Chapter Fourteen
When I stumble into the kitchen, bleary-eyed the next morning, it’s to find Riggs at the stove cooking. The smell of frying bacon and eggs perks me up. I might not eat bacon, but I’ve always loved the smell of it.
I head straight to the coffee pot and pour myself a large mug before I engage in any kind of conversation. I take a sip, moaning softly at my old friend before I turn to Riggs and find him watching me.
“What?”
He shakes his head as if snapping himself out of a trance before grabbing the plates on the counter. “I wasn’t sure what you liked.” He places a couple of slices of buttered toast on each plate before grabbing the pan of eggs.
“Just eggs for me. I’m a vegetarian.”
“Perfect. More bacon for me.” He smirks as he scoops some scrambled egg onto my plate. “Sit. Eat.”
“You’re bossy in the morning.”
“You slept in later than I thought you would. We have things to do today, and places to go.”
“We do?”
“We do.”
Not having consumed quite enough coffee to have a whole conversation yet, I grab a knife and fork and dig into my food, taking a moment to enjoy the simplicity of breakfast in my own house and not surrounded by dozens of other inmates.
He sits next to me once he’s plated up his food, and we eat in companionable silence until our food is gone.
“So fill me in on what’s happening. I feel like I’ve missed something.”
“I hope you don’t mind, but I answered your phone.
It wouldn’t stop ringing, and it was driving me nuts.
Anyway, two guys are coming out to check the cattle.
I’ve fed the animals in the stalls but haven’t been out to the pastures yet.
Thought I’d better check in with you first. I have another man willing to come this afternoon if the first guys don’t turn up. ”
“Alright, that’s all good. What else?”
“Your lawyer called. She wants you to call her back, same as the sheriff. There is also a town meeting tonight, which you’ve been invited to, according to some abrupt woman who didn’t leave their name.”
I blow out a sigh before walking around to place my empty plate in the dishwasher. “The phone calls can wait until later. What time are the first lot of guys coming to see the cattle?”
He looks down at his watch. “In about forty-five minutes.”
“That will work. You ride, Riggs?”
He looks at me, and the expression on his face makes my skin flush. “I know how to ride.” His voice drops an octave when he speaks.
“We can saddle up now and check on the pastures, see if there are any issues, before we have company. We won’t get around to everything, but we can make a start.”
“Sounds good. Let me just grab my hat and boots. I’ll meet you out by the stables.”
I nod and grab his empty plate, adding it to the dishwasher along with the things in the sink before heading out back.
As I’m already in dark blue jeans and a purple Henley, I don’t need to get changed.
I grab the sheepskin jacket I hung next to the door and throw it on before slipping my feet into a pair of brown cowboy boots.
I push my way outside, the day dull and gray with a hint of moisture in the air.
I feel invigorated when it fills my lungs, nonetheless.
I head to the stables and grab a handful of carrots from the bag hanging on a hook near the first stall.
I hadn’t really thought about the animals’ upkeep when I first fired everyone, my anger blinding me to the everyday tasks.
But if I have to come out here and clean and feed the horses every day until I figure out what I’m going to do with this place, then so be it.
I didn’t trust a single one of Dale’s or my father’s men, and I sure as shit won’t give them access to the ranch just to make things easier on myself.
I introduce myself to each of the horses, making my way down the line, snapping off a piece of carrot and offering it to them. It isn’t until I get to the second-to-last stall that the breath freezes in my lungs.
“Willow?” I gasp as a familiar dark head pokes over the gate. All dark except for the white star-like shape on her nose, Willow had been mine since the second I helped birth her. I thought my father would have sold her out of spite. Never in a million years did I expect her to still be here.
“Oh, girl, I missed you.” I run my hands over her before pressing my forehead to hers. Peace washes over me, making me gasp. “Willow?”
Love. Acceptance. Home.
It’s almost enough to bring me to my knees. “You missed me, too, huh? I’m so happy to see you.”
I pull back to look at her, but the tears blurring my eyes make it difficult. I reach for a carrot, snap it in half, and feed it to her. “You wanna take a ride with me, pretty girl?”
She chuffs at me, making me grin.
“I’m gonna take that as a yes.”
“You a horse whisperer or something?”
I whirl around at the sound of Riggs’s voice. “I swear I’m going to make you wear a bell.”
He grins, his eyes moving from me to Willow. “I thought she was going to bite my fingers off this morning when I fed her.”
“My girl doesn’t like people very much.”
That time, his grin is wider, showing a hint of straight white teeth. “Sounds like someone else I know.”
“I don’t dislike all people. I just don’t like people who are cruel or mean.
Or people who are users and posers. Fake people who act like false prophets spilling lies with a smile on their faces.
I don’t like people who let envy rule them, turning their red blood green, and narcissists who expect you to make them your whole world while they watch on with disinterest as you orbit around them, just hoping for these brief moments of sun—”
“So you dislike people.”
My shoulders slump. “People let you down. Animals don’t. They are who they are, and they don’t pretend to be anything else.”
“I don’t know. I had a dog once who was convinced it was a cat.”
I blink at him before I laugh. “Seriously?”
“Seriously. Found him tied to a trash can on the side of the road in Kabul. I have no idea what breed he was, but there was definitely some Great Dane in him and probably some St. Bernard. He was a little skinny thing one minute and a beast that could rival a hellhound the next, and yet he insisted on curling up in my lap.”
