Chapter 20
TWENTY
Jesse
Saturday afternoon at the Rio Grande rodeo proved quiet for us.
Roping finals ran through lunch, and our broncs were in the corrals, waiting for their big night.
Right on the border of Mexico, the heat was stifling.
My navy Meadowbrook polo shirt stuck to my arms, and my jeans clung to my thighs.
Tag and I leaned against the side of a building, under a roof overhang, melting in the shade.
And Cade stood several yards away, watching the roping horses bolt across the outdoor arena.
For the first time in weeks, we were side by side without much to do but kick around for a couple hours. We capitalized on the time to catch up.
For a while, we chatted about the financial mountain looming ahead of Meadowbrook.
Thanks to Hollie for keeping the bed and breakfast open, it looked like we’d squeak by with just enough to apply for membership at the WPRA—barring any financial calamity.
And even though membership would be an exciting step forward, it would come with a lot of changes.
More employees, expansion plans, more pressure, and pro officials breathing down our necks during Tag’s two year probationary membership.
We’d have to be on our game—no slip ups—for two whole years.
After that, the Alliance would make a decision regarding Tag and his broncs.
If he made it in, maybe we’d find ourselves at the finals in Vegas one day.
When we tired of work topics, Tag shifted the focus to Hollie.
“What will you do now that you know she’s single?” Tag lifted a water bottle to his lips.
“Nothing. I'll be lucky if she ever talks to me again.”
He gave a terse nod. “So that’s it? You’re not even gonna try?”
I huffed a confused laugh. “There’s nothing to try.”
“My mistake.” He rolled his eyes. “I thought you liked her.”
“I do like her. But she’s got a life in Colorado, and from everything I can gather, her situation is pretty complicated.”
He shrugged, a slight smile toying at his lips. “Bea had a life in Colorado.”
I laughed fully then. “That’s different and you know it. You two started as friends. I’ve got three weeks left with Hollie before I probably never see her again.”
“Plenty can happen in three weeks.” Tag’s grey eyes searched mine. “At the very least, you can try to be her friend and see where that takes you.”
I narrowed my gaze at him. “Why are you pushing for this? Last time we talked, you made me promise not to go anywhere near her.”
“Obviously, her bein’ divorced changes stuff.”
“It doesn’t change the amount of time we have.”
“You just gotta make use of it.”
The fact that Tag of all people was offering me relationship advice was nothing short of hilarious. Bea practically dropped into his lap—Tag’s pursuit had zero to do with his current marriage. I laughed again, couldn’t help it. “Alright then. What do you suggest?”
“Well—” His phone ringing cut him off. He pulled it out of his back pocket and frowned at the screen for a moment. Then he flashed the caller ID at me with a smirk. “It’s Hollie. Wanna answer?”
I held my hands up like he was handing me a bomb. “No thanks.”
He rolled his eyes again, dragging his thumb across the screen and tapping the speakerphone. “Hey, Hollie. I’m with Jesse and you’re on speaker. Everything alright?”
“Well, uh, not really?” Her voice sounded tense, maybe a little emotional.
Tag shot me a glance, a storm immediately brewing in his grey eyes. “Is Bea alright?”
“Bea is doing fine. She’s been sleeping most of the day and kept dinner down last night.”
His shoulders slacked with relief. “Good.”
“I’m actually calling about Cooper.”
Both of us froze. There was a laundry list of things that could go wrong with Cooper.
Leaving him alone at Meadowbrook wasn’t ideal, but Harlan was overdue for a weekend off and the last time we left Cooper at the ranch while we hit the road, he did perfectly fine.
When the broncs were gone, taking care of horses boiled down to mucking a few stalls, doing the feed rounds, and making sure the stalled horses got time in the pasture. Easy stuff.
She continued, “I haven’t seen him since six or so this morning, and he was acting really strange.”
“Strange?” Tag chimed. “How do you mean?”
“I sat with him while he ate breakfast and he got a weird phone call. He acted completely normal while we were talking, but then he turned pale when he picked up the phone like he was worried or maybe even afraid.”
“Did he say who it was?”
“He did say the man’s name, but I can’t remember it.”
“So it was a man?”
“Definitely.”
