Page 55 of Redemption

Fuck. What was I thinking? This couldn’t happen and I was a fucking idiot for thinking it could.

I cleared my throat. “Um, let me help you up,” I said, my voice a rough rasp.

Her eyes blinked open and I saw the moment her confusion turned to fury. She shoved away from me, muttering to herself and getting to her feet, dusting off her jeans and legs. When she turned away I adjusted myself and got to my feet.

Her shoulders were tense and she wouldn’t face me. “Kat, I—"

“You don’t need me, do you?” she asked, her voice cold and unfamiliar.

“To fix the fence?” I asked.

She nodded, still not facing me.

“I guess not,” I replied. “But Kat, I—”

“Okay, I’ll see you later then,” she said and headed to her horse, swinging into the saddle and tugging the reins. Before I could even say anything, she flew across the pasture out of sight.

“You dickhead,” I grumbled to myself.

I had fucked up, like I kept doing around her. I busied myself fixing the fence as best I could with splintered wood and basic tools, calling myself all the names under the sun.

I stepped back and surveyed my work. It was good but not good enough to hold forever. I would go into town and get some more wood and rebuild this section. My joy at having a project dimmed slightly at a rustle and movement from the tree line beyond the fence. I glanced up just as Chester next to me whinnied. Not a loud one, just a little warning. I was sure I could see something in the trees and down here it could be anything from a deer or bison to a bear.

“I think we’re done here,” I murmured and grabbed all my tools before leaving and heading back to the stables with Chester. The ride back didn’t thrill me like it normally did, I was still too annoyed at myself for my slip-up with Kat. I wondered if I should find her and apologize. On the way back to the cabin I detoured to the house and knocked on the door.

Leo opened it, a dishtowel in his hand.

“Hey man, is Kat here?”

“In the shower,” he replied.

“Ah okay.”

“Didn’t do anything dumb out there in that pasture when you were all alone, did you? Would hate to have to kill you when I’m just starting to like you.” He flashed his teeth at me.

I snorted. “I may have.”

Leo looked over his shoulder. “Wanna stay for dinner?”

I gave him a skeptical look. “Are you joking? I’ll get shot at that dinner table.”

He tossed the dishtowel over his shoulder. “Everyone likes you, except Daisy but she doesn’t count.”

“Heard that, asshole!” Daisy shouted as she walked by. “Go and shave your back, you rodeo clown!”

He shrugged one shoulder. “See? She hates everyone, so she doesn’t count.”

I glanced into the house. “I don’t know, man.”

Leo reached out and tugged my arm and I stumbled over the threshold. “Look at that, you’re inside now. So you might as well stay for dinner.” He shut the door and I stared at him like he was crazy before I started laughing.

Leo gestured to follow him and disappeared through the open archway to the left. The air smelled delicious and my stomach rumbled, reminding me that we’d spent all day wrangling cattle and I hadn’t eaten.

I glanced around the cottage style kitchen with its soft wood and checkered patterned chair cushions and tablecloth. It was homey and warm and now that I was here, I didn’t want to leave.

“Hi Jack,” August greeted me.

I waved at her, awkwardly, taking in the wooden sideboards that held ornaments and pictures of Charlie and Sherry. That guilt flared up inside me at seeing her face. I was shocked at the gall I’d had coming into this room, and now, what, I’d sit down to dinner with Sherry’s daughters who had lived without her because of me, like we were one big happy family?

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