by Sable Hunter
“Well, Jacob is the authority but…”
Storm didn’t let him finish. “Jacob told me you would be the one to talk to. He said you probably have the whole thing memorized, that you know the lines better than anyone.”
“Well…maybe.” Nathan was a bit embarrassed. “What do you want to know?”
For the next half hour, Storm picked Nathan’s brain. “Yea, that’s the kind of thing I need to know. We’ve poured a lot of money into our program with less than stellar results.” He raised a finger as if he had an idea. “Hey, you know what? If you ever decide to come out west and you need a job, we’ll pay you well. We’d be honored to have you work at Estancia.”
Nathan was floored by the offer. “Are you serious?”
“Oh, absolutely. Joseph brags on you all the time. He says you’re one of the most knowledgeable ranchers around.”
This was news to Nathan. He could’ve been knocked over with a feather. Leave Tebow? Yes, he’d considered the matter…but only in a very abstract manner. Never in a million years did he think an offer such as this would just fall into his lap. “Well, I’d have to think about it.”
Storm laughed and slapped his leg. “You mean you’ll consider it?”
He didn’t really understand why, but Storm Connelly’s proposal elicited a strange response in Nathan. He felt something very akin to relief. The notion felt familiar on some level, like he’d been expecting it. “Yea, I’ll consider it.”
“Hot damn!” Storm jumped up. “I’ll go tell Mad, he’ll be thrilled.”
“Well, I have to talk to my family first and…”
“Sure. Of course. No pressure.” He held up in his hands in humorous defense as he left Nathan along to ponder this unexpected opportunity.
Walking behind the pavilion in a daze, he strolled to the edge of the Guadalupe. What would this mean? Yea, he could use a break from everything that had been going on. But what about Libby? Nathan shook his head in consternation. He couldn’t leave Libby, not with her health in question.
“Talk to her first.”
Hearing Cady’s voice coming out of the darkness gave him a slight start. “You are one stealthy woman.”
“I can be.” She teased and held her arms out. “Wings, you know.”
“Yea, I remember.” He let out rush of breath. “I take it you know about my offer.”
“I do.” Cady moved to walk beside him along the bank of the river. “It resounded through the ether like it was booming from an announcer’s box.”
“What should I do?” He stopped to pick a night-blooming moonflower and hand the blossom to his sister-in-law. “If I could only see into my future as well as I can everyone else’s.”
“Oh, no you don’t. That would be the worst. I’m grateful I don’t have that ability either.” Cady shuddered at the thought.
“So, you tell me.” He turned and held out his hand to Cady. “What do you see for me?”
“I’ve never been able to read you well, you know that.” Slowly, almost reluctantly, she took his hand. Holding it for a few moments, she released him and started walking again. “I’m sorry. There’s this fog bank surrounding you. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like it. I’m not sure what it means.”
“I don’t understand. What did you see exactly?”
“Blurred images, like I’m observing you through a cloud.” She let out a sigh of exasperation. “I don’t think I’m supposed to know – not at this point anyway.”
“Great.” He chuckled wryly. “I’ll have to make this decision the old-fashioned way. Bummer.”
“Embrace your gifts and talk to your family.” She squeezed his arm. “They might be far more understanding than you expect.”
After his conversation with Cady, Nathan slipped away from the party. He needed to be alone. With so much on his mind, he didn’t know if he’d sleep or not. Sometime after midnight, however, he succumbed to the need to rest. When he did awake, there was only a vague impression that he might’ve dreamed. The ache in his chest over the loss of Romy was still there, but there also seemed to be an odd hope emerging – like there was something waiting for him over the horizon. Could it be this job offer?
Nathan didn’t make a concrete decision until he spoke with his family. The hardest conversations were with Aron and Libby. He wasn’t surprised when Libby pushed him to accept the job. “Go. I’ll be fine. I’ll keep you informed, and planes go between Texas and Colorado all the time. Knowing you’re happy will make whatever I have to go through that much easier.”
