Firelight at Mustang Ridge

by Jesse Hayworth

  Mindy gave a sad smile. “Me, too. But thanks for listening. I think I just needed to get that out there.”

  “Campfire, ho!” Wyatt’s call rang out down the line. Standing in his stirrups, he waved toward a smoky column in the middle distance, where a clearing showed through the trees. “It’s Misty Hill!”

  And that was it for Danny and Mindy’s quiet moment together. As Sam rode up to confer with Wyatt, Kevin twisted around, looking for his mother. “Mom? Hey, Mom. C’mere!”

  The two women rode up, Mindy to her family and Danny to where Sam, Krista, and Wyatt had their heads together. The meeting broke up as Danny reached it, and Sam reined in beside her to say, “Right on schedule. We’ll be in camp and have everyone settled by dinnertime, then get a bonfire going at sunset.”

  “That sounds perfect, especially the part about dinner. I’m starving.”

  Something must have shown in her face, because he glanced from her to Mindy and back again. “Everything okay?”

  “I’m just tired from the long ride. Give me my hiking boots any day.” And that was all it was, she told herself. That and knowing she couldn’t do anything to help Mindy. There wasn’t any other reason for her to be wistful, wasn’t any reason for her to feel like there were clouds on the horizon when the sky was crystal clear. She had a whole new life unfolding in front of her, complete with wonderful friends, an amazing boyfriend, and a dog of her very own. It would be beyond greedy to wish for more.

  * * *

  As much as Sam loved riding onto an untouched claim alone, on a horse that was loaded down with bedrolls, food, and prospecting gear, there was something equally cool about leading a dozen or so riders into a fully functional base camp that was ready to rock and roll. Axyl, Midas, and Murphy had worked their butts off to finish the solar- and wind-powered bunkhouse, with its outdoor shower, detached latrine, and dedicated cookshack. They had even raked everything clean and used scrap wood to build a stacked set of street signs that pointed in different directions, letting them know that it was three miles to the Crystal Cave, twenty miles to Mustang Ridge, thirty to Windfall, eight hundred and sixty to Disneyland, and three thousand to Alaska.

  “Impressive place you’ve built here,” Wyatt said, riding up beside him and clapping him on the shoulder. Then, nodding to the sign, he said, “What cave?”

  “A formation that Midas and Murph found with one of the new gadgets—they scanned a pocket at the back of a rock niche, and when they broke through . . . Well, let’s just say I heard them yelling all the way on the other side of the hill. You have to see it to believe it.”

  Wyatt’s eyes lit with interest. “Can we check it out while we’re here?”

  “That’s the plan. Danny and I figured we would tell the others about it tonight, then make it be an end-of-the-day treat tomorrow, after we dig.”

  “You guys really have this planned out. And get a load of this setup.” Wyatt swept a hand around the camp. “I’ll have to tell Krista to double what we’re paying you for the overnight.”

  “What’s twice nothing again?” Sam asked. “Oh, right. Still nothing.”

  “How about a round at the Rope Burn for you and your guys when we get back?”

  “Plus a basket of fries,” Sam said, upping the ante because it was Wyatt. He was happy to help out with the guests, and he was enjoying the teaching side of things more than he would have expected. Most of all, though, he wanted to help Danny find her footing with her new business plan, wanted her to know she could do anything she set her mind to, and that he’d be right there with her.

  “She’s over there.” Wyatt hooked a thumb, letting Sam know he hadn’t been at all subtle scanning the clearing for her. “And I want it noted that I told you so.”

  “Told me what?” Sam was only half listening, watching Danny with little Sonja, who was still mounted on her fat, sassy pony.

  “That one of these days you’d meet the right woman and change your mind about pairing off.”

  “Whoa.” Zeroing back in on his friend, Sam held up his hands in a time-out gesture. “Hang on. Don’t go hanging labels on me and Danny. We’re doing our own thing.”

  “Yeah. It’s called a relationship.”

  “Sure, we’re”—lovers, sleeping together, just plain together—“involved. Boyfriend and girlfriend, even. But don’t go painting me with your baby-and-wedding brush. That’s your thing, not mine.”

