* * *
Stepping outside into the fifty-degree air, it’s still for a moment. The sun is just beginning to peek over the hill as I start towards the barn, my phone buzzing before I even reach the door. My gut says it’s Blake, because I don’t know who else it would beat this hour. I glance across the way; his house lights are on but that doesn’t exactly tell me anything.
Seeing it’s Leonard, Addison’s dad, I answer quickly. Him calling is not usually a good sign.
“Hello?”
“You got a heifer out.”
“What? Where?”
“Standing in my front yard.” He chuckles.
“Are you kidding me?” I huff. “I bet it’s Sutton. That heifer, she’s a pain in my ass.”
Leonard’s laugh builds. “I can help if you need a hand.”
“Nah, we’ll be good. Thanks though.”
Shoving my phone in my pocket, I move quickly, grabbing pliers, extra wire, wire connectors, and a fence crimper.
I toss them in the back of the Gator. The side door screeches open, and when I glance over my shoulder, I see Blake.
“We got a heifer out,” I tell him.
“Where at?” he asks, matching my speed now. He grabs a bucket of feed and sets that in the back with the rest of the stuff.
“Up in the Jennings’ front yard,” I grumble.
“Oh damn. Sorry, I’m running behind today. Caden was up last night with a fever; Sierra was all worked up.”
“He good now?” I ask as I ram open the garage door to get out.
“Yeah, she got it down to 101. Kid was taking a bath at 2 a.m.” Blake laughs, climbing up on a four-wheeler. I can tell he didn’t sleep much last night; his eyes are sunken in and dark underneath.
“Least it worked.” I shrug.
We get up the Jennings’ lane, the main house barely lit, butthere’s no sign of Sutton. Blake drives up along one side of the house and I take the other.
Then I see Addison out back, wearing her pajama pants with muck boots pulled over top, a Carhartt sweatshirt, and her hair thrown up in a ponytail, coaxing Sutton back towards our property with a large bowl of who-knows-what, and I can’t help but smile for a second.
“Addie, just be care—”
“I got her, Wes,” she insists, with a little snark in her tone. She’s still not very happy with me, I guess.
It’s been a few days since our little argument, or whatever you want to call it. I really don’t think I did anything wrong. I voiced my concern to Cody because I felt like he’d have a better chance at getting through to her than I would. I’m starting to think maybe I am too far into her business. Maybe I need to give them some space, let them figure out problems on their own rather than get in the way of it all. Because after trying to help and getting nowhere but digging myself into a bigger hole, I’m scared I won’t be able to get out of it.
“Keep going,” Addie tells her.
Blake walks around the right side of them and I take the left. We’re closing in on the fence line now.
“Wonder how long she’s been out,” Blake says.
“Hard to say.”
In another ten yards, we reach the fence, and Sutton crosses through willingly and doesn’t look back.
“That sucker really busted it up though. Good Lord,” Blake says.
