The Cowboy Takes a Bride

by Kristi Rose

  Jace brushed her cheek. “Fair enough. But this bear won’t stop. Even if he goes into hibernation, he’ll be back in the spring.”

  “Pops thinks he's sick.”

  Jace pressed his lips together, nodded, and then answered, “That's my guess too. Not typical behavior for a bear.”

  Did that make the bear more dangerous? “What if we see him?” she whispered, her fingers brushing the shotgun.

  “You let me handle it. Grizzlies like nice, calm talking. Don’t run off. If you get knocked off the horse, play dead. That gun at your side has a slug meant to stop big-ass animals, especially if it’s a grizzly, but packs serious power. It's hard to handle, and your shot has to be a precise headshot. Don't even try—go for the bear spray.” He tapped the can hanging from a D-ring by her lariat holder.

  Meredith nodded and bent forward, scanning the area again, silently praying this day would end soon and uneventfully. “I feel helpless. Like food, like prey. I don’t like it.”

  “Yeah, me neither. I’ve come across a few before, and it’s worked out. This will, too.” He reached for the bell on her horse's neck and took the dong stopper off, then tucked it in his pocket. He did the same to his bell. She really hoped the noise would be enough of a deterrent.

  Enough with the talk. It was time to get moving and get home. “What’s the plan? We try and get these animals headed toward the ranch?”

  “Yeah.” Jace leaned toward her and slid an arm around her waist. “I know this is scary, but it’s something we face often. You’ll get used to it.”

  Trouble was she didn’t want to get used to it. Getting used to it meant getting complacent. Like her father had gotten used to using her, manipulating her, forgetting how to see her. If they got used to bears, didn’t that mean their guard was down?

  Meredith pressed herself into him, pulled in by his warmth and musky scent, the shower still fresh on him. “Tell me what to do so we can hurry this up and get home.”

  Jace laughed, the deep rumbling sound vibrating through her. His lips pressed to the back of her neck. “We should go down a few more miles. I think Beasley has a small herd there. We can drive them toward this one and get both closer to home.”

  A few more miles. She could do that. Wanting something more substantial from him, like his lips on hers, she nodded and tilted her face up. Jace was quick to comply.

  “If the situation weren’t what it is, I’d try and talk you into a little fun in the tall grass.”

  Meredith punched him lightly in the chest. “Not going to happen until you get me home and in our bed.”

  Jace pushed her away, but righted her to keep her on the horse, and tossed her the reins. “Jesus, woman. What are you sitting around for? Let’s go up and get that other herd. We got things to tend to at home.” He spurred his horse on and galloped away.

  Laughing, Meredith followed suit, catching up and passing him. They took turns playing follow the leader for a while, each trying to keep the lead, laughing and pretending to attempt to shove the other off their horse when one passed the other.

  They made it to the herd in no time, a small collection hugging the tree line and grazing on the high grass, green tags in their ears.

  “Circle around and push them that way.” He pointed in the direction from which they came.

  Meredith nodded and rode behind the herd.

  “Come on,” she called and leaned to slap the hindquarters of a brown cow.

  It took coaxing, but between the two of them, they managed to get the beasts going forward at a sloth’s pace.

  “Switch places with me. They’ll want to go back from where they came, but we have to convince them it’s not a good idea.”

  Meredith snorted. A big ol’ bear might be able to do that. Too bad a person couldn’t reason with a cow. Meredith considered swearing off beef if they’d hurry, but hesitated. Her husband was a cattle rancher; it wouldn’t do for the man’s wife to be a vegetarian.

  Meredith rode to the side of the herd, Jace taking the back, cracking his whip to get the herd moving. It was then she noticed a small calf limping along, slowing the works. She pointed the cute baby out to Jace.

  “Cut them off at the top so I can get a look,” he called.

  Meredith rode to the front and, without doing anything other than being in their way, got the cows to stop. It was too easy, but a perk to their frustratingly slow pace.

  Jace was off his mount and walking through the herd with swift purpose. Meredith scanned the area, though they’d made so much noise she doubted any bear would want anything to do with them.

