The Cowboy Meets His Match

by Leann Harris

  * * *

  Erin threw her purse on the desk in the kitchen and walked to the sink to wash her hands.

  “How are you, child?” Mary asked, stopping next to Erin. Her mom had been watching her all through church. Erin felt guilty, but for what?

  “I’m fine.” Her clipped response gave away the truth—she wasn’t—but before her mother could pursue the topic, Tate and Sawyer walked in. Mary leaned close. “We’ll talk later. We have much to discuss.”

  They’d already talked. What now? Erin turned and walked away. It took less than five minutes for them to get dinner on the table, and then Mary motioned for them to take their seats. Sawyer sat next to Tate and across from Erin.

  After a prayer, Betty dished out a lamb stew and placed a piece of blue corn bread on the edge of the bowl.

  It took a moment of Sawyer studying the bread to ask, “Is this supposed to be this color?”

  “It’s Auntie’s favorite blue corn bread. Try it,” Tate urged.

  Sawyer had eaten worse. He took a bite and slowly chewed the corn bread. The sweet taste of the cornmeal raced over his tongue. “That’s good.”

  “Of course, so how was your trip to Las Vegas yesterday?” Betty asked.

  Erin looked at her mother. “We got a lot of things ironed out at Mom’s shop and with the different people working with the rodeo.”

  They discussed how Detrick looked and the plans for this next week. They’d noticed a weakness on her father’s left side, which they talked to the doctor about.

  “On the way home from church, Sawyer said he’d like to ride this afternoon.” Tate turned to Erin. “Want to go with us, Sis?”

  Erin liked the enthusiasm her brother displayed. More like the old Tate. Glancing at Sawyer, she saw him nod at her.

  “You’re more than welcome to join us, Erin.”

  Oddly enough, she wanted to go out with them. “A ride this afternoon sounds like a good idea.”

  “So, you are a championship rider, Sawyer?” Mary accepted her bowl of stew.

  “Yes, ma’am. I won my buckles the summer of my freshman year in college. When I first got this job, Erin wanted to make sure I understood the needs of the men and women who compete in rodeo, so she questioned me.”

  Nodding, Mary said, “I’m sure she did.”

  Erin refused to look at anyone.

  “My daughter has a heart for others and wanted to make sure those needs were addressed.”

  “Mom, Sawyer doesn’t need to hear that.”

  “I’ve seen that strength myself,” Sawyer answered.

  Erin’s head jerked up, and she saw him smile.

  “And, I know her single-mindedness.” He grinned, letting her know he was enjoying himself.

  “Odd you should say so. Erin said the same thing about you.”

  “Mom,” Erin protested.

  Mary smiled calmly. “He complimented you, Daughter. He should know you hold him in the same regard.”

  Nothing like having your mother reveal your deepest secrets.

  Sawyer’s eyes twinkled when they met hers. “I guess that’s why we get along so well.”

  Her heart fluttered. Sawyer was right. They understood each other on a deeper level. She had never felt this way about another man, and she didn’t know exactly what to do with the feeling. Across the table, her mother and Aunt Betty grinned like satisfied cats.

  Suddenly, Erin wanted to laugh, and, with her heart light, she couldn’t wait to get out on the range, with the horse beneath her and Sawyer and Tate by her side.

  * * *

  The three of them rode west of the house. The high desert slowly descended to a small creek that ran through the property. The horses picked their way down the ridges left by previous flash floods.

  The wind increased, and the clouds turned a greenish-gray color and looked as if someone had a giant hand mixer, churning them.

  Her skin pricking at the sight, Erin said, “We should probably head back.”

  “Let’s get to the river, then we can turn back,” Tate replied. “It’s not that far.”

  Sawyer and Erin traded looks. In this part of New Mexico, storms were notorious for rolling in at an amazing speed, and they should turn around and head to the ranch, but for the first time in a long time, Erin saw her brother smile and joke, so she pushed aside her misgivings. At the river, they allowed the horses to rest and drink.

