Page 146 of Dusty Spur Ranch Cowboys

“Arizona says I passed the guitar’s test.” Sadie turns to me. “Can my certificate have glitter?”

“I’ll use enough to make your father regret asking.”

Satisfied, she carries the guitar inside while Emmett watches her go. The gratitude in his expression unsettles me because he still looks surprised whenever someone stays for Sadie.

“You don’t have to thank me,” I tell him.

“I know, but I’m going to anyway.”

I take the gloves from him before he can say more. “What are we fixing?”

“The west fence.”

We spend the next hour replacing wire where one of the horses leaned against it. Emmett works the tensioner while I secure the clips, and Willy joins us with another roll before appointing himself supervisor.

He crouches beside my knot and studies it. “You’ve created interpretive fencing.”

“It’ll hold.”

“It may also confuse future generations.”

Emmett pulls the wire tighter. “Leave her alone and make yourself useful.”

Willy rises with wounded dignity. “I brought the wire.”

“You also spent ten minutes arguing with the wheelbarrow,” I remind him as I head toward the equipment shed for another roll.

His reply follows me across the yard, but I leave him to defend himself to Emmett. The afternoon heat presses over the buildings as I approach the shed, and I’m several yards away when Beau speaks from behind it.

“I don’t care what he said.”

I stop near the corner while his words carry across the packed dirt. He turns and I see the phone in his hand before I duck down to hide.

A pause follows, and Beau answers with his teeth clenched. “Because that wasn’t part of the deal.”

I edge closer to the wall while keeping my boots away from the gravel.

Wind moves through the trees and steals part of the conversation before Beau speaks again. “He’s going too far, and I said I’d handle it.”

The person on the other end responds long enough for Beau to curse beneath his breath. “Keep him away from here.”

He falls silent, and I remain beside the building while I sort through what I heard.

Hank has just confirmed that Travis is nearby, while Beau has access to the barns, the rodeo equipment, and every gate on the ranch. He also volunteered to keep watch over the missing supplies.

I tell myself Beau could be arguing with anyone, but every song I’ve ever finished started with the same feeling twisting in my gut long before the lyrics made sense. I never trust it at the beginning because I can’t explain it yet, and I don’t think I’m going to ignore it now.

I shift my foot, and gravel scrapes beneath my heel.

Beau ends the call before rounding the corner, his phone already moving toward his back pocket. His expression settles when he sees me, although his smile arrives after he recognizes who’s standing there.

“Arizona.”

“I need another roll of wire,” I tell him.

He gestures toward the open shed. “Left wall.”

I step forward, but he remains in the doorway as he looks past me toward Emmett and Willy.