  “Grab the rope, will you, Mer? I’m gonna have to lug this one home on my horse. Looks like he got caught in some barbed wire.”

  Meredith rode to his horse, but had to get off to manage the rope. It didn't help that Moses shied or that her fingers fumbled on the knots. She considered remounting Coco, but then Jace would know she was too afraid to be off her horse. Some of the online stuff said that to outrun a grizzly, a person needed incredible speed and the capacity not to be winded. That was not her. That wasn't anyone. She hoped it was her horse, though.

  “Wait here, girl,” she told Coco and stroked her muzzle with one hand, the rope hanging from the other. Coco snorted, and her ears shot forward in warning.

  Meredith swiveled to Jace, searching for him in the cluster of cows. Something at the corner of the herd, about thirty feet to Jace's side, caught her eye. Whereas the cows were brown, some light, some dark, this one had a rust tint to it and was far furrier. It crept slowly along the flanks of the herd along the tree line.

  Coco snorted again. Meredith’s heart slammed into her chest. “Jace,” she croaked and dropped the rope. She reached for her horse.

  Jace continued to investigate the calf.

  “Jace,” she said softly a second time.

  From the corner of her eye, she saw him glance at her then jerk his attention to where she was staring.

  She didn’t need to ask if this was the bear they were looking for. It clearly was. The animal was mangy and thin, if something so large could be considered that. Two things surprised her. The first was the state of the bear, not what she expected from an animal slaughtering livestock, and the other? She was cognizant of the specifics about the bear when every part of her was screaming to run.

  Jace crouched down and began to creep slowly back through the herd.

  Then a cow caught wind of the bear and the herd shifted away from both Jace and the beast. The bear back peddled a few paces then began to skirt around the cattle moving parallel to Jace. The bigger cows lowed. The bear stopped, sniffed the air, then lifted on its hind legs, only to drop quickly and stomp the ground near the injured calf who scuttled away.

  Meredith sucked in a breath. “Easy girl,” she whispered to Coco who was shifting nervously beside her. “Stay nice and still.” She made small strokes down Coco's neck, her attention on Jace and the bear. “Atta girl, I'm going to give you a special treat when we get back.”

  If we get back.

  She stroked down Coco's wither until she felt the hard leather of the saddle. Using touch to guide her, she continued searching until she bumped the cold metal of the twelve gauge. With a flick of her thumb, she undid the strap that kept it contained, then slid the shotgun from its holster, her attention on the giant beast. Jace's horse shied nervously beside her, turning in a circle. Meredith continued talking to the horses to calm them, keeping her voice steady while her mind screamed hysterically.

  The herd shifted again, splitting open and exposing Jace. The bear lifted his nose and sniffed, turning in Jace’s direction. Meredith slowly slid the shotgun out of the holster and brought it to rest against her shoulder. Bless Coco for her loyalty.

  With one eye on Jace, the other on the bear, she fumbled to find the safety. She sighed with relief at the audible click of its release, though she barely heard it over the pounding in her ears. She pumped the gun, chambering a round, and stared down the barrel to lin
e up the bead sight. A tear ran down her cheek.

  “Easy,” she said, to both her and the horses. “Steady.”

  The bear stalked toward Jace, stopped feet from him, and rose on its back legs. Meredith’s hands began to shake.

  In a flash, the bear lunged into Jace’s space, and simultaneously Meredith pulled the trigger, aiming for the head.

  The boom from the shot leaving the gun was deafening, making her head fuzzy. When the kickback slammed the butt of the gun into her shoulder, blinding pain seared through the right side of her body and brought her to her knees.

  The bear’s claws were up and out, raking down as he fell toward the earth.

  Through streaming tears and scorching pain, Meredith pumped the gun a second time then tried to bring it up, but the muscles in her shoulder refused. Gritting her teeth and screaming through the pain, she forced her arm up. The gun against her shoulder, she took aim, but the bear was on the ground, not moving.

  And so was Jace.

