Page 63 of Protected By the Mountain Man

A familiar voice pulled me from the trance of Kat's dancing and I looked over my shoulder to find Chris Langley, holding two cups of steaming cider with Clay Hawthorne in tow. I tilted my head in greeting and flashed them both a smile.

“Chris, Clay.”

“Thought you might want one,” he said, nodding towards Kat and Livy as he passed over one of the ciders. I took a sip; it was delicious, warm all the way down my throat. “Didn’t want to leave you out here in the cold while the girls have fun.”

“Thanks,” I took a sip, the heat of the drink cutting through the night's cold. “Yeah, they're good.”

Clay tilted his head, eyes following the girls. “Good for them. They need this.”

“Couldn't agree more,” I said.

“How are they doing?” Chris asked.

“Okay,” I said, shifting my stance as I looked over at Kat and Livy again. “But also not okay, you know? We're just…ready for this to wrap up. For Ben's killer to be caught.”

Chris nodded. “We're working on it,” he assured me. “Keep an eye out for Nia George, though. There have been reports she's spreading rumors about animal abuse at Martin Ranch.”

“Damn,” I muttered. “Kat suspected her, and Jake O’Hara said as much the other night at the Spur. Didn’t figure she’d stick around town, though.”

“Well, she did,” Chris continued. “And she's been seen with a man. No one's gotten a good look at his face yet.”

A chill crawled up my neck despite the warm drink in my hand. “Everett Jones?” I guessed, watching as Livy twirled under Kat's arm.

“Could be,” Chris cut in, his brow furrowed. “They might be trying to stir up trouble for Kat. Get the ranch.”

“Wouldn't put it past them,” I growled. The thought coiled in my gut like barbed wire. “Not going to happen. Not on my watch.”

“You’re doing a good job keeping an eye out for Kat and Livy,” Chris said.

I grunted. “Owe them that much.”

“Can't hurt, her being easy on the eyes, huh?” Clay teased, elbow nudging my side.

I laughed, short, sharp. “Don’t talk about my girl that way.”

“Hey…I’m not trying to draw that kind of attention,” Clay chuckled. “But if she’s your girl, then why aren't you dancing with her?”

My gaze followed his, finding Kat moving amidst the dancers, laughter erupting from her chest as she danced with Livy. Her cowboy boots kicked up leaves, her hair a golden halo in the evening light. I met her eyes, something unspoken passing between us.

“Sorry, fellas.” I thrust the cider back at Chris. “Got priorities.”

He caught the cup, smirking. “Go get her.”

TWENTY-THREE

Kat

Chores didn’t wait for life to catch up.

Winter was coming, and we had to get the cattle into the near field for the upcoming snow storm—the first of the season. Gabe and I rode out to the edges of the property on Shadow and Sundance as clouds gathered, gray and looming.

“Head 'em up, Bandit!” I hollered, the dog’s bark bouncing off the trees and echoing back. Gabe was on the other side of the herd, his silhouette etched against the graying sky, a sure sign that the first snow wasn't far off. We’d sent Livy over to a friend’s house again; I didn’t want her getting stuck out here when she had school tomorrow.

“Almost there,” I called out to him over the lowing cattle. This was the most difficult part of the journey—getting cattle away from the edge of the river that bordered our property. It was normally shallow enough not to be dangerous, but a recent rainfall had made it surge.

Just in time for winter.

Great.

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