A pang of sympathy hit her in the chest as she looked at the older woman. She was genuinely worried, not because she wanted to keep Sarah locked up but because Mrs. Casey had believed her parents all these years, and she was just trying to keep Sarah safe. She reached out and gave the older woman a hug. “I’m going to be fine,” she said softly. “I’ll be back tomorrow. You won’t even know I’m gone.”
She could do this. She trusted herself, and she trusted that Cade would have her back if she faltered. Time would fly.
…
It was the longest day of Cade’s life, and they were only one hour into the drive.
Trouble had started before Sarah had arrived at the barn. He’d explained the positions everyone would be riding, and he was obviously going to be the point man and lead the team. After a lot of deliberation, he’d decided he was going to have Sarah by his side instead of the next most qualified cowboy. It had been a tough call, but he needed to make sure she was safe. That hadn’t gone over too well—he could tell when he was met with silence. But at the end of the day he answered to Sarah, not these guys. And all this land, all this cattle, was hers. They were just a bunch of cowboys.
They still had five miles to go, but the weather was already changing. Clouds were dancing in and around the mountains, and the wind had picked up. He knew the mountain areas because of his work on Ty’s farm. It would be even more dangerous if the ground was slick with rain. He was also just getting to know these men, which wasn’t ideal on a cattle drive. He’d have liked to be more familiar with all of them first, but he was going to have to make do.
Cows bellowed in the distance, and they slowed as they came to a clearing. Glancing around, he brought his horse closer to Sarah. “How are you doing?” he asked, keeping his voice low.
She turned to him, her cheeks pink and her eyes alive. “Fantastic!”
He couldn’t help the slight smile he gave her, but he didn’t want to show any coddling behavior, so he quickly schooled his features. “I’m going to try and avoid bodies of water once we have the cattle or they’re going to want to stop and drink and not get moving again. Most of them will travel together, since they’re herd animals, but there’s always a troublemaker or two, and we can’t afford to leave anyone behind.” Losing a couple cattle meant a couple grand left on the table, and that just wasn’t done. You didn’t get to go home until all the cattle were home, and that was a fact, as tired as you were.
She nodded, listening attentively. “Okay, got it.”
“I’m also hoping we can avoid the rain. Some of those trails in the mountains are brutal at best, and we’ll have to go single file. If I think something’s too dangerous…”
“Treat me the same as everyone else,” she said.
Like hell he would. She wasn’t like everyone else. She was inexperienced and far too important to risk. She owned this whole operation—was the sole owner, in fact—and besides, Mrs. Casey would string him up by his toes if he let her get hurt.
“Okay,” he said, lying, before starting up again.
There had always been something so awe-inspiring about riding through the open-range country, and Joshua Ranch had almost thirty thousand acres of the nicest land in Montana. With nearly a thousand head of cattle, they had their work cut out for them. But he had never minded hard work. The biggest reward at the end of the day was sitting by the campfire, under the stars of big sky country.
He kind of loved that he was getting to show Sarah that part of this life.
By the time they’d made camp, everyone was dirty and tired. Tomorrow would be the real work, when they started the ride home, after they’d gathered a few of the cattle that were in the mountains. Normally he’d go and find them, but he didn’t want Sarah up there on those trails. He was contemplating sending one of the more experienced men, as long as Sarah didn’t figure out what he was doing.
He ran his hands through his hair and let his gaze roam their campsite. The rain had held off, so at least they didn’t have to worry about that. For now.
After a hell of a day, all the men had scattered, some around the fire, some already lying down. Of course the hell part had been Sarah. Not that she’d done anything wrong—she’d been a trouper out there, and her skill as a rider was obvious. Having a woman out there with them added a different dynamic, though; no one could deny it. They all watched out for her, even though she’d held her own. And for Cade, there was constant worry in the back of his mind that she was going to get hurt and he’d feel responsible. Edna’s stern expression kept popping into his mind, and he could practically hear the woman’s scary voice warning him to watch over Sarah. He knew Sarah must be wiped tonight—he was, but at least he was used to this.
He glanced over at where Sarah was seated on her sleeping bag, using that bottle of foaming, strawberry-scented hand sanitizer that she kept offering to everyone. She caught his eye and dangled the bottle in his direction.
“No, thanks. I don’t like smelling like strawberries.”
“Oh. You prefer germs?”
He slowly pulled out his own bottle from his bag and with a slow smile used the lemon-scented cleanser. She laughed softly, and he noticed most of the other men smiled at the feminine sound.
“I guess lemons are manlier than strawberries?”
“Damn straight.” He settled back on his sleeping bag. He didn’t care how it looked—he’d set himself up beside Sarah. Everyone here seemed like good men, but he hadn’t known them that long. He had never been the trusting kind, had never really given men the benefit of the doubt, mostly because the ones in his childhood hadn’t left him with the best impression of adults. The only men he’d ever trusted in his life were Dean, Tyler, and Tyler’s father, Martin.
“Sarah, can I have some?” Jesse asked, suddenly appearing in front of them.