  Thunder rolled across the prairie, shaking the ground where they stood. Their horses started to dance with nervousness.

  Sawyer stroked his horse’s neck. “Your sister’s right, and we should start back. Our mounts sense something coming in.”

  Tate didn’t protest. Having ridden all his life, he knew to listen to his horse and the weather around. They mounted up and headed back. Starting up one of the sandy hills, a gust of wind hit Tate, and his mount lost his footing and stumbled backward, rolling over. Tate flew through the air and landed against a large rock. Erin and Sawyer dismounted and ran to him.

  Sawyer got there first and gently rolled him over. Tate cried out. Looking at the odd position of his arm, Sawyer realized it was broken. The force of the wind pushed her into Sawyer. He caught her, steadying her. “You okay?”

  Erin braced herself against his shoulders. “Yes.”

  Lightning flashed across the sky, with the roar of thunder immediately following. Tate moaned and opened his eyes.

  “Tate, how are you?” she asked.

  “My head hurts and my arm.”

  Sawyer looked around at the darkening horizon, taking in the swirling black clouds. “Normally, I’d say to wait for EMS, but with that storm barreling down on us, we can’t.”

  “Can you get Tate up on his horse?” Erin asked.

  “Yes.” Sawyer scooped the teen up and put him in his saddle.

  “Do you feel you can ride by yourself?” Sawyer asked.

  “Yeah.”

  “You sure?”

  The teen nodded, but his lips tightened, going white.

  As Erin and Sawyer mounted their horses, another burst of wind hit them, peppering them with sand and debris. Something slammed into her upper arm, making her shout in pain. When she looked at Sawyer, he’d slumped forward against the neck of his horse. Tate still sat in his saddle, but he didn’t look steady.

  “Sawyer,” Erin called, but the roar of the wind swallowed her cry. Awkwardly dismounting, she went to Sawyer’s side. He’d been knocked out cold, and a trickle of blood ran down the side of his face. Thankfully he’d kept his seat, slumping against the horse’s neck. Her dad’s horse, Duke, didn’t rear, instead remaining steady and bearing Sawyer’s weight.

  She grabbed Duke’s reins and wrapped her horse’s reins around her jeans’ belt loop. “Easy, Duke.” She tried to reassure the horse, laying her hand on the horse’s neck. “You’re an amazing pro.” Her right upper arm burned like fire, but she moved to Sawyer’s side. A tree branch lay a little beyond where Duke stood. Had that hit Sawyer? The blood that had trickled down his face had stopped. She took off her belt and gathered Sawyer’s hands around the horse’s neck, anchoring Sawyer’s wrists together.

  “I’m depending upon you, Duke, to get him back.” She took the reins of her brother’s horse. “You think you can stay on the horse yourself or do you want me to ride behind you?”

  “I don’t know, Sis.”

  “Okay, we’ll try me riding behind you.”

  She tied Duke’s reins to the saddle of her brother’s horse, then gathered Dancer’s reins in the other hand and mounted behind Tate. The pain in her shoulder made the horizon go a little fuzzy, but she drew in a deep breath. “Is this going to work for you?” She saw the doubt and fear in his eyes, but he nodded. “You can grab my arm to steady yourself.”

 
“Okay.”

  Lord, help, she prayed as she started the group home.

  She carefully picked their way up the wash and gained the high ground. Once up on the prairie, the wind buffeted them. Sawyer remained hunched over his horse’s neck, and Tate clutched her arm. Erin wanted to gallop, but keeping Sawyer and Tate on their horses was her main priority.

  Suddenly the skies opened up and it started raining, drenching them to the skin. Sawyer moaned and started to move. She guided her horse to Duke. Laying her hand on Sawyer’s back she called out, “Stay still.”

  He quit moving.

  As the horses walked, she kept checking on Sawyer and Tate.

  “I’m not going to make it, Sis.”

  “Yes, you are. You’re part of the people and will not let a little rain storm stop you.”

