by Barb Shuler
Jefferson and Carlisle Brant were both disgusting human beings. Period. I learned that the day I was hired as Mr. Brant’s new administrative assistant. See, Oliver Brant was an upstanding, kind hearted man. I liked him, a lot. Too bad his sons missed that boat. Though, I've met their mother and she's not much better. Oliver married and mated with the she beast, who was a decade - at least - younger than himself and that's where the twin hellspawns came from. Shuddering, I shut the back door to the SUV and sighed. Maybe if things were different and I wasn't the ‘ice queen’ as they called me, I would have stayed. But as it was, I wouldn't let myself be used like some whore. I loved myself a helluva lot more than that.
I shifted myself so I could give Tango the “go pee” hand signal, which was just me pointing. He didn't need it twice. I looked at my watch and smiled. Two hours, I think that's all it takes for us to get to the place…. crap, I forgot the name. Moving to the passenger side of my vehicle I opened the door, pulled out the notebook where I kept everything and found the reservations page. Yeah, I was a little OCD but I wasn't stupid enough to not keep up with my spending and contacts along the way.
“Ah, there it is,” I said, sighing as I slid my finger down the page. “Abernathy Cannon Ranch.” Closing my book I stretched, turned and whistled for Tango. He rounded the car and was up in the seat before I had time to really blink. “I'm gonna put a bell on you. Whatcha think about that?” I scrubbed my hands along his neck and scratched behind his ears.
“Ready to go?” With a lick to my face and a bark that made my ears ring, I shook my head, shut his door and ran around to get in. Within fifteen minutes we were back on the road, and hopefully we’d be crossing the border in an hour or so. That all depended on traffic. I sang along to the radio, ignoring the GPS app on my phone that kept cutting in and out. I wasn't stressing over any of this. I just wanted to enjoy the ride, and with Jason Aldean singing along with me, my day was going great.
An hour and fifty six minutes later we were making a wide turn onto the dirt road the GPS indicated. There wasn't much around, just mountains, grasslands and cattle. Or at least I thought they were cattle. The sun was starting to get lower and I was exhausted. My body was not sure what time zone we were in anymore so I stopped trying to sleep on a schedule. It was all too much to keep track of. I followed the road, going slower than normal since I wasn't sure where I was.
Ten minutes later we were rounding a curvy part of the road when something stormed out in front of us. I shrieked and slammed on the brakes, throwing myself against the steering wheel and swerving off the road. Tango was growling and barking, but what caught my attention was the sound of metal shrieking, another engine roaring, and then silence.
2
When Tempers Fly
Georgie
I shook my head, and a pain shot through my right arm as I sat back. I tried to orient myself. It was then that I heard Tango. My ears had stopped ringing, I think. Tango was whining and growling next to me. Before I could move he was jumping into the back seat and back. He was agitated. I shifted in my seat so I could see what was outside. What had run across the road? God, was some poor animal hurt? Was it a person?
“Tango, heel!” I snapped. As soon as I could get my bearings, I opened my door, but before my feet could hit the ground he was out. He was limping. His front shoulder must have hit the dash. Before I could panic he moved to stand before me, with his lips pulled back, and teeth glistening with saliva. I glanced around but couldn't see anything thanks to the darkness growing around us. We were in the middle of nowhere, literally, and I couldn't see ten feet in front of me. Great.
I heard faint voices and rustling in the grass beyond us. I started to freak out a little. Using my left hand, I grabbed my pistol from the holster under the seat of my truck. Don't worry, I have a concealed carry permit and know the laws. I've never had to pull it on anyone, or on any animal before, but out here a girl has to be safe.
As the voices grew louder I heard the sound of engines. ATV’s maybe? I wasn't sure. There was a grunting sound coming from the back of the SUV. I inched around, wincing as a pain shot through my knee. Had I hit it too? Or stepped wrong? Tango’s snarls grew as the rustling across the road grew and a shape darted out. I shrieked and lurched to grab Tango by the harness he wore.
