Page 60 of Whiskey and Wildfire

Lucas smiled encouragingly. “That’s the spirit. Now, first things first - you need to find Dakota and talk to him.”

I felt a knot form in my stomach at the thought. “What if he doesn’t want to see me?”

“He will,” Lucas assured me. “Trust me, I’ve seen the way he looks at you. He cares about you too, Logan.”

I took a deep breath, steeling myself. “Okay. You’re right. I need to find him.” Pushing myself up from the table, I glanced down at Lucas. “Thanks for your help. For everything.”

Lucas stood up and pulled me into a tight hug. “Anytime, buddy,” he said, patting my back before releasing me. “Now go get your cowboy.”

I nodded, feeling a renewed sense of determination as I headed for the door. The cool night air hit me as I stepped outside, and I paused for a moment, considering where Dakota might have gone. If he was a normal person and had a cell phone, I would’ve just called him. Seeing as he didn’t, wandering around the countryside all night wasn’t going to help me find him any faster. In the end, I decided to head back to the ranch. That’s where his cabin was and where he’d come home to eventually.

The drive back to the ranch felt longer than usual, my mind racing with thoughts of Dakota and what I’d say to him. As I pulled up to the main house, I noticed a faint light coming from the direction of Dakota’s cabin. My heart skipped a beat.

I parked my truck and walked towards the cabin, each step feeling heavier than the last. As I approached, I could hear the soft strumming of a guitar. But I didn’t recall Dakota ever playing guitar. Instead, as I got closer, I realized it was his mom sitting on his small front porch.

“H-Hey Mrs. Parker,” I said tentatively. “Is… uh… Is Dakota here?”

“No,” she said simply, not stopping her soft playing as she looked up at me. “He’s out looking for you.”

I felt a mix of relief and anxiety wash over me. Dakota was looking for me? That had to be a good sign, right?

“Oh,” I said, shifting my weight from one foot to the other. “Do you know where he might have gone?”

Mrs. Parker stopped playing and fixed me with a penetrating gaze. Her dark eyes, so much like Dakota’s, seemed to look right through me.

“He didn’t say,” she replied, her voice neutral. “But I know my son. When he’s troubled, he seeks out high places. Caroline said you have the same inclination.”

“Yeah,” I muttered, remembering all those lonely nights spent on the roof getting drunk. “Wait, Caroline is home?”

“Sure is. She’s up at the house.”

My heart skipped a beat. “Is Daddy okay?”

“He’s just fine. She just came home to get some fresh air and do some laundry for your mama.”

“Oh… okay. Thanks Mrs. Parker.”

I only made it a few steps before her voice caught me once more.

“Logan,” she said in a warning tone. “You aren’t going to hurt my boy, are you?”

I turned back, shaking my head. “No ma’am.”

“Are you going to accept the deal?”

I paused for a long moment before blowing out a long sigh. “No ma’am. I won’t let anyone treat Kota that way. Because…” I took a deep breath. “Because I love him.”

She smiled up at me, her fingers falling away from the guitar strings. “You’re a good man, Logan Baker. Better than most. When he gets home, I’ll tell him where you are.”

I nodded gratefully to Mrs. Parker and headed towards the house, my mind reeling from the conversation. As I approached, I could see the warm glow of lights from inside. The familiar creak of the screen door echoed in the quiet night as I stepped onto the porch.

“Caroline?” I called out softly as I entered.

“In here,” came her reply from the kitchen.

I found her leaning against the counter, a steaming mug of coffee in her hands. Her long dark braid was messy, and there were smudges of dirt on her face and clothes like she’d been out in the barn even after coming home for a break. Then again,she always felt the most at home with the horses, anyway. She looked tired but smiled when she saw me.

“Hey, little brother,” she said, her voice slow and exhausted. “You look like hell.”

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