But Aron’s reaction proved to be unexpected. He pulled Nathan close and squeezed him hard. ‘This will be a good thing for you, bud.”
“I don’t want to leave you. Not now.”
“You need to. This will be good for you and the Connellys. They need good help and you’ll be able to prove yourself somewhere other than on home ground. That means a lot to a man in the long run.”
“You think so?”
“I know so.” He moved to sit on the edge of his desk. “I owe you an apology over how I’ve been acting. I was trying to freeze time, I’m scared of change. Everybody else has stayed close and I was trying to force your hand. I guess I thought if I could keep everything the same then nothing would happen to Libby either.”
“Oh, Aron. I don’t have to go.”
“Yes, you do. You’re just a phone call away. Right?” At Nathan’s nod, he continued, “I pulled you away from the rodeo circuit, but I shouldn’t have. This time things will be different. You go and be your own man. When you’re ready to come home – home will be waiting for you.”
After one final family breakfast around the long oak table Nathan loaded his luggage and arrowhead portfolio in the trunk, put Lobo in the passenger seat, then set the black Mustang on a course headed West. The Connelly brothers had already flown out and would be waiting for him when he got there. The drive from Central Texas to southern Colorado would take the better part of fifteen hours. He figured to drive as far as Albuquerque before stopping to spend the night.
When he hit I-10, Nathan could almost feel the ties that bound him to his home stretching to an unbearable tightness. He wanted to go, but he wanted to stay. It wouldn’t have surprised him if an invisible something suddenly snapped like a big rubber band and transported him right back to Tebow. Staring out the front windshield as he wove in and out of traffic, an image of his family all assembled on the porch waving goodbye to him kept popping in his mind. Funny, this didn’t feel like it did when he hit the rodeo circuit. This was more serious.
“How are you riding, little man?” Nathan placed a hand on the coywolf who was curled up on an old saddle blanket he’d borrowed from Buck. Speaking of his horse, he glanced in the side mirrors to see how the trailer was traveling. He was more than grateful to Aron and Jonah for adding the towing package to the Mustang. The capacity was limited, but strong enough to pull a single horse trailer.
With the top down, he enjoyed the sun on his face and the wind in his hair. Yet, as it had been since the morning he remembered the dream, a persistent ache centered over his heart. Nathan couldn’t shake the feeling of loss that haunted him. He was more than excited to see what this adventure would bring, but each time he thought of Romy his heart ached. How could he love and miss someone he’d never met? Someone who might not even exist.
Putting on his blinker to change lanes, Nathan tried to reason with himself. He needed to come to terms with the fact that this dream was nothing more than that – a dream. Something his subconscious conjured up to fill the emptiness in his life. Even as he told himself this, Nathan wrestled with the notion. He still couldn’t get over how real the dream felt. All he had to do was close his eyes to feel her kiss. Remember what it felt like to make love to her. “Hell!” How in God’s name was he supposed to get over this? How was he supposed to forget her?
Flipping on the radio, Nathan attempted to distract himself with the music. He needed to get a grip and come to terms with
the fact that he needed to get on with his life.
Along the way, he made a couple of stops to stretch his legs and tend to the animals. He didn’t have to stop to eat because Jessie packed him a bag filled with huge sandwiches and homemade chips. He ate as he drove, cutting down the time he was on the road. When he arrived in Albuquerque, Nathan located a motel on the edge of town bordering land where he could take Buck for a ride. After living on the rodeo circuit the horse was used to traveling, but he still needed time out of the trailer. Once he rented a room and saw to the horse’s needs, he snuck Lobo inside and they hit the hay.
Early to bed meant early to rise, so Nathan was on the road before daybreak. As far as he could remember, he’d spent a dreamless night. With this realization came conflicting emotions. He needed to function, but he didn’t want to let go of Romy either. Since performing the spell Cady gave him, Nathan struggled with the idea that the dream might be more than just a dream. He remembered reading articles purporting the theory that dreams were a window into one’s life in a parallel universe. If that were so, Nathan was so jealous of his counterpart he could die.