“Tango! No!” I was ignored since he thought there was danger. I had to drop the gun into the seat and tug him back with both hands. Tears rolled down my face as the pain in my arm worsened.
“Tango! Bad dog! Heel your big ass!” Another body moved out of the bushes and I shrieked again when I was tugged out into the road. There were lights moving closer. That's when I saw it. There was someone on the ground, an ATV flipped over and the side of my trailer was smashed in.
“Oh my God,” I tried to move closer to the body on the ground. That's when the two dogs darted over the road and to the person there. It was a he, I could tell by the voice as he called the dogs by name.
“I'm okay, I think. Lady, Daisy, back. Sit!” They sat, though their gazes never left Tango. He was calmer now but his lips were still pulled back. His body was tensed and ready for an attack. When the guy’s helmet came off I got a look at him. He was about sixteen, seventeen maybe. God, I'd smooshed a kid.
“Hey, kid, you hurt?” I said, my gaze going to the vehicles that were now pulling up to us.
“I’m okay, I'm sorry, ma’am. Are you okay? Don't let him eat me, please,” the kid pleaded as I tugged Tango back. It's a damn good thing I was in shape - well sorta, at least I had a little more strength than I had, say, four years ago - or he'd have drug me across the road and been on that kid or his dogs already. They were sitting calmly, but alert. Jesus, why wouldn’t he just chill?
Three more ATVs joined them and I had to once again tug Tango back. His need to protect me was wearing on my nerves. “Tango, enough, goddammit! Sit!” He must have heard the anger, or pain in my voice because he sat, right on my foot. I sighed, relaxing my arms slightly but didn't dare let him go. I grabbed the door so I could shift and tugged his harness.
“Load up.” He didn't move at first but with a second tug he was up in the seat. I rolled the window down slightly and shut the door softly. Taking a breath I moved over to the kid slowly, stopping when his dogs both sat up and growled.
“I'm not gonna hurt him, honest. Good dogs,” I said, inching closer. He stood about the time I got to him.
“I'm okay, really,” He groaned. “Nothing busted but my pride…” he trailed off as we looked at my trailer. I wiped at my face and sighed.
“You shouldn't be moving until you've been looked at. You could have injuries you can't see or feel,” I said, looking him over. “Your lip’s bleeding.”
“Yeah, I bit it when I jumped off the ATV. That's what hurt. Well, that and this road isn't that soft.” He joked but I scowled. Were all men stupid or what?
“I could have run you over, or God forbid….”
“Daniel! Dude, I'm gonna kill you. What did you do?” A tall, well built man jumped out of a truck and ran over to the kid. I looked at the others as they got out and I stepped back.
“I'm fine, Tater. Did they catch him? The two sows cut to the left at the last minute and the bull went right. I went with him and cut in front of this lady. I had to jump off or be road kill,” his words were said with a laugh, but they hit hard. I could have killed someone's kid.
My stomach flipped as I took another step back. Oh, I didn't feel so good. Tango was losing his shit inside the truck, no doubt feeding off of my distress. I managed to get to the roadside beside my vehicle before I lost every bit of what was in my stomach. My stomach cramped as I jerked, trying to not fall over. A wave of dizziness had me leaning against the front of my SUV.
“Ma’am, are you alright?”
“Ma, she's puking!”
“Holy shit, that dogs gonna break the window! Move out of the way.”
“I saw what happened from the outlook. She could have killed you!”<
br />
“Tater, it wasn't her fault. I didn't see her until it was too late. There’s no way she could have seen me, either.”
Words swirled around me until I was covered in them. I could hear Tango snarling and scratching at the window of the SUV. I pushed the hands on my arm away and shifted against the truck, using it to steady me. Once I got to the door I looked up at my poor dog, who was going crazy. “Tango, quiet!” My voice echoed through the voices around us. It was now quiet. I had yelled, yes, but now that I was being faced by a crowd I was starting to panic. Both of my weapons - Tango and my .45 - were in the truck. I took a deep breath and held up a hand as the man talking to the kid pushed his way forward.
