Chapter Two
The scorching sun beamed down onto the tent as Gage Gibson sat at his first cattle auction in over a decade. He pulled off his hat with a grunt, wiping the cooling sweat off his brow with his brand-new bandana. Something his cousin hadn’t stopped teasing him about.
“Suits and cool offices have made you weak,” Colt McCain said, nudging Gage with his elbow. Standing at six-foot-four, Colt had the same broad chest and narrowed waist as Gage. The two could have been brothers instead of cousins and often had.
“I’ll get used to it. Besides, your ass is just as sweaty.” Gage nudges his cousin on the shoulder.
Gage Gibson happened to be one of the best prosecutors in Texas, if he said so himself, which he often did, even if just to get a rise out of his friends.
He’d gotten more criminal convictions than most because he dug deeper, but in the last two years it had become too draining.
Weeks of trial for these judges to give leaner sentences.
What was the point? He’d thought many times over.
He’d been one of the chief prosecutors out of Austin, but politics had begun to shake his faith in the law, so he made the break after clearing out his last caseload.
He traded in his expensive, tailored suit for a pair of jeans, flannel button-down, and a set of spurs.
Gage worked his whole twenties busting his ass to land the lead DA position only to lose his passion for it.
Still in his prime at thirty-one, he wanted to feel the Texas sun on his face and working up a sweat like his father and his grandfather before him.
“But I handle the heat like a real cowboy.”
Gage winked at Colt, raising his paddle for the next lot of six heifers.
Every single cowboy and their hands operated the same way; they pulled out their bandanas from their back pockets and wiped the sweat before tucking it back in.
Colt just enjoyed busting his cousin’s chops for leaving ranching in the first place.
“Screw you. I’m ready to get the hell out of here. I’ve got enough cattle to start.” The auction had over four hundred cattle for sale, and he’d nabbed a fifth of the lots. Thankfully, he’d brought Colt with him, or he’d probably have lost some auctions or overspent.
“Not enough to turn a profit this year.” Colt, despite being two years younger than his cousin, owned his own ranch two towns over that saw profits from his first year and on.
“I’m not looking for a profit this year.
I’m looking to get back to when my family had one of the largest cattle ranches in Texas.
” With a stout inheritance from his grandparents and wise investments he’d made over the past ten years, he didn’t need to work again.
But like many Texans, hard work and pure grit were ingrained in each country child from the moment they could walk.
He still owned the acreage from when his daddy tended cattle, but he sold off all the livestock after his father died. The work was too much for him to handle along with his education and practice.
After a night of binge drinking in Austin, Gage’s father wrecked his truck into the lone tree in a twenty mile stretch of road.
He’d gone and done something awful before that and couldn’t live with the consequences.
Apparently, he’d been seeing a woman who broke his heart when he found out she had someone on the side, so he killed the cheating woman.
Ironically, he’d been cheating on his wife with the mistress.
Gage’s mother struggled with the deception and betrayal for years, but his infidelity hadn’t been the only problem.
For years, their family name rested in the dirt.
Gage had worked hard to wipe the shame away.
Once he made a name for himself as one of the most honorable prosecutors around, he felt it was time for him to return to his roots and fix that tarnished Gibson brand.
Sensing the tension rolling through Gage’s large frame, he leaned in and whispered, “Remember, bud. Don’t let your past haunt you. Make smart choices. I say you need eight more yearlings.”
Pissed at the situation his father created, Gage switched his whole life around to become something more, but his heart finally returned home. Listening to his cousin and reminding himself that sons weren’t always like their fathers, he took a deep breath and collected himself.
He’d promised himself that he’d never become a wife-beating, cheating bastard like his daddy. It should be easy because Gage had never been a womanizer, and he wouldn’t start even if he ever got married.
Some things in your youth just brand you for life. The scars of his father’s deceit never left Gage, and he promised to always be the best man he could be. Now he had to finish what he started and get the cattle he needed to make Gibson Cattle Ranch a success.
