Page 78 of Roping Her In

“Welcome to Shiloh Ridge Ranch,” he practically bellowed. “Now, before any of you think I’ve come out of retirement, I just want to let you know that I haven’t. Link and Wilder asked me to welcome everyone, as they’re finishing up the locations for the six groups we need. After we’re finished here, if you’ll mosey on down to the end of the pasture there.” He gestured to his left, and everyone looked that way, Hailey included.

She found Wilder and Link down there, one of them waving the Texas flag, and the other the U.S. flag.

“They’ll have signs with numbers on them,” Bear said. “They’re going to split you into groups, and give you assignments.”

Hailey switched her attention back to her uncle, though a thrill had run through the crowd and caused a miniature uproar.

“My good wife has been working on the food with Etta, Oakley, Holly Ann, Misty, Savannah, and Clover,” he said. “Did I get them all?” He looked down at his wife.

“You forgot me,” Arizona yelled.

“And Camila,” Aunt Sammy called.

“And Zona and Camila,” Uncle Bear said, and he chuckled into the mic. “It takes a lot of hands to feed all of us, but we’re really grateful that you’ve given up this Saturday to come help us with our herd, and we know there’s branding and tagging going on at Seven Sons next Friday…right, JJ?”

He searched the crowd for a moment before JJ yelled, “Yep, Friday at my house on the east side.”

“Friday, JJ Walker’s house on the east side of the ranch. Eight o’clock?”

“Eight o’clock,” JJ Walker yelled.

Bear nodded. “And Three Rivers Ranch is doing their branding and tagging the next day, Saturday, but Libby said they don’t need much help.” He scanned the crowd again. “Is she here?”

“She’s right here!” someone yelled, and it was her husband, Rusty.

Libby said something that Hailey couldn’t catch across the distance, and Uncle Bear even leaned closer to hear her. Then he straightened again and said, “She said she’ll take anyone who wants to come, but that they have plenty of cowboys to get the job done. But that’s next Saturday, and they’re starting at seven.” He laughed and shook his head. “That’s too early for my old bones.”

Laughter and twitters moved through the crowd, and Uncle Bear took several long seconds to survey everyone there again. Hailey wondered if he was trying to compose himself, as his emotions streamed across his face. While he’d been gruff and tough when she’d met him, she’d learned quickly that he was really just a teddy bear underneath his grizzly exterior. He seemed to find who he wanted, as recognition lit his face, and he looked out into the crowd again.

“All right, we’ve got one more thing to take care of before we get going, and our kitchen crew just wanted to let you know that there’s food available all the time. If you’re hungry, come get something. It’s going to be hot today, and we don’t want anybody passing out or having health problems. There’s food. There’s water. There’s lemonade. There’s iced tea. There’s coffee.” He looked at his wife, and seemed to get another message.

“And we’ve got coolers of sodas in every corner of the pasture. Please eat, and drink, and remember that this is a working ranch. Be careful, and take care of yourself.”

He handed the mic down to Ranger. “We do have a medical station at the end of the food table here,” he said, his voice echoing out over the ranch. “Anyone who has any problems at all needs to come here immediately. If you see anyone having a problem, come report it.”

He handed the mic back up to Uncle Bear, and Hailey gazed around and found Smiles standing with Rock, Robbie, and Gun. He held Rock’s seven-month-old baby on his hip, and to her surprise, she found Bev Russell standing next to him.

Savannah held her baby with the twins at her side, but Wilder was down waving the flag. Trap and Lila Mae stood with her, along with Ty and Winnie, and she didn’t see their baby until she found Ty’s mom, Brynn, who she’d worked with at Bowman’s Breeds out at Three Rivers during her internship.

She passed the little boy to her husband Ethan, and they stood next to Squire and Kelly, Libby and Rusty, and Pete and Chelsea. Hailey expected to see Paul and Brielle too, but she didn’t find them in that little cluster of people.

The next group over seemed to be the Rhineharts and the Bellamores, as they both had nearby ranches and members of their family that had married into the Glovers. She found JJ standing with his brother Jason, Trap, Colt, and Elaine. Austin and Joelle clustered together, along with Rhett, Jeremiah, Skyler, and Micah Walker. She didn’t see any of their wives at the moment, but she had no doubt they’d show up at some point that day.

Mitch stood with his daddy, Cactus, and his younger brother, Chaz, as well as Conrad and Glory Rose, who had both of their kids with them. They also stood with her brothers and parents, and everywhere Hailey looked, she found a familiar face.

Her heart seemed to grow ten sizes with every name she could put to a face, and she was so glad she’d come to the branding extravaganza.

Then she happened on some men she didn’t know. A group of cowboys she’d never seen before stood off to the side, only about twenty yards from her, as she and Jake had joined a group in the back as well.

Her eyes flew back to Uncle Bear, who’d been saying something about restrooms. She wondered if he would introduce the newcomers, but he switched off the mic at the same time a country rock song filled the sky.

“What in the world is happening?” Betty asked. A moment later, she shrieked and bounced on the balls of her feet and grabbed onto April. “Oh my heck, it’s Caleb! He’s going to ask her to marry him right now!”

Hailey was still trying to catch up to the situation, as Uncle Bear stepped down off the platform and a much younger cowboy climbed up. Caleb Danner—and Pearl Jo’s boyfriend.

“Can I get Pearl Jo to come on up here?” he said into the mic, his voice barely louder than the guitars and drums screaming through the atmosphere.

Hailey looked around for Pearl Jo, sure she’d just seen her, but couldn’t remember where. Jostling in the left corner, across from where she stood with Jake, happened, and she finally found Fawn and Camila practically pushing Pearl Jo toward the platform. Some people laughed, but Hailey actually felt bad for her.