They both straightened indignantly. “Like a couple of beans would take me down,” Danny grumbled. Kate just laughed and waved them off.
Turning back to the corral, Kate listened to Pa’s bartering. Oh dear. The two men’s numbers weren’t even close. This really could take a while. She decided to amuse herself by studying the stock milling in front of her. Maybe she could make a game of it and try to figure out the breed, age, and soundness of each animal, testing all the knowledge she’d learned from her father. She squinted. Might be tricky, as there were a lot of what looked like mixed breeds in there. Those three might be Herefords. A couple longhorns. She wrinkled her nose. Foot rot onthose ones. The one on the right looked like an Angus, but red instead of black.
She walked around the pen, wanting a closer look at that bay gelding at the back. He hung his head, and his ribs stood out in stark relief on his flank. His hooves hadn’t been trimmed in ages. Poor dear. She hiked up her blue gingham skirts and stepped up onto the fence rail, gently reaching out to scratch his neck. He barely lifted his head. Kate looked him over, trying to see past the neglect. High withers. Nicely sloped shoulder. Decent food would make that hind end powerful. And he was tall, likely almost sixteen hands, might even have some thoroughbred in him. Kate’s brow crinkled. With proper care, this would be a fantastic horse, powerful and fast. What had happened to bring him to such a state? She clucked and cooed, scratching his shoulder, feeling him slowly lean into her touch.
“I see you made a friend.”
Kate smiled at the familiar voice, trying not to notice the way it sent warm tingles down her spine. Jacob sauntered up, tying Kip to a post and leaning on the fence beside her, elbows resting casually on the rail. He nodded to the bay. “He’s had a hard go of it.”
Kate scratched the gelding’s ears. “You could say that again. How could someone let this happen?”
“Not everyone is as kindhearted as you.”
She climbed down off the fence, her heart warming at his sweet words. “All you need to take care of an animal is a little common decency. I’d like to find the one who did this and let them know what I think of them.”
Jacob chuckled. “Then he’d be another victim of Kate McGrath’s right hook.”
“Jacob!” she gasped in feigned outrage. She lifted her chin. “I’m a lady. I would never strike someone without extreme provocation.”
He eyed her, a crooked grin on his face. “A lady who likes to wear trousers and rope steers?”
She gave him a playful swat on his arm. “So what you’re sayin’ is that a woman couldn’t possibly ride a horse and be a lady at the same time? That she couldn’t possibly do a man’s work and be beautiful?”
“No, nothin’ of the sort! You look right pretty when you’re ridin’. I mean, you look pretty right now, in a-a—”
“A dress?” His Adam's apple bobbed under his beard, and his eyes widened. Kate suppressed a smirk, enjoying the rare occurrence of seeing Jacob Munroe sweat. “I’ll have you know that dresses and petticoats and corsets are the most impractical and uncomfortable things on God’s green earth, and I only wear them when I must, so don’t get used to it.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it,” he said faintly.
“Good,” she said, unable to hide her grin.
He laughed softly and shook his head. “You’re somethin’ else, Kate McGrath.”
She ducked her head, a sudden wave of hot embarrassment coursing through her at her bold banter. Something about him drew out sides of her that only her family had seen. Since when did she flirt with handsome young men? Kate felt heat rising in her face. She looked around, flustered, trying to find something else to talk about. She needed to turn this conversation away from talk of her choices of attire. She saw her father shaking hands with a tall fellow. Kate hurriedly cleared her throat. “Looks like Pa’s made a deal.”
Jacob glanced over to the other side of the corral. “Your team not doin’ good?”
“They’re holdin’ on for now, but Pa doesn’t want to risk it if they come up lame …” Kate trailed off, squinting over at her father, brow furrowed. “But that’s not the teamster. This fellow’s as skinny as a beanpole.” Her father looked around and spotted her, waving her over enthusiastically. She could feel his excitement from here. Something big had happened.
“Looks like whatever the beanpole is sellin’ is worth gettin’ excited about,” Jacob mused.
“I’ll say,” Kate said. She gave the bay a final pat and turned to walk back around the pen. Jacob fell in step beside her, the ease of his presence bringing a warmth to Kate’s heart. She was so glad she had months yet to enjoy his company. Even if that was all she would ever have.
“Katie-bird!” Pa called as they neared the pair of men. “Ya won’t believe what I just found!”
Kate couldn’t help but smile at her father’s exuberance and laughed as he squeezed her in a fierce hug. “What is it?”
He held her at arm's length, green eyes twinkling. “Home!”
Jacob stood by, forgotten amidst the excitement, listening to Aaron tell Kate all about the homestead he’d found off the Lander Cutoff north into the foothills of the Wind River Range.
Apparently Mr. Beanpole (he introduced himself as Conrad Avery in a surprisingly deep voice) had a wife who couldn’t take the pioneering life anymore, so they’d pulled up stakes, drove their wagon back to Fort Laramie, and waited until someone came through looking to take over ownership of a spread in the middle of nowhere. Apparently the neighboring family had taken the same notion and had joined them on the trek back East.
The more Jacob heard about the place, the more he knew it was perfect for the McGraths. He was happy for them, really. But he couldn’t help the melancholy that slowly flooded his heart. He had managed to salvage his friendship with Kate despite that electrifying kiss. He couldn’t stop thinking about it. She pulled at him like a magnet, and he wanted to be close to her even if all he could have was simple companionship. She had pushed him away, but he couldn’t help it; he needed to be close to her, craved being near her. He was a ship tossed by the waves and she was his anchor, tethering him to solid ground. He gazed at Kate’s animated faceas she listened to her father, asking questions, her deep brown eyes alight with excitement.
He thought he’d have months yet. But now he had to let her go.
She and her father moved off, eager to tell Edith and the boys, tugging Mr. Avery in their wake. Jacob stared after them, feeling Kate’s absence keenly. The day seemed a little more gray than it had with her by his side. The ease of her company was such a balm to his spirit. The way they had talked out at Chimney Rock as he bared his soul and grief made him feel seen. Since he was a kid, he’d always had to keep it together, take care of himself and make sure the people around him were taken care of as well. Somehow, Kate was able to break through those walls of self-reliance and take hold of him in a way he’d never felt before. She held his heart in her hands. He felt exposed. Laid bare before her, yet totally safe. And he’d have to say goodbye all too soon.
