you before you can say Hello. And I wouldn’t blame him.”
Andrew scoffed. “Well, he might not get the chance. Thinking I’ll head over to Greeley instead. Hear they’ve got a lively gambling parlor.”
Bill turned to leave. “You leave the drive one more time, you’re done. You know the rules.” He’d been ready to fire his brother for so long, the words came easily.
“Curse the rules. I’ll leave, and come back, whenever I choose.”
The arrogance in Andrew’s tone infuriated Bill.
“Not as long as you’re on payroll.”
“Pa won’t fire me, and he’ll be mad at you if you do.”
“He’ll back me.”
Andrew waited a moment. “Your precious Sparrow is up to something.”
“Watch your tongue.” Bill tightened the cinch on Orion a little too roughly, and the gelding jumped. Realizing he’d hurt his horse, Bill hurried to undo the cinch. Getting rattled by Andrew would do him no good. Bill’s strength was keeping his head in all situations, and that was why he’d been put in charge.
“I know a thing or two about con artists.”
“I won’t have you talking like that. She’s just a woman who’s trying to get somewhere. That’s all.”
“She’s using you to get there.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Maybe I’m not the one who needs to be rescued. You’re so caught up, you don’t even realize she’s got you tied where she wants you.”
“And, apart from travel to Cricket Bend, what would she want from me?”
Andrew raised an eyebrow at Bill’s defensive tone. “Maybe she already got it.”
Bill couldn’t stop his fists from clenching at Andrew’s words. “I didn’t wake up this morning planning on beating you into a pulp, but that don’t mean I won’t.”
Andrew stepped forward. “Hit me. You’ve been wanting to for years.”
It nearly happened. Bill could have slugged him as they stood there, but what would it have gained? Nothing—just more ill-sentiment and distrust. He’d keep his head, and hold back his anger. “You go to Greeley, you’re done.”
“I will remember that.”
“We’re setting off shortly. Be in your place.”
“Yes, boss. Right away, boss. Not whistling now, are you?”
Time moved on, as it tended to. The sun set, the moon rose, the sun rose, over and over. Three days went by, calm and quiet. The drive continued north toward Abilene. As they crossed the grasses which grew less green as they made their way farther into the plains, Bill rode in front of the herd. When he wasn’t talking to Jess about routes and the fear of a storm coming upon them, he let his mind return to the woman who was at the forefront of nearly all his thoughts.
He had loved a woman once before. Not that he loved Emma. Yet. But the beginnings of something resembling love stirred in his gut. He’d felt them the day she’d told him her name, and they grew little by little, like a flower, as she revealed more of herself. She was from Virginia, she was an eager lover, she felt comfortable enough with him to share her body and sleep beside him, she made good pies, and he’d never tasted anything as delicious as her lips.
What more was there? When she was near him, he was happier than when she wasn’t.
No one knew, but he’d felt that way before. Four years earlier, a bright-eyed woman from a nearby town, which neighbored the ranch, had caught his attention, and they’d become friends. Greta. Lovely Greta and her sweet smile and her delicate silliness. She’d loved romantic novels and ribbons and lace, and had been well-regarded for both her kind nature and her needlepoint.
Bill had nearly lost his mind with love for her.
But he’d also been a different man back then. Like his brothers, he’d been rowdy, prone to drinking too much and brawling when it wasn’t necessary. The very idea of casting such a life aside to become a husband and father had seemed like crazy talk. So he’d kept on the way he was. He kept flirting, and
Andrew scoffed. “Well, he might not get the chance. Thinking I’ll head over to Greeley instead. Hear they’ve got a lively gambling parlor.”
Bill turned to leave. “You leave the drive one more time, you’re done. You know the rules.” He’d been ready to fire his brother for so long, the words came easily.
“Curse the rules. I’ll leave, and come back, whenever I choose.”
The arrogance in Andrew’s tone infuriated Bill.
“Not as long as you’re on payroll.”
“Pa won’t fire me, and he’ll be mad at you if you do.”
“He’ll back me.”
Andrew waited a moment. “Your precious Sparrow is up to something.”
“Watch your tongue.” Bill tightened the cinch on Orion a little too roughly, and the gelding jumped. Realizing he’d hurt his horse, Bill hurried to undo the cinch. Getting rattled by Andrew would do him no good. Bill’s strength was keeping his head in all situations, and that was why he’d been put in charge.
“I know a thing or two about con artists.”
“I won’t have you talking like that. She’s just a woman who’s trying to get somewhere. That’s all.”
“She’s using you to get there.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Maybe I’m not the one who needs to be rescued. You’re so caught up, you don’t even realize she’s got you tied where she wants you.”
“And, apart from travel to Cricket Bend, what would she want from me?”
Andrew raised an eyebrow at Bill’s defensive tone. “Maybe she already got it.”
Bill couldn’t stop his fists from clenching at Andrew’s words. “I didn’t wake up this morning planning on beating you into a pulp, but that don’t mean I won’t.”
Andrew stepped forward. “Hit me. You’ve been wanting to for years.”
It nearly happened. Bill could have slugged him as they stood there, but what would it have gained? Nothing—just more ill-sentiment and distrust. He’d keep his head, and hold back his anger. “You go to Greeley, you’re done.”
“I will remember that.”
“We’re setting off shortly. Be in your place.”
“Yes, boss. Right away, boss. Not whistling now, are you?”
Time moved on, as it tended to. The sun set, the moon rose, the sun rose, over and over. Three days went by, calm and quiet. The drive continued north toward Abilene. As they crossed the grasses which grew less green as they made their way farther into the plains, Bill rode in front of the herd. When he wasn’t talking to Jess about routes and the fear of a storm coming upon them, he let his mind return to the woman who was at the forefront of nearly all his thoughts.
He had loved a woman once before. Not that he loved Emma. Yet. But the beginnings of something resembling love stirred in his gut. He’d felt them the day she’d told him her name, and they grew little by little, like a flower, as she revealed more of herself. She was from Virginia, she was an eager lover, she felt comfortable enough with him to share her body and sleep beside him, she made good pies, and he’d never tasted anything as delicious as her lips.
What more was there? When she was near him, he was happier than when she wasn’t.
No one knew, but he’d felt that way before. Four years earlier, a bright-eyed woman from a nearby town, which neighbored the ranch, had caught his attention, and they’d become friends. Greta. Lovely Greta and her sweet smile and her delicate silliness. She’d loved romantic novels and ribbons and lace, and had been well-regarded for both her kind nature and her needlepoint.
Bill had nearly lost his mind with love for her.
But he’d also been a different man back then. Like his brothers, he’d been rowdy, prone to drinking too much and brawling when it wasn’t necessary. The very idea of casting such a life aside to become a husband and father had seemed like crazy talk. So he’d kept on the way he was. He kept flirting, and
Similar Books
