Page 6 of The Earl's Wrangler
“Doesn’t matter,” Randall said with emphasis that he knew was too quick and forceful.“I’m staying a couple of weeks and then I’m going home, never to return.”George snickered like a kid.“And don’t bring up Haferton.He came over here because he was tired of England and wanted to meet someone like Alan.I personally don’t see the attraction.”
“Then you aren’t looking in the right direction, my friend.Most of these men are the strong, silent type.They know who they are, and when they see something they want, they go after it.”George turned to watch him, and Randall could almost feel the intensity in his gaze.“Most of the time.You see Dusty over there?That man rides bulls.Every year he represents this ranch in the local rodeo.He wins too.And Kevin over there?His specialty is cattle roping.He can tie up a calf faster than you can say ‘holy shit.’Okay?They have no fear… until it comes to the people they like.Dusty is currently dating a girl in town, but it took him six months to get up the courage to ask her out.”
“Why?Dusty is a good-looking man,” Randall said.“I’m surprised he isn’t beating them off with a stick.”
“Well, it’s part of that silent thing that these guys have going on.They can do shit that would break their necks and love every second of it.But when it comes to the heart….”George shrugged.
“What is it you’re trying to say?”
“That you’re just like these guys, only louder.You talk all the goddamn time, but you’re just as stunted as the rest of them.I’m not saying that you should jump Sawyer’s bones, but stop being a dick and you might find out that these men could end up being the best friends you’ve ever had in your life.”
“George!”
“Who is that?”Randall asked.
“Chip, Alan’s brother.”George waved, and Chip hurried over.
“I need your help.Got a calf that needs pulling, and I could use some help keeping Mama calm.This one is a nervous Nellie.”George handed Randall the mug, and Chip practically pulled him away.Randall set the mugs on the back stoop before returning to the tack room to finish what he’d started.
“You need help?”Randall asked as he passed where Sawyer was working to get the stalls cleaned out and ready for their occupants.
“Shit,” Sawyer swore as the stall door fell off its hinges, nearly landing on his foot.“Just the fuck what I needed.”
Randall knelt down.“The hinge gave way.You got fresh ones?”
“Yeah.”
“Then let’s take the door off so it doesn’t break the other one and we can fix it.Get on the other side and we can lift together.”Sawyer huffed but did as he asked, and they got the door off and set it aside.“Where are the hinges?”
“In the equipment shed where we put that piece of furniture you wanted to keep.”
“Then I’ll hold the door while you get what we need,” Randall offered, and Sawyer stepped away and hurried out of the barn.Randall looked around and sighed.How in the heck had he let himself get roped into all this?He had plenty that he needed to do back home.The estate manager could handle the day-to-day running of the tours and the boutique, but the rest of the estate required someone to watch over it.He had plans for the grounds that needed to be overseen.He also had an idea to add a distillery to the property.They had crops they were selling, but he figured that some of them could be used to create an estate whiskey they could sell to the visitors, and if they got the mix right, it might even become known beyond the immediate area.Instead, he was here and….
“I found one,” Sawyer said as he strode toward him, and Randall momentarily forgot about all the things back home, swallowing hard as the cowboy drew closer.
“Great,” Randall said quickly.Sawyer had also brought tools, and they got the old hinge parts removed and the new ones installed.Then came the hard part: sliding the stall door back into place.“Lift it from the other side.”
“I have it,” Sawyer said, moving the door too far his way.Randall tried to guide it back and the bottom slipped in, but the top hinge missed.“We need to lift it again.”
“Okay.I’ll lift and you guide,” Randall suggested.Sawyer grew quiet, and Randall held the door.“Which way do I go?”He was still quiet, tapping his hand on the gate.Randall began to lower the door simply because his arms were getting tired.
“Not yet.I almost got it.”Sawyer finally told him as his arms began to ache.
“Then say something, please,” Randall said.
“Just come my way a tiny bit… okay… got it.”The door dropped in, and Randall swung it closed and open once more.“That was good.”Sawyer patted Randall’s shoulder once, which he thought kind of weird.
He wanted to snap that if Sawyer could just talk a little more, it would have been easier.“It’s working.”
“Yes.”He gathered the tools and left without another word.Randall shook his head before returning to the tack room.Bloody hell, he had things to do, and working with Sawyer was a recipe for frustration.He went back to the boring, repetitive task and finished cleaning and oiling the leather.He heard Sawyer working in the stalls, but he stayed where he was, glad to be away from the hot but silent cowboy.Once he was done, Randall left the tack room and the barn, trying to find George and Alan, but they must have been out with the cattle.No one was around the house, and he didn’t want to ask Sawyer what was up.
“Hey,” Alan’s brother Chip said as he ambled across the yard.Didn’t anyone just walk here?No.They all moved like they had all the confidence in the world.
“I was looking for Alan,” Randall said, feeling more than a little out of sorts.At home he would know exactly what to do, but here he was the outsider.The ranch had horses, just like the estate, but things were done differently here.
“You need something to do?”
Randall groaned before he could stop himself.“What I need is to be away from Sawyer.”Blast, he should have kept that to himself.
