My attention was taken by the sound of the huge oak double doors opening. Poppy, one of the stable hands walked in, her high pony bobbing with each enthusiastic step.
“Hi Bertie.” She gave a finger wave as she headed our way. “Tally, I wondered if you wanted me to get Gigi ready for home.”
“Shoot, I forgot she was leaving today.” I looked at the huge clock on the wall. “Brad said he’d be here at two, so if you can get her ready while I sign off the paperwork with Ruth that would be great.”
“No problem.” Her blue eyes shone brightly, her smile beaming. “Want me to take Atlas back, too, so you can grab some lunch first?”
“Yes,” Bertie cried. “You can come and have lunch with us. Everyone is here, it’s Sunday and we’re having one of Tommy Joyner’s pigs.”
Poppy and I both laughed as Bertie rubbed her stomach.
“I don’t have time, pumpkin. I have a sandwich in the office waiting for me,” I told her.
“Really,” she pouted. “It’s so much fun. Everyone is there for Sunday lunch.”
“I’ll take Atlas for you,” Poppy said with a giggle. “Let you decide what you’re going to do.”
As she took the lunge line from me, I turned back to Bertie. “How about you come back after lunch, and I’ll give you an extra riding lesson?”
She sucked in a sharp breath. “Yes. Because if I’m going to be ranch foreman for the class camp, I need to be better than Lucas. He wants to be the foreman, too, but I’m,” she thumbed her chest, “much more experienced. “
“I think you’re right.” I bit down on my bottom lip to try and hide my amusement. “Make sure you let your lunch digest first, though. I don’t want you getting a stitch, or worse…” I blew out my cheeks. “Puking.”
Holding her sides, Bertie let out a roar of laughter. Deep from her belly and full of the type of joy you only got as a child. Before high school, before boys became a factor, or kid’s harsh words affected you. Before social media overtook your life.
“You know,” she finally said. “It’s probably a good idea that you don’t come for lunch.”
“And why’s that?” I asked, leading us toward the exit, my hand on her shoulder.
“Uncle Wilder,” she sighed.
My heart skipped. I chastised myself for it. We were nothing more than a warm body for each other.
“What’s wrong with your Uncle Wilder?”
“He’s in a real bad mood today. He came in late and when Daddy and Uncle Gunner asked him where he’d been he told them…”
“What?” I asked, swallowing back the concern and excitement that filled me in equal measures. “What did he tell them?”
She looked up at me through long, dark lashes. “Don’t tell Momma or Daddy that I said this, but he told them to mind their own business, or he’d kick them in the…” She pointed down below the cute little gold belt that she wore. “You know. The n. u. t. s,” she spelled out.
“Oh dear. That doesn’t sound good at all.” My voice had an edge to it, a ragged edge. An agitated edge because Wilder’s mood had to be because of me, and I had no clue what that meant for me. For us.
What I did know was that it wasn’t supposed to matter.
Chapter 14
Demons – Imagine Dragons
Wilder
The pork and potato on my plate looked tasty, yet it tasted like ash in my mouth. It tasted like ash and lodged like a boulder in my throat. The food was lodged, while the letter in my pocket burned through to my skin.
It felt like I was being branded. Only this wasn’t the Last Creek Ranch brand, it was the devil’s. It was a letter from our dad that had been waiting on the side table when I got home. Wanting me to visit him in prison.
Over recent months I’d been contemplating going to see him, but having a request there, in his handwriting…It felt too much, too soon. Like it was no longer my decision.
I knew that I could say no, but I had so many questions. Answers that wouldn’t come from my brothers. How could they when I wasn’t even sure if the questions were valid.
