Chapter Four #2
Jayce pulled the strap through the ring and slowly tightened the cinch.
Side-eye tended to tighten his barrel to keep the strap from pulling too tight, so he took his time to get the fit right.
The rich, noxious smell of mixed molasses and oats, courtesy of Grady, who made meals special for everyone, was thick in the air.
Bright morning light streamed past the open stable doors and slapped the underside of his skull.
He’d overslept because his head had been buried in thoughts of Belle and the wedding, but Malika had also somehow intruded, and it had been long after midnight before he’d finally dropped off.
Then he’d eaten his breakfast with Grady, who was planning the backstory for the August client’s adventure.
Grady wanted his input because it was his turn to wear the black hat.
Now the sun was well up, and while the Ride No More’s cowhands would see to his chores, and his parents were onsite to manage any problems that might arise, he wanted to put as much distance as possible between himself and Burning Scrub before Sheik Ali’s baby sister roared onto the scene.
She’d given him nightmares after he’d fallen asleep, and the backs of his eyelids were gritty.
He patted Saber’s hind end to get him to swing it out of the way.
The amiable gelding would remain here for Malika’s return trip.
She was an excellent horsewoman, he grudgingly acknowledged, but thankfully, the woman couldn’t saddle a horse.
Otherwise, she’d be wandering the mountains alone. Headstrong, impetuous, and spoiled.
The exact opposite of Belle.
Adam strolled in. He hadn’t slept in the bunkhouse or shown up for breakfast, but Jayce already knew he was in town because his horse had been stabled. He had no idea where Adam had spent the night, but red-rimmed eyes suggested he’d been awake before dawn.
“Thought I’d find you here,” Adam said.
He parked himself on a square bale of hay and let the silence stretch out. He wanted something but wasn’t a man who rushed words. Chances were good that it had something to do with the wedding.
“How’d you make out with the researcher?” Jayce asked, because talk about the wedding was not high on his list of things to be done.
Side-eye was saddled and ready to go, and he was ready to go too.
“Got him back to his car. Might have called in a tip that he was in no condition to drive.” Adam threaded his hands behind his head and braced his back against the wall of the stable.
Jayce unlooped the reins from the rail and backed the fidgety horse out of the stall while Adam watched.
“You’re in a big hurry this morning. Hang on a minute. ”
Jayce eyed the outdoors with longing. So close to freedom.
“You’re forgetting about the bachelor party this evening,” Adam continued.
No, he hadn’t forgotten.
“I’ll have to give it a pass. Between the conservationists on the ranch and the research scientists combing the mountains for bears, Cliff Peterson’s going to need help keeping them busy.”
“Cliff’s been stonewalling scientists since before you were a baby. He doesn’t need help.” Adam scratched his gray head. He’d had a haircut for the wedding because he was giving the bride away, and he complained that the shorn stubble made his scalp itch. “Beau wants his friends there.”
Jayce tensed up. He wasn’t Beau’s friend.
It wasn’t so long ago that Adam wasn’t friends with Beau either, but rumor had it that Adam was Belle’s natural father, and he wanted what was best for his little girl.
Jayce didn’t buy it. If Adam was Belle’s real father, he would have put in a good word for Jayce.
“I won’t be missed. Leon’s his best man.”
His tension transmitted to Side-eye, whose ears bobbed up and down. They weren’t quite pinned yet but were getting close to it.
“That what’s got your panties bunched in a wad?” Adam said. “Belle wanted to get married here, and since Burning Scrub’s closed to the public, he had a choice between the sheik, his agent, and you. If he’d chosen you, the sheik might have been offended. Leon, the sheik understands. It’s business.”
Huck Hanson walked in. “What’s business?”
Jayce’s joy over the interruption lasted less than five seconds, because it was obvious his father, chin up, wearing the air of a banty rooster entering a henhouse that was in the midst of a revolt, was in a bad mood.
Side-eye picked up on it too. He sidled his shoulder into Jayce, jostling him aside.
“Get control of your damned horse,” Huck snarled at Jayce, which didn’t help improve Side-eye’s disposition. “A horse is a whole damned sight easier to handle than women. Did you know that those damned weasels are in my damned durum field thanks to your mother?”
When his dad started in with the damneds it was best to keep his damned mouth shut and stay out of the fight, because it meant his mom was already winning and didn’t need any help.
Whenever she won, a few days in Burning Scrub came in handy.
His parents adored each other, but his dad was a sore loser, and his mom could be kind of smug.
Then there was the whole making-up ritual to be performed, and he didn’t have the stomach for that.
The dilemma became—would he rather listen to his dad complain about his mom and her damned weasels, or help Beau Jones celebrate his pending marriage to Belle?
Sheik Ali chose that moment to make his appearance. He’d resurrected his Sheriff Earp wardrobe, no doubt left at the lodge for him by Pearl. The guns and holster were absent, which was a relief. Sheriff Earp had an itchy trigger finger and wasn’t an especially good shot.
Ali’s arrival reminded Jayce that remaining in Burning Scrub had one more mark against it, and it was a big one.
Malika.
Ali addressed the three men. “Pleased to see you again, Huck. Good morning, Adam. And Jayce…” Ali’s smile fixed on him and widened, showing sharklike white teeth, which wasn’t alarming. “The man I came to see.”
Oh no. Jayce sensed impending disaster. Ali had figured out that a Wild West adventure wasn’t for Malika and wanted him to escort her down the mountain.
Ali could find someone else. Potential excuses whirligigged in his head. “Can it wait? My horse needs to walk off some nerves.”
Side-eye, properly reading the room and ready to help prove a point, stepped on Jayce’s foot.
White light swamped Jayce’s vision and a jolt of pain lanced straight upward, into his thigh.
He breathed in and out through his mouth until it subsided, then put weight on his foot.
Nothing appeared to be broken, but he’d likely have a bruise to match the one on his arm.
“I will walk with you,” Ali said.
“Good idea. You can show him how to handle a damned horse,” Jayce’s dad added. “If that damned horse doesn’t settle down soon, it’s headed to the damned auction.”
Side-eye was safe. His dad was just blowing off steam. But that must have been quite the fight he’d had with his mom and Jayce wasn’t sorry he’d missed it. His parents had an excellent marriage, and it worked for them, but sometimes watching them made him tired.
And maybe—just maybe—a tiny bit jealous.