  Chapter 25

  Dizzy, Meredith dropped the gun and fell forward onto her hands. She closed her eyes and tried to clear her head, but the ringing was deafening. She called on the yoga breathing she'd done with her migraines to help her garner some control.

  A spray of water hitting her face brought Meredith back to the moment. She snapped her eyes open. Coco was snorting on her! The horse whinnied and, using her muzzle, nudged Meredith out of her fog,

  Jace!

  In the twenty or so seconds it took for the ginormous bear’s central nervous system to cease working, it had raked its large paws down Jace’s back and left side. Maybe it was more that the bear was in motion when he was shot than a last ditch attack but, nonetheless, Jace had caught the business end of the bear’s claws. Fortunately, if that word could be used, Jace had done what he was supposed to, balled up as tightly as he could and covered his neck with his hands,.

  Jace lay next to the bear on his side, a bright crimson stain spreading across his jacket, the acrid odor of blood filling the air.

  Meredith scurried to him as fast as her weak legs could manage, still clutching the shotgun.

  “Jace, Jace,” she cried, though it sounded distant and muffled to her, her ears ringing loudly. Tears poured down her face. A large gaping wound ran the length of his forearm. Matching wounds were at his shoulder, ribs, and hip area. It was unsightly, his flesh flayed open. Meredith dropped the shotgun and pulled off her jacket. The worst of the wounds looked to be at his ribs. She jerked off her top layer, a flannel shirt, and balled it up so the cleaner side was against the wound, then she ripped her T-shirt down the front to make long strips to wrap around him, leaving her in nothing but her bra and a coat to cover her.

  “Jace?” She touched his face. A beady pulse throbbing in his neck gave her the courage to not freak the hell out.

  She felt a vibration rumble through his chest and recognized it as a moan.

  She pushed back a lock of hair from his forehead and kissed his temple. “Babe, come on. We have to get you back home. I need to wrap these wounds.” She sniffed and wiped her nose on her shoulder.

  He moaned again, and his eyelids fluttered opened. His eyes were cloudy with confusion and pain.

  “Hey, can you sit up?” She tried to modulate her voice, afraid she was yelling, since it felt like she was speaking into a tin can. She held his arm, cradling it against her legs, and wrapped one last strip around the wound. Her own shoulder screamed with each move, making her work sloppy and difficult as she was forced to use her non-dominant hand.

  “The bear?” she thought he said. At least it looked like it and sorta sounded like it.

  She looked over his shoulder at the bear, but had to look away; even in death, it was terrifying. She glanced at Jace and shook her head. “We need to get you home.”

  Jace pushed up on his good arm and roared in pain. The stains grew larger. Meredith put a hand to his chest to stop him. She pressed her shirt to his side with her injured arm then began to wrap the area.

  Jace closed his eyes and sat still. When she was done, she stood and offered him her hand. Slowly, he joined her, leaning heavily against her and her injured shoulder. She walked with him to his horse and helped boost him up. It took three attempts, and after Jace was on, she could see what the task had cost him, his face pale, sweat across his forehead.

  “Go,” she yelled and slapped the horse’s rump. It sprang into action. On the way to her mount, she stopped to pick up the gun and her coat. She was able to get the coat on one side but left it hanging over her injured shoulder.

  When she looked up, she found Jace had circled back and was watching her. “I think you’ve dislocated your shoulder,” he yelled and rode to her. She slid the gun into her saddle holster and hoisted herself up. She needed to sit down. She needed a drink. She needed to pass out.

  They were a pair, both injured, but Jace was losing blood, and she wasn’t. Clenching her teeth, she kicked at Coco’s flanks and shot off. Jace would follow, that she knew. Tucking the reins under her legs, she opened the saddlebag with one hand and took out the radio; they were miles from cell service. She made her mayday call. She didn’t know what protocol was required so instead blubbered into the small handheld piece about a bear and their situation. Jace was slumped in the saddle, and she feared he’d fall out at any time.

  About a half mile from the ranch, Willow broke through the forest, her horse racing toward them. When she saw Jace, she blanched and gasped, then rode up alongside him and took the reins, letting him fall further forward on his horse. Meredith rode on his other side, hoping she could catch him if he fell. When they come within range of the house, a truck was waiting for them, but Willow waved them off.