“I'm so sorry, it all happened so fast,” I stammered.
“Lady, where did you learn to drive? You could have killed him. Are you dense?” He barked out at me. I narrowed my eyes and pushed myself to stand my entire five foot ten inches tall and poked a finger at him.
“Back off, Cowboy, or you'll be picking ya ass up off the ground. I did not cause this! I did not run into him, he ran into me. So back the fuck up,” I snapped. My stomach rolled again but I refused to let him see me squirm. His glare was met by my own.
“Sorry, Princess, I-”
“Nathaniel, stop it, right now!” An older woman, who was tiny and silvered at the temple pushed her way to him. He backed up. She gave me a small smile as I laid my throbbing arm over my chest. “Sweetheart, forgive my sons. Apparently they're both being idiots today.”
“Ma,” they both said with a groan. I had to bite back a smile when she gave me a cheeky grin. I leaned back against the SUV door so Tango was close. With my free hand I reached back and rubbed his neck. My eyes went wide as I pulled my hand back. It was wet and sticky.
“Tango!” I screeched and turned to better see my hand. Albeit, I should have stood still. I had moved too fast, causing me to list to the side, but I was able to catch my balance. “What did you do, dog?” I opened the door, blocking his escape. “Stay. Don't you test me, mister.” I griped at him as I grabbed his leash from the front pocket on the door and hooked him up.
“Down,” I said, backing up slowly. I needed him out of the dark truck so I could use the lights from the vehicles around us to get a good look at him. His ear was cut? When did that happen? I frowned.
“Oh Tango, what happened, buddy?”
“She's more worried about her dog than Daniel. That's kind of shitty!” The one she had called Nathaniel, or Tater - which was a weird name, by the way - said.
“Is he all right, honey? Mind if I take a look at him with my flashlight?” I looked up to glare at the asshole and then looked over to meet the older woman’s gaze.
“Please,” I whispered. “Tango, easy,” I soothed as I knelt on the ground and waited. My hand still held his leash. The woman moved slowly, but confidently to him, her hands out for him to sniff.
“That's a good boy. Did these big idiots scare you, huh?” The woman crooned and Tango lapped up the attention. He kept cutting glances around us but she had his attention. “He’s got a small cut on his ear and a possible gash on his shoulder. He seems to be moving okay, though.”
“Is there a vet around? Not that I don't appreciate your help, but he and I both slammed into the dash. I want to make sure he's okay. Really okay, I mean. He's all I have left,” I stammered, my tears once again rolling down my cheek. The bubble of emotions was about to pop. Adrenaline and pain were making me feel scattered. I angrily wiped my face free of the wetness.
“Jon, come help this young lady to my truck.”
“Sure, Ma,” I saw the man get off an ATV and come my way. I took a step back.
“I'll take her and her pup to the barn. Abe is still there with Jester so I won't have to look for him,” the woman said giving me an encouraging smile.
“I- I can drive my truck, let me undo the- the trailer,” I stammered. I didn't want to get in a vehicle with strangers.
“Ma, Tater and I can take her to the barn. This is my fault anyhow,” the kid - Daniel - said as he moved closer, his hands out for Tango to smell him. “I'm really sorry, ma’am. I should have been paying better attention to where I was running the cows.”
“No, it was my fault. I was looking for Border Road, or something like that. My attention was split. I've rented a cabin, just have to find it,” I said.
“You're the renter for Aunt June's cabin? Great,” the one they called Tater said. I narrowed my eyes at him.
“Look, cowboy-”
“Nathaniel Joseph Cannon! You mind your manners or I'll crack you a good one!” The older woman snapped at him before looking back at me. “I'm sorry, honey, my son has better manners. Usually.” She held her hand out to me. “My name's Abigail Cannon. It would appear that you've rented the cabin at the back of our property. I wasn't expecting you until tomorrow morning.”
“I thought today was the first?” I said, confused.
“It is, the lease was to start on the second,” she said, once again smiling softly at me. Great. Now I looked like a doofus cause I can't remember things.