I piped up. “Is Cooper on the ranch?”
“I don’t think so?” Her voice grew a little distant, like she pulled the phone away to check out a window or something. “The little white truck is gone, and I’ve been watching all day to see if he comes back.”
“Have you tried callin’ him?” Tag asked.
“Repeatedly. It goes straight to voice mail.”
“Huh.” Tag frowned, unable to draw any conclusions with such little information.
“All of this happened right after Cooper’s breakfast. He disappeared into the bunkhouse for a while and talked on the phone.
When he came out, I questioned him about the call and he got upset with me and told me to mind my own business.
Then he went to the barn. It was shortly after that I saw him leave with the white truck.
I thought he was doing the feeding rounds, but he hasn’t come back and the horses are acting kind of unusual?
I don’t know anything about horses, but they seem…
I don’t know. Maybe agitated or something? ”
Tag’s expression darkened. “What are they doin’?”
“Well, the one in the first big stall with black hair keeps whinnying and making clicking noises. The one with the bars over his stall—the mean one—keeps hitting the walls over and over. And there are a few in the pastures that have their heads over the fence on the barn side, like they’re waiting for someone. ”
Tag softly cussed. “I’ll bet he didn’t feed them.”
Hollie hummed. “That’s what I was wondering.”
Tag said, “It wouldn’t be the first time he’s left without warnin’. Can you check the bunkhouse and see if he took his stuff with him?”
“Oh, that’s a good idea.”
Hollie kept us on the phone while she walked out to the bunkhouse. “At first glance everything looks normal. Cooper’s camera is on the table.” She paused then there was a rolling sound. “And his drawers still have clothes in them. Well, I’m assuming these are his drawers.”
“Nothing looks off?” Tag asked.
“No, nothing.”
“Hollie, you sure you can’t remember who he was talking to? The name he said?”
“I’m so sorry. I’ve been trying to remember all day.”
“I’m scared to ask…” Tag’s face warred with anxiety as he pressed his lips together. “Surely it wasn’t…Greg?”
“Oh my gosh! Yes! Greg! It was Greg!”
“Shit.” Tag repeated the curse in quick succession. He handed me the phone, and I relieved him of it as he jammed a hand into the top of his matted curls, pacing away from me.
I took over the conversation for him. “He shouldn’t even have his phone number. If Cooper left after talking to Greg, that’s not a good sign.”
“Why? Who is that?” Hollie’s voice held a note of panic.
I sighed, wondering what would happen next. “That’s Cooper’s dad.”
“Is he…not good to Cooper or something?”
“That’s putting it lightly.”
Her voice fell quiet. “Oh no. What do I need to do?”
Tag paced back, hand still gripping the top of his hair. He whispered, “She’s gotta feed the horses. I need to call Coop.”
“Hollie, you need to feed the horses. Can you do that?”
She sucked a loud breath, the sound doubt-laced and hesitant. But she said, “Yes. I think so. Will you tell me what to do?”
“Yes. I’ll walk you through it. FaceTime my phone.”
“Okay.”
And a few seconds later, the FaceTime bubbling sound rang through the air. I swiped to accept the call, and immediately had to fight my smile away. Her face was big on the screen, and the messy bun on the top of her head had unraveled, slipping from the clip and allowing curls to caress her cheeks.
She was so pretty.
Even at a terrible camera angle.
“Hi.”
She didn’t smile, immediately flipping the camera to face her path as she walked through the barnyard. The girls were around her feet, skipping along. The camera adjusted, refocusing in the dark corridor. “Okay. I’m in the barn.”
For the next hour, I stayed on the phone with Hollie, walking her through every step and wondering when it would be appropriate to beg her to forgive me.
As soon as I laid eyes on Tag early Sunday morning, I knew he hadn’t slept a wink. His face looked pale, eyes glazy. He stumbled out of the Peterbilt, lids still half-open. His curls were a mess, his shirt on inside-out. My stomach pitched at the sight of him.
Perhaps I’d gotten too comfortable with things the way they were at Meadowbrook. In the last two years, there’d been a lot of peace, growth, and healing for everyone. But, the anxiety on Tag’s face was a stark reminder: demons always revisit at one point or another.