  “It will take too long,” she called and kept up the breakneck pace. She didn’t stop until she was at the steps of the house.

  Meredith fell more than dismounted and rushed to Jace. She didn’t care that she was in her half hung coat and bra or that her arm had gone numb as it swung loosely from her shoulder.

  Leo, the EMT from the other night rushed out, and following behind him was Tuck. They caught Jace as he slid from the saddle and quickly carried Jace inside. She tried to follow, but Marjory stopped her.

  “Meredith, we have to take care of that arm.” She led her into the kitchen and peeled the coat from her. “I want you to take a deep breath and focus on that.” Marjory forced her into a chair and started moving her arm, tucking it into to her side and then slowly sliding it out. It was agonizing. Following a loud pop, Meredith’s pain was immediately diminished, and she started to weep.

  She jumped from the chair. “I need to see if he's all right!”

  Marjory pulled her close. “Honey, Leo is just getting started––”

  “I tried Marjory. I really tried. I did everything I could think of.” Meredith clung to Marjory.

  “I have no doubt. Meredith, look at your shoulder. I know you fired the gun. That’s all anyone can do. Now, let’s get you cleaned up.”

  Meredith shook her head.

  “At least put some clean clothes on. At least a shirt.” Marjory tucked a strand of hair behind Meredith’s ear.

  “Here,” Willow said as she came into the room and handed Meredith a tumbler with amber liquid in it and another flannel shirt. “You need this. Do one quick swallow.”

  Meredith took it from her, her fingers numb and stiff, likely from shock. She tossed back the drink. The burning sensation as it ran through her from head to toe felt good. Made her feel alive.

  “Leo says that some of the wounds are deep, but the one on his side didn’t puncture a lung, just bruised it. He's cracked some ribs, too. Leo's putting Jace’s pieces back together as we speak.”

  “Won’t he need to go to the hospital?” Meredith asked. She set the tumbler down, and with Marjory’s help, put on the shirt.

  Willow shrugged. “He needs to try and stop the bleeding first. The ambulance is on the way.”

  Meredith nodded a
nd swayed on her feet.

  “Let’s get you cleaned up.”

  She slumped against Marjory. “I need to see Jace. I’m sorry I couldn’t stop the bear, Marjory. I’m sorry. Tell Pops I’m sorry.” Once she started crying and apologizing, she couldn’t stop.

  Marjory took Meredith’s face between her hands. “Hush, darling. You did amazing. You saved his life. Pops and I will be forever thankful. We’re so proud of you keeping a cool head under those conditions. But Meredith, you are covered in my son’s blood, and it makes my heart ache to see it.”

  Meredith nodded, gulping in large pockets of air, hoping to gain control.

  “Take a shower, then we’ll drive together to the clinic when you get out. I hear someone coming now.”

  There was no siren, but the sound of a car speeding toward the house.

  Meredith nodded and stepped into the bathroom. She waited for an indication that Marjory had moved away before she came out to stand in the hallway by the stairs. If they were going to take him to town, she was going to get one last look at him before they left. When the doctor ran up the stairs, the house seemed to be placed on pause. Not a sound as people waited for word.

  Finally, a door creaked open, and a shuffle told Meredith that Pops was coming down the hall. His frame filled the space at the top of the stairs. Marjory and Willow came to stand next to Meredith.

  “He’s going to be fine. Might need some physical therapy, but most of the wounds are superficial enough not to cause worry,” said Pops.

  “Most?” asked Marjory.

  “The ones on his torso are the worst, but Doc Jensen doesn’t see the point of going into town when he can do everything here. We’ll have to go get a prescription tomorrow.” Pops started down the stairs. “Take me home, lover. All this drama wore me clean out.”

  Marjory waited at the landing, then tucked her arm into his. “I need you to hold me, Wes. I don’t think my heart’s stopped racing.” He patted her hand, leaving Meredith and Willow behind.

  “I could use another stiff drink since I have no one to hold me. You?” she asked Meredith.