Sarah’s face lit up. “Of course,” she said, squirting his hands a few times. A couple of seconds later, there was an entire damn lineup, and the whole campfire smelled like a strawberry farm. With a self-satisfied smile, Sarah put her bottle beside her pillow.
She looked as though she’d just won the lottery, but he knew by tomorrow night, she was going to be in pain, and the pretty smile would be gone. It was one thing to be a good rider and entirely another to be in the saddle all day, roping, branding, trailing. They had enough men out here and they didn’t really need her help, but this was important to her.
This was her ranch, her operation, her right. He admired her for taking ownership, and he had a feeling the other men did, too.
He glanced over at Sarah. She was staring up at the star-littered sky.
“Good night,” he said softly.
She turned to him, her eyes glittering. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For the best day of my life.”
Her words hit him somewhere deep inside, catching him off guard, making him want to know so much more. How a woman who had grown up with money, with a ranch to her name, could call this the best day of her life. He wanted to know the loneliness inside her, the one that clung to her words, that glittered in her eyes, which he could understand. She turned abruptly, huddling under her sleeping bag, leaving him staring at the back of her head.
He linked his hands behind his head and rested on his back, Sarah’s words echoing through him as he stared at the sky. He’d known the moment he’d met her that there was something different about her, something that spoke to him, or spoke to the man inside him, the one he’d always wanted to be.
This ranch had seemed like the opportunity of a lifetime, but he’d never counted on the people here becoming something more to him. He hadn’t been searching for ties or heartache. But Sarah was a woman who had him thinking about all those things. He’d never seen such a mix of sheer will, strength, stamina, and vulnerability.
He’d also never met someone who he was attracted
to like this. He’d barely touched her, and yet the moment she walked within his vicinity, something happened to him. He was aware of her on a different level. Having her lying beside him, especially here under the stars and wide-open Montana night sky he loved, made him…happy.
Having her lying beside him also had him thinking about all the reasons he shouldn’t be thinking any of this.
He sat up after a half hour and scanned their campground area, noting most of the men were asleep. The fire crackled and sparked, and he lay back down, content that this was the world he’d created for himself. This was a far cry from the life he’d once led. This group of cowboys, the woman sleeping beside him, trusted him. Sometimes the thought of how far he’d come would humble him and other times would raise him up. This life was one that he wouldn’t trade in for anything, and he would never jeopardize his accomplishments and his position.
Not for anyone.
…
By noon, Sarah was wondering if she’d ever make it home. She’d die before asking anyone for help, but every part of her body was aching and she was covered in so much dust and dirt, she was pretty sure it would never wash off. Yesterday had been the best day of her life and today was…a more challenging day, but she wouldn’t give this up for the world. It was necessary.
They were waiting for a few of the cows who’d wandered into a pond. No one was wanting to get into the muddy water to chase them out, so they were all trying to be patient.
She turned as Cade approached. How the heck did he manage to look so good and full of energy? She sat a little straighter in the saddle and quickly tried to brush away some of the dust she felt settling onto her face. Sadly, she was pretty sure she might have unintentionally added mud to it. “How you doing?”
She forced a wide smile. “Great. So great.”
He gave her a nod like he actually believed her. “We’ve got two cows up in the mountains and—”
“Let’s go get them!”
He took off his hat and mussed up his hair for a moment before putting it back on. Good grief, he was attractive even when he wasn’t trying to be. “It’s narrow trails up there.”
“Great. The narrower the better.”
He bent his head and rubbed the back of his neck.
“Come on, Cade. You wouldn’t think twice if I was your friend Tyler.”
He clenched his jaw for a moment and then nodded. “Fine. But I call the shots, and you have to listen to me.”
She placed her hand over her heart. “I promise. I won’t cause you any problems.”
Something flashed across his eyes. “Fine. We leave in five minutes.”
She held on to her squeal of victory and sat silently and watched as he went over to a group of the cowboys. She assumed he was telling them his plans. Trying not to look obvious, she watched to see if anyone looked upset. But they all seemed nonplussed, and a few minutes later, Cade was signaling to follow him.
They took off in the direction of the mountains. Sarah drew a long, deep breath and allowed herself to acknowledge the magnitude of what she was accomplishing. The land that stretched around them wasn’t for the weak or the faint of heart; this was land that could break a person. But she was here, she was riding with the toughest men, and she was keeping up. This was only the beginning for her—she would keep learning and trying until she was just as valuable a team member as any of the cowboys.
She loved it.
Cade paused at the foothills of the mountain, his profile to her, his back straight. He looked as though he belonged here. He was completely at home with his surroundings, his body as powerful as the rugged terrain that surrounded him.
She glanced up at the sky, squinting against the sun, and her breath caught as a feeling washed over her. Josh. This was supposed to be their dream, their job. But as Cade turned to her, his jaw set and his features hard, she knew that this was right where she should be. That Cade was supposed to be here. Somehow, she felt like Josh would approve.
“Let’s go.”
Sarah nodded and kept her eyes on the trail. Pretty soon, there was no time to be thinking of Josh or anyone as Cade located the two cows. “We can take that trail back down, but we’re going to have to split up so they don’t get jammed on the narrow trail that follows the river. Let your horse take it easy and slow. I know you can ride, but this is different. We could slide down that slope into the river with just one misstep,” he said, his voice grim.
