Page 37 of Whiskey and Wildfire

The shroud that seemed to hang around the ranch that day was almost unbearable. Even the cattle seemed to feel it. Everyone was antsy and on edge. Caroline slept for only an hour or two before she hopped back in the truck, telling me she was headed down to Amarillo for the day and didn’t know when she’d be back. As far as she knew, Mrs. Baker wouldn’t be back on the ranch for a while.

Logan, however, slept for most of the day. It wasn’t until late afternoon that I saw him emerge from my cabin, disheveled and groggy. I wanted to go to him, to comfort him in any way I could. But he disappeared into the main house before I could get away from the animals. With the cattle bellowing in the paddock and the horses irritated that they hadn’t been worked that day, I still had plenty to do before I could go to him. Being all on my own meant I was already behind on chores as it was.

That’s why, as I finished up for the day, I called my mom to ask her a favor.

“Hey Mom,” I said the moment she picked up the phone. “You busy?”

“No. Just bumming around my motel room. Why? What’s up?”

“Well, I wanted to ask a favor. I was hoping you could bring dinner out to me and Logan at the ranch. We’ve uh… had a bit of a rough day.”

“What happened?” she asked, her voice full of concern.

“Well, his daddy had a heart attack last night.” There was an audible gasp. “He’s alright for now, but he’s not coming home anytime soon. Mrs. Baker and Caroline are at the hospital and Logan’s taking over the ranch in the meantime. And I’ve been swamped with chores all day doing things by myself?—”

“Say no more,” she said, knowing exactly where I was headed. “I’m on my way. I’ll pick up some dinner for you two.”

“Thanks Mom,” I sighed. “I really appreciate it. I’ll pay you back for it.”

“Don’t worry about that. You just get your work done and go check on that boy. I’m sure his mind’s a mess right now.”

“Yeah,” I nodded. “You’re probably right.”

There was a long pause. “So… did your date go alright or…”

“Mom.” I grumbled.

“You’re right. We can talk about it later. See you soon, honey!”

After hanging up with my mom, I finished up the last of my chores, my mind racing with worry for Logan. The sun was starting to dip low on the horizon, casting long shadows across the ranch. I made my way to the main house, my boots crunching on the gravel driveway. I was still covered in dirt and sweat from the day, but I needed to check on him.

As I approached the porch, I could hear the faint sound of a TV coming from inside. I knocked gently on the screen door, not wanting to startle Logan.

“Come in,” his voice called out, sounding distant and hollow.

I stepped inside, my eyes adjusting to the dim interior. Logan wasn’t slumped on the couch, staring blankly at some oldWestern playing on the TV like I’d expected. In fact, the living room was totally empty.

“Back here,” he called, reading my mind before I could ask.

I walked around the corner and down the hall to Mr. Baker’s office. I’d only been in there once before, but I knew he usually kept it shut. Logan was there, sitting in the swivel chair with his face buried in his hands. His usual neat appearance was disheveled, his sandy brown hair sticking up at odd angles.

“Hey,” I said softly, moving to stand beside him. I wasn’t sure what to say. “You… uh… left the TV on.”

He nodded. “It was too quiet.”

Right. That made sense. Usually, the Baker house was bustling but today it was as silent as a cemetery.

“How are you holding up?”

Logan lifted his head from his hands, his green eyes red-rimmed and weary. He let out a long, shaky breath before answering.

“I don’t know,” he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. “It’s like... everything’s changed in an instant. Yesterday, I was just helping out on the ranch. Today, I’m supposed to run the whole damn thing.”

I placed a hand on his shoulder, feeling the tension in his muscles. “You’re not alone in this, Logan. I’m here to help, whatever you need.”

He nodded, a ghost of a smile flickering across his face. “Thanks. I appreciate that more than you know.”

For a moment, we stood in silence, the weight of the situation hanging heavy in the air. Then Logan’s eyes drifted to the papers scattered across his father’s desk.

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