Chapter 7
7
Hudson
H udson found a downed area of the fence and drove his truck through it. In the back, he had several supplies. He couldn’t take much from his brother’s stash, but it was enough to do some short-term mending.
In the bed of his truck, he also had tools for chopping up the downed trees and turning them into firewood. He’d gathered enough supplies to allow him to camp out on the property, moving from one area to another. He’d loaded his hunting rifle, a five-gallon bucket of freeze-dried food, and a bucket for water that he could purify from the creek that ran through the old ranch.
It was a good thing that Rachel didn’t know he was on the premises; he wouldn’t have been surprised if she called in the authorities to have him forcibly removed. The funny thing was that he didn’t know what he would do if she did, in fact, follow through with something like that. What would he tell the sheriff? He really didn’t have any reason to be here helping her.
They weren’t in a relationship. He wasn’t dating her sister. He was simply invested in the outcome of this project.
Over the next four days, he made his way along the fence line, repairing it and cleaning up the mess that had been left behind by those who had done the damage. He left piles of wood in his wake, hating how wasteful it had been for the trees to be cut down. While he had been on site, he hadn’t seen any sign of people making a second attempt to sabotage the fence line.
It was the evening of the fifth day and he was sitting near a fire he’d built, cooking a can of chili inside its can, when a flash of headlights drove up along the outside of the fence. Hudson reached for his rifle and got to his feet. It was dusk. The vehicle was hidden behind the glare of the lights. The driver put it into park and opened the door.
Hudson lifted the rifle to his shoulder and called out, “If you think you’re gonna do anything tonight, I’d suggest you turn around and go back the way you came.”
“Hudson! What do you think you’re doing?” Rachel’s tired voice reached him before she appeared through the lights. With the light behind her, she became a silhouette that resembled an action figure. Her hands were on her hips as she marched toward the fence. “I told you to leave me alone.”
He lowered the gun. “No, you didn’t.”
She climbed through the wires of the fence, her coat snagging on it and causing her to stumble a step before she straightened fully. Then she marched toward him. “Fine. I said I had calls to make. That meant that I was going to hire some guys to come out here and do something about this mess.”
“It’s been five days,” Hudson muttered. “Where are they?”
She frowned. “I haven’t found anyone who can fit me into their schedule yet.”
He lifted one arm out to his side, making a gesture to indicate his availability was open. “Why not use me?”
Rachel dragged a hand down her face and paced a few steps. “I need someone who is licensed and insured. I can’t just have some random person out here doing who knows what.”
“What? You think I’m going to sue you?”
“No, I think you’re smart enough that you’d sue the owner of the property.”
He chuckled. “You’re right. That would be the safer choice.”
She gave him a flat look, to which he laughed again.
“I’m not going to sue anyone. I just want to help. I don’t care if they want to pay me or not. I’m cheap, I’m reliable, but most importantly, I’m interested.”
Rachel stared at him for a long, hard minute. Then her gaze shifted to his little setup. “So, what is this exactly? You’re going to camp out on this land for thirty days if not more? Just to keep an eye on the fences and the trees?”
“If that’s what it takes.”
She shook her head with disbelief. “You sound crazy.”
“So?” He launched the word at her like a cannonball. “I don’t care if I sound crazy. I’m going to protect what I can so those horses have a place to stay. Your friend is the first sane person I know of who didn’t actually grow up here.”
Her head reared back slightly. “You really think that?”
“Of course I do. I don’t want this place to change. Of course, it’s already on a trajectory that I can’t control, but I’m going to do my best to slow that down.”
She blinked, and her hands dropped to her sides listlessly. “You seriously want to help.”
He groaned. “What is it with you and not believing a thing I say? I’ll say it one more time. I don’t care if I’m paid. I don’t care if I have to sleep in a tent. I don’t care if I have to dig a hole to do my business.”
Rachel laughed and then covered her mouth, but it was too late to hide it.
Hudson bit back a smile and continued. “I’m going to stick it out until this place is up and running. I’ve already cleared it with my brothers. They said they’d help if I need it, but for now, they’ll just take care of my chores at the ranch.”
She sighed, her eyes never leaving his face. Then she nodded. “Fine. I’ll make another call. But you’re not sleeping out here in the middle of the property.”
Hudson was momentarily confused. “I didn’t see a wrangler’s cabin anywhere.”
“Wrangler’s cabin? What? No. You’re gonna stay in a room at the house.”
His brows shot up. “You want me to move into the house?”
