Page 5 of Reaching Little Robyn

Jagger relaxed, either because of Winston’s words or more likely the fact that Moira had reached over to lay her hand over his. Winston had watched Jagger turn his hand palm up and entwine his fingers with hers. Not for the first time today, he felt a surge of jealousy. These people all seemed to share not only the easiness of friendship, but something far deeper. A connection that bound them together which allowed them to communicate without a constant jousting for position.

“Care to explain?” Derek asked, also sitting back while his wife leaned forward as if anxious to hear his story.

“My home used to be in New York. I decided I needed some peace and quiet and when I got the opportunity to return to Montana, I took it.”

“Return?”

This question was asked by a woman who he’d learned was the wife of the man Winston had no doubt could trace his rootsback generations to the land he’d ridden across today. He’d been a bit shocked to discover Moses was deaf as the man’s eyes followed the conversation with an ease that spoke of a superior ability to read lips.

“Yes. My grandparents owned a parcel of land at the base of that plateau and raised cattle. My brother and I used to come out in the summer while our parents traveled. Those were some of the best times of my life and when Grandma and Gramps died and left the land to my brother and me, I bought him out. He wanted no part of the country bumpkin life, but I just wanted to—I know it sounds silly—but I just wanted to be able to breathe.”

“It doesn’t sound silly at all,” Moira offered. “In fact, we were all just talking about the freedom this land offers.”

“When was this?” Sadie asked, looking a bit perplexed.

“When you were trying to run away from your Daddy,” Moira said.

“I wasn’t running away, we were just playing tag,” Sadie said with a grin that reached all the way to her eyes, making her glow.

“Oh! Now that’s a story I have to hear!” Wren said.

Winston was thinking the young woman was practically bouncing in her chair when Moira’s words hit him.

Daddy?

There wasn’t a single man seated at this table who was old enough to qualify as a Daddy… well, not to Sadie that was.

“Little one, don’t interrupt Mas… um, Mr. Wane’s story,” Travis said.

Winston had no doubt that there were a few stories far more interesting than his own, but smiled when Wren’s cheeks flushed a bit and she offered a soft, “Sorry, please continue.”

“Long story short, I sold my firm in the city and am in the process of bringing the ranch and land back to what it was in its prime. I’m not sure if I’ll keep it all or develop some which is why those men you saw were here. They couldn’t sit a horse ifyou nailed them to the saddle, so they showed up with a trailer with a pair of ATVs on it. While I was saddling my horse, they thought it would be fun to just tear out across the ranch. Before I knew what was happening, the wild horses were racing past the barn and up the mountain. By the time I had the saddle on and told the idiots to stay put, the herd had disappeared. I’m not sure why, but I felt a need to follow the horses as best I could. I mean, they’ve had the run of the place for a few years. It hardly seemed fair to chase them off, especially knowing there were a few spots around that were dangerous for a racing horse.”

Winston paused to take a sip of coffee, the image of the horses’ racing bodies playing in his mind. “They are truly magnificent creatures, aren’t they?”

“They are.”

Jagger’s shoulders relaxed for the first time since Winston had met him, and he was glad the last of the tension between them seemed to have disappeared.

“Only because of all of you,” Winston said sincerely. “I’d never forgive myself if it was my fault they’d come to harm. I saw the brown one limping. I’ll gladly pay for any vet to check her out.”

“I don’t think that will be necessary.” Derek paused to watch Moses’ hands before adding, “Moses says he and Jagger will take a look later after giving her time to settle a bit.”

“What did you decide?” Sadie asked.

“Excuse me?” Winston found the segue a bit confusing. “I mean, I appreciate the offer, but, really, I don’t want to cause anyone additional work. Bringing a vet in won’t be…”

“Not about the horses.” Sadie waved her hand as if pushing the horses aside. “I mean about your ranch. Are you going to keep it or try to cut it all up into little bitty pieces and sell it off to a bunch of people who as you say, don’t know a horse’s head from its ass?”

“Sadie Marie!” Jayne said in a tone that had Winston grinning as it instantly caused the young woman to slap a hand over her mouth as she stiffened in her chair, her eyes darting between the older woman and her husband.

From Moira’s huge saucer-eyed look and Wren’s giggle, Winston knew he’d stumbled upon something far more intriguing than even a herd of wild mustangs. Sitting back in his chair, he met Sadie’s gaze.

“How do you feel about swapping?”

Her hand dropped from her mouth, her eyes narrowing into a look that could have stuck a butterfly to a board without the benefit of any pins. “I’ll have you know I am perfectly happy with my Daddy, Mr. Wane, so I am not the least bit interested inswappingthank you very much!”

Winston heard gasps and groans but his burst of laughter drowned them all out. He had no clue what was going on, but he couldn’t remember the last time he’d met such an interesting group of people. People he truly hoped he could call friends in the not-so-distant future.

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