Chapter 4 Magnolia
“Are you two gonna keep yappin’ or actually do some work?” Bode hollers from further down the fence line. His cheeks are a bright pink from being bitten by the relentless falling snow, and somehow his eyes are even bluer against the winter sky. I hate it.
Cowboys are rugged and mostly mean… well, Bode is mostly mean, it feels.
Crew, on the other hand, has a frame that towers next to mine, but despite his size he’s a giant softy.
We’ve done nothing but laugh and chat about life for the last few hours, and it’s nice for once to not feel like I have to fake it.
He’s told me all about his son’s love for ducks and pancakes, complained about Ford and Bode, and gave me–in his words–a warning about Logan.
The name sounds familiar, but I still can’t place it.
“Hey! Cassidy! This bottom line needs more tension, c’mon man!”
“Is he always this bossy?” I frown, looking up at Crew as I grab the barbed wire with gloved hands and tug as hard as I can.
He chuckles and shakes his head. “Actually, no. He’s usually the level-headed one of the three of us.” His hands work smoothly to tension the wire just enough that it doesn’t sag anymore, and wipes his brow as we step back. “Walker’s just mad that Gus actually took a likin’ to ya.”
“He’s a sweet horse.” I shrug and move to grab the next post.
“He refuses to let any of us ride him without bucking.” Crew raises a brow at me and smirks. “You sure you aren’t some kind of witch?”
I laugh, struggling to hold the heavy pine fence. “Definitely not a witch. Maybe.”
Crew chuckles, the sound echoing between the snow-covered trees as he takes the post from me and lobs it over his shoulder like it weighs nothing. “Maybe he has a crush.”
“On me?” I balk. “Doubt it. He seems like more of the don’t touch my toys type.”
This earns me another laugh as we move further down the fence. “Alright, maybe you’re just good with stubborn horses.”
“I wish that translated to figuring him out.” I sigh, tilting my head back towards Bode. Everything I’ve seen so far is just him fighting with me every chance he gets, and I don’t understand it.
Crew sets the post into the next hole and glances between Bode and me. “Don’t let Bode’s attitude get to you, alright? There’s a lot going on with the ranch right now, and he’s been given more responsibilities than before.”
“So he’s stressed?” I ask, knowing the feeling all too well. I love my Mama, but some days it’s hard to find the courage to get out of bed and deal with everything all over again, not knowing if she’s going to remember who I am that day.
Crew watches me momentarily before I remember to put the mask back on and school my features. “We’re all stressed, Maggie. We all deal with it differently, and unfortunately, Bode being a jackass is his way.”
When I hear Bode’s boots crunching on the ice behind us, I realize we’ve finished this section of fence while talking. I glance back, seeing the sour look on his face, and roll my eyes.
“Sun’s starting to fade,” he says, resting his hands on his hips as he glances over to the next pasture. “We’ll head back and finish this tomorrow.”
“We’re out of wire anyway,” Crew says, glancing down at the empty bucket.
Bode follows his eyeline before glancing at me. “Think you can manage filling the buckets for tomorrow?”
It’s the first time all day he’s actually spoken to me without barking an order, and even though there’s a little hint of condescension in it, I still nod and smile.
He huffs, muttering a low, “good”, before returning to Kelpie.
“You gonna be good to ride back next to him?” Crew asks, nudging me as he tosses a few tools in the empty bucket before picking it up.
“I’ll be fine.” I glance back at him. “I’m almost done for the day anyway.”
He looks at me as if those words are foreign to him, and I get the feeling they are. These men don’t strike me as the type to leave the ranch for any reason other than survival, and even then, it seems scarce.
“I’ll be close.” He nods and heads towards the wheeler. I take a deep breath, letting the chilled air sting my lungs before heading to where Bode is readying the horses. He finishes tying Juniper’s reins to Kelpie’s saddle horn and climbs onto her before glancing back at me as I approach.
“Hurry up before we’re forced to ride back in the dark,” he grumbles and trots towards where Crew is waiting. I run my hand down Gus’ neck, letting him nudge my hand before climbing onto his back and following the men back towards the ranch.
I’m grateful as soon as I see the soft glow that illuminates the ranch from all the lights. My fingers feel numb, my toes are right behind them, and the sniffling of my own nose is starting to drive me insane. It doesn’t help that Crew and Bode have been quiet this whole ride back.
I don’t do well with silence. Too much of it and I start to sink into that same pit of worry I’ve been in since Aunt Dottie called me to tell me how bad Mama had gotten. Everything changed that day, and every plan I had ever made never to return to this town went up in smoke.
The barn door slides open, revealing a woman not much taller than me.
Her brown hair is tucked under a dirty baseball hat similar to Crew’s, and she is wearing a canvas jacket that looks twice her size.
As soon as her eyes land on us, she grins, and I hear Crew call out to her over the hum of the wheeler engine.
My eyes move to Bode, who is smiling for the first time today.
I tug back on Gus’ reins, slowing him down as the guys greet the woman ahead of us.
Something deeper stirs in my chest as Crew wraps his arms around her and smothers her cheeks and nose in kisses.
But I notice Bode takes one glance at them and climbs from Kelpie before leading her around the other end of the barn with one last look back at me.
The minute our eyes meet, my chest flares in a warmth that I haven’t felt in a long time.
