14. Dakota
Chapter 14
Dakota
T he shroud that seemed to hang around the ranch that day was almost unbearable. Even the cattle seemed to feel it. Everyone was antsy and on edge. Caroline slept for only an hour or two before she hopped back in the truck, telling me she was headed down to Amarillo for the day and didn’t know when she’d be back. As far as she knew, Mrs. Baker wouldn’t be back on the ranch for a while.
Logan, however, slept for most of the day. It wasn’t until late afternoon that I saw him emerge from my cabin, disheveled and groggy. I wanted to go to him, to comfort him in any way I could. But he disappeared into the main house before I could get away from the animals. With the cattle bellowing in the paddock and the horses irritated that they hadn’t been worked that day, I still had plenty to do before I could go to him. Being all on my own meant I was already behind on chores as it was.
That’s why, as I finished up for the day, I called my mom to ask her a favor.
“Hey Mom,” I said the moment she picked up the phone. “You busy?”
“No. Just bumming around my motel room. Why? What’s up?”
“Well, I wanted to ask a favor. I was hoping you could bring dinner out to me and Logan at the ranch. We’ve uh… had a bit of a rough day.”
“What happened?” she asked, her voice full of concern.
“Well, his daddy had a heart attack last night.” There was an audible gasp. “He’s alright for now, but he’s not coming home anytime soon. Mrs. Baker and Caroline are at the hospital and Logan’s taking over the ranch in the meantime. And I’ve been swamped with chores all day doing things by myself?—”
“Say no more,” she said, knowing exactly where I was headed. “I’m on my way. I’ll pick up some dinner for you two.”
“Thanks Mom,” I sighed. “I really appreciate it. I’ll pay you back for it.”
“Don’t worry about that. You just get your work done and go check on that boy. I’m sure his mind’s a mess right now.”
“Yeah,” I nodded. “You’re probably right.”
There was a long pause. “So… did your date go alright or…”
“Mom.” I grumbled.
“You’re right. We can talk about it later. See you soon, honey!”
After hanging up with my mom, I finished up the last of my chores, my mind racing with worry for Logan. The sun was starting to dip low on the horizon, casting long shadows across the ranch. I made my way to the main house, my boots crunching on the gravel driveway. I was still covered in dirt and sweat from the day, but I needed to check on him.
As I approached the porch, I could hear the faint sound of a TV coming from inside. I knocked gently on the screen door, not wanting to startle Logan.
“Come in,” his voice called out, sounding distant and hollow.
I stepped inside, my eyes adjusting to the dim interior. Logan wasn’t slumped on the couch, staring blankly at some old Western playing on the TV like I’d expected. In fact, the living room was totally empty.
“Back here,” he called, reading my mind before I could ask.
I walked around the corner and down the hall to Mr. Baker’s office. I’d only been in there once before, but I knew he usually kept it shut. Logan was there, sitting in the swivel chair with his face buried in his hands. His usual neat appearance was disheveled, his sandy brown hair sticking up at odd angles.
“Hey,” I said softly, moving to stand beside him. I wasn’t sure what to say. “You… uh… left the TV on.”
He nodded. “It was too quiet.”
Right. That made sense. Usually, the Baker house was bustling but today it was as silent as a cemetery.
“How are you holding up?”
Logan lifted his head from his hands, his green eyes red-rimmed and weary. He let out a long, shaky breath before answering.
“I don’t know,” he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. “It’s like... everything’s changed in an instant. Yesterday, I was just helping out on the ranch. Today, I’m supposed to run the whole damn thing.”
I placed a hand on his shoulder, feeling the tension in his muscles. “You’re not alone in this, Logan. I’m here to help, whatever you need.”
He nodded, a ghost of a smile flickering across his face. “Thanks. I appreciate that more than you know.”
For a moment, we stood in silence, the weight of the situation hanging heavy in the air. Then Logan’s eyes drifted to the papers scattered across his father’s desk.
“I’ve been trying to make sense of all this,” he said, gesturing to the paperwork. “And for some reason, all the numbers aren’t adding up.” He glanced up at the clock decorated with old-fashioned cowboy scenes on the wall. “The bank is already closed today, but I’ll need to call them tomorrow to figure some of this out. There’s bills here that need payin’, but I’m not sure how much I can spend yet.”
