Chapter Sixteen
Fort Davis, Texas
June was getting a little sick of the day-in, day-out at the ranch. The routine of it all was becoming predictable. Ordinarily, that was fine—living and working alongside Seth.
But this wasn’t normal.
It had been days since the incident with Turner, yet Seth still hadn’t wanted to talk about it. Now, it seemed like there was a dark, rain cloud brewing between him and her. A place where all the electricity between them clung in static bits, threatening to cause a storm.
His normal demeanor was the same—long silences, clipped words—but this seemed heavier, almost. He had been distant. He’s really starting to tick me off.
She was no fragile flower to be shielded from the world. She thought she had made that clear enough to him, without going into the grueling details of her life. Yet it was like he had forgotten that conversation entirely.
She’d made breakfast already, cleaned the dishes, milked the cows, gathered eggs, and started on laundry.
In fact, she had been scrubbing clothes so hard that her fingers were starting to chap and bleed.
The ranch chores had offered a little bit of distraction, but not enough.
She could feel Seth’s presence, no matter how far away on the ranch he was.
He was close enough that she knew he could speak to her. But he hadn’t.
She wondered how angry he was about the gun. He had taken it, after all. But if he was angry, she wished he would have just said something. Not treated her like a child, taken things away, and then given her the silent treatment. It was maddening!
By midmorning, June’s energy and her patience had been exhausted. She needed space. She saddled Suzanna and rode to Etta and Henry’s place.
She would have liked the ride to the Henry and Etta’s ranch to be peaceful, and maybe it was a bit more peaceful than the ranch, but by the time she was riding, Seth had invaded her mind thoroughly, with no chance of being ousted.
The rhythmic clop of Suzanna’s hooves on the dirt did very little to push him out.
The sun had grown warm against June’s skin. Beads of sweat were starting to form along the back of her neck, and her braided hair began to cling to her flesh.
Finally, after about an hour of riding, she made it to Etta’s house. She dismounted in front and tied Suzanna to the post quickly, then marched up the front porch steps.
“Hello!” She knocked heavily and quickly.
Come to the door, Etta. Don’t tell me I wasted my time riding out here and you’re not here!
Etta loved being a wife and a homemaker.
Surely, she had to be home. June peeked through the window, but didn’t see anyone in the sitting room.
Grumbling, she hopped off the porch and walked around to the back of the house, peering in every window she could, until she caught sight of Etta, in the middle of what seemed to be cooking lunch.
Quickly, June tapped on the window. “Etta!”
Etta turned to look at her. June smiled and waved. “Answer the door!” she yelled before jogging back around to the front.
Etta was already at the front door when June arrived back on the porch.
“What a surprise!” Etta exclaimed, brushing curls away from her face as she gestured June inside. “Come on in!” She’d clearly been kneading dough—her hands were covered in it; she wiped them on her apron as she smiled at June.
“How did you not hear me knocking?” June asked.
“I’m so sorry, I was singing!” Etta explained.
“I must not have heard!” She seemed almost exasperated, but her smile was wide.
June’s heart warmed at seeing her youngest friend beaming so brightly.
As soon as June crossed over the threshold, Etta pulled her into a hug and ushered her to the dining room, sitting her down in a chair at the small wooden dining table.
“Lovely home,” June commented, as she took a steadying breath, the smell of yeast and baking bread wrapping around her comfortably. She looked around, wondering how she hadn’t been there yet, after so many weeks.
“Thank you!” Etta’s smile was still spreading completely across her face.
It was a nice home, but it was modest compared to what June might’ve expected, considering all the money the Landrys had.
Then again, Henry and Jack’s parents had seemed like practical people.
After all, they’d purchased three ranches with their money, gifting each son a place to start a family—or so Louise had said.
“Would you like some coffee?” Etta asked, and June smiled in response. Etta was going to give her the coffee whether she wanted it or not. So, she did what she’d been doing a lot of lately—giving in.
