Page 58 of The Promise
"Don't say it."
Pete opened the bin that held the oats and began filling a bucket with grain. "Well, son, I don't mean no disrespect, it's just that I figure you got to call a spade a spade. And I thought you needed remindin'."
"Look, I'm not having feelings for Loralee if that's what you mean. I just find her attractive. That's all."
"You tryin' to convince me or yourself?" Pete poured some oats in Roscoe's trough. "Get some hay will you?"
Happy for an end to the present turn of conversation, Patrick forked some hay from an open bale and threw it into a burro's stall. The animal brayed with delight. He continued down the line of stalls, working in tandem with Pete and his bucket of oats.
"You tell anyone else about this morning?"
Patrick frowned, thinking Pete was referring to his preoccupation with Loralee again. He started to retort, but then saw the serious glint in the older man's eyes. "You mean about Amos?"
Pete nodded, squirting a spray of tobacco neatly between his teeth. "Amos, the fire, all of it."
"No. We just came straight here."
"You still thinkin' this has something to do with Duncan?"
Patrick stopped, leaning against the pitchfork. "Honest to God, I haven't got a clue. It seems like it has to be related, but I can't prove anything. Hell, we don't even know for certain it was Amos who set the fire."
Pete nodded, pouring the last of the oats into Jack's trough. "Well, until we get this all figured out, I think your girl is better off staying out here."
Patrick sighed. "Pete, I told you already, she is not my girl."
Pete grinned. "You could've fooled me."
Pete grabbed another biscuit,sopped it in gravy and then popped the whole thing in his mouth. Patrick swallowed a laugh and looked across the table, meeting Loralee's equally mirth-filled gaze. "Pete, you'd think you'd never had a biscuit."
Pete swallowed and reached for another one with a grin. "Them things you make ain't biscuits. They're more like river rocks."
"Now look, old man, if it weren't for me, you wouldn't have eaten at all."
"Well now, after tasting this, I can't help but wonder if I wouldn't have been better off." He smiled congenially and reached for the mashed potatoes.
Loralee beamed at them both, and for the first time in a long time, Patrick actually felt like the ranch was home. He slurped up a mouthful of stew, wondering just what she did to get the rabbit so tender. His always came out stringy and tough. Took practically a whole meal to chew one bite.
The door shook as someone pounded on it. The mood was shattered in an instant. Loralee jumped up, panic flashing across her face. Patrick reached for his rifle, satisfied to see that Pete was doing the same.
"Hey, what's a fella got to do to get some grub around here?" At the sound of Arless' voice, everybody relaxed. The door burst open and a red-faced Arless staggered into the room. "I couldsmell that stew all the way from the road. 'Bout time you took some cooking lessons, Patrick, me boy."
He came to a full stop on spying Loralee, ripping his tattered hat from his head. "Why, Miss Loralee, I should have knowed right off those heavenly smells weren't caused by anything Patrick concocted."
Pete indicated the empty chair. "Have a seat, Arless, there's plenty to go around."
He straddled the chair backward and then with a look from both Pete and Patrick stood up and turned the chair around, sitting on it properly. "Don't mind if I do." He heaped his plate with stew and potatoes, took three biscuits and dug in with a sigh. "Now this is eating."
"What brings you out this way, Arless? Besides free food," Patrick added dryly.
"Figured I'd best head for home. Lena don't tolerate my being gone for long."
Arless and Lena lived up the valley a piece, near Slumgullion Pass. He often spent the night at Clune in route one way or the other.
"To hear the sheriff tell it, she's already on the war path." Pete's gaze met Patrick's, a question there.
"Could be. Danged woman won't let me alone." Arless shot them a crooked-toothed smile and reached for another biscuit. "Me, I ain't in no hurry."
"Well, you know you're always welcome here," Patrick said.
