Page 54 of Steadfast

“I love you, too.”

Chapter 17

Daggers

Amisty rain began to fall as Maeve drove the old blue truck down the increasingly slick, muddy road toward the East Pasture. Work had started that morning before the sun had risen over the distant mountain range. They were pressed to fortify the property for the inbound storm that the meteorologists continued to report was headed their way. After having to practically shove Oakleigh and Mia out the door into the chilly dawn air, she wondered if the exercise in family bonding was even worth it.

There was no retreating, though.

She knew if she gave in to their complaints even once, it would show weakness in her leadership.

The rain spattered on her windshield, now in bigger drops. When she turned off the road into the pasture, she could feel the tires lose their traction on the wet grass. Even though she’d never admit it, she knew that Oakleigh was right. The truck was sounding worse by the day.

Pushing the negative thoughts from her mind, she gave the smooth, worn dashboard a gentle pat as though she was comforting an old friend.

“Come on, ol’ girl,” she sighed. “We’ve dealt with worse weather than this. Won’t be the first time, and it certainly won’t be the last.”

It was, however, the first time she’d have to traverse a severe storm season without Abel at the helm.

The truck bounced along the uneven pasture until she reached the edge of their property line, and her sad group of waterlogged ranch hands came into view. She couldn’t help but feel the slightest pang of sympathy when she saw just how miserable Oakleigh and Mia appeared.

Her persistent nudging that morning had finally convinced Mia to swap her couture for a sturdy pair of overalls and boots. Despite wearing appropriate clothing, she was firmly planted on the hill of sand that Sawyer had prepared just the day before. Next to her was a pile of empty sandbags that needed to be filled, yet she wasn’t lifting a finger to fill them. Instead, Mia held the shovel loosely in one hand while her other was propping her head up lazily in her open palm.

Oakleigh wasn’t doing much better. Her clothes were splattered with mud and grass stains, the evidence that she had slipped and fallen more than once that morning.

To her pleasant surprise, Paisley was still chugging along, staying right in step with the men. Once her sandbags werefull, she hefted them on her shoulders, doing a few deep squats before carrying them to their destination at the property line.

Maeve couldn’t help but muse on just how different the two sisters were. Their unique dynamic brought back memories of Harper when they were young.

Not today.

She blinked away the wisps of memory from her mind, knowing from experience how that particular rabbit trail would lead to a slurry of painful memories. There was certainly enough to process without throwingHarperinto the mix.

Forcing the truck into park, she grabbed the box full of travel mugs and snacks from the passenger seat. She pushed the heavy door open with her shoulder and felt her boots sink into the soft, sticky mud.

Crew, always the gentleman, was the first to rush over.

“Just in time,” Crew said, lifting the box from her hands. “We’re about to have a mutiny.”

“Oh?” Maeve raised an eyebrow.

“There’s been some accusations that you haven’t lifted a finger this morning,”Sawyer called out with a hint of amusement, knowing it was bound to hit a nerve.

“More like an observation,” Oakleigh interjected as she hoisted to her feet from her comfy spot on the sand pile.

Maeve retrieved her travel mug out of the box in Crew’s hands and took a hearty gulp before she answered back. Her voice was loaded with irony. “And I suppose you think I’ve never carried a sandbag before?”

“Sure haven’t seen it, Maeve.” Oakleigh met her with a challenge as she placed her gloved hand on her hips.

“Hold my coffee,” Maeve said, shoving her mug into Crew’s grip. She stepped past Oakleigh and heaved a sandbag over each shoulder with ease. The muscle memory had remained intact from her decades of ranch labor as she hauled them over to the barrier wall that was being assembled and briskly tossed them on top. Dusting off her hands, she turned back to her captive audience.

“Now that we’ve put that debate to rest, let’s eat lunch,” she said, ignoring Oakleigh’s subtle jaw clench of annoyance as she stood there with her arms crossed.

She handed off the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches each wrapped in a napkin.

“I’m actually off carbs right now,” Mia murmured.

“Eat the sandwich,” Paisley sternly commanded. She took it from Maeve’s hand and pushed it towards Mia until she reluctantly accepted it.

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