I couldn’t help but grin a little. His accent had a tendency to come back when he was tired. I’d noticed it when he fell asleep on me the first time. But now, in his exhausted state, it was becoming more pronounced.
“You’ll get it straightened out,” I said, my hand squeezing his shoulder reassuringly. “If your daddy can run this ranch, you should be able to without any issues. You had that big city job after all. That’s gotta be way harder than this.”
Logan let out a dry chuckle. “You’d think so, wouldn’t you? But this...” He gestured at the papers again. “This is different. It’s not just numbers on a page. It’s people’s livelihoods. It’s my family’s legacy.”
I nodded, understanding the weight of responsibility he was feeling. “I know it’s overwhelming, but you don’t have to figure it all out tonight. Why don’t we take a break? My mom’s bringing over some dinner soon and I know you haven’t eaten all day.”
Logan’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Your mom? You didn’t have to do that.”
“I wanted to,” I said softly. “You need to eat, and I’ve been run off my feet all day with the chores. It seemed like the best solution. Besides, she offered before I could even ask.”
He stood up slowly, stretching his tall frame. “I appreciate it. I haven’t even thought about food today.”
Logan’s stomach growled loudly, as if on cue. He looked down, a sheepish grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. “I guess I’m hungrier than I realized.”
I couldn’t help but smile back. It was good to see a hint of the old Logan peeking through, even if just for a moment.
“Come on,” I said, gently tugging his arm. “Let’s get you out of this office and into some fresh air. We can wait for my mom on the porch.”
Logan nodded, following me out of the stuffy room. As we stepped onto the porch, the cool evening breeze washed over us. The sun was setting, painting the sky in brilliant shades of orange and pink. The cattle lowed softly in the distance, a comforting sound that seemed to ground us both.
We settled into the old wooden rocking chairs, the familiar creak of the boards beneath us a soothing sound. For a while, we just sat there in comfortable silence, watching the sun sink lower on the horizon. The tension seemed to slowly drain from Logan’s shoulders as he gazed out at the land his family had tended for generations.
“You know,” he said softly, breaking the quiet, “when I was a kid, I used to sit out here with my dad every evening. He’d tell me stories about the ranch, about how my great-great-great-grandpa started it with nothing but a few head of cattle and a dream.” He chuckled softly. “He made his way out west, fighting against the wilds and the…” his voice trailed off suddenly.
“The natives?” I added, glancing his way.
“I… uh… am starting to realize how bad these stories sound now that I’m saying them out loud.”
“Every family around here has a story like that,” I said softly. “It’s not your fault. You weren’t the one forcing my people out of this place.” I looked up at him again, seeing the horror on his face. “Don’t look at me like that.”
“Like what?”
“With your eyes all full of pity. I’m a strong Cherokee man. I don’t need it.” I let out a long sigh. “It would be great if the government lived up to their promises, but I think we both know how that’s gone so far.”
Logan was silent for a long moment. “Do… Do you ever hate people for it?”
It took me a few seconds to gather my thoughts. “Sometimes,” I replied, deciding to give him nothing but honesty. “I hate what it’s done to my people. Back on the reservation… there’s a lot of problems. We don’t have enough money, enough room, enough houses, enough jobs… People like my father turn to the bottle as soon as they can because the stress is just too much. White folks think we’re rolling in dough because some tribes have casinos, but the truth is, once it’s split up among everyone, it’s not much. And definitely not enough to live on.”
“I… I didn’t know that.”
“Why would you? It’s not like they teach it in schools.”
“It… It feels wrong though.”
“It is,” I said truthfully. “And that’s why I left. The reservation I grew up on was a mess. Or at least my home was.” I let out a long sigh, shaking my head. “Sorry. I’m being a huger downer right now. You’re already worried about your dad and I’m just making you feel worse.”
“No,” Logan said, placing a hand on my knee. “I want to know you and your story.” He glanced up, his green eyes fixing on mine. “I want to know what makes you, you.”
I felt a warmth spread through my chest at Logan’s words. His sincerity was evident in the intensity of his gaze. For a moment, I was lost in those green eyes, feeling a connection deeper than I’d ever experienced before.
“Well,” I said softly, “there’s a lot to tell. But maybe we can save the heavy stuff for another time. Your plate’s already pretty full right now.”
