Page 94 of My Cowboy Freedom
Patience...
I emptied my pockets out onto my nightstand: change, the receipt from lunch, a candy wrapper from the doctor.
Scratching rattled the door.
I opened it and Maisy stormed in. I’d never known a dog to nag before Maisy. She circled my legs, giving me the canine equivalent of a talking to. I stripped and redressed quickly because I knew the sooner I could get to work, the sooner I’d have something to take my mind off my anger.
I spent the rest of the day doing every filthy chore I could think of. Washing out water troughs. Cleaning out animal pens. Raking over the compost pile. I stayed busy. But when I caught sight of Sky riding out with the rest of the hands, the truth just gut-punched me.
Chandler had probably talked to Sky too.
Of course he did. Why not reinforce how much we both have to lose?
At the ranch house, I asked Elena what was going on with the hands.
“Some of the cattle probably got loose. I don’t know. Boss rode out with them. Maybe somebody reported a downed fence?”
“When do you suppose they’ll be back?”
“Boss told me not to expect them until late. They took supplies and bedrolls, I guess.”
What’re you up to, Boss?
“It’s just you and me tonight.” She smiled. “What do you want?”
“Omelet?”
“That’s it?” I’d wounded her.
“I’m not very hungry. I ate a lot earlier.”
She watched me like a too-full glass. As if I’d spill any minute and make a mess. “If you’re sure. I’ll see you when you come in.”
I hid in the loft. It was quiet up there and nobody bothered me.
I even spent some time looking in the direction I’d seen Sky and them ride out. After sunset, it became impossible to see anything so I went inside. Had supper. And went to bed.
I thought maybe it was a good day to write a song, but I didn’t have the words for how happily I’d thrown myself into the beginning of the day, or how far I’d fallen at the end.
I only hoped Sky wasn’t as worried about me as I was about him.
