Page 56 of Steadfast

“You’ve known him for what, like a week?” Oakleigh scoffed. “This is how he always is.” It got quiet again as Oakleigh stared out the window. “You could find an excuse for anyone,” she scoffed. “That’s probably why you love hanging out with Harper.”

Maeve glanced in her rearview mirror, seeing a hurt expression flit over Mia’s face.

“What do you mean by that, Oaks?” Mia muttered.

Oakleigh shrugged, propping her chin on her fist. “All I’m saying is that it explains a lot. I’m sure she’ll beover the moonwhen you get home.”

“Oakleigh—” Paisley started but was cut short by Oakleigh’s bitter words.

“Oh, do you finally have something to say?” Oakleigh crossed her arms, not even bothering to turn around. “It’s about time.”

Maeve could sense that Oakleigh was upset about more than just the argument with Sawyer. Most of all, she knew she would come to regret it if she drove a wedge in her relationships that was too deep to heal.

“Oakleigh, that’s enough now. We all just need to cool off.”

When the truck brakes squealed to a stop in front of the ranch house, Oakleigh pushed her heavy door open. When she stepped out of the passenger side, her boot plunged directly into a large puddle. The mirky water submerged her foot and soaked her pant leg clear up to the middle of her calf.

“Great, just perfect,” she mumbled. Sloshing towards the house, she yanked her boots off one by one before stepping inside. “I’m so sick of mud!” she shrieked before slamming the door behind her.

Paisley and Mia quietly followed suit. Pulling off their boots, they headed inside the house and up the stairs to clean up for dinner.

Now alone in the truck, Maeve closed her eyes and leaned back on her headrest, listening to the sound of rain pattering on the truck’s metal roof.

“Lord, please, I’m drowning here,” she whispered. A loud knock on the window jarred her from her simple prayer and caused her eyes to flip open. Sawyer had driven up on his quad and was now patiently waiting for her to roll down the window. The driving rain was now collecting on the brim of his hat and running off in little streams.

She cranked the window down. A small part of her wanted to slow down a bit just to make him suffer in the weather a little bit longer. It would be a deserving punishment for the poor way he had behaved that day. She put her pettiness aside, waiting patiently to hear what he had to say for himself as he leaned his elbows on the door.

His eyes were noticeably full of regret as he gathered his thoughts.

“Mom, I’m really sorry,” Sawyer started. “I really am.”

Seeing the remorse in his expression melted away any frustration that lingered behind.

“I’m sorry, too.” She gave his forearm a reassuring squeeze. “We both kind of lost it today.”

He tipped his hat up, letting a deluge of water flow from the brim of his hat. He ran his fingers across his brow. “She just frustrates the heck out of me. After all the work we’ve put into this place, you and dad—”

“I know you two have your issues, but no one deserves to be talked to like that.” She considered for a second before reinforcing what she wanted to drive home. “You’re more than this, Sawyer. We raised you to be a leader, and I know you can do it. And you better be thinking about a big apology to Oakleigh.”

It was apparent that he didn’t like the reminder, but he knew she was right.

“I just—” Sawyer cleared his throat as he looked out over the pasture, “—well,never mind.”

“Say it,” she gently coaxed. “I won’t rip your head off.”

“Youreallythink she’s gonna be able to handle all this?” He pursed his lips and gave her a look drenched in skepticism.

Maeve chewed on her lower lip, knowing it was a very valid question she had been turning over in her mind all the way home.

“She certainly deserves the chance to try.”

Despite all their work in the pasture, they still had the strenuous task of loading up their irate star bull. If there was one thing Big Slim hated more than overconfident cowboys, it was being cooped up in a trailer for days while on the road.

It was a long drive to Nationals.

Maeve’s better judgment told her to send Sawyer along with the two ranch hands, but a part of her knew that Colton and Wade also deserved a chance to prove themselves.

Big Slim’s massive hooves made the metal trailer creak and sag on the tires as they coaxed him inside with a red apple, his favorite treat.

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