The demons in Tag and Cooper’s life were their parents, and the fact that Cooper had disappeared after talking to one launched Tag into his own spiral. His grey eyes brewed like a stormy tempest, his jaw tense. “Mornin’,” he mumbled, not making eye contact with me or Cade.
Cade, my morning grump, frowned at the grass with his arms across his chest.
Without a word, we crossed the gravel semi lot and headed toward the corrals near the arena. There we’d feed and check on all the animals then start our hectic day. In stride with Tag, I whispered, “Did you hear from him?”
Wordlessly, Tag pulled his phone out of his back pocket, swiped up, then smacked it into my palm. I stopped on the gravel to read the text exchange.
10:23 p.m.
Cooper
Stop calling me. I’m fine. I had to do something real quick, and I’m stopping by the house to see Mom. I’ll tell her you said hi.
Tag
Please do not go there Coop.
Call me and we can talk about whatever happened. Did you see Greg?
10:41 p.m.
Tag
Cooper?
Please call me. I’m worried about you.
If youre in trouble, you can tell me.
10:58 p.m.
Tag
Going to Janice’s house is not a good idea. Please just come back home.
If I don’t hear from you by breakfast tomorrow, I’m calling the cops and sending them to mom’s to pick you up.
12:27 a.m.
Tag
Cooper. Please.
3:48 a.m.
Cooper
I love you Tag. Sorry for being the worst brother basically my entire life
Some frantic text messages from Tag followed, but Cooper hadn’t responded again. I glanced up. “What do you think that meant?”
“My first thought was that it could be a…” He stopped, shook his head.
I said what Tag couldn’t. “A…goodbye?”
“Surely not.” He lifted a shoulder, eyes cutting to the white rocks beneath our boots as we started our slow walk toward the corrals again. “I don’t know.”
I nodded, handing the phone back to him. “Why did he go home?”
“My guess is Greg was askin’ for money, so Cooper went to meet him. He’s spent his entire life tryin’ to make Greg love him, but it’s never gonna happen, and no matter how many times Greg hurts him, Coop runs straight back when he calls.”
“But why would that lead him to go see your mom?”
“She’s got everything he’s gonna need after Greg spits in his face again.”
My stomach turned at the thought. Their mom, Janice, was an addict of the worst kind.
I knew first hand how the pain could get so bad you were desperate to numb it or end it.
Cooper hadn’t been sober at Meadowbrook—not by a long shot.
Wandering bar to bar on his time off, picking up women, and causing a general ruckus was pretty much normal for him.
But Meadowbrook didn’t have easy access to drugs, so as far as I knew, Cooper had been drug free the months he’d been collecting a paycheck from Tag.
That was something to celebrate and protect.
And the biggest reason he should not, under any circumstance, pay his mom a visit.
A deep sigh pulled against my lungs. What a mess.
I asked, “Will you really call the cops?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“If they find him at my mom’s, they’ll arrest him.”
“Because whatever he’s doing over there isn’t legal.”
“Exactly.”
“So…” I let the word hang between us, calculating. “How are we getting him home?”
“I gotta pick him up, I reckon.”
I shook my head, stopping just shy of the corral fence. Tag’s PTSD was easily triggered, and the last thing Meadowbrook needed right now was one of his episodes. “No, Tag. That’s a terrible idea.”
“I don’t have another choice.”
“Yes, you do.” I tapped my chest then spread my arms wide. “I can go get him.”
Tag shook his head. “Cooper needs me.”
“Cooper needs you strong. You know just as well as I do, that going home will stir up all sorts of stuff you don’t need to be dealing with while you have a pregnant wife at home.”
He raised his hands to his hips, his eyes sweeping over the horizon beyond me. “I’ve…healed a lot. I’d be alright.”
“Now’s not the time to test it.”
Tag’s cheek rolled as he clenched his teeth. He gave a slight nod, wanting to say more, but interrupted by a familiar voice calling out. “Taggart!”
Tag spun around to see a well-known chute boss, Tony, coming our way.
As they shook hands and Tony embarked on a long spiel about how he had put in a good word for Tag with the higher ups, I nudged Cade off to the side so we could feed our horses their breakfasts and get the final rodeo events behind us.