Sarah nodded.
“I don’t want to leave you behind me, but I have to be the one to lead,” he said. A gust of chilly wind swirled around, and the cows bellowed. She knew they had to go.
“Don’t worry,” she said, not letting her nervousness show.
He looked worried. “Okay. Be careful. Call out if you need help.”
She nodded, and in a few minutes, they began their descent. Her stomach was in knots, but she kept her eyes fixed on Cade’s form ahead, the cows between them, and slowly followed along. Rocks tumbled down into the valley beside them in a disconcerting, erratic manner as they rode along. She did as Cade instructed and let her mare do the work, trusting that they would manage without slipping down that hill.
By the time they reached flat land, her muscles ached with pent-up tension. “We did it,” she said.
He gave her a smile, and his eyes shone with…something. “We did. Now, let’s see if we can catch up with everyone else,” he said, tilting his head in the direction of the ranch.
“How many miles until we reach home pasture?”
He grimaced. “You don’t want to know. We’d better get started.”
She nodded, trying to look as though she wasn’t worried at all.
…
Sarah was pretty sure that by the time she reached her house, she’d be crawling up the stairs. If she’d thought she was exhausted when she woke that morning, the rest of the second day tore her apart. Everything was on fire. Each step away from the barn and toward the main house took so much energy that she didn’t think she could keep going.
As soon as she was out of eyesight of the men, Sarah let her shoulders fall and slowed her walk, trying not to curse out loud with each step. Her palms were blistered and close to bleeding, her legs felt like they were a mix of fire, and her joints were so stiff that just the thought of having to climb the stairs made her want to cry, because swearing in the house wasn’t an option.
She stole a glance behind her, seeking out the figure of one man among all those cowboys. She spotted Cade immediately, not going in the direction of the bunkhouse or his house, instead striding toward her. His hat was pulled down low, but he moved with the same grace and strength as always. You would never think they’d just been on the same cattle drive. She tried not to hate him for it.
“Hi,” he said as soon as he was within earshot.
“Hi,” she said.
“I, uh, I just wanted to say that you did good out there; you should be proud of yourself. Get a good night’s sleep. Tomorrow you’re going to hurt like hell, but that satisfaction of what you accomplished will help you get through it—along with some ibuprofen. It’s a pleasure to work alongside you.”
That praise pierced her in the heart. This man she barely knew had offered her more praise in two weeks’ time than her parents ever had. She had accomplished so little the last ten years and now, here she was, pursuing her dreams, not failing, not scared. “You too. Thank you for never patronizing me or holding me back. This was very personal for me,” she said, holding his gaze.
“I get that. So…I’ll pick you up tomorrow around seven?”
“Tomorrow?”
“The welcome-back party,” he said.
Right. That was tomorrow. She wasn’t sure she’d even be able to walk tomorrow, let alone go to a party. “Yes, uh, of course. Looking forward to it,” she said, alarmed that her voice sounded breathy. It
wasn’t a date.
“Me too.” He reached forward and gently grasped her wrists, and her breath caught in her throat as he slowly turned them over, looking at her hands. Her palms were blistered and dirty. He held her hands gently in his larger ones and winced. “Take a long, hot shower and clean these out, then put some kind of balm on them. Drink a lot of water, have dinner and ibuprofen. You’ll wake up feeling like a new person.”
Her breath was caught somewhere between here and the reality of how easy it would be to fall for this man. He didn’t coddle her like everyone else. He hadn’t dismissed her—he’d helped build her up into the beginnings of the person she wanted to be. He hadn’t judged her, hadn’t made her feel inferior—he’d encouraged her and he’d helped her. No, he’d given her everything she’d ever wanted since he’d come to work here, so many dreams come true.
With that, he gave a small tip of his hat, and her throat constricted painfully as she stared into his eyes, shadowed under the hat’s brim. He turned and strode back toward his house, broad shoulders, lean form, walking as though there wasn’t an ache in his entire body…and he became the star of every single fantasy she’d ever had about the kind of man she wanted. She placed her hand over her racing heart. Wow.
The screech from the house, followed by the sound of the screen door bouncing against the frame and Mrs. Casey running toward her, lurched Sarah back into the reality of her actual situation and not her fantasies about Cade.
“What happened to you? Are you injured?”
“I’m fine,” Sarah said, her hand dropping from her chest. She forced herself to keep walking because she was afraid if she stopped for much longer, she’d need a stretcher to get her into the house.
“You were clutching your heart as though you were having chest pains.”
She wasn’t even allowed to have a five-second fantasy? Not that she was admitting what she’d been thinking to Mrs. Casey. “I was on a cattle drive, not high tea—of course I’m going to look like a wreck.”
Sarah walked up the back steps, her knees protesting the movement. She could barely even think straight at this point. She also wanted to keep replaying what Cade had said to her and what it had felt like when he’d stood so close and touched her. Or last night, when he’d slept beside her. She hadn’t felt so…safe like that since she was a child.
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