“Why not? You’ve been here twenty-four-seven. Wouldn’t it be easier to stay in the house?”
Hudson shook his head. “Not really. What happens at night when I’m tucked into bed? Those people could come back and do plenty of damage in the dead of night.”
“I’ll get a dog.”
He snorted.
“What? A camera system, then. Look, I have a crew coming out here starting on Monday to start building the enclosures. There will be people out here working in various areas. You can make security runs whenever you want. If you’re going to be here, working for scraps, the least I can do is make sure that you have a warm bed to come back to.”
Hudson glanced at his tent. She was right about that. He really did like having a roof over his head. “It’s a deal.”
“Good. Now pack up and head back to the house. I have supper ready.” Her eyes drifted toward the fire and the opened can of chili. “Unless you’d prefer eating what you’ve already started…”
He followed her gaze. “I wouldn’t dream of turning down a home-cooked meal. My sister usually cooks supper back home, and she’s one heck of a chef.”
Rachel nodded. “Okay. Fifteen minutes, then?”
“Make it ten.” Hudson watched her slip, quite ungracefully, through the fence line and once again get stuck before she was able to get clear of the wire. She climbed into her car without another word and drove off.
He didn’t know how long she’d known of his presence on the land, but that didn’t really matter. It was only somewhat strange that she had chosen to stay in the house on the property. The owner of the place must really be paranoid that this project wasn’t going to work out. Either that or Rachel was going above and beyond to make it happen.
For that kind of dedication, she probably needed to be paid more.
Hudson got cleaned up quicker than expected, but that was mostly because he tossed everything into the bed of his truck with the intention of putting it away after dinner. He pulled up to the house, and that was when he started second-guessing his decisions. He didn’t like people. Even his own family frustrated him to the point that he preferred to work on his own.
This could turn out very bad.
He’d practically agreed to be under house arrest with a woman he wasn’t sure he would be able to tolerate. She was simply the bridge between him and whoever the genius was that bought this place.
It’d be fine. He’d figure it out. All he had to do was sit down to dinner with her and keep her informed of all the stuff going on at the perimeter of the property. Hudson headed toward the house, but before he had a chance to knock, the door opened. Rachel’s hair floated around her face with the swoosh of air that surrounded her.
She looked him up and down, then wrinkled her nose. “You’re going to have to shower before you get to sit down for supper. Are you sure you were only out there for five days?”
He rolled his eyes as he pulled off his work gloves. “Funny.”
Rachel held up a hand. “I mean it. You can’t come in here unless you agree to the rules. You’re going to leave your muddy boots outside, and you’re going to shower before supper.”
Hudson scowled. “Who are you to make the rules?”
“I’m the only one who gets to decide if you stay or go. I’m more than happy to wander around to the other ranches and see if any of the other men out there are interested in helping me out.”
His scowl deepened. “Fine. I’ll leave my boots out here.” He tugged one off, then the other. “And I’ll take a shower. But that’s it. I’m practically a volunteer. You can’t boss me around like that.”
She beamed at him. “Great. I’m glad we’re on the same page. There’s soap and shampoo in the bathroom right next to the room you’ll be staying in. It’s up the stairs and to the left. My room is down here, so there are no concerns about staying separate.”
He rolled his eyes. “What would I have done without your generosity ?”
“My parents raised me to be a perfect hostess, thank you very much. Let me know if there’s anything else you need, and I’ll get the food warming.”
Spices like pepper and garlic wafted toward him as he stepped inside the house. It looked like it had been cleaned recently and new furniture had been brought in—because he knew that Terry Moore would have never owned nice stuff like what Rachel had in the living room.
The décor was simple and modern. If it weren’t for some of the dated wallpaper choices, this place might have made it into a magazine. Whoever Rachel’s boss hired to decorate the place had good taste.
Hudson found the stairs without issue. He took a hot shower—something he didn’t realize he needed so badly. And that was when he realized he’d left his clean clothes in the truck. He was stuck in the bathroom with nothing to wear.
Oh, shoot!
Hudson wrapped the towel around him and opened the door, only to find a pile of folded clothes at his feet. They weren’t his clothes. But when he lifted them up, he found they very well could have been.
A pair of sweatpants that he could cinch at his waist and a blue T-shirt. He glanced down the hall both ways, only slightly surprised he didn’t see Rachel hovering like a child who was trying to feed a skittish wild rabbit.
He shook his head and retreated inside the bathroom to get dressed. Rachel had been right. She really did know how to be a good hostess.