Snorts went through the women. Scarlet laughed. "You have taken more blame than anyone, most of it not even your fault. It's like you have no fear of Percy and his demons."
"You're crazy," Joey responded and winced at another swipe of rubbing alcohol. "Besides, that sounds like the title of a kids' book."
"Remember when we first met?" Scarlet asked.
"Of course I do."
"Well, then let me remind you of the details anyway. I had one too many the night before and was sick as a dog with a hangover. And of course it was the day I was up first for the rare morning show. Who took my spot?"
"I did. But it wasn't that big of a deal. We just traded spots on the roster."
Another lady chimed in. "But who had been up all night the night before you took Scarlet's morning run taking care of my little one while I was at the hospital with my husband?"
Joey stared at the floor, not liking the attention being put on herself.
Scarlet nodded. "That would be you, Ms. Joey Preston. You were dog-assed tired, way too exhausted to cover my spot, but you still stepped up to keep me out of trouble for something that was damned sure my own fault. And we all know how Percy feels about drinking, so I would have been fired in a heartbeat."
Percy Western was a recovered alcoholic and ran a tight ship when it came to drinking amongst his employees or contestants. He took zero tolerance to a whole new level.
"And who took the blame for hiding the calves when the guys moved them to some guy's pasture so they could eat?"
Joey shrugged at the brunette's question. "Those guys have families they're supporting. They couldn't afford to get docked a week's pay."
"And neither could you," Scarlet gently argued. "You have bills just like the rest of us, yet you let Percy release his wrath on you."
"It was worth it," Joey retorted. "Those calves were starving, and Percy didn't give one shit about it. They needed to graze, and the twenty-four hours it took to find them gave them a fighting chance. The guys can't calf-rope without them."
Joey was relieved when the bandage went on her cheek so she could escape. She knew that she had gone out of her way to protect those around her, but it wasn't because she wanted praise and ego boosts. It was simply who she was, and she absolutely hated Percy and how he treated anyone, with two legs or four.
"Thank you, Scarlet, for your excellent nursing. I probably won't even have a scar."
"Oh, sweetheart, you're going to have a scar. That was a deep gash, and you need stitches. Real, honest-to-God stitches."
Joey gave her a half-assed smile because it hurt to move her cheek. "It'll be fine, you'll see."
She headed back to the barn to retrieve her shovel so she could finish the feed. With Percy being such a prick, not a grain of feed went to waste. She sighed as a familiar weight suddenly settled on her shoulders again. She had paid her mother's costs for the two months they'd been on the road, but she just couldn't get ahead. Sneaking off to feed stores to buy extra food was draining what savings she had, and recouping the money took longer than spending it.
Her shovel was propped in the corner, and as she grabbed it, she happened to look in the supply stall. The man she had whacked, Oscar she was pretty sure, was sprawled against the wall with a saddle in his lap. A vodka bottle was in his hand and several beer cans were strewn around.
"Think it looks authentic?" One of the guys startled her. Clinton stood behind her.
"Except for the saddle."
Clinton laughed. "We needed something to account for the broken nose. We tried to make it look like he got drunk and decided to go riding. Busted his face with the saddle."
"Then it looks perfect. You know Percy is going to freak with the alcohol."
"Exactly, so the saddle may be overkill, but better safe than sorry."
"How long do you think he'll be out?"
"No idea, but one of the guys put a bug in Percy's ear, so he'll be busted before he knows what's going on."
Joey hoisted her shovel. "I'm out of here then before he gets here. I have no desire to face Percy with a bloodied-up face."
She laughed as she hurried away. This was exactly why she didn't mind helping the others. They all had each other's backs. It was further proven when she got back to the feed area and found everything had been finished. Tears welled in her eyes that had nothing to do with the pain in her cheek.
Joey went to the barn to visit Journey. Sure enough, grain was in the horse's feed bucket. "They took care of you, too, didn't they, girl?"