  The horse stepped in a gully, jerking her and Tate. He yelled and went slack against her. A jolt of pain shot through her shoulder, making her see stars. When Tate started to slump, she wrapped her arm around his waist to steady him. She tried not to jostle his arm but hit it, causing him to moan.

  She would make it, she told herself, fighting the pain and blackness crowding her vision. They all would.

  It seemed like an eternity before the ranch house came into view. When she rode into the yard with two injured males, her mother and aunt raced out the back door.

  “What happened?” her mother shouted.

  “The wind managed to take out both Tate and Sawyer.” Erin winced as she walked the horses into the barn. Her mother grabbed the reins.

  “I think Tate’s arm is broken.”

  Her mother and Betty reached up for him. Erin helped slide her brother off the horse as carefully as they could. She slowly dismounted with her shoulder protesting. Walking to Duke, she untied Sawyer’s hands, and the three women tried to maneuver him gently to the ground, but with his weight and momentum, he crashed into Erin, knocking her backward, and then the lights went out.

  * * *

  Erin woke in the emergency room, looking up at the white-tiled ceiling.

  “Good, you’re awake.” A man in a white lab coat and scrubs looked down at her.

  “Where am I?”

  “You’re in the university hospital in Albuquerque. You suffered a dislocated shoulder, and after we popped it back into place, it appears something else happened to your shoulder. You have a nasty cut and deep bruise. Trying to support your brother’s weight wasn’t a good idea.”

  Memories of the afternoon came into focus. “I didn’t have a choice. I couldn’t leave my brother and Sawyer in that wash at the mercy of the storm.”

  “True, and I heard you’re quite a hero.”

  She didn’t feel like one. “Where are they?”

  “The men who came in with you are both stable.”

  “I’d like to see them.”

  The doctor hesitated.

  “The younger man is my brother.”

  “I know. He’s in one of the other emergency bays.”

  She tried to get up but gasped at the pain. The doctor helped her lie back down. “Let the nurse tend to your arm before you go trotting off.”

  “Are my mom and aunt here?”

  “No, they haven’t made it. The helicopter was only able to bring in the three injured patients. Can you tell me what happened, so I know some background on the other two patients?”

  She described what had happened on their ride.

  He left the bay and Erin wanted to follow him but knew she had to wait for the nurse.

  Twenty minutes later, Erin emerged from her cubicle, her arm braced in a sling. She found Tate at the other end of the emergency room bay. He was awake.

  “What happened, Sis? All I remember is my horse rearing, then nothing?”

  “Your horse rolled over and threw you off. Sawyer and I got you back on your horse, but then Sawyer got knocked out.”

  Her brother looked at her arm. She started to shrug, but the pain stopped her. “I don’t know what hit me, but I got a whopper of a bruise.”

  “Are you okay?” he asked.

  “Nothing’s broken.” She carefully studied her brother. “And you?”

  “My forearm’s broken, and I have a couple of cracked ribs. I don’t have a concussion, but I do have a massive headache. I think I can go home today, but the doc thinks I should stay the night.” Tate waved his arms. “He said something about us being out in the middle of nowhere and if I needed help it was better to be here for twenty-four hours.”

  “He’s right. Besides, Mom would like you and Dad here so she can keep an eye on both of you.”

  Tate considered her words. “I guess you’re right. Have you seen Sawyer?”

  “Now that I know you’re okay, I’m going to go find him.”

  Tate started to get up, but she gently touched his shoulder. “Wait for Mom.”

  Nodding, he lay back down.

  At the nurses’ station Erin found the doctor who had treated her. “Where’s the other man who was brought in with us?”

  “Are you his wife?” the doctor asked.

  “No.”

  “Are you related to him in any way?”

  “Work colleagues.”

  “Do you know if he has any family close that we can contact in this emergency?”

  Erin’s heart raced. What was wrong with Sawyer? “No. I know he has a brother, but I don’t know his name or number. Wasn’t his cell phone on him when they brought him in?”

