“Should probably get back before that makes its way here,” Jackson says, riding up next to me and pointing at a dense black cloud the next mountain range over.
“Won’t hear me arguing about heading home early.” Red spits his chewing tobacco on the dry soil between our horses.
I tug my cowboy hat down to block the sun from my eyes, getting a clearer view of the rolling clouds. “Yeah, the storms like to race up the valley. But there’s enough time that I think we can do the fences until the ravine first.”
Both men agree, so we carry on up the fence line, checking for holes, and stopping to tighten loose barbed wire. Despite the impending storm, the sun’s beating down, and I pluck at my shirt to get some fresh air across my sweat-dampened back. The water in my metal bottle’s so damn close to reaching boiling point, it doesn’t even quench my thirst.
I spit the liquid out, wiping the back of my hand across parched lips. “Somebody tell me why the weather here jumpsfrom freeze-your-dick-off cold to sweat-your-balls-off hot with hardly any time in between.”
“Think about how Vegas feels having to lug your ass around while you sit there and look pretty,” Red shouts over his shoulder from where he’s doing a quick farmer fix on a broken chunk of barbed wire.
“You think I look pretty?” I bat my eyelashes at him, and he halfheartedly tosses a clump of dirt at me in response. “Cass is going to besojealous when I tell her you’ve been checking me out all day.”
“Has the heat gone to your head?” He mounts his horse and sprays me in the face with water from his bottle before taking a swig. Despite how warm the water is, it’s surprisingly refreshing.
“Wish we could blame the heat for the shit that comes out of his mouth,” Jackson quips. “We probably should head back, eh? Storm’s getting awfully close.”
I nod. “Yeah, good call. I need to head to town, anyway.”
Jackson gives me a questioning look, but doesn’t say anything.
“Doctor’s appointment?” Red smirks.
“Something like that.”
Denver:Is Fancy by Reba still your go-to drunk karaoke song?
Blair:Oh God. I’m going to crawl into a hole now.
Blair:I regret telling you to ask questions
Denver:That tells me all I need to know. Thank you.
Denver:Also, will you be busy in about an hour?
Blair:Depends whether your plans involve singing
Denver:Just you singing mypraises
Freshly showered, I run a hand through wet hair and slap a ball cap on. Then head out of my room, passing a bunch of ranch hands in the bunkhouse kitchen on my way out the door. They’re drinking beer and playing poker, and all of them stop to stare at me in my clean clothes and going-to-town boots.
“Where ya off to?” Colt cracks a beer, leaning against the closed fridge.
“Appointment.” I roll my shoulder, wincing as if it’s bothering me.
“Again? Damn. Guess you’re an old man now—body’s falling apart.” He takes a swig. “Grab a two-four of beer on your way home.”
I give him a thumbs up before stepping out into the midday sun and crunching down the gravel to my pickup. She fires right up, and I roll the windows down for a breeze on the drive to Wells Canyon. Pulling up in front of Blair’s clinic exactly an hour after my initial text message, I grab the bags of stuff I paid way too much for at the home goods store down the street.
“Afternoon.” I smile at the receptionist, who eyes me up and down as I stroll across the empty waiting room. I wrestle the bags in my arms, trying to determine how I’ll be able to open the door into Blair’s office. “Do you, uh…mind getting this door for me? Hands are a little full here.”
She leisurely rolls her desk chair backward and stands, not caring at all that I’m struggling with an armful of shit, then takes her sweet time getting to the door. Here I thought I’d be a nice guy and do it all in one trip, save her from hearing the front door chime repeatedly. Not doing that again.
“Thank you,” I say through gritted teeth as I bump thedoor with my hip so it opens all the way. Then I swing my heel to close it in her face.
“Hey.” I toss the bags onto an old armchair in the corner and tear into them. “Keep working, I’ll be quiet. Just have some things I need to set up here.”
I pull a small lamp from a bag and step lightly across the floor to place it on the empty part of her bookshelf. Then another for the back of the room. A larger lamp for the corner of her desk.