“Winning bid, number 302.”
Gage looked at Colt’s number, shaking his head. Both men dominated the auction. “Looks like you won another lot.”
Colt nodded slyly, causing Gage to furrow his brow. Ignoring Gage’s suspicions, he offered, “As soon as we get out of here, let’s grab a beer.”
“Sounds good. I need it.” Gage grabbed his paddle and lifted it into the air on the next lot of a dozen yearlings.
“Then we can talk about ranch hands. You’re going to need at least half a dozen. Several ranches were forced to go belly up with the last floods. You might be able to scoop up a few good ones from there.”
“Winning bid belongs to number 303.”
Gage’s mouth formed a grin, and the cousins shook hands.
“We’re racking them up. Let’s get going now.”
“I can get with that idea.”
They stood up and shimmied out of the rows of sports seating and headed out to square up their winning lots. It took another hour to get them all done and signed for. They managed to have all the lots scheduled for delivery tomorrow.
“What the fuck, Colt?” He took the form that belonged to Colt, and it had the delivery address Gibson Ranch on it in black sharpie.
“Consider it a housewarming gift. It’s great to have you back.” Gage pulled his cousin in a one-armed hug.
“You didn’t have to go fucking nuts like that, but thank you.” He nodded before the two cousins walked out of the large cattle auction and into the bright Texas sun. Even though the day had been winding down, the sun was still bright in the sky, drying up the sweat on their skin.
***
“Sign right here, and they’re all yours.
” The man tapped his pen on the sturdy clipboard where Gage had to leave his Alex Hancock.
The attorney in him scanned the documents to make sure there were no surprises.
Feeling satisfied, he signed off on the delivery of forty-three heifers, fourteen yearlings, and one bull.
Gage shook the driver’s hand and then watched him climb into his cab and drive off the property.
“Boss, they’re all loaded in their pens,” Bill said, dusting off his hands on his jeans.
Colt had sent Bill over to help set up the ranch for his cousin.
He’d worked as Colt’s foreman for three years when an injury left him unable to walk for nearly a year.
By the time he recovered, Colt had promoted a new foreman, and Gage had decided to return home. Bill was perfect for the job.
“Thanks, Bill.”
“Thank you for giving me another opportunity.”
If Colt trusted Bill, then Gage could do the same, although Gage made sure to run all the necessary background checks, getting information in hours with the help of some of his former colleagues.
The man had proven to be upstanding and hardworking.
Accidents happened and unfortunately Bill’s nearly cost him his life.
Colt didn’t want to let him go, but he had too much at stake to just wait around for his recovery.
Gage clapped his hand on Bill’s back and said, “Well, hell. We all need second chances. How about we get them fed and head back inside to plan out the number of employees I need to maintain this business?”
“Sounds good to me.” He grabbed his bandana, swiping it across the back of his neck for some relief.
The sun, even in the early summer, could be unbearable.
Bill had extensive experience with the number of men they needed, so Gage relied on his judgement.
They were already days behind, so finding men tomorrow was a must. There was too much work for two men to handle.
With over fifty cattle to manage and feed, the day passed in a hurry and their bodies were beaten.
By seven, they’d squared away the details on what type of hands they needed and how many, as well as housing them in the bunkhouse a thousand feet from the main house.
“I’ve got to hit the road. I’ll be back first thing in the morning with a couple of hands that are looking for work outside the feed store.”
“We can test them out and see if we can make them permanent. You’re aware of I’m looking for.” They discussed the matter thoroughly, making notes of how much they would be paid by the hour and possible bunking if needed.
After a day full of hard work, Gage’s aching bones begged for the relief of a hot shower. He rolled his head, stretching his neck as he let the water wash over him. He needed a good massage, but he wouldn’t tell his cousin that because he’d bust his chops about being weak.
He quickly finished his shower and then turned off the water because his fatigue kicked in. Smiling to himself, he dried off, slipped on some boxers, and passed out, ready for another day.