Sweetheart Swing (Heart’s Bend)

Chapter 1

Stone

Wincing, I rub my ungloved hand over my eyes. It’s been a long, hard day running the fence line looking for breaks or potential breaks.

Off in the distance I can see my brother and my cousin, both of them working on different sections of the fencing.

We’ve had some of the more rowdy stallions getting out and wreaking havoc on whatever they come across.

One of the neighbors is about ready to hand me my head since his best mare got knocked up.

He’s pissed and I made the mistake of telling him at least he got good stock to breed her.

I mean, his breeding program is pretty non-existent.

Not like ours. We have done everything we can to make sure that we have the best stock around.

Our Quarter Horses are world-renowned. He doesn’t really breed horses but he does have horses that he uses on his ranch.

And he breeds them sometimes to get more stock coming up as others fade away and pass away.

It’s actually a miracle that she got pregnant now.

If we hadn’t had that two weeks of beautiful sixty degree weather she might not have been fertile. He should be thanking us.

And he just got himself a helluva nice addition to his stock. I don’t want to hear anymore of his bellyaching about it.

Which is what I told him and why he’s pissed. Fucker needs to get his head out of his ass and recognize his good fortune. A foal from our prize-winning stallion is worth a small fortune. And he got it for free.

Snow lands on my cheek and I grimace. This time of the year in Heart’s Bend is a mixed bag. Right now it’s twenty-five degrees and snowing. In two days it might be fifty and raining. Or just a somber gray mess of fog.

I love my home but winter sucks. That’s all there is to it.

Shivering, I pull the collar of my shearling coat up higher on my throat.

I need to get this done so I can go back home and warm up with some of mom’s beef stew.

She makes the best…thick, hearty and chock-full of big pieces of potatoes, carrots and onions.

My mouth waters just thinking about it and I focus on the wire that’s hanging a bit, twisting and hammering until I get it back up on the wooden post.

My brother rides up and glares at me. “You almost done lallygagging? We got shit to do and I’m getting hungry.”

“You and your paperwork.”

“Somebody has to keep an eye on the bottom line. We’ve got that mare in about a month that we need to take Asher’s Creek to see. Hopefully that takes. It’s a pretty good chunk of change.”

“Asher’s Creek is one of our best. His foals have won rodeo awards. Muse won that barrel racing competition by a lot. She’s a wonder.”

“Yeah. Well, that’s all well and good but everyone expects the same results and it depends. Some aren’t that good. I mean, they aren’t champions. So every time we take him out, I hold my breath for at least a year. Sometimes two.”

“Yeah well, that’s not our problem. As long as the breeding takes.”

He glares at me. “You know that’s not how this business works. You’re only as good as your last foal.”

“Ours are all good. You worry too much.”

“And you don’t worry enough, fucker!” He drops to the ground and squares up in front of me.

“Hey, hey!” Jules drops down and pushes himself between us. “Knock it off, you two! We’ve got to get back. I wanna make sure that all the horses are up for the night soon. That storm is moving in fast.”

His dark head nods back over my shoulder and I sigh, eyeing Garret. “I’m sorry, man. I’m just tired.”

His short nod barely moves his chin but he whirls around and jumps back up in the saddle. “I think that’s about it. Let’s go.”

Nodding, I mount my favorite mare, Honeypot. She flicks her ears at me and snorts. Patting her strong shoulder, I chuckle. “I know, girl. You wanna get home and find your nice, warm stall with some oats and hay. I gotcha.”

Clucking, I tap my heels on her rounded sides and rein her home. She doesn’t bother kicking up her usual fuss. That’s one of the reasons I love her so much. She’s a pistol and she’s no pushover. She does what I ask her to but not without making sure that I know she’s doing it because she wants to.

The wind whips past me and I bend my face over her neck, pushing her into a gallop. The snow’s barely settling on the ground but the air has that iron tinge to it that means there’s more coming. It stings my cheeks as we fly along.

