legs aching in protest, dust covering every inch of our bodies, we emerged from the trees, the flat pasture next to the ranch ahead of us.
‘Why did you start the dude ranching?’ I asked Lil, deep in thought as the end of the ride beckoned.
‘Money,’ she replied, pursing her lips. ‘Making a living from ranching is hard. Costs are going up and profits are difficult to make. It’s why Mom left – she wanted to sell up, had a good offer, too. But I couldn’t. It just wasn’t right.’
The thought of the ranch gone, Jasper sold, Jesse, Bailey . . . Cole, all scattered. It felt wrong.
‘But dude ranching helps?’ I offered, wanting her to confirm it wholeheartedly.
She shrugged. ‘It keeps me out of the red, just. But you know how it is, the Hole has so many ranches, hotels, motels . . . competition is tough. Guests are demanding and you know I’m no good with any of that stuff. Give me a herd of cows to brand and I’m your girl. But choosing bedding and making welcome baskets . . . that’s way out of my comfort zone.’
I smiled, imagining Lil trying to choose between bedcovers in Bed Bath & Beyond.
‘Why don’t you let me help?’ I replied, urging Jasper ahead to draw level with her. ‘Whilst I’m here. Marketing’s my thing, remember? Branding, aesthetic – all that.’
She smiled back, reaching out a hand. I did the same and we squeezed each other for a moment.
‘I wish you didn’t have to leave.’
‘I’ve got time still,’ I reassured her, not wanting to think about leaving, not yet. ‘But first, we need to honour an old tradition.’
She frowned, clearly about to ask what the hell I meant when I touched my heels to Jasper’s sides, letting out my reins. Ears forward, rested after a long walking stint, he leapt forth with the same sweet enthusiasm as he’d always had, his long legs eating up the ground.
‘Fifty bucks says I can still beat you,’ I yelled back, watching as she grinned, Penny skittering to the side then bursting forward in pursuit.
I heard the cowboys on the right holler, and some whistling and laughs from the back. And just like we had all those years earlier, before dude ranching, before money and men and every other complication, I grabbed onto my hat with one hand and let Jasper fly. Wind whistling in my ears, cold air making my eyes stream, I finally felt it. A gut punch, a reminder.
I felt free.
A couple of quiet days followed, the additional cowboys gradually heading home after showering me and Lil with praise and suggestions, including entering me for the barrel racing at the upcoming rodeo. Bailey had offered some coaching, but I’d retreated, barely able to stand after so long in the saddle, my legs unused to the physical onslaught.
In the quiet of my room in the house, gently stretching to ease the pain, I knew it was only part of the story. The other part was right there on my phone, the screen littered with notifications, my life on the other side of the Atlantic tapping my shoulder.
With a sigh, I opened it up. Other than one from Hestia, checking in on whether I’d ridden any cowboys yet, all the messages were from Kyle.
Lottie, we need to talk. I’m coming over after work.
Where are you? It’s 9 p.m. – are you still at the office?
