Page 30 of Smokescreen

The cattle were headed back to the safe confines of the pasture!

A surge of excitement trilled through her.

She’d done it! She’d wrangled the animals back toward safety.

The rest of the crew showed up fifteen minutes later, and they all worked together to get the cattle back over the fence. Apparently, there had been more than three hundred in this pasture. That meant each person was responsible for wrangling approximately thirty head of cattle.

Olive wanted to feel relief. But one look at Reid’s face and she knew something was still amiss.

She trotted to the fence and watched as he climbed off Blaze. He examined the wire stretched between the posts.

“What is it?” she asked.

He looked up at her with a grimace. “Someone intended for this to happen. This wire has been cut.”

CHAPTER 13

The whole team got busy checking the rest of the perimeter and mending the fence.

With the scene now secure, Reid strode up to Olive.

He held up his hand, giving her a high five. “Color me impressed.”

She shrugged as if corralling cattle hadn’t been a big deal. “Just another day on the ranch.”

That was what he always said, so Olive decided to give the phrase a spin.

A grin stretched across Reid’s face. “I like you, Olive Abernathy. I really do.”

His words almost sounded sincere. But certainly, he was just putting on an act for any of the ranch hands who were close by.

Including Trick, whom she needed to talk to.

She leaned closer to Reid and quietly asked, “Listen, any chance I could have a moment alone with Trick? There are a few things I’d like to go over with him.”

“I know just the way.” He raised his head. “Trick. Over here. Now.”

Trick galloped toward them on his chocolate-brown quarter horse. “Yes, Mr. Harrison?”

“I need to supervise everything here, so I’m going to have you take Olive back to the ranch and take care of the horses.”

“I’d like to learn how to do that,” Olive added, knowing it would allow her to have more time to talk to Trick. “Could you show me what needs to be done?”

“I’d be happy to.”

“Perfect.” Olive reached her hand toward Reid.

He took it and squeezed it affectionately.

“I’ll see you back at the ranch,” she murmured.

“Thanks again for your help. Maybe you’re cut out for ranch life after all.”

“I’m cut out for anything I want to be cut out for.” She winked and flashed him a grin.

With those words, she began trotting alongside Trick back through the pasture toward the ranch.

Both of them waited until they were a considerable distance away from anyone before speaking.

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