  Wyatt just shrugged. “You keep telling yourself that, Babcock.” He reined his horse around and rode off, headed for where Junior was working on the picket line and portable electric fence. Turning back, he called, “Oh, and when you change your mind? You can buy me a round down at the Burn.”

  * * *

  Over the next few hours, everyone settled into the camp routine, helping tend to the horses and put together a dinner that might not have been up to Gran’s standards, but was far better than the pick-a-can meals Danny had eaten over the campfire at Blessing Valley. It was strange to think back on those weeks with nostalgia when it really hadn’t been that long ago, but she supposed it was a sign of how far she had come.

  As night fell around them and the horses dozed on their picket line, Sam and Wyatt built a bonfire, and the guests all gathered around. Jon—tall and quiet, and still seeming wary around the half siblings he was just getting to know—pulled out his harmonica and led the way through some campfire songs. The haunting notes floated up on the air, and in the firelit darkness with Sam’s arms around her, it was easy for Danny to imagine they were back in time, driving a herd of cattle to the railhead. Or prospecting for gold.

  When the last note trailed off, she joined in the applause that swelled up. Jon’s half sister, Maura, gave an approving whistle. “That was amazing! I can’t believe it. Mom always said she couldn’t carry a tune in a bucket.”

  Abel poked her in the ribs. “Sst. He doesn’t want to talk about her, remember?”

  Jon ducked his head, scrubbed the back of his neck, and said, “It’s okay, I guess. My real parents . . . I mean my other parents. Well, you know what I mean. Anyway, even though they told me that my meeting you guys wouldn’t ever change things, I kept thinking that I didn’t have room for another whole family. Now, though. Out here.” He tipped his head back and looked up at the stars. “It feels like there’s room for everything, doesn’t it?”

  Maura leaned forward. “Does that mean you’ve got room for us?”

  Abel poked her again. “Mo!”

  “It’s okay.” Jon cracked the first smile Danny had seen out of him. “I’m getting used to her. In fact, I’m getting used to both of you. And, yeah, I think I’ve got room for more family, if it includes you two.”

  Maura whooped and launched herself at Jon, who caught her reflexively and nearly went over backward. He held himself stiff for a second, then awkwardly hugged her back as a second round of applause broke out.

  As Abel peeled his sister off, then gave his big brother a manly half-hug-half-backslap, Mindy drifted back into the circle and sat next to Declan, the two of them separated by several feet. It wasn’t until she reappeared that Danny realized she had slipped away.

  “Are the kids asleep?” Danny asked.

  Mindy nodded. “They’re down for the count. It’s hard to tell if they’re even breathing, they’re that tired.”

  “They’ll be up early,” Declan predicted. “Kevin especially is dying to look for fossils.”

  “There’s a likely spot near where we’ll be,” Sam said, his voice rumbling beneath Danny’s cheek. “I’ll show you where it is, what to look for.”

  “I’d appreciate it.”

  “Why don’t you two take a walk, get some alone time?” Krista said. “Wyatt and I will keep an ear out for the kids.”

  “Oh!” Mindy glanced at her husband. “We couldn’t impose.”

  “We insist.” Krista shooed them a
way from the fire. “Go on, they’ll be fine.”

  Unable to find a good reason not to—at least that was how Danny interpreted his expression—Declan stood and silently held out a hand for his wife. Moments later, they disappeared into the darkness.

  Danny crossed her fingers for them.

  The group around the fire stayed quiet for a minute, save for the crackle of wood, making Danny think she wasn’t the only one straining to hear the start of a healing conversation. After a moment, Krista stirred and stood. “We’re going to hang out in the lodge for a bit, so we’ll be in earshot if the kids wake up.”

  “I’m going to call it a night, too,” Doug said. “My saddle sores have saddle sores.”

  By ones and twos, the others drifted to the main building, which had been set up with extra cots and bedding, until eventually it was just Sam and Danny, cuddled together and staring into the fire—warm, drowsy, and content.

  “I’ve got a surprise for you,” he said after a bit, his words echoing in her ear and through her body.

  “Oh?”

