Chapter 9
“I ’ve never been to a cattle auction before,” Maisie almost sounds excited as we head towards Billing.
I’ve seen a change in her these past few weeks.
She’s happier, and although we still get the occasional brat attack outta her, she seems to be adapting to the ranch lifestyle way better than I expected her to, which is more than I can say for her mother.
Cora’s high maintenance, and since she’s arrived she’s thrown herself and my father right into the thick of Montana’s upper society.
I barely see him these days. He’s always got a dinner to attend or some charity event that can’t be missed.
I guess it suits him, as he’s always preferred the office to the outbuildings.
For him, the ranch has never been a lifestyle.
It’s always been the reputation and power he wanted to uphold.
He curses the name of my grandpa and Uncle Jimmer, for the way they used to run the ranch before he took over.
But the brutal truth is, our family and the way we got shit done was the power.
The land, the money, and the livestock that’s just what the power protects.
“You’re gonna love it, all those hot cowboys kicking up dust and showing off,” Wade tells her. He’s managed to make it home this week, which is proving to be handy since the ranch is busy and Pops is busy pandering to all Cora’s demands.
“That’s not how it is,” I shake my head, saving the girl from disappointment.
“Oh yeah, that’s right, that’ll be the rodeo.
Which, by the way, you still haven’t come to watch.
” I realize I just loaded the gun for Wade to fire another shot at me.
I’ve been promising to take Maisie to watch him in action for a while now, and I’ve not seen through on it yet.
When Maisie gives me that disappointed look, I realize I’m going to have to give in.
“I’ll make sure we’re in Columbus next weekend,” I agree, nearly swerving off the road when Maisie squeals and wraps her arms around my neck. She spontaneously kisses my cheek, and I have to take one hand off the wheel to keep my hat on my head.
When she realizes her reaction was a little too much, she backs down and shares an embarrassed little smile with me.
It’s pretty. It’s cute, and yet it feels fucking deadly. I purposely ignore the sly look my brother gives me from the other side of the truck.
I ain’t in the mood for his shit today.
* * *
“So, what are we looking to buy?” Maisie’s got a spring in her step as we cross the field where I’ve parked the truck and head toward the cattle pens.
“A decent bull,” I explain, already starting to size up some of the stock that is in the stalls. If she’s trying not to act disappointed, she’s doing a real shit job of it. The frown she’s wearing pretty much says it all.
“Hey, is that Dalton over there?” Maisie holds her hand over her eyes to block the sun and looks across the pens, “It is Dalton!” She waves her hand frantically at him to get his attention, and when he spots her he looks every bit as eager to see her as she is him.
Dalton’s the same age as our sister, and he’s worked the ranch since he was twelve years old.
He’s Mitch's nephew, and no one’s ever had the balls to ask Mitch where he came from.
Not even me. If my father hadn’t stopped marking the bunkhouse boy’s loyalty with our brand, Dalton would have had his years ago.
Like Mitch, he ain’t ever leaving the ranch.
He’s got a childlike manner about him, but he works hard, and over the years, he’s proven his loyalty to my family time and time again.
Wade’s left him in charge of maintaining Maisie’s riding lessons, which I have to admit pleases me a damn sight more than it would if he’d given the job to any of the others.
I see the way they look at her, devouring her with their eyes and thinking their filthy thoughts.
It makes me want to scrape their eyeballs out and bleach their brains.
“Boss,” Dalton holds up his hat to greet me and Wade. Technically, I ain’t his boss, but above Mitch, I’m the only one that gives out any orders. My father wouldn’t have a clue who half the men working for him are these days. Which is just as well, considering.
“Miss Wildman,” Dalton’s eyes move fondly to Maisie.
“I’ve told you not to call me that,” she laughs, and a pang of jealousy hits me right in the center of my chest.
“I didn’t realize Tuesdays were your day off?” I query him. I’m not even sure Dalton has a day off.
“It ain’t, sir, the Missus sent me,”
“The Missus?” I glance across to Wade, who seems to be sharing the same confusion I am.
“Mrs. Carson. I’m here to pick out a stallion for her to gift to Mr. Carson, for his birthday.”
“She sent you?” Wade checks he’s hearing right and does nothing to hide the shock from his face.
There’s no denying that Dalton knows a thing or two about horses, but when it comes to picking out good stock, I’d expect a woman like Cora to trust a more experienced eye to ensure she gets the right bang for her buck.
What’s even more confusing, is the fact Cora knew we were coming here today.
We talked about it over breakfast, and I remember it vividly because I was trying to distract myself from the tiny tank top and non-existent pajama shorts Maisie decided to wear at the table.