I chuckle at the picture of Riggs trapped under a giant dog. “He sounds adorable either way.”
“An adorable monster until he opened his mouth and meowed like a cat. Not quite so ferocious-sounding then.”
My cheeks hurt from laughing as I reach up and lift the latch on Willow’s stall. “Like I said, people suck, but animals are awesome.”
He nods, his jaw tight as he looks away for a moment.
“What’s happened to him?”
“I pulled in every favor I could so I could take him home with me. I must have worn them down somehow because eventually they agreed.” He swallows, lost in his memories.
“He led a team to us when we were held captive. He wasn’t a search-and-rescue dog.
He had no training, but he found us. He found me.
Another day and I wouldn’t have made it.
Sepsis had set in, and…it wasn’t good. He saved me.
Saved Hamish. And then before I had healed enough to collect him, someone hit him with a Humvee and killed him outright. ”
I cover my mouth with my hand. “That poor baby.”
He looks at me then and nods. “He was a good dog.”
I can’t help myself. I walk up to him and press myself to his chest, wrapping my arms around him. For a moment, he does nothing. Eventually, I feel his arms wrap around me in a soft but firm grip.
“What was his name?”
“Garfield.”
I tip my head back to look at him. That damn secret smile of his plays around the edges of his mouth.
“And you wonder why he thought he was a cat?” A heavy head lands on my shoulder. “Oof, easy, Willow. Easy, no need to be jealous. I love you the most.
“Pick a horse and mount up. Tack is on the wall over there,” I tell Riggs as I get Willow’s bridle, bit, and reins ready, followed by the saddle pad and saddle. I attach the stirrups to the saddle, and once I’m done, I turn to find Riggs finishing up himself.
I walk Willow out, murmuring to her softly. Once we’re outside, I hook my foot in the stirrups, heave myself up, and swing my leg over before leaning down and stroking my hand over Willow’s mane. “That’s my girl.”
Sitting on her back, I take a deep breath, feeling the rush of memories hit me.
So much damage was done on this land. But there is still beauty to be found, I remind myself as I press a kiss to Willow’s head before sitting up.
When Riggs joins us, I’m wired and raring to go.
He must see the excitement on my face because he looks at me with the same amusement someone might look at a child on Christmas morning.
“Show me what you got, Opie.”
“Opie?”
He doesn’t answer, but winks with his good eye before tearing off ahead of me.
“Oh, you sneak. Come on, Willow. Let’s show him how it’s done.”
Icould have ridden for hours. I forgot how much I loved it.
Though I’m sure I’ll be sore later, my body not used to the rigorous torment I just put it through, it was so worth it.
My only regret is having to cut it short.
As we approach the house, I get a tingle.
Visitors. I see them when I move toward the riding pen, two older men in Stetsons, leaning on the fence, talking as they watch us approach.
They must have walked around when nobody answered.
I slow down to a canter as Riggs moves up beside me.
“You ready for this?”
“As I’ll ever be.”
“Can I ask you a question that might piss you off?”
I look over at him. “What’s that?”
“Are you selling the cattle because you really don’t want a part of that anymore, or because you hate your father so much you want to erase every trace of him?”
I bite my lip so I don’t lash out. It’s a simple question, even if the answer is complicated.
“Perhaps a little of both. I have little interest in ranching. I have a lot of other ideas I want to try my hand at, though. Do I like knowing that selling off the parts of this place that he built will hurt him, fuck yes. But it’s more than that.
I don’t want my home, my safe space, surrounded by people I don’t trust, and I don’t trust anyone, Riggs.
So I’m not sure how I’d get around that. ”
“You trust me, at least a little, or I wouldn’t be here.”
“Maybe, but this place is too big for me and you to work alone.”
He rubs his jaw. “Don’t sell off any of the land. And though I think downsizing is a good idea if your heart isn’t in it, don’t get rid of all the cattle yet. I just don’t want you to make a decision you might later regret.”
I bite my lip, unsure. Truth is, I’ve never wanted to have a cattle ranch. I don’t see that changing. But the money it makes sustains it, so I wouldn’t need to touch my inheritance if I didn’t want to.
“I’d need someone to work the cattle I kept,” I tell him, curious to see his thoughts on that.
He grins. “Don’t let this pretty face fool you. I’m a cowboy through and through. I can keep things afloat until you’ve had time to think things over.”
I blow out a breath I didn’t even know I was holding. “Okay, Riggs. We’ll play things by ear. Now let’s see what these guys have to offer, and we’ll go from there.” He nods as we move the horses into the pen before dismounting.
I give Willow a bit of a fuss before removing her reins.
“I’ll be back to give you a rub down in a little while, and if you’re good, I’ll bring you a juicy apple.
” She nods her head, blowing warm breath all over me, making me laugh.
“Play nice with your friend.” I give her a kiss and head to the gate, where Riggs is waiting.
He closes and locks it, taking my reins from me.
As we move closer to the men, I look them over.
Both look to be in their late fifties to early sixties, but fit in that way only aging cowboys can be.
Dressed in pressed jeans, clean shirts, and Stetsons, I feel underdressed, which is stupid.
We aren’t dressed all that differently, but then women tend to be held to a higher standard than men when it comes to appearances.
“Gentlemen, it’s nice to meet you. I’m Calliope. This is my friend Riggs. I understand you’re interested in purchasing some of my cattle.”