“Sorry, my days all run together.”
“It's all right. The cabin is cleaned and ready for you. Let me take you and your pup to be looked at. Nathaniel, call the Doc. Have him get to the house. He needs to check Danny too,” she snapped out orders. I sighed as she wrapped an arm around me. With each step the dizziness seemed to get worse.
Before I knew it I was in a truck, my things left in the truck and trailer until later. Seems Tango and I have a date with a doctor.
3
Time to Start Over
Tate
Yesterday afternoon and especially last night had been one big ass disaster after another. I swear it was as if we had each broken a mirror this week or something. First, the damn holding pen for the cows had been left open, letting some of the big bastards escape before we could get the gate shut. No one ever said ranching was easy, but Lord, cut a guy some slack. Having cows on the loose is never a good thing when you’ve already rounded them up. They get antsy and take off. For big ass animals they can move pretty fast when motivated.
After some of the ranch hands went back out to round up the cows -again - my brother Abe, who also happens to be the ranch’s veterinarian - was kicked in the shin by a calf. He cursed up a storm but seemed to be all right. My sister Phoebe was tossed off her horse when he tried to jump a fence that was a little taller than his jump. The horse cut his front leg. I think Phoebe was more upset about her horse - Jester - being hurt than she was that she could have been hurt by not paying better attention to what she was doing.
Then to top off the shittastic day, Danny - the youngest of the Cannon spawn - was almost killed by some damn city slicker who probably doesn't know her ass from a hole in the wall. I know things happen when they do for a reason and all, but I think last night took ten years off my life. After Phoebe’s brilliant dismount Ma took her back to the holding pens to help Abe and Pa with the cattle. That meant someone needed to play look out, so I went. I needed the space to cool down as it was. But then… that was when I saw the heart stopping, cataclysmic event of the day.
I watched - utterly helplessly - from my vantage point up on the hill as the boys rode the ATVs across the pasture trying to herd the cows back towards the big pen. It was the only way to separate the calves from the larger herd. They needed shots and to be castrated, which was a smooth operation most days. But the moment I saw that truck coming up the road it all changed. I saw my youngest brother, Danny, heading straight for it. The driver didn't slow until the bull darted across the road. That caused the vehicle to swerve to the road side, tipping the trailer. There was no way to stop any of it. My heart stopped when I saw Danny come up the small hill only to be faced with the now unmoving vehicle and trailer. The kid had no choice but to jump off and allow the ATV to slam into the trailer. He hit the ground and seeing him hit the ground broke my paralysis.
I reacted as quickly as
I could. I scrambled back to my truck, threw it in gear and hauled ass back down the road. When I came upon the scene the woman was standing with Danny. I couldn’t see much of her; the lights made everything blurry as the darkness of night started to take over. With everything going on the woman seemed to be out of it, until her dog caught her attention. I seemed to be the only one that was pissed off at her reaction to the whole thing. Maybe it was me overreacting. I didn’t think so at the time.
It was a few hours and a few regretful words later that I started to calm down and replay it all in my head.. Danny was fine. He had a few scrapes and new bruises, but he’d be fine. Doc gave him some meds for muscle pains and then went to check on the woman. I'd been so mad I hadn't even asked her name. I don't think she volunteered it, either. That dog of hers was fine after all. Bad tempered, but then, so was his owner. He had a couple of cuts that Abe stitched up, but was healthy otherwise.
The pissy woman, though, she wasn't as happy with Doc as everyone else had been. She had a broken wrist, a twisted knee and a helluva bruise on her chin. She'd be feeling that for a few days. I wanted to feel sorry for her, but I showed my ass last night. And don't think that didn't go unnoticed. I may be a grown man, and own my own house, trucks and livestock, as well as half the family ranch, but my mama laid into me like a Baptist preacher giving a sermon to his congregation of sinners. Nothing sucks more than having your mama swearing up a storm at you, which she only does when she is pissed to the tenth degree. Granted, it's funny to anyone that's not you.