I’m in just as much of a rush as her. I want my warm bed too.

Wheeling into the yard, I let Honey have her head and she immediately trots up to the barn where Garret and Jules are already taking care of their mounts.

Garret’s stallion nips at his arm and he grunts under his breath.

Laughing, I drop to my feet lightly and lead Honey over to a ring and tie her up, removing the saddle and reaching for a cloth to rub her down before I put her light blanket on.

She’s a prima donna for sure.

“That stallion has the same attitude as you. It’s no wonder you usually ride him.”

Pharaoh rolls his eyes and snorts, baring his big teeth at me. His black coat shines in the stable lights. He’s an impressive animal but that temper of his is legendary.

Kinda like Garret’s.

The man in question rolls his eyes at me and the deep green is ice-cold.

“He just doesn’t take shit from anybody. I understand him.”

I turn back to Honeypot who snuffles at my pockets.

Grinning, I pull a carrot out and hold it out.

She munches happily while I finish her up and then lead her into her warm stall.

It only takes me another few minutes to get her settled with her oats ration and her hay.

She fusses for a minute, bumping into my shoulder so hard she almost knocks me off my feet.

Laughing, I shove at her broad shoulder and exit the stall, watching her turn to her treat, which hides the supplements I give her.

She munches happily, the soft crunching following me out of the stall.

Garret and Jules meet me and the three of us stride across the yard, making sure that every door is locked and everything’s ready for the night.

The iron-gray clouds follow me inside as my mother turns to me and scowls. “You boys drive me crazy. You know this is Friday. How are you gonna find yourself a girl if you never go to Neon Saloon?”

Garret huffs and Jules chuckles. I groan, dropping into the kitchen chair. “Ma. I’m not looking for a girl. I’ve had enough experience with all the girls in this town to know that not one of them is mine.”

“There are other girls in this town besides the ones that grew up here.”

Huffing, I glare at her as she hands me my bowl. “I am not gonna discuss that.”

We both know that Alicia fucked me over good. She swore that she found her home here. It was home to her even though she didn’t come from around here.

I believed her too. Fell for her like a ton of bricks. So it about broke me when she took off for the hills when a job that was perfect for her showed up.

Not that I begrudge her getting the job of her dreams. But she didn’t even say good-bye. Just left me a Dear John letter on the door.

I’ve got no use for any woman that wasn’t born and bred in this area. And if that means that I die alone, I don’t fucking care.

“If y’all don’t go tonight, I’m gonna tell Sandy Cooper that you want to go out with her granddaughter.”

Wincing, I growl, “That girl is a menace. And she’s only fucking eighteen. I don’t rob the cradle, ma.”

“You’re only thirty-four, Stone.”

Snorting, I take a big bite of stew. Chewing, I give myself time to think. Ma’s a stubborn woman and if she’s bound and determined to get me to the saloon, I don’t really have much choice.

She wants grandbabies and she’s getting pretty desperate. Sometimes I expect to wake up with company. She’s that desperate.

Huffing, I swallow and sigh. “Fine. I’ll go. But do not dare to talk to Sandy about her granddaughter. That girl is a mess.”

“She’s not. She just doesn’t know what to do with herself. Both of her parents passed away and she’s not sure what she wants to do with her life.”

Remembering the auburn-haired whirlwind, I smirk at ma. “She’s a devil. She’s also not my type.”

Garret growls under his breath, his dark cheeks a little red. Cocking my head, I study him, my head spinning. Surely not…

“Fine. Go tonight. They’re having lessons tonight and you boys should brush up. Never know when the right girl might want to dance with you.”

Rolling my eyes, I finish my stew and head upstairs to change. The snow is still light and hopefully it stays that way.

Not the best night for a dance but hell…if it makes ma happy, I guess I gotta go.

Sometimes you have to suffer for your kinfolk. Especially your ma.