Taking a deep breath, he set out to concentrate on his driving. In a few hours, he’d arrive at the Connelly’s ranch and a new phase in his life would begin. As the Mustang ate up the miles, the landscape changed. Gone were the flatlands of the desert and magnificent mountains rose on the far horizon. Nathan welcomed the ripple of excitement making its way through his system.
At noon, Nathan stopped at a small diner with a drive-thru and bought him and the coywolf a couple of hamburgers. An hour or so later, he pulled into a rest stop and took Buck out for a short run. Once they were back on the highway, he kept his eyes on the distant mountain range – fascinated by how they grew larger and taller with each passing mile.
Following the directions of the GPS on his phone Nathan headed deeper into the San Luis Valley, the largest alpine valley in the world. This was his first visit to Estancia, but he’d heard a lot about it from Jaxson McCoy and his wife, Tamara. Before marrying his first cousin, Tam competed as an extreme athlete. She’d served as a spokesman for the energy drink Joseph and the Connellys produced. From what she’d told him, Tamara enjoyed visiting the area and became good friends with the brothers.
From conversations with Storm and Mad, Nathan knew Estancia was a large holding that encompassed some foothills of the San Juan Mountains. The Connellys grazed several thousand head of cattle and horses. Their operation was similar to Tebow, but grander in size. He knew they were hoping to improve their breeding program and that was where Nathan’s experience came into play. To evaluate the animals he not only wanted to check out their statistics, Nathan intended to observe them in their natural habitat. He wanted to see what they fed on and how they coped with their environment. Nathan also planned on spending some days getting to know the ranch itself, to ensure they were taking advantage of all the land had to offer as far as grazing opportunities and natural water flow.
The closer he drew to Estancia, the higher his level of excitement grew. Yes, he had plans and he couldn’t wait to put them into motion.
When he saw the turn-off ahead, Nathan put on his brakes. “We’re here, Lobo. You can wake up now.” The coywolf stood and stretched. With all the healthy food he’d consumed, the pup was growing by leaps and bounds.
Going slowly, he made his way down the drive toward the entrance gate. Ahead, he could make out the house nestled on the side of a hill surrounded by evergreens. This home was nothing like Tebow, it was more modern looking with a lot of glass and angles. Still, it was a damn beautiful place that seemed to sprout naturally from the side of the mountain.
With a growing sense of excitement, he pulled up into the circular driveway. He could see several cowboys milling around and going about their work. At the present, he wasn’t sure how he’d fit into the hierarchy of the operation but that didn’t bother Nathan. Those type of things would work themselves out along the way.
By the time he cut the engine and opened the Mustang’s door, Storm was approaching with a big smile on his face. “You made it!” He waved a man to join them. “Nathan, this is Brent. Give him your keys and he’ll get your horse settled in.”
“Sure thing.” Nathan turned the Mustang’s keys over to the tall blonde ranch hand. “Good to meet you.”
“You too, Mr. McCoy. Welcome.”
“What about Lobo?” Nathan asked as Storm gestured for him to make his way into the big house.
“He’s housebroken, right?”
Nathan laughed. “For the most part. He’s still young.”
“Oh, well. Hardwood floors are an easy clean-up.” Storm climbed the steps two at a time. “Let’s have a drink and a meal, then we’ll get down to business.”
“I can’t wait. I’m really looking forward to this,” Nathan said – and he meant it.
…From a high ridge overlooking Estancia’s main house, Clare sat on her horse and watched Nathan McCoy arrive. She strained to see, wishing she dared come closer. Feeling like a voyeur, Clare used a pair of small binoculars to gain a better view. Zeroing in on his face, she hungrily watched him smile. He was so beautiful.
Pity he wasn’t going to be able to stay.
Clare intended to do everything in her power to send this cowboy back to Texas where he belonged.
