Page 10 of Head Above Water

“Of course. I have most of that put together already. And you should call in Danny and go over what your father had him doing and what their plans were. I know your dad had a plan for where he wanted to take the ranch, but it was all in his head. Or at least it seemed to be.” That’s what he was afraid of. “We can bring you up to speed, and then you’ll have to sit down with him.”

“He always ran things his own way,” Bryce said. Charlotte stood and left the room. Soon, the scent of grilled cheese filled the space, and his stomach rumbled. She returned, handing him a plate with a sandwich on it and giving one to Hazard as well. She went back to the kitchen to make seconds and brought them out.

“I know my ranch hands, and you need more than one.” She sat and put her feet up while Hazard got him a beer. He turned on the television, and the three of them watched until Charlotte excused herself. Then Hazard took the dishes to the sink, turned off the TV, and helped Bryce to his feet.

“I should go home.”

“And scare your mother with all this?” Hazard said, before taking Bryce’s hand and leading him down the hall.

Bryce leaned closer. “Are you trying to seduce me?”

“Is it working?” Hazard grinned slightly before turning to where his mother had gone. “Seriously, I think you need to get some rest, and with your shoulder hurting the way it is, I doubt you’re going to be up for any physical activity tonight.” He closed the door behind them and pressed Bryce until he sat on the sideof the bed. “Let me get you some pain pills, and you can get undressed and into bed. I’ll stretch out on the sofa.” Hazard left the room and closed the door before Bryce could argue. Not that he had much to argue with. His arm hurt like a son of a bitch, and the ice was only doing so much.

Hazard brought in a glass and a couple pills, which Bryce took. Then he was about to leave, but Bryce took his hand. “Don’t sleep out there,” he said softly. Hazard met his gaze and then nodded, going to the other side of the bed, where he pulled off his shirt and slipped off his pants before sliding under the blankets, giving Bryce a brief look at his chest and powerful back that made him want to reach out and touch.

Bryce managed to kick off his shoes and slip his pants off before lying on his back, hyper aware of each and every breath Hazard took. He tried rolling onto his side, but the weight of his arm put additional pressure on his shoulder and made it ache more, so he lay on his back once more and waited for the pain meds to kick in.

“Hey. It’s okay. Just relax.” Then Hazard slid his hand across Bryce’s chest, blazing a trail of heat, and he found it impossible to relax, though he could admit that at least his mind was on something other than how his shoulder hurt.

“I’m trying. But I’m not used to sleeping with anyone, and this shoulder just won’t stop aching.”

Hazard patted his chest with the flat of his hand. “I know. I’ve had those kinds of injuries before.”

“Yeah, well. I’ve fallen off a horse and even gotten into a bar fight or two, but taking one on the shoulder from a drunk who could barely stand up… that has to be the most pathetic injury ever.”

Hazard chuckled. “Then we’ll just have to tell a better story, like how you stepped in front of me to keep said drunk fromhurting me.” Hazard leaned over so Bryce could see him. “See, you’re my hero.”

“Stop,” Bryce protested, but Hazard leaned closer and then kissed him. Bryce wanted to gather him into his arms, pull Hazard to him, and taste every inch of the man, but as soon as he moved, his shoulder ached again, and all he could do was lie still as Hazard’s kisses helped mask the pain.

ChapterFive

Hazard didn’tsleep well, though he did drop off once Bryce was able to settle and relax. The sun shone around the edges of the curtains, and he slowly climbed out of bed and grabbed some clothes before quietly opening the door. He turned to where Bryce slept, the covers just below the curve of his shoulders. It looked like Bryce was in less pain, his features relaxed in sleep. Hazard closed the door silently and used the bathroom to dress. Once he was ready, he grabbed coffee and something to eat in the kitchen and headed out to start work.

He had plenty to do and got right to it. There was hay to get down and horses to check on. Since the weather looked beautiful, he let the few horses that had been in the barn overnight out into their paddocks. First thing he did was spot-clean the stalls and add fresh bedding to replace the soiled. He swept the stable where it needed it before joining the rest of the men to get their assignments for the day.

“I was wondering where you were,” Danny said, holding his clipboard.

“Got the stables cleaned and ready for the day,” he answered. “The farrier is supposed to come to change the shoes for a couple of the mares, and I think we have a few more horses he needs to look at.”

Danny nodded. “Good. Make sure those mounts stay in today.” He lifted his gaze. “We need to move part of the herd today. The west range has taken about all the grazing it can at the moment. So, we’ll move that section of the herd south for the time being.”

“Can we use ATVs?” Clyde asked, and Danny shook his head.

“That section is horse country—you know that. It’s too rocky for the ATVs. We need to make sure we don’t leave any strays behind, and it takes horses with that terrain. Check with Hazard first to make sure the horse you take doesn’t need the farrier. If your mount goes lame, you’re walking it back.” Danny handed out a few other instructions before sending the men off. They gathered their mounts, and after Hazard made sure they took the right horses, the group of cowboys was off across the land, leaving Hazard to hold down the fort.

“Did they leave you behind?” Bryce asked, before sipping coffee as he made his way over.

“It’s my job. I was hired to look after the horses.” He didn’t look away from the group of men as they disappeared over the slight rise to the west. “How’s your shoulder?”

“It aches, but the pills helped and so did some sleep. It’s going to be sore for a few days, I suppose.”

“Especially if you overuse it.” Hazard knew cowboys. They never did anything in moderation. “Did your parents say anything about you not coming home?”

Bryce shook his head. “Mom is too busy looking after my dad, and Willard doesn’t see anything other than what he wants. Where are the rest of the men going?”

“To move some of the cattle. Danny said the west range might be getting overgrazed.”

Bryce nodded. “I get it. But where was he going to move them to? It’s been so dry. The storm the other day is the first rain we’ve had in a month. We can keep the cattle watered, but I can’t irrigate the pastures. We don’t have the resources for that.” He bit his lower lip. “I wish I knew how my father did this shit.”

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