“A bit.” Juniper kept her eyes closed as she murmured the words, which meant they may not be true.
Lorelei brushed loose tendrils of hair off Juniper’s brow, then rose. She would start with ginger tea, then once that had time to perform its calming magic, hopefully Juniper could keep down the ham broth. They’d work up to bites of the salty meat.
One thing was certain: Juniper needed special care and focused attention right now. As important as Curly had become in Lorelei’s life, her sister mattered far more.
And Juniper needed her.
Tanner’s insides had been coiled tight for nearly a full day now. The longer he stared at the ledger, the more the numbers blurred. At least this new worry about Juniper had pushed his other pain to the background, both the redness ringing the gash in his shoulder and the weight constricting his heart as he forced himself to place distance between him and Lorelei. The shoulder would be easy enough to fix if he’d be more faithful to apply the salve Lorelei gave him.
But his heart . . . He couldn’t get his thoughts to linger on anything other than her.
What was happening with her sister? So many times he’d nearly placed the bar across the trade room door and saddled his gelding to head toward the ranch. White Horse could protect the calf and other animals. The man was far more capable than Tanner had proved to be. And maybe those at the ranch would appreciate if he showed up with supplies for them.
But he’d promised Lorelei he would stay here and watch over things. Whether he was the right man for that job or not, he’d given his word.
The rear door to the trade room opened, and White Horse appeared in the frame. A little of the tension in Tanner’s chest eased, especially when the man stepped inside. White Horse had become a welcome companion during his stay here. His movements now seemed almost casual, as though he was simply killing time. Did he realize how much Tanner needed a friend right now? Probably not. But even still, his presence felt like a gift.
White Horse moved to the open doorway and staredout toward the mountains where he’d gone to search for his mother. Was he thinking of her now? Did he wonder if he’d missed something in their search?
Tanner worked for a casual tone. “Do you plan to go search for your mother again soon?”
White Horse didn’t answer immediately but kept his gaze on the distant peaks. “She will find me when she’s ready.” Then he turned back to Tanner. “She gave to her people everything she had. Healed them. Loved them.” He pressed a fist over his heart. “When they turned on her ... made her leave when she could not save one man. She grieved what she has lost.” His gaze turned back to the mountains, and his voice softened. “When she has done with her sadness, she will find me.”
Tanner swallowed down the heat clogging his throat. He knew well the feeling of being abandoned by a mother, though his own hadn’t chosen to leave him. She’d died when he was five, and his only memory was of standing beside her sickbed, sobs shaking his chest as he begged her to get better. She’d only given him a sad smile and patted his hand.
For years, he’d wondered why hadn’t she fought to stay with him. She could have overcome the chest cold that turned to pneumonia if she’d tried. Didn’t she know how much her little boy would need someone on his side? Someone willing to love him? To fight for him?
He pushed the memories away. He was a grown man now. She’d taken ill and died. He knew now there was nothing she could have done to save herself. Yet no matter how many times he told himself that, he couldn’t shake the loneliness, the panicked feeling he had no one left who cared.
White Horse turned to face him again and stepped forward. The friendship in his eyes showed clearly as though they shared a similar pain.
But then the brave stopped and turned, his head cocked. Tanner strained to hear. Was that hoofbeats?
White Horse returned to the doorway and peered out. “Lorelei has come.” He charged outside. Tanner dropped his pencil onto the ledger and bolted after White Horse.
He reached the two after Lorelei had already dismounted by the side gate. She stood there, reins in hand, exhaustion creasing the edges of her eyes and darkening the hollows beneath them. Her sister must be even worse than they’d thought. The knot in his middle twisted tighter, and he touched her arm.
She allowed him to tug her inside, and once White Horse took the reins from her, she looked weary enough to blow away in a strong wind. Had she slept at all since she left the fort? Tanner slid his arm around her to guide her toward the cabin.
She slid into the crook of his arm, moving where he guided her. White Horse followed along on the other side, the horse trailing behind him.
“How is your sister?” Tanner kept his voice gentle but loud enough for both to hear.
“A little better, but still very weak. She can’t keep anything more than a few drops down, and she barely has the strength to stand.”
The weight pressed harder on Tanner’s chest, especially when Lorelei pulled from his arms and turned to face him. She cast her focus from him to White Horse, then backto him. “I need to stay at the ranch to help. Juniper needs special care right now.”
He swallowed down the lump that rose up. He’d expected that. Thought about recommending it. But if taking Curly back to the ranch brought that other danger back with her, which would be the lesser problem?
Lorelei had surely considered all and must believe her attention was needed more than anything. If anything could bring her sister back to health, Lorelei’s care would do it.
Still, she was leaving him. He’d told himself this was what he wanted. For her. She needed to focus on her family and the creatures she cared so much about. The injured animals who needed her devotion.
He would be fine on his own. And far better he protect his heart now than after becoming too involved.
He turned to look around for the calf. Curly stood nose to nose with Frisco in the corner by the storage room. “I’ll help you take the animals over. I think Curly might be too big to ride across your saddle, but I suspect he’ll come along willingly.”
“Tanner.”