“Thank you,” she said as soon as Etta returned, giving her the steaming cup and settling into a seat across from her.
She’s becoming a great little host. “This life suits you,” June admitted, taking a sip, her heart heavy. Etta grinned from ear to ear, a small tear forming in the corner of her eye. “I know,” she admitted. “I didn’t know how much I’d been hoping for something like this until I found it.”
June smiled and put her hand on top of Etta’s. “You deserve it,” she told her.
Etta smiled happily. “So, what brings you here to visit?”
June absentmindedly began tracing the rim of the cup with a finger as her mind swirled with different thoughts. “I’ve been feeling guilty,” she said abruptly. “Seth found the gun—”
Etta shifted uncomfortably in her seat, her gaze flicking briefly to June.
“What about you?” June asked, her brow twisting.
Etta’s hands tightened around her own cup. “I’ve been thinking,” she admitted, her voice low. “About telling Henry everything. He deserves to know the truth.” June’s heart stopped. “Everything?” she asked, in barely a whisper now.
Etta nodded, her expression resolute. “He loves me, June. I can’t keep the truth from him forever.”
Panic flared in June’s chest. I knew she wouldn’t be able to do this.
That was exactly why she didn’t want to start any of this in the first place.
But before she could respond, the front door creaked open. Henry stepped inside, his face lighting up as soon as he saw Etta. He crossed the room in a few long strides, wrapping her in a warm embrace and pressing a kiss to her temple.
They looked every bit the picture of marital bliss, and June’s throat tightened at the sight.
She’s right.
June sank in her chair, despondent. “I’ll let you two lovebirds enjoy your evening,” she said, putting on a false smile as she excused herself from the table. Henry looked at her in happy surprise. “Leaving so soon? You’re welcome to join us for supper,” he said.
June shook her head. “I’ll have to be getting back to fix Seth supper, soon.”
He smiled and nodded. “I’m sure he would like that.”
June gave Etta one last hug and then rode back to the ranch, her thoughts racing. If Etta told Henry the truth, everything would unravel before they knew it. Everything they had worked for would be gone in the blink of an eye.
When Seth had stood up for her, so fiercely and without hesitation, it had done something to her, and she wasn’t sure if she liked it or not. No one had ever protected her like that. The realization stung now, as much as it had soothed her in the past.
She relied on him. She hated the idea of relying on him—on any man, for that matter—and more than that, she hated how much she’d been wanting to rely on him lately.
Almost nothing in life had been fair, but this had to be one of the cruelest twists of irony she’d ever heard of.
And now, once Seth found out about her, he would throw her off his ranch.
There was no way he would keep her after knowing the truth.
He barely liked her as it was. If he had an excuse to get rid of her, he probably would.
She couldn’t bear the thought of what that might mean. Trey would surely find her and kill her.
***
When she got back home—or at least the home she had for right now—Seth was already waiting by the barn, his arms crossed and his expression unreadable.
“You went out,” he said, matter-of-factly, no emotion stirring on his face.
“I needed some air,” June replied, dismounting and tying Suzanna to the post by the barn.
His eyes narrowed curiously. “A little warning would’ve been nice.”
That pricked her temper. “I didn’t think I needed your permission to take a ride.”
“You don’t?” he shot back skeptically. “You know good and well with everything going on that it’d be nice to know you’re not wandering off alone.”
“I’m not some helpless damsel,” June retorted. “I can take care of myself.”
Seth’s jaw tightened, and he looked away for a moment before meeting her gaze again. “It’s not about that.”
“Then what is it about?” she snapped, frustration boiling over. Her fists were clenching so tightly that her nails dug into her palms. “I’m tired of guessing what’s in that head of yours.”
Seth’s eyes darkened, but instead of responding, he turned and walked away, leaving her standing there with her fists still clenched.
Every time she thought they were making progress, it turned out that they weren’t. The way Seth talked to her was worlds apart from how Henry talked to Etta.
