“Yeah, well, he’s the boss.”
The men crowded a bit closer. “Come on, Bobbie,” Coop said again. “Will ya do it?”
She took a step back to gain some room but found Mack blocking her escape. Finally, she put her hands up. “All right. I’ll do it tonight after we’re through working.”
The men cheered and patted her on the back before entering the hall to eat. She walked over to Jace, who still leaned against the barn with a smirk on his face. She couldn’t help but smile in return.
“I warned you I’d retaliate.”
“Now, Jace,” she said in her sweetest voice, shaking her finger at him, “you know very well that revenge is not your responsibility. We just heard about that in church last Sunday.”
He grabbed the finger she shook at him. “You know, you’re right. I guess I’ll have to go home and confess that sin tonight while you’re cutting all those heads of hair.”
She stuck out her tongue, and he grinned.
“Come on.” He pushed away from the barn. “We’d better get in there and get some food before the men eat it all.”
“Really. I need to eat so I’ll have plenty of energy for tonight.”
He put his arm around her shoulders and gave her a quick squeeze. She gave his arm a playful push. “Don’t go trying to make it up to me now. It’s too late.”
Her heart did a funny little dance at the sound of his laughter. He tipped the rim of his hat and gave a mocking bow as he held the door open for her.
TWELVE
J ace spotted the man he sought. Coop lounged with his feet up on a barrel surrounded by men engrossed in his latest tale.
“Coop, can I talk to you a minute?”
“Sure. Whatcha need?”
He led Coop away from the rest of the men. “You know we’re leaving on Monday to drive the cattle to the stockyard in Pueblo.”
“Yep.”
“I’d like for you to stay behind and watch the place for me.” Coop’s face darkened with that angry look Jace had come to know well, and he raised his hand to staunch an outburst. “I know Adam and Bobbie were the last to arrive here. They should be the ones staying behind, but I really don’t like the idea of leaving Bobbie here. That just leaves women and children to take care of things. And I don’t know or trust Adam enough to leave him behind to watch everything.
“I hope you’re not angry about my choice, Coop, but I’ve got to get these cattle to the stockyard before I lose any more. With so many of them to move, I need every available hand. Will you take over for me while we’re gone?”
The compliment rubbed the redness from Coop’s face. “Sure. I’d be happy to. Ya got nothing to worry about while yer gone. I’ll take care of everything.”
Jace stuck his hand out for Coop to shake. “I’ve already talked to Annie. You’ll be taking all your meals with her while we’re gone. We should be back in a week if all goes well. Thanks again, Coop.”
He patted Coop’s hunched shoulder, appreciating that his men respected his decisions. If only Bobbie agreed to do the same. She’d not said more about their argument or their conversation after the Bible study, but even after the fun she’d had cutting his hair, he couldn’t help but feel as if he’d lost something—respect or trust, he wasn’t sure.
“You bet. Don’t worry ’bout nothing.”
Jace swung toward the stable.
“Ah, Jace? I could sure use a trip inta town ’fore ya’ll head out. If I go now, I shouldn’t need to go again till ya git back.”
Jace paused, his hand on the carved wooden latch. “Sure, Coop. That’s not a problem.”
Coop tugged his hat over his eyes before heading for his horse. Jace went back to work with a clear head.
Two days later, the cattle drive was finally under way, much to Jace’s satisfaction. The anticipation always seemed harder than the drive itself. After countless trips, it still surprised him how tense he became.
He reined in his horse and glanced back, keeping a careful eye on the new men
The men crowded a bit closer. “Come on, Bobbie,” Coop said again. “Will ya do it?”
She took a step back to gain some room but found Mack blocking her escape. Finally, she put her hands up. “All right. I’ll do it tonight after we’re through working.”
The men cheered and patted her on the back before entering the hall to eat. She walked over to Jace, who still leaned against the barn with a smirk on his face. She couldn’t help but smile in return.
“I warned you I’d retaliate.”
“Now, Jace,” she said in her sweetest voice, shaking her finger at him, “you know very well that revenge is not your responsibility. We just heard about that in church last Sunday.”
He grabbed the finger she shook at him. “You know, you’re right. I guess I’ll have to go home and confess that sin tonight while you’re cutting all those heads of hair.”
She stuck out her tongue, and he grinned.
“Come on.” He pushed away from the barn. “We’d better get in there and get some food before the men eat it all.”
“Really. I need to eat so I’ll have plenty of energy for tonight.”
He put his arm around her shoulders and gave her a quick squeeze. She gave his arm a playful push. “Don’t go trying to make it up to me now. It’s too late.”
Her heart did a funny little dance at the sound of his laughter. He tipped the rim of his hat and gave a mocking bow as he held the door open for her.
TWELVE
J ace spotted the man he sought. Coop lounged with his feet up on a barrel surrounded by men engrossed in his latest tale.
“Coop, can I talk to you a minute?”
“Sure. Whatcha need?”
He led Coop away from the rest of the men. “You know we’re leaving on Monday to drive the cattle to the stockyard in Pueblo.”
“Yep.”
“I’d like for you to stay behind and watch the place for me.” Coop’s face darkened with that angry look Jace had come to know well, and he raised his hand to staunch an outburst. “I know Adam and Bobbie were the last to arrive here. They should be the ones staying behind, but I really don’t like the idea of leaving Bobbie here. That just leaves women and children to take care of things. And I don’t know or trust Adam enough to leave him behind to watch everything.
“I hope you’re not angry about my choice, Coop, but I’ve got to get these cattle to the stockyard before I lose any more. With so many of them to move, I need every available hand. Will you take over for me while we’re gone?”
The compliment rubbed the redness from Coop’s face. “Sure. I’d be happy to. Ya got nothing to worry about while yer gone. I’ll take care of everything.”
Jace stuck his hand out for Coop to shake. “I’ve already talked to Annie. You’ll be taking all your meals with her while we’re gone. We should be back in a week if all goes well. Thanks again, Coop.”
He patted Coop’s hunched shoulder, appreciating that his men respected his decisions. If only Bobbie agreed to do the same. She’d not said more about their argument or their conversation after the Bible study, but even after the fun she’d had cutting his hair, he couldn’t help but feel as if he’d lost something—respect or trust, he wasn’t sure.
“You bet. Don’t worry ’bout nothing.”
Jace swung toward the stable.
“Ah, Jace? I could sure use a trip inta town ’fore ya’ll head out. If I go now, I shouldn’t need to go again till ya git back.”
Jace paused, his hand on the carved wooden latch. “Sure, Coop. That’s not a problem.”
Coop tugged his hat over his eyes before heading for his horse. Jace went back to work with a clear head.
Two days later, the cattle drive was finally under way, much to Jace’s satisfaction. The anticipation always seemed harder than the drive itself. After countless trips, it still surprised him how tense he became.
He reined in his horse and glanced back, keeping a careful eye on the new men
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