  “Let’s douse the fire, and I’ll show you.”

  They made short work of the burned-down bonfire, and as the darkness closed in, he clicked his high-powered flash on and took her hand. “This way.”

  It wasn’t until the nighttime quiet closed around her that she realized how loud her day had been, how crowded. She let out a soft sigh. “Ah. Peace and quiet.”

  “That was what I was thinking.” He brought her up beside him, slipped an arm around her waist, and shone his flashlight ahead of them, to where her tent was pitched between two trees and surrounded by her bear fence—a small oasis of privacy away from the others.

  “Oh, Sam!” She put her hand to her mouth. “You did this for me?”

  “Well, I got Murph to help me. He swung over to Blessing Valley and grabbed everything for us, and brought it all up here yesterday.” He gathered her close and kissed the corner of her mouth. “Normally I don’t mind bunking with the guys in the camp shack, but these days I’m not interested in sharing cot space with anyone but you.”

  “Thank you.” She turned in his arms and kissed him, long, slow, and sweet, thanking him for his thoughtfulness, and for understanding her so thoroughly. And, really, that was all that mattered. She didn’t need to know exactly what things were going to look like a year from now, or even a few months. Because now, right this minute, they were pretty darn perfect.

  * * *

  The next morning, with the breakfast dishes washed and the crowd starting to get restless, Danny finished lacing her hiking boots and announced, “Okay, now I’m officially in heaven.”

  Sam shot her an amused look over his second mug of coffee. “All it takes is a pair of hiking boots? I’ll have to remember that.”

  “Hiking boots.” She leaned in and laid a smacking kiss on him. “Bacon and eggs. A pretty morning. A tent away from the crowd. Sharing a sleeping bag with my sweetie. Take your pick.”

  “How about all of the above?”

  “That’ll do.” Stepping up on one of the sawed-off logs that had been set near the firepit as makeshift seating, she waited until the buzz of conversation died down. Then, pitching her voice to carry, she said, “Okay, Mustang Ridgers. What do you guys say? Are you ready to hunt some gems?” That got her an excited cheer, with lots of clapping and happy noises. As it died down, she took a quick headcount, relief kicking in when she caught sight of Mindy and Declan at the edge of the crowd, each with a kid by the hand. She couldn’t tell if they had worked things out, but at least they were standing within touching distance of each other. When things went quiet once more, she continued. “I know you’re all itching to get on the trail just as much as I am, so I’m just going to say watch your step, keep an eye on each other and your surroundings, speak up if something starts hurting or you see something that doesn’t look safe, ask as many questions as you like . . . and above all, have fun!”

  Sam led the rousing cheer that followed, and the prospectors-to-be set off down the path. As they strung out along the trail, Jon lifted his voice, clear and cheerful, leading them in a cadence. “I don’t know, but I been told . . . Misty Hills are full of gold . . .”

  As the repeats echoed off the rocky hillsides that rose on either side of them, Danny looked back and saw Krista and Wyatt holding hands and marching along, with the Bright family behind them, linked together with the kids in the middle.

  “Mus-tang Ridg-ers,” the chorus rang out loud and clear. “Mus-tang Ridg-ers!”

  There was no doubt about it—today was going to be a good day.

  18

  “I think I found one!” Maura shouted from the shallow pocket she’d been working, where bluish streaks of crumbling stone hinted at gemstones beneath.

  Feeling the familiar kick of interest, Sam headed to where the others were crowded around her, doing the ooh-and-aah thing. “Well, gang? What’s the verdict?”

  “Gemstone, definitely,” pronounced Doug, squinting at the rock with all the expertise of a guy who had flipped through a couple of field guides. “I’m thinking topaz.”

  Maura squealed and held it out to Sam. “Topaz! Say it’s topaz!”

  “Geez, Mo.” Abel pretended to clear out his ear. “Bordering on dog-whistle territory there.”

  But Sam grinned. “You know what? I think you may have something here.”

  Her brothers cheered, and Danny stepped up with the rinse bucket. “Here. Give it a swish.” She was wearing a T-shirt that read WE WILL ROCK YOU across the front, her hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and dirt was smudged along one cheekbone. And as far as Sam was concerned, she was looking mighty fine.

