Page 13 of Some Cowgirls are Worth Protecting

“Yes.”

He settled back, apparently more at ease now that he knew what was going on. “While I reject that notion, I’ll tell you. I like the idea of a sanctuary. That land is perfect for it, and the wild horses in this area are getting rounded up and treated poorly. Your friend is giving them a chance at a second life—a life where they can still feel the wind against their bodies as they run from one side of that land to the next. It’s got water, vegetation, trees, and interesting hills and valleys. I can’t believe I didn’t think of it myself.”

She couldn’t decide if she should trust him. Still, she had a feeling he wasn’t going to give up the idea of helping her. “What if I said no? What if my friend isn’t willing to pay you?”

He shrugged again. “As long as I’m not forcibly removed due to trespassing, I don’t think there’s anything they can do to stop me.”

She huffed. “You sound ridiculous. No one would do that kind of work for free.”

“Is that a challenge?”

Rachel smoothed her expression to prevent him from seeing her own surprise. Hudson had stunned her more than she was happy to admit. “Do what you’re going to do. I’m not asking for your help.”

“Don’t you think I know that?”

She rolled her eyes. “I have several phone calls to make. If you wouldn’t mind…” She gestured to him by flicking her fingers in his direction. He got to his feet with an irritating smirk on his face. She knew that look. It wasn’t that she’d seen him use it; she’d seen it with other people. He was going to do something stupid, and if she wasn’t careful, he might drag her into it.

7

Hudson

Hudson found a downed area of the fence and drove his truck through it. In the back, he had several supplies. He couldn’t take much from his brother’s stash, but it was enough to do some short-term mending.

In the bed of his truck, he also had tools for chopping up the downed trees and turning them into firewood. He’d gathered enough supplies to allow him to camp out on the property, moving from one area to another. He’d loaded his hunting rifle, a five-gallon bucket of freeze-dried food, and a bucket for water that he could purify from the creek that ran through the old ranch.

It was a good thing that Rachel didn’t know he was on the premises; he wouldn’t have been surprised if she called in the authorities to have him forcibly removed. The funny thing was that he didn’t know what he would do if she did, in fact, follow through with something like that. What would he tell the sheriff? He really didn’t have any reason to be here helping her.

They weren’t in a relationship. He wasn’t dating her sister. He was simply invested in the outcome of this project.

Over the next four days, he made his way along the fence line, repairing it and cleaning up the mess that had been left behind by those who had done the damage. He left piles of wood in his wake, hating how wasteful it had been for the trees to be cut down. While he had been on site, he hadn’t seen any sign of people making a second attempt to sabotage the fence line.

It was the evening of the fifth day and he was sitting near a fire he’d built, cooking a can of chili inside its can, when a flash of headlights drove up along the outside of the fence. Hudson reached for his rifle and got to his feet. It was dusk. The vehicle was hidden behind the glare of the lights. The driver put it into park and opened the door.

Hudson lifted the rifle to his shoulder and called out, “If you think you’re gonna do anything tonight, I’d suggest you turn around and go back the way you came.”

“Hudson! What do you think you’re doing?” Rachel’s tired voice reached him before she appeared through the lights. With the light behind her, she became a silhouette that resembled an action figure. Her hands were on her hips as she marched toward the fence. “I told you to leave me alone.”

He lowered the gun. “No, you didn’t.”

She climbed through the wires of the fence, her coat snagging on it and causing her to stumble a step before she straightened fully. Then she marched toward him. “Fine. I said I had calls to make. That meant that I was going to hire some guys to come out here and do something about this mess.”

“It’s been five days,” Hudson muttered. “Where are they?”

She frowned. “I haven’t found anyone who can fit me into their schedule yet.”

He lifted one arm out to his side, making a gesture to indicate his availability was open. “Why not use me?”

Rachel dragged a hand down her face and paced a few steps. “I need someone who is licensed and insured. I can’t just have some random person out here doing who knows what.”

“What? You think I’m going to sue you?”

“No, I think you’re smart enough that you’d sue the owner of the property.”

He chuckled. “You’re right. That would be the safer choice.”

She gave him a flat look, to which he laughed again.

“I’m not going to sue anyone. I just want to help. I don’t care if they want to pay me or not. I’m cheap, I’m reliable, but most importantly, I’m interested.”

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