Page 4 of The Earl's Wrangler
Chip was in college to be a veterinarian.At least that was what he was training for.Everyone said his plans were to come back and take over the ranch, as well as open a practice on the property.Eventually his mama and Claude would retire to travel, and Chip would run the entire place.
“Just a week.I had my midterms, and then they gave us a break before we finish the semester.They don’t usually, but there’s some big gathering of the professors going on, so they adjusted the term.”
“I met your brother and his….”Sawyer never knew the right term to use, so he let his voice trail off.
“Husband.Alan and George got married a few years ago.”He turned toward the house.“They said they were going out for a ride.”He snickered softly.
“They stopped by where I was working before heading on north.”He pulled down the tailgate and began unloading the fence supplies.Chip grabbed a wheel of wire, and they walked to the supply barn together.
“Yeah.That’s their favorite spot.They always go out there, and when they come back, they have these huge, dopey smiles.”Chip set the wire where it belonged, and Sawyer put the extra posts with the others.He sighed.“They brought a friend with them from England.The last time they did that, it was Collin, and he was really cool.But I’m not so sure about this guy.”
They returned to the truck for the last of the tools and supplies before Sawyer pushed the tailgate back into place.“Okay.”He had never met this Collin and Tank, though he knew the Justice ranch now included what had once been Tank’s place.It was a little confusing to him, but he tried to keep it all straight.“Why not?”
“You met George, right?He’s a duke and a really good guy.Got more money than God, but not snooty or nothing.And Collin was really cool.He’s a viscount and has an estate in England that he and Tank are running.When he was here, he mucked stalls and helped with the steers and everything.I’m the godfather to their son, Archie.They just adopted him a few months ago.”He leaned against the truck.“This guy they brought is an earl or something, and he’s….”Chip shrugged in that happy way he had.“I don’t know.Maybe the guy is just grumpy because of jet lag.Ain’t sure.But when Mama offered him coffee, he asked for tea, and not just any tea, but lightly steeped Darjeeling with just a hint of milk.”He shook his head.“What the fuck is that?Ain’t nobody drinking tea on a ranch.”
“Don’t much care what a man drinks,” Sawyer said flatly.Chip liked to talk, and Sawyer was fine with listening.He never passed on what he heard, and sometimes Chip just needed someone to tell stuff to.
“I suppose not,” Chip agreed, deflating slightly.
“Where is he now?”
“Last I saw he was still in bed.But it’s only nine in the morning, and the guy is really green.Like I swear he ain’t done a real day’s work in his life.”
“Not likely to even if he’s here.”
Chip got excited again.“That’s the funny thing.Alan said that this earl guy lost a bet and that he has to work it off here.It was part of the bet or something.”
“Well, we’ll see how that goes.”Sawyer moved away from the truck.“I got work to do or your mama will be asking about stuff, and I don’t want to disappoint her.And I’m sure that you have things you need to do.A week off school don’t mean you don’t have homework or anything.”
Chip waved him off.“I can do that later.”
“No.You get it done.I never got the chance to go to college.All I know is ranching, and I’ll be shoveling shit and breaking horses until my knees give out and I can’t move anymore.That work is more important than whatever you were thinkin’ of doing.Your mama says you’re gonna be a vet.So be the best one you can be.”
Chip stepped back, grinning, and gave him a salute.“Aye, aye, captain.”He turned and hurried into the house.
Sawyer pulled open the truck door, got out the sandwiches from earlier, and ate them quickly.It had been hours of work since he’d last eaten, and he was hungry.Once he was done, he headed to the barn, let the remaining horses out into their paddocks, and started cleaning up the stalls.Like he’d told Chip, there was always a lot to do.
“RANDALL,” SAWYERheard Alan say as he was finishing up the work in the barn, “we got plenty of work lined up for you.”
“I just got up,” the guy with him groaned.
“This is a ranch,” Alan said as they drew closer.Sawyer put his tools away and grabbed a broom to sweep the aisle.He liked his barn to be as clean as possible.It kept the place smelling fresh, and he was convinced it kept the horses healthier.He hated flies buzzing around.“It’s nearly noon, and everyone here has already been working for six hours.”
“No way.”
Three pair of boots appeared in front of him, and before Sawyer could stop himself, he swept dirt and bits of manure all over them.
“Watch what you’re doing,” the stranger snapped.“Look what you did.”
Sawyer blinked, surprised for just a moment.“This is a barn, and I’m working.You need to watch where you’re going.”He paused in his work, straightened his back, and stood toe to toe with the stranger.Then he stepped back.Alan and George moved out of the way, and Sawyer swept the rest of the pile all over the now even dirtier boots.Then he turned away and continued with his task.
“You saw that?”the guy who had to be the Earl of Assholes said.“He can’t do that.”
“Sure he can, Randall,” George told him.
“You were in the way, and just so you know, your earlness isn’t going to get any special treatment here.You want people to respect you, then earn it.And if you get in the way of the work, you get mucked boots.Get in the way of a horse and you’ll get hit.If you get in the way of the cattle, you could be trampled.Nothing gets out of the way for you.”Alan seemed to be laying down the law.“Now, you’re here for two weeks, and you’re going to work in the barn with Sawyer here.”
“Excuse me?”Randall said.
