Page 74 of The Guy Who Stole My Ranch

Jake jumped one way, Betsy lurched forward, and the bull was suddenly balanced on its hind legs with its?well, let’s just say he hadn’t finished yet.

Bonnie and Clyde were right behind Frank, barking like mad.

I was going to kill Christopher.

William looked relieved, until angry mooing filled the air and suddenly there were cows everywhere.

The cows weren’t just around us, but they were stampeding through us.

Jake whinnied and reared.

My legs tightened, and I leaned toward the horse’s neck. “Jake!” I shouted as I yanked the reins back to calm him down.

Lucky for William, Betsy had more sense and simply moved with the herd. William let her lead, and I let out a sigh of relief.

I’d just gotten Jake’s front hoofs back on the ground and faced in the right direction when Frank, Bonnie, and Clyde ran through again.

The cows sped up, and the air filled with the sounds of mooing and stomping.

William and Betsy got swept away.

I clicked my tongue and urged Jake to follow the pack. He did, but he kept tossing his head like he was spooked.

Maybe he’d never been through a mini stampede before. I’d have to add it to the list of things to introduce the horses to.

Oh, wait, in a few months this wouldn’t be my problem.

“Frank!” William bellowed so loud I couldn’t believe the sound had come from him.

His dog, along with my two dogs, slid to a halt. Dust billowed around the trio.

“Stay!”

Frank managed to look apologetic.

My dogs, not so much.

William and Betsy were trapped right in the middle of the herd while I’d ended up at the back.

Somewhere ahead of me, a cow screamed.

Cows didn’t usually scream, but when they did, it meant something was wrong. They were accustomed to the dogs, so this had to be different.

One bovine jumped.

Another skittered to the side. An opening appeared, like someone leaving a mosh pit, and Jake and I ended up inside it.

I’d been on plenty of horses, and a handful of them had tried to buck me off, but Jake had never been that aggressive.

Until today.

First the rearing, and now he bucked.

“What’s the problem, darlin’?” I grunted and hung on.

For some reason the herd had stopped, and I realized that we’d come up against the rocky area I’d just tried to get a bovine away from. The cows in the front pushed back, and Jake reared again.

I rolled my eyes. If the dogs hadn’t spooked the cows, this never would have happened. Christopher and Brandon, who had likely encouraged Bonnie and Clyde to join us, owed us big time.

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