Page 38 of Wellspring
“I don’t whine!”Cade protested.
“But what if he doesn’t like me?”Michele said.“But what if he isn’t interested in me like that?But what if he just wants to be friends?”
“I didn’t say any of those things,” Cade objected.
“Perhaps not, but they were certainly implied in the things youdidsay,” Michele replied imperiously.She turned to Erick.“I trust he knows where he stands in your esteem now?”
“If he does not, it will be my mission to convince him,” Erick assured her.They had reached the bunkhouse, and though Erick drew a steadying breath, he did not release Cade’s hand.It was time to prove that the acceptance he’d been assured he would find among the hands was real.Cade squeezed lightly, and Erick opened the door.What was the worst anyone could say?
“Hoss!And Wolfie!I didn’t think you had it in you.”Next to Erick, Cade glared at Burke and headed toward the table in the center of the room, not letting go of Erick’s hand.“Then again, neither one of you’s walking funny, so maybe you didn’t have it in you.”
“Ha ha, Burke.You’re so funny.What’s next?Going to ask for all the gory details?You’re just jealous because unlike some of us, you’re not getting any and have to get your jollies through those of us who are.”
Before Erick could say anything, another hand sat up from his bunk.Matt Chiles, Erick thought his name was—he hadn’t had much interaction with him since he and Jesse Beaufort often rode the herd together.“Hey now, can’t we just be happy for Cade and Erick?I for one will be glad for anything that improves Cade’s mood.”His wide smile took any sting from the words.
“Indeed,” Svensen boomed from across the bunkhouse, “any bond that ties us more deeply to one another must be celebrated, although I doubt Payne would appreciate us breaking out the whiskey when JR threatens.Still, we must encourage this new development.”
“I was just joking,” Burke grumbled.“They know that.Right, boys?”
Cade looked mutinous, but Erick set the books on the table and gave Burke a level stare.“Perhaps you should reserve your attempts at humor for those who appreciate them.Though I am not certain whom those may be.”He gave Cade’s hand a final squeeze before releasing it to walk to his bunk.“In any case, I must sleep.I have two more horses to finish training before Payne will allow me to ride with the herd.”
Erick stretched out on his mattress as Cade swaggered from the table to his own bunk, the sway of his hips bringing back the memory of Cade riding him.He rested his hands behind his head and smiled.While he was hesitant to believe what he and Cade had shared could grow into the relationship he dreamed of, at the moment he was quite satisfied.
Chapter Twenty-Two
BOOM!
The echo of a rifle shot tore Cade from a sound sleep.He grabbed for his gun belt as he rolled from bed, sticking his feet in his boots as he stood.He had the belt fastened around his waist before he was fully upright and his bow in his hand and his quiver on his back before anyone else had even gotten out of bed.
Crack!Crack!
“That’s gunfire, you idiots!Hurry up!”he shouted as he raced for the barn.Things had been quiet with JR over the past two weeks, but it seemed their luck had run out.He whistled for Nahnia, left in the paddock for the night, glad again that he’d trained the horse with and without saddle and bridle.The moonlight glinted off the buckskin’s hide, his mane and tail all but invisible in the darkness, as Nahnia cantered toward him.He opened the paddock gate to let Nahnia out, swung onto his back, and dug his heels in, driving him to a full-out gallop toward the northeast, where Kit and Mac kept the night watch.Chel and Olav were guarding the southern pastures, too far away for a gunshot to be heard from the bunkhouse.The others would follow as they could.Cade wasn’t leaving his friends without backup for any longer than necessary.
Cade was impressed to see Erick alongside Chiles and Beaufort riding toward him.Like Cade, Erick hadn’t taken the time to saddle Zephyr; he was riding one of the mustangs he’d been training, with only a rope halter.No saddle meant no place to holster his rifle, so he was armed only with the pistol at his hip.He’d shown himself nearly as accurate with the smaller weapon, though Cade sincerely hoped this didn’t turn into a gunfight.
With a nod to Beaufort, Chiles took off in the opposite direction Cade was riding, leaving Erick to join him as if he’d been part of their team for far longer than just over a month.Erick didn’t speak, letting them both focus on trying to hear or spot the source of the gunfire.
Fortunately the moon was waxing, giving them some light to see by.Even better, no more shots rang out, so whatever had caused the initial gunfire had not led to a full-on shootout.Cade sat back, the shift in his weight causing Nahnia to slow to a trot and then to a walk.Erick followed suit when Cade raised a hand to indicate caution.The herd was in sight, but he saw no sign of Mac or Kit.He gestured to the left, indicating they should ride that way since Jesse and Matt had gone to the right.They would cover more ground if they split up, but Payne didn’t want anyone riding out alone, and given the gunshots they’d already heard, Cade understood the wisdom of those orders.
A few moments later they heard hoofbeats approaching.Cade nocked an arrow and Erick had his hand on his pistol, but by the time the rider neared Cade could recognize Kit’s horse, Scout.“Was that you shooting?”Cade asked.
“No, but it might have been Mac.We take turns riding the perimeter so we can both get some rest.He was bedded down a bit farther this way.”Kit spurred Scout on, leaving Cade and Erick to follow.Cade couldn’t hear anything other than their horses’ hoofbeats, so whatever had led to the gunshots seemed to be dealt with.He only hoped nothing had happened to Mac.Kit wouldn’t take it well if Mac had been injured again—or worse.
The sound of more horses approaching had Cade reaching for his bow again before the shadows resolved into Beaufort and Chiles.“Have you seen MacRae?”Cade asked when they were within earshot.
“No, should we have?”Beaufort replied.
“His bedroll is here,” Erick called from where he’d ridden slightly ahead.
Cade frowned as they joined Erick.That wasn’t a good sign.He turned toward the fence between Wellspring property and JR land, scanning for any movement, but a cloud blew across the moon, obscuring his vision.“Well, shitfire.I guess we’re going to have to do this the hard way.”
Before Cade could dismount, intending to track Mac on foot, Beaufort raised his rifle and fired into the air.“That should get his attention, if he’s—” Kit glared, and Beaufort shrugged.“—within earshot,” he finished.
There was no return fire, but Kit jumped the fence before even Cade could see anything in the darkness.He wondered if Kit’s vision was really better than his, or if he was just that attuned to Mac, who Cade finally spotted riding toward them with something draped across the saddle in front of him.Too small to be one of JR’s men, at least.
“What the hell, MacRae?”Beaufort shouted.“You woke the whole ranch!What were you shooting at?”
“Saw something moving outside the fence line.”MacRae urged his horse over the fence and flung a carcass on the ground.“Thought it might have been one of Reichardt’s pricks, but it was just a coyote.”
