Lucille grinned. “So old.” She stepped back and sighed, turning away. “Thanks for putting her up for me, old man.” I watched her walk away with the biggest grin on my face.
Still just as fiery as ever.
“Hey, Forsythe, you see this kid?”My head spun around to follow Dallas’ pointed finger only to find Torchy across the corral. He was standing on the back of the large stallion we had unloaded, shirtless, drinking a beer with a child-like grin.
“What the hell is that kid doing?” I asked, shaking my head.
Dallas huffed. “No idea. But he needs to put a damn shirt on before Ms. Nellie or Lucille see him like that.” He spat at the dirt. “Never understood why he felt the need to cover his body in all those tattoos.” Dallas made a face and looked at me. “No offense.”
None taken.
“Hell,” he grumbled. “I don’t know how he even does that. You know, one of these days he’s gonna end up breaking hisneck, and I won’t shed a damn tear.” I tried not to laugh at his hollow words. “Torchy! Get your ass down before Ms. Nellie sees you up there!” He walked off, stomping his boots. “And what did I tell you about drinking on the job?” The two began to bicker, and the more they argued, the more they felt like father and son.
Cooper walked up with his hands on his hips, grinning while his white mustache nearly reached each ear. “Looks like Torchy is at it again.” He chuckled. “That kid...always up to something. Never gets old, does it?” I shook my head. “Well, I guess we ought to get Reaper ready. His buyer will be here in a couple of hours.”
My stomach dropped at his words.
“You know I did everything I could to keep from selling him, right?” I looked up at the old man with a hardened expression.
His faded eyes observed me closely. “I know. But times are tough, and you’re doing what you gotta to keep this place running right.” He paused. “No one can fault you for that. Not even Lucille.” His eyes twinkled at the mention of her name, looking for a reaction. “How’d things go last night?”
My gaze pulled away from his while I watched Dallas argue with Torchy as he hopped down from the stallion. “Not sure what you mean.”
Cooper grunted. “Sure.” He leaned over the fencing of the corral next to me and tilted his hat. “I saw you chase after her last night after that little display.”
“I just wanted to make sure she was alright.” My response was a bit quicker than I intended it to be.
The old man grunted softly. “And was she?” My head fell forward a bit, and I leaned against the fence. “She’s fine now.”
“What about you two?” I snapped my head up at his question to find him wearing a concerned look. “Not still fighting now, are you?”
Torchy shouted at Dallas, pulling my attention away. I waited a moment before finally answering him. “She doesn’t hate me. Why?”
Cooper chuckled and smacked my back. “No reason.” I turned to look back at the smirking old man and noticed Lucille and Wimberly in the distance walking up. He looked at the expression on my face and laughed. “By the way, she’s coming to say goodbye to Reaper before the buyer arrives.”
My brow furrowed. “Yeah, and you just conveniently failed to mention that now, didn’t you?”
He grinned ear to ear. “Nope. Just getting old, I guess.” The old man winked and stuffed his hands into his pockets, walking off to greet Lucille.
Damn old man.
Torchy ran up to me, huffing and puffing, sweating like a pig. “Why does Dallas hate me?” he asked, wiping his forehead. “I put a damn shirt on and got down, yet he’s still harping on my ass. I can’t do nothing right by him!”
Dallas stomped over with the pissiest look on his face. “I told you to get your ass in that barn and get to work!” Torchy groaned and did as he was told. Dallas shook his head, annoyed.
“You should ease up a little. He already thinks you hate him.”
He rolled his eyes and spat on the ground. “I don’t hate him, I just…he’s a knucklehead. And if I don’t kick his butt into gear, who else will? Cooper’s too much of an old softie and you got bigger things to worry about around here.”
“Who you calling an old softie?” Cooper and Lucille walked up, shadowed by Wimberly. The dog ran straight to me, wagging her tail and yipping with excitement. I couldn’t help but kneel down and embrace her. “If anyone’s an old softie, it’s Forsythe. I mean, look at how that pup melts in his hands like butter.”
My eyes raised to meet Lucille’s before she bashfully ripped them away. My smile only grew, knowing damn well she wasn’tblushing from the heat. “Dallas was just calling you an old softie, saying he’s gotta be the one to whip Torchy into shape.” I petted Wimberly’s head and stood up. “Torchy thinks Dallas here hates him.”
Dallas scoffed. “I don’t hate the kid!”
Cooper chuckled. “Could’ve fooled me. You are a bit tough on him?—”
“It’s called tough love. If I don’t give him a hard time and stay on him, that boy is going to end up getting hurt doing something stupid. Or worse, killed—” He froze, realizing Lucille was standing right in front of him. “Forgive me.” He removed his cowboy hat. “I–I’m going to go help bring Reaper out now.” He gripped his hat close, stumbling as he took off into the barn.