  Shooting her a wink of thanks, he swished the stone in the rinse water, then whistled as he caught a gleam of greenish blue. “Hello.”

  “Is it topaz?” Maura demanded.

  “Looks more like aqua.” He held it out to her. “And a nice one to boot.”

  “Boo-yah!” She did a happy dance, arms and legs flying. “Queen of the Claim! Oh, yeah. That’s me!” Hooking arms with Danny, she did a do-si-do.

  “Is there more?” Abel hunkered down where she had been digging.

  “Maybe.” Sam held out a rock hammer. “How about you have a go? You’re going to want to look for—”

  “No!” The sharp word cracked across the claim, whipping Sam’s head around, to where Mindy, Declan, and the kids had been digging. Except now she was glaring at her husband with her fists balled at her sides like she wanted to take a swing at him.

  Flushing, he snapped, “Calm down, Mindy. We can talk—”

  “No, I won’t calm down, and no, we can’t talk about it later. We never do.”

  Kevin and Sonja had been picking through the shale at their parents’ feet, looking for fossils. Now they were frozen in place, staring up at their mother’s angry face as she drilled a finger into her husband’s chest. “I’ve had it, Declan. I can’t take it anymore. I want a di—”

  “Time-out!” Wyatt stepped between them, making a T shape with his hands. Krista was right behind him.

  As Sam started forward to help, Danny swooped in and crouched down between Kevin and Sonja. “Hey, you two. I think it’s time for us to check out the Crystal Cave. Are you up for an adventure?”

  “Great idea!” Sam dropped the rinse bucket so hard that it sloshed. “Everybody make sure you’ve got your flashlight, and a camera if you’ve got one. You’re not going to believe your eyes.” And if moving the cave up on the schedule meant that the kids didn’t have to hear whatever was coming next, he was all for it. Especially when their mother—red-faced and miserable—shot them a grateful look.

  Maybe it was losing his own mom early on, but Sam had never understood why someone would want to hold on to something after it had gotten so bad, so hurtful. More, he didn’t get how parents could put their kids in the
middle of something like this, or even on its edges. Sonja was pale and wide-eyed, her brother resolute, like he wasn’t all that surprised by what was going down. And damn, that pissed him off. If a man couldn’t commit a hundred percent to sticking by his wife and kids, then he shouldn’t have signed on in the first place.

  Wyatt caught his eye and jerked his head. “Go on. Get them out of here. Krista and I have got this.”

  Which was probably a good thing, because if Sam had to deal with Declan right now, it wouldn’t be pretty. Gritting his teeth, he said, “Okay, gang. We’re moving out. Next stop is the Crystal Cave!”

  * * *

  Grateful to Sam for taking the lead, Danny kept up a bright, brittle-feeling stream of chatter as the group walked the short distance to the cave. She pointed out a hawk soaring high overhead, a bush loaded with poisonous berries, and the tracks of a lone coyote. Kevin nodded now and then, but Sonja kept looking back over her shoulder with her lower lip aquiver.

  Whiz, bless him, stuck close to the kids, sniffing from one to the other like he wanted to chase away their held-back tears as the group turned off the main trail and clambered up the rocky hill.

  “This is it,” Sam announced, stopping at a pounded-flat spot where there were numerous bootprints in the dusty soil. There, Midas and Murph had dug out a low triangular opening, worming between huge slabs of rock.

  Keeping up the facade, Danny enthused, “I know it doesn’t look like much from out here, but that’s part of the fun.” She hadn’t been inside, but she had seen pictures. So she wasn’t exactly fibbing when she went down on her knees in front of Kevin and Sonja and said brightly, “It’s really pretty in there. Like a cave full of treasure!”

  Abel, Jon, Maura, Chase, and Doug crowded close, peering at the opening with exclamations of “I don’t know if I’m going to fit through there” and “What happens if we get stuck?”

  The last one hit a little too close to home, but Danny kept her attention on Kevin as his eyes darted from her to the cave mouth and back. “Do you want to go first?” she asked. “Sam can take you, if you want.”