Page 46 of Ace of Spades
“I can make it down there,” I tell him, shuffling forward and using my hold on a nearby branch to get as close to the edge as possible.
“Hailey,” Weston grinds out, reaching to grab my arm.
His added weight sends the stone beneath us careening, the branch snapping and rocks sliding under our feet as the two of us go tumbling down the steep incline. The wind is knocked out of me as we fall, Weston’s body absorbing most of the impact as we roll to a stop at the river bank, his body crushed beneath mine.
“Dammit, Sorrels,” he curses beneath me, coughing as I catch my breath. I tilt my head up towards where the calf was standing just moments ago, now finding the spot empty.
Panic seizes through me as I look further down, finding his little brown head bobbing out of the water as the current carries him away.
“Fuck!” I yell, stumbling to my feet and accidentally kneeing Weston in the nuts in the process. He folds over, grunting in pain as I manage to get my bearings and race back up the rocky incline.
I don’t waste any time throwing my foot in the stirrup, swinging my leg over as I kick Blackjack into a run, rope in one hand and reins in the other.
“Come on,” I urge him under my breath, racing through the woods as I try to find a spot between the trees to make my way down to the water line.
I find a place to break through, keeping my horse steady as I allow us to slide down the rocks, the bank finally wide enough for us to run alongside the struggling calf.
Blackjack’s hooves beat steadily beneath us, and I manage to keep him straight as I divide my attention between the path ahead and my rope as I lift it over my head, closing in my loop as I swing it in order to have the most amount of slack as possible considering the distance between us and the calf. It wasn’t ideal, but I would have to make it work.
I swing once, twice, a third time, and on the fourth, I release, pointing my wrist where I need my loop to go. The rope wraps around the calf’s neck, locking in place as I dally the end around the saddlehorn and pull back on the reins with everything Ihave, bringing Blackjack to a halt as we skid on the gravel beneath us. My horse does his job, sitting back on his hindquarters as he begins to pull backward.
I swing my leg over the saddle, my boots hitting the ground as I run to grab a hold of the rope, using all of my strength to help my horse pull the calf to the bank.
“Hailey!” I hear Weston call from somewhere above, the sound of Lark’s hoofbeats approaching.
“Down here!” I yell, digging my boots into the ground as I lean all of my weight back, my gloves keeping the skin of my palms from tearing as I continue to pull back with all I’ve got. We’re fighting the current, the rapids a tough opponent as Blackjack manages one slow step backwards after another.
I hear Weston slide down the rocks behind us, gaining his footing as he rushes beside me to take hold of the rope.
“Keep pulling!” I yell at him, letting him take over as I race to the edge of the river, not thinking twice as I trudge through the shallow water to get to the calf.
I get chest-deep in the water, managing to keep my feet under me as the water splashes into me with incredible force. Working my way behind the calf, I dig my boots into the riverbed and place both hands on his hindquarters, letting out a groan as I push with renewed strength.
My hat gets swept away, tumbling down the rapids as the ice-cold water continues to barrel into me, shutting my eyes as the spray repeatedly hits me in the face. Still, I continue to push, slowly gaining ground until the calf manages to get his feet under him and climb up to the bank.
I stumble behind it, falling to my knees on the rocks as the exhaustion takes over. Weston gets hold of the calf, adjusting the rope around its head to make it into a makeshift halter to keep from strangling the animal, before making his way to me and offering me a hand.
“I can’t believe you just did that,” he tells me, the both of us regaining our breaths.
“What, saved a calf’s life?” I ask. “Isn’t that kinda the whole job of a rancher?”
The spring breeze reminds me of how soaked I am, a violent chill wracking through me. Even the sun in the sky can’t seem to warm me fast enough as the freezing water drenches every inch of me.
Weston seems to notice my shudder, his expression back on alert.
“You need to take your clothes off.”
“Weston Langford, are you trying to get me naked?” I manage to joke between chattering teeth.
“Dammit, Sorrels, you’re gonna fucking freeze out here,” he tells me.
“I’m fine,” I grind out.
“That would be more convincing if your teeth weren’t chattering.”
“Will you relax? I’m hardly going to die of a cold in the middle of spring.”
“Can you please just listen to me for once?” he snaps. “You’re so goddamn stubborn.”