  The doctor turned to the nurse and asked her to find out if there was a cell phone in Sawyer’s belongings.

  Erin walked out of the ER and ran into Sylvia.

  “What happened?” Sylvia asked, observing Erin’s condition.

  Erin rubbed her hand over her face. “There was a riding accident this afternoon with my brother, Sawyer and me. My brother’s going to be okay, but Sawyer—”

  Sylvia paled and stumbled toward the nurses’ station inside the ER. “What’s wrong with him?” she whispered.

  “The doctor won’t tell me what’s wrong and needs to contact his family. I know he had his cell phone when we started the ride, but it wasn’t in the helicopter when they brought him into the emergency room. We’re looking for his brother.”

  The doctor saw Erin. “Did you find a relative?”

  Sylvia spoke first. “I’m Sawyer’s mother, and you can talk to me. I can give you any permission you need. I know his birth date and know what medications he’s allergic to. What is his condition?”

  Erin’s mouth dropped open. “Surely—”

  “It’s a long story, Erin, but Sawyer’s my son and I can give permission for treatment. I assume he isn’t married.”

  Erin nodded.

  After consulting with the doctor and signing the papers, Sylvia came back to Erin and sat down.

  Erin studied the woman. “You’re nothing like Sawyer described.”

  A sad smile curved Sylvia’s mouth. “That woman’s dead.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Sylvia sat beside Erin in the chairs just inside the emergency room doors. “I’m ashamed of what kind of mother I was.” She looked down at her hands. “That woman is dead.”

  Sylvia remained quiet for a long time.

  “You don’t have to tell me about it,” Erin reassured her.

  She shook her head. “Has Sawyer mentioned me?”

  “Yes. I was complaining about my mother and he tried to reassure me—”

  Sylvia’s shook her head. “Surely, not your mother. She’s been wonderful since your dad was brought in. She’s been a rock for all of the other women who’ve had their husbands on the floor.”

  “What I’ve learned is that we all have feet of clay.”

&nbs
p; “That’s hard to believe.”

  “It’s true, as both Mom and I have discovered.”

  With her hands clasped tightly in her lap, Sylvia began. “The wheels came off our life after my husband died of a heart attack. I was lost. I depended on him for everything. Neither of us had parents. We knew each other from foster care. Two lonely souls were attracted to each other. We weren’t in love, but married, just to have someone. Once Dennis died, there was no one except my two teenage sons. Left alone with the responsibility for them, I panicked, and my boys suffered.” She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “What I would give if I could go back and change what I did. But I can’t.”

  Sylvia explained what happened next with her series of boyfriends. “When you’re in a program like AA, you learn to accept responsibility for your actions. It was my fault. I brought those men into our home. I don’t blame Caleb or Sawyer. The best thing Caleb did was leave and take his brother with him.”

  Erin laid her hand over Sylvia’s and squeezed. “He’s an amazing man. I hate to admit it, but I’m glad he won the contract over me. He recognized things in my brother that never would’ve occurred to me, but once I knew there was a problem, I could do something about it.”

  “Where are they?” Mary Morning Star demanded.

  “They are here, Sister,” Betty said, holding Mary’s arm.

  “There you are, Daughter.” Mary hurried across the room. Looking at Erin’s sling, Mary stopped short.

  “I’ve only got a bruised arm and my shoulder was dislocated. They put it back into place. It’s sore, but I’ll be okay.” Erin stood.

  Mary looked at Sylvia for a confirmation.

  “That’s true.”

  Tenderly, Mary wrapped her arms around her daughter and held her.

  Betty stepped forward. “I thought your mom was going to pass out on me, too, when you went down.” She explained how they’d waited for the helicopter, loaded in the three patients and then taken off.

  “I don’t believe your mother ever went the speed limit on our drive here,” Betty added.

  “How are your brother and Sawyer?” Mary asked.

  “Tate’s fine. They cast his arm and want to keep him for the night for observation. But Sawyer hasn’t regained consciousness. They want to run some other tests.”