Something akin to longing or loneliness. I can’t tell the difference anymore.
“Hey Maggie!” Crew booms across the corrals, waving me over.
I force the smile back onto my face and forget the emotions reaching for my ankles as I lead Gus over to them.
His smile has grown twice its size as he looks down at the woman.
“Maggie, this is Logan. Logan, this is Bode’s new ranch hand, Maggie. ”
Her blue eyes narrow in on me for a moment and then down at my hand as I hold it out. “It’s nice to meet you.”
Honestly, I’m shocked she reaches for it and returns the shake. “You too,” she says before looking up at Crew and releasing my hand. “I got chores here, but Ash is waiting for you at Dot’s.”
He nods and sighs at the same time. “I’ll get him back to the cabin before he tricks Dot into eating cookie dough for supper again.
” With one last kiss to her temple, he disappears into the bar and leaves me with her.
Up close, she feels familiar, and the name finally rings true as she glances back at me.
“Shepard? Right?” I ask and watch as she bristles with the last name.
“Yep," she clips and turns into the barn.
“We went to school together, didn’t we?” I follow her through the drafty barn as she scoops up a rake and starts pushing around straw.
“Sure did,” Logan says, keeping her back to me.
I can’t help but feel like I might have done something wrong.
“Magnolia Mae, voted county sweetheart, prom queen, brightest future, prettiest smile.” Logan lists all these things like they’re faults, and I can’t help but stop her before she goes any further.
“You’re making those sound like bad things,” I say, and try to get around her so I can look her in the eyes. It’s so hard to tell what a person is thinking when you can’t see them.
“No,” Logan shakes her head, but she still won’t look at me. “It’s just what I know about you.”
“What you assume about me,” I correct her, and she scowls.
“Listen, Maggie. I’m sure you’re a great person, but I don’t have time to run circles with you if you have something to say. Say it.” Logan snips at me.
“I think you and I both know how horrible town gossip can be,” I say to her, and she stops what she’s doing to look up at me. Staying in Whiskey River is just as bad as getting out. You’re either stuck here forever or you’re abandoning your family.”
Logan stares at me for a moment longer and nods. “I’m sorry, I just…”
“It’s okay. You were only being honest. I know people have a different perception of me than who I am, and I think that you can relate to that,” I say, holding out my hand to her. “I’m Magnolia-Mae,” I try again.
“Logan Shepard,” she says, standing up and cleaning off her hands to shake mine. “It’s been a long day,” she adds with a smile.
“It’s been a long year,” I practically whine with a smile.
Logan chuckles as she steps around me to one of the stalls.
“You can say that again.” For a moment, she disappears inside, and curiosity nips at my heels, forcing me to follow.
She’s kneeling down in front of a small foal.
The baby’s tiny body is covered in a mix of white and reddish-brown patches, and it can’t be older than a few weeks.
“These guys tend to make those long days worth it, though.”
She glances up at me and smiles. “This is Odin. He’s a pain in the ass, but he’s adorable, and we tend to get along more than a lot of the other horses.”
“Not even old enough to survive on his own, and they’ve already deemed him another Gus.” I shake my head, kneeling beside her and holding my hand out for Odin to test. “You know, Bode told me if I wanted to prove myself, I had to ride Gus today.”
Logan raises a brow and smirks.
“Crew looked like he was about to fall over when that horse took a carrot from me.”
“That’s because Gus is also a pain in the ass and hates men.” She laughs.
A laugh bubbles from me, too. “Those men are too rugged to know what to do with a sweet baby like this.” My head tilts to the side as Odin nudges my hand and lets me move closer.
“He needs nurturing,” I nod. “A mothering touch.” I glance over to Logan.
Her brows are furrowed, and she’s regarding me like she’s trying to figure out a puzzle that doesn’t quite make sense.
“Maggie!” Bode’s voice booms through the barn, startling the small horse and making both Logan and me frown.
“See,” I say, giving Odin one last neck rub before standing and poking my head out of the stall, watching as he stomps down the breezeway. “What?”
“Bode Walker, if you scare this baby one more time, I’m shredding all your good boots.” Logan huffs, moving past me and blocking his warpath. “Why are you yellin’?”
He falters when he realizes we’re together and crosses his arms over his chest. “She’s supposed to be hanging saddles, not yappin’ with you.” Those angry blue eyes find mine, but before I can even get a word in, Logan takes another step towards him.
“I asked for her help,” she lies, surprising me.
“She’s not your ranch hand, Shepard.” His gaze flickers from her to me. “Get back to it, City girl.”
“Surprising tone coming from a boy who peed his pants in eighth grade, Walker,” Logan winks at me over her shoulder as she starts from the barn. “Don’t you let him speak to you like that, he’s all bark.”
“Shepard,” Bode bristles, “you’ve done enough, don’t you think?”
“It’s alright, Logan. Thanks for your company,” I say, cleaning my hands off on my jeans. Logan pauses, watching us still before she opens her mouth again.
“And Bode, you should spend less time hurling insults and give Maggie-Mae a real job, her boots are dirtier than you wanna believe.”
I smirk at Logan, silently thanking her for her assistance as I grab the reins of the nearest horse. I hear Bode grumble a few choice words before he huffs and stomps from the barn.