Chapter 7
The first couple of days at Estancia were hectic for Nathan. There was so much to learn and so much to see. To his amazement, he found his office would be portable. Everything he needed to do his job was uploaded online. This discovery made him wonder why they didn’t do such a thing at Tebow. He knew Noah was certainly capable of making such a thing happen. As soon as his brain formulated the question, the answer came to him. Tradition. The McCoys were too steeped in tradition to relinquish all of the old ways. Their daddy did his ranch business from an office and so would they for the foreseeable future.
Regardless, Nathan was enjoying this new methodology. He charged up his tablet at night and rode across Estancia the next day making notes on what he thought worked and what he thought didn’t. The megadrought affecting the western United States was surely a factor in the San Luis Valley. Conditions seemed to be very dry for this time of year. He really needed to study the available water sources for the ranch.
To his estimation, some of the problems the Connellys were experiencing would be resolved by introducing a new type of cattle into the mix. He wasn’t advocating a wholesale turnover. In the long run, the program would benefit more from cross breeding to create a type of animal that would thrive under these specific conditions. Nathan intended to recommend they buy a few head of Limousin. On top of those findings, he also planned on advocating they plant more native grasses like wildrye and rotatable crops like barley.
As he worked, Nathan surprised himself. He’d picked up and retained more knowledge of ranching over the years than he’d realized. The work was second nature to him. What he didn’t know, he could find out from various resources he’d used before. In just a matter of days, he was ready to sit down with the brothers and lay out a plan.
Before heading to the meeting, he stopped by his cabin to freshen up. Nathan really liked the accommodations he was provided. They were near enough that he could be where he was needed, yet far enough to give him some sense of privacy. Lobo was fitting in as well. There was already a decent size yard available to run in and a doggy door when the pup needed to get in out of the weather.
When he was ready to leave for the main house, Nathan decided to walk. The day was just too pretty not to take advantage. As he strolled across the adjoining pasture, he made note of the portions of Estancia he’d yet to inspect. The high meadows that led into the foothills was one and the tract nearer to Cottonwood Creek was another. Overall, he felt confident in his progress and looked forward to whatever would come next.
Approaching the big house from the rear, he knocked on the back entrance. A few seconds later, the door was opened
by the Connelly’s housekeeper, Ms. Robbins. “Come in, Nathan. How are you today?”
“I’m well, Ms. Robbins. And you?” She reminded him so much of Bess who’d taken care of him before Libby came.
“Oh, I’m good. Come inside where it’s warm.” She shivered a bit and pointed to a big woodstove in the kitchen. “Go stand by the fire while I pour you a cup of something hot. Would you prefer coffee, tea, or something stronger?”
“Do you have cider?”
“We do. Coming right up?”
He went in to take a seat next to the welcoming stove. “I’m here to see Storm and Mad. Are they ready for me?”
“Not quiet. A conference call is going on a bit longer than expected. You’re welcome to sit with me for a spell.” She made a foray to the cabinet. “I have cookies.”
“Cookies?”
“Peanut butter. Would you like one?”
“I’d like a half dozen, please.”
“Ah, good. Now, that’s what I like to hear.”
Nathan basked in the older woman’s attention. “This is going to hit the spot.”
“I hope so. Miss Clare sure loves these cookies.”
Nathan accepted the warm mug of cider and smiled at the plate of cookies before him. “Clare? That’s the sister, isn’t it?”
“Yes. Lovely girl. About your age, I think.”
“Oh, okay.” He hadn’t known that. “I assumed she was younger.”
“No, she’s a grown woman. A very talented woman. Very artistic and creative. Since she isn’t fond of crowds, Storm always makes sure her wares make it to the showings and craft fairs.”
As he enjoyed the refreshments, Nathan listened attentively, asking questions where it seemed appropriate. “She doesn’t live here, does she?”
“Oh, she’s in and out. But no, she has a little house up in the mountains.”
Before Nathan could comment further, Mad stuck his head in the door. “Hey, we’re through.” Seeing the cookies, he turned to Ms. Robbins. “Any more of those golden nuggets left over for us?”