Sometimes I wonder if that girl knows the effect she has on me and does it on purpose.
Why didn’t Cora ask us to pick something out for her? And why is she even getting Pops a new horse? The old man quit riding years ago.
“Garrett and Wade are here to look at bulls,” Maisie tells him, with that unimpressed look on her face again.
“I’d much rather shop for horses. Can I go with Dalton?” When Maisie turns her attention to me and asks for permission, I get a sick little kick out of it. Even if that pang of jealousy comes back for an afterburn.
“Sure,” I tip my head at her, doing my best not to seem bothered by it.
“You just make sure you have her back at my truck by 4,” I warn Dalton, who agrees enthusiastically before holding out the crook of his arm for Maisie to take.
“I hope you find the bull you're looking for.” She bites her lip and looks at me guiltily, as he leads her away.
I watch them move through the crowds together, heading over toward the stables, and when I catch Wade staring me down out of the corner of my eye, I quickly divert my attention and scan over the auction brochure in my hand.
“Seriously? You just lost out to fucking Dalton,” he laughs at me, and I swear to God, I could wrestle him to the ground and feed his clever fucking mouth my fist.
“Lost out what? Wade, get your head out of your ass and help me look for a decent bull.”
“So you’re still in denial about it all?” He shakes his head at me.
“I ain’t in denial,” I move forward, still looking through the brochure and trying to locate the stall that holds the bull I’ve had my eye on.
Frustratingly, Wade’s right and I’m far too distracted to focus. That niggle inside me has started up again, and despite it being unhealthy, I can’t switch it off.
“You think she likes him?” I clear my throat, doing my best to make it sound like I don’t care, but failing miserably. The fact I’m bothering to ask proves I fucking care.
“He likes her, but then, all the bunkhouse boys like her,” Wade points out, fueling my agitation.
“What you heard ‘em saying?” They all got a warning from me last week, when I overheard a few of ‘em talkin’ about her and didn’t like what was said.
“Unholy things, brother, but I doubt it’s anything you haven’t thought of yourself,” He tries to get a rise out of me, but I ain’t biting. Instead, I get back to locating the bull.
“Ummm, Garrett,” there’s a sudden change in Wade's tone, and when his hand starts tapping at my shoulder, I look in the same direction that he is, and I see what’s got him sounding so off guard.
“Is that Cole?” he asks, as we both stare across the stalls into the corner where the Masons always keep their stock. Sure enough, there’s our brother leading in a heifer and wearing a red shirt with the Mason’s logo sewn on the chest.
“ What the fuck? ” I cross my arms and watch him steer her into a pen.
The Masons have been our rivals since they came into town and bought out nearly every ranch within a fifty-mile radius, and the fact that our brother is working for them now doesn’t just shock me, it pisses me the fuck off.
“I’ve got a good mind to go over there and…”
Wade sets off toward him, and I quickly grab a hold of his shirt to drag him back.
“Not here.” I shake my head, somehow managing to keep my cool.
It takes a lot for Wade to lose his shit, and I fully understand that seeing our brother with them would be the cause of it. But there are some important people here, and today we’re representing the Carson family and Copper Ridge. Cole is obviously representing them .
“We’ll have it out with him, but not here,” I speak tightly into Wade’s ear, keeping my grip on him until I feel him simmer down.
I wait for Cole to look up, and when he spots us watching him, I put all my disappointment into the cold stare I hit him back with. I get that he’s pissed at Pops, but this right here is the ultimate betrayal to our family, and I mean what I said to Wade, we will be having it out.
* * *
It takes a bidding war with Ronnie Mason, but I manage to get the bull I came here for, and while Wade navigates the handlers to load him onto our trailer, I lean against the hood of the truck, light up a cigarette and wait for Dalton to return Maisie.
He shows he’s got some sense by turning up five minutes early, and when I see how happy Maisie is, I can’t help but feel like he’s stolen something from me.
“You should see the stallion Dalton picked out for Bill. He’s not as big as Thunder, but he’s strong, and he’s…”
“Get in the truck,” I cut her off, then hate that I’m the cause of the pretty smile slipping from her face. She does as she’s told without any sass, and the fact that disappoints me too, has me questioning my fucking sanity.
“I’ll see you back at the ranch, sir,” Dalton lowers his head to me before he backs away, and when I get inside the truck, Maisie is sitting on the bench seat beside me.
“You didn’t have to be so rude,” she snaps, without pulling her eyes up from where they’re fixed on her lap. She’s making it clear I’ve upset her. But I don’t react. I just wait for Wade to hop into the seat beside her, before I pull out and head for home.