Logan nodded, his hand still resting on my knee. “I’d like that. To hear more, I mean. When things settle down a bit. And when you’re ready. I don’t want to rush you.”
The sound of tires on gravel broke the moment. We both turned to see my mom’s beat-up Chevy pulling into the driveway, kicking up dust in the fading light.
“Looks like dinner’s here,” I said, standing up. Logan followed suit, his hand falling away from my knee. I immediately missed its warmth.
As my mom stepped out of the truck, I could see her eyes darting between Logan and me, a knowing smile playing on her lips. She was carrying two large paper bags that smelled heavenly.
“Evening, boys,” she called out, making her way up the porch steps. “I hope you’re hungry. I might have gone a little overboard.”
Logan stepped forward, his manners kicking in despite his exhaustion. “Mrs. Parker, thank you so much for this. You really didn’t have to go to all this trouble.”
My mom waved him off with her free hand. “Nonsense. It’s no trouble at all. And please, call me Diana.” She turned to me, handing over the bags. “There’s enough here for leftovers tomorrow. I figured you’re a bit busy to cook right now.”
I peeked inside the bags, my mouth watering at the aroma of fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and what smelled like apple pie. “Thanks, Mom. This is perfect.”
Logan cleared his throat. “Would you like to join us, Mrs. Par- I mean, Diana? There’s plenty here.”
My mom smiled warmly but shook her head. “That’s sweet of you to offer, but I think you boys need some time to yourselves. Logan, honey, I’m so sorry about your father. If there’s anything I can do to help, you just let me know.”
Logan nodded, his eyes glistening slightly. “Thank you. I really appreciate that.” Then he paused, glancing over at me. “Actually… maybe there is something.”
“Oh? What did you need?” she asked, surprised but happy to help.
“Dakota said you’re in town for a bit and I can’t imagine the motel is cheap.” He looked up at me, an eyebrow raised. “What if you stayed here? I could use help with meals and keeping the house running and it would save you some money. Caroline’s gonna be too busy with her own things to really help out much. And we have a guest room.”
Mom turned to me, her eyes lighting up. “That sounds wonderful, but I don’t want to step on your toes.” She glanced between the two of us. “I know you probably want a little bit of privacy.”
I felt my cheeks grow warm at my mom’s implication. “Mom, it’s not like that-”
“It’s fine,” Logan interjected quickly. “Really, we could use the help. And I’m sure Dakota would love having you around more.” He gave me a small smile.
I nodded, trying to hide my mixed feelings. On one hand, having my mom around would be nice. On the other, I had been looking forward to more alone time with Logan. But he clearly needed the support right now.
“Well, if you’re sure,” my mom said, beaming. “I’d be happy to help out. When should I bring my buffalo over?”
“Tomorrow would be great,” Logan replied. But then he stopped. “You… You have a buffalo?”
“Of course. He’s my spirit animal,” she replied as if it were the most normal thing in the world.
“Mom…” I sighed, giving her a nudge.
“Sorry,” she grinned. “Messing with white folks is just too much fun.”
Logan looked thoroughly confused. “She’s fucking with you,” I muttered.
Logan’s face relaxed into a sheepish grin as he realized the joke. “Oh, right. Of course.” He chuckled, shaking his head. “You really had me going there for a second.”
My mom’s eyes twinkled with mischief. “Well, a little laughter never hurt anyone, especially in times like these.” She patted Logan’s arm gently. “I’ll be by tomorrow morning with my things. You boys enjoy your dinner and get some rest. You look like you could use it.”
As she turned to leave, I caught her in a quick hug. “Thanks again, Mom. For everything.”
She squeezed me tight before pulling away. “Anytime, Kota. That’s what moms are for.” With a final wave, she climbed back into her truck and drove off, leaving Logan and me alone once more.
“Sorry about her…”
“Don’t be. It’s funny, I just didn’t expect it.”
“You can probably believe about half of what she says.”
“Yeah,” he chuckled. “But which half?”
“The hell if I know.” I reached out, wrapping my arm around his waist and pulling him toward the door. “You hungry?”
He nodded, his cheeks going pink in an instant. It was such a cute look on him making my stomach burst into butterflies.
“Well?” I smiled. “Come on then. Let’s eat.”