…Then again, she reckoned she spoke to Seth a lot different than Etta did Henry. Neither of them was doing better than the other.
Perhaps it would be best for both of them once the truth came out and he turned his back on her.
***
“Annabelle!” Seth’s voice rang through the night, causing June to bolt upright as her heart thudded in her throat. She clutched her chest. Outside, the sound of panicked whinnying and pounding hooves shook the air.
What’s going on? She hurried to throw on a coat and shoes.
When she got outside, Seth was already there, waving his arms in anger, and she understood why. The barn doors were wide open, and every horse was thundering out, eyes flashing wildly, as though they’d all been spooked.
“The gate’s open!” Seth shouted as soon as he saw her. “Did you leave the gate open?”
June saw Suzanna cantering past and reached out quickly, snatching her halter. “Shh, girl!” Tugging gently on the leather strap, she led Suzanna in a tight circle, slowing her to a halt. Suzanna stamped and snorted, but after a few moments, she seemed to calm down.
Seth stormed up to her, a look of fury on his face. “Did you open the gate?” he hollered again, angrier this time.
“No!” June snapped, gripping the halter more tightly as Suzanna jerked away from Seth. “Stop yelling; you’re spooking her.”
Seth still looked furious, but he lowered his voice. “Then can you explain how this happened?”
“I have no idea.” June began gently leading Suzanna back inside the barn. “But arguing about it isn’t going to get any of them to come back.”
He seemed to concede her point—or at least, he didn’t argue back.
He followed her into the barn. She got Suzanna back in her stall, and then the two of them gathered up the lead ropes for the rest of the horses and returned outside.
It was still mostly dark out, but Seth lit lanterns and tied their handles to his and June’s arms, leaving both their hands free.
“Right,” he muttered. “You go left, I’ll go right.”
Together, they worked to corral the rest of the horses… which wasn’t easy. Not by a long shot.
The horses were all frightened, but of what? June hadn’t seen any signs of a wild animal near the barn, or any out in the fields. Whatever the case, she had a much harder time approaching the rest of the horses than she had with Suzanna.
One by one, she and Seth tracked them down in the near-darkness, clipping on lead ropes, calming them down, bringing them back into the barn. Her ragged breath mixed with his as they worked in tandem, their bodies quickly wearying. It took over an hour to get all the horses safely back.
Seth looked completely worn out by the end of it as he walked the last horse into its stall.
“I can lock everything up if you want to go ahead and get in bed,” June offered, knowing it would just be a few more hours until he had to get back up.
He shook his head and began stalking out of the barn. “I’m gonna finish.”
June followed him, anger flaring in the pit of her stomach. “Do you not trust me?”
“It ain’t that!” he bit out over his shoulder, thrusting his way through the barn door.
“Then what is it?” she yelled at him as they came to a halt in the stable yard.
Seth didn’t say anything. Instead, he stared up at the sky for a moment. Finally, with a huff, he walked over to lean against the nearby gate, his brow furrowed. “I just…” He trailed off. “I never forget to lock up.”
June came over to him quietly. “Maybe… you were distracted?” she offered, but she wasn’t sure she believed that.
Those horses were spooked. Someone did this on purpose.
“Or maybe someone did this,” Seth said quietly, echoing her own thoughts. “Who would do that? Spook a whole barn of horses? And at night, too… folks ‘round here know better…”
His gaze met hers, like he was searching for answers, and for the first time, she saw a glint of helplessness in them. For a moment, the distance between them seemed to shrink all over again.
June felt a flicker of pity. He was trying to do the right thing, and he didn’t seem to know how to handle what life was throwing at him. On an impulse, she reached out a hand to touch his. The contact was brief, but the warmth of his skin sent a jolt through her.
His eyes flicked to their hands, and then to her face before he cleared his throat and pulled away. “We should get some rest.”
June nodded, trying to ignore the blush that rose up to her cheeks