Page 7 of Roping Reba

“Come on, bud,” I said, lifting Jax down. “Let’s go see what she thinks of these horses.”

“Morning, Johnny.” Jagger greeted me as I walked up and Jax climbed the bottom two rungs of the gate to get a better look. “How’s the Ranch been treating you?”

“It’s been amazing, Robyn is doing her best to spoil Jax at the B&B and Derek really has created a wonderful place both on the Ranch and the Ridge. But I don’t need to tell you that.”

“No, you sure don’t.”

“So tell me about these horses.”

“There isn’t much to tell. Wild ones, really. Working with this many at a time is not normally something I get into, so when Rooster thought of you all when we caught them, I decided that was the best way to go. Between the two of us, we picked these four mares. They needed to be moved. The herd roamed free over Rooster’s grandparents’ ranch after they’d passed, but now that he wants to bring it back to life, the horses need a safe place to go. I suspect there might be more, but we’ll deal with them when and if it happens.”

“They are so pretty, aren’t they, Ms. Reba?”

“That they are, buddy.”

“Well, it’s up to you if y'all are interested in them, but they will take some winning over.”

“That’s not new to me,” I said, shooting a look at Reba, who solidly ignored my presence.

“Oh, don’t I know that,” Jagger said with a laugh. “Jax, you want to come up to the house for some cookies?”

“In the morning?” Jax's eyes went wide.

“Only if you promise not to tell Ms. Moira.”

Jax jumped off the fence. “Race you to the house!”

Reba let out a laugh as she turned to watch Jax run back the way we’d come, only to stop just short of the house and plop down on the grass with the twins as if he’d completely forgotten cookies were at stake. Jagger ambled up behind him, making a big deal about how fast Jax was and how slow he had been as I stepped up next to Reba.

“So, what do you think?”

“Me? These are for you and Mac.”

“Yes, you.”

“They are going to take time, Johnny, are you willing to put in the work?”

For some reason, that question felt loaded in ways she may or may not have meant it to be.

CHAPTER 3

Reba

The horses were gorgeous. Although if you asked me, every horse was. There was something special about caring for an animal that loved so hard, whose loyalty transcended everything else. Even wild horses were loyal to those around them. I always hated the term breaking a horse. I didn’t break them. I taught them how having their own human can make life better for them. The horses here at Jagger’s were young, wild, and amazing.

“Can I spend some time with them today?” Johnny asked.

“Of course.”

“I don’t know how much time you have on your hands, but from what Jagger says, it may be a few weeks before you could even load them up.”

“I’m in no rush to go anywhere,” I assured him.

“Jax and I can stay. I would need to figure out a way to get his school lessons in though. We are still homeschooling since we travel so much, but I didn’t bring anything with me.”

I looked over at Jax chasing Moira and Jagger’s twins around the yard and my heart swelled. He was such an amazing kid. Granted, he was growing up in a world that required flexibility. Johnny’s work at the ranch was complicated and even though he’d retired from bull riding, he still traveled for the rodeos with some of the guys. Jax was always with him and for that, I adored them both.

“I can help with that,” I said, turning to Johnny. “It’s still spring and I’m sure we can pull up what he’s been working on and what he still needs to get finished up.”

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