Page 41 of Hung Up
“And you? Can you say for sure it was him?” he asks Denton.
He rubs the back of his neck. “I saw someone in a cowboy hat—black one—but I didn’t see their face.”
“All right, well, that should be enough to bring him in.”
We look at each other and our faces light up.
“Thank you so much Deputy Ryan. Please keep us posted,” Denton says as they stand and shake hands again.
“Will do. Sorrel, take care of yourself. Try not to worry too much. We have your backs.”
He tips his hat before leaving and his eyes wander over to Sable who’s walking out of the pasture with Dad’s old rope horse, Cowboy. My lips roll inward, holding back a smile, seeing there’s clearly something there between them.
When he’s gone, I sink into the chair and let out a long breath. Knowing Huck will be behind bars and can’t cause trouble for us anymore makes me want to cry with relief. I think Denton feels the same way too, because the expression on his face looks a little lighter as we rock back and forth in silence.
My gaze lingers on where the barn used to be. It’s nothing but ash now. Dad’s office and who knows what documents were in there—all gone. Tack and saddles, all of it lost to the fire. But the horses are safe—turned out to pasture now. My heart twitches when I look back at Denton. He’s watching me with a hazy smile. I’m so grateful to be alive, and here with him.
18
SORREL
It’s been a month since the fire. Construction for the new barn started yesterday. We poured a new pad on the opposite side of the arena and the new barn will have an even bigger tack room and an office for me. It’s going to be a completely fresh start and a totally different layout.
Denton helped us design the layout. Apparently, he had taken a few architecture classes when he was in college and he still has a good eye for it. I’ve been trying to keep him busy while we recover. I can tell he’s starting to go stir crazy.
Today is Sunday so most of the hands are off and went to town. Denton and I are the only ones left at the ranch. Mama and Sable went home two weeks ago and Sutton finally quit mother-henning me after I begged Ryder to make her stop. He took her and Trotter into town to go shopping and get ice cream, and Dad decided to tag along.
Denton’s voice is starting to sound a lot better and we're hopeful he’ll make a full recovery. We were both finally feeling good enough to ride today and I planned a trail ride to show him the secret waterfall we have here at the ranch. The waterfall is a special spot deep in the creek where, after a good rain, thewater runs cool and clear, pooling just right for a swim beneath a gentle cascade. I’ve never shown it to anyone before. It’s our family secret but I thought Denton deserved something special after everything we’ve been through.
I hesitate for a moment before knocking on the guest ranch door. The door swings open, and there he is—holding two steaming cups of coffee.
“For you,” he says, handing me a mug with that laid-back smile of his.
We walk over to the rocking chairs on the porch and settle in gently rocking back and forth. The only sound around us is the creek of the wood and birds chirping. The morning sun, warm on our faces as we sip our coffee.
“So, how are you feeling now that Kenzington is going away for a long time?”
I think on it for a minute before answering.
“I’m glad his parents finally did the right thing by not bailing him out. But we still don’t know how long he’ll get.”
“He’ll get what he deserves, Sorrel, trust me.”
“Yeah, well, I guess we’ll find out at his trial. But for now, I feel safe. Especially with you.”
He smiles softly in response, taking another sip of coffee.
“Ready to ride, cowboy?” I ask him, taking the cup from his hands.
“You know it, cowgirl,” he says with a twitchy grin.
I leave the coffee cups on the porch railing and we head over to my horse trailer. The horses are already caught and tied to the trailer waiting for us. They greet us with sweet knickers.
We saddle up and get on our mounts. I steer our horses in the direction of the creek. The sun is higher now, filtering through the towering pines and casting dappled shadows across the dusty trail.
I let Denton ride Zip today, giving him a break from his sassy mare he’s been stuck with since he first got here. It’s good to let the barrel horses be ranch horses too. It makes them that much better in the arena.
The smell of pine and fresh earth fills the air and I take in deep breaths. It’s nice not to have the smell of smoke singeing my nostrils anymore. The quiet around us is broken only by the soft clip-clop of hooves and the distant tinkling call of a meadowlark. The sweet song it sings fills my ears and makes me smile.
