Page 28 of Her Gentle Protector
He thought about what he’d be doing if he were at his own ranch. He would drink a steaming cup of coffee by the porch, watching the sunrise while enjoying the surrounding peace, before getting started on the day. But this land, this homestead, was far from peaceful. It was rough and unforgiving. Baxter had always been a hard worker, but trying to fix even a portion of the issues at the Beale house was challenging everything he knew. Looking around the homestead, he felt a strange mix of both sadness and frustration.
The creak of the back door stirred the air like a death rattle. Out from the shadows, Peter slipped out and down the steps into the yard. The young man didn’t avoid Baxter, but he didn’t help him either. As Peter approached, the rancher raised an eyebrow in surprise.
“What’re you doin’ out here so early?” he asked gruffly, scanning Peter for any sign of trouble. “Is everything all right?”
Peter paused before responding, his jaw clenched, and his eyes narrowed. His answer was soft but held an unmistakable edge of defiance. “Thought I’d lend a hand.”
“Did Midge send you out?”
“I don’t need my sister to tell me what to do.”
Baxter narrowed his eyes. Finally, offering a slight nod, he motioned to Peter. “Fine, you can help me get Knickers to the pasture.”
“Shouldn’t we start with feeding him first?” Peter challenged, crossing his arms over his chest.
“Been doin’ this a long time, boy,” Baxter shot back, irritation clear in his voice. “I know what I’m doing. Now, you gonna help or not?”
Peter clenched his fists, and Baxter could see he was struggling to contain the anger bubbling inside him. “Fine,” Peter spat through gritted teeth. Taking a lead line from Baxter, he stomped towards the barn.
As they walked, Baxter couldn’t help but feel the tension radiating off Peter. He knew that the young man’s rebellious nature could be an asset in some ways, but it also made him unpredictable and sometimes downright difficult to deal with. As they reached the barn, Baxter saw that the hay bales he had brought over the day before had shifted. They were dangerously close to tumbling down and blocking the entrance.
Baxter’s eyes narrowed in frustration as he stepped forward to fix the problem. As he bent down to fix the bales, he heard Peter’s footsteps approaching.
“I can do that,” Peter said through gritted teeth, his hands balling into fists at his sides.
Without looking up, Baxter grunted in response. “Suit yourself.”
The sound of hay rustling and bales being moved broke the silence between the two men. Before long, they had stacked the hay bales back into place, and the entrance to the barn was clear once again. Baxter stood up, wiping the sweat from his forehead, and turned to face Peter. “Thanks for your help.”
Peter only scowled in response. “What’s next?”
“The horses are still eating. We need to clean out the stalls on this side.” Baxter handed Peter a shovel. “Get shoveling.”
Once they finished the first two stalls, Baxter held out a halter. “You’ll need to get this on Knickers.”
“Why? He has a halter already.”
“Because I want to see if you can do it, that’s why.” Baxter watched as Peter tried to figure out which side was the top of the harness. “Like this,” he offered.
Peter waved him away, stubbornly insisting on doing things his way. Baxter watched as the boy fumbled with the halter and gritted his teeth in frustration. He wanted to step in and help, but he knew Peter had to learn this on his own.
“Here,” Baxter said finally, “let me show you how it’s done.” Peter glared at him, but let Baxter take the halter from him. Baxter carefully explained each step, showing Peter how to put the halter on properly and securely.
Once Knickers was hooked up and ready to go, they headed out to the pasture. As they walked, their voices rose with each passing moment, echoing across the ranch.
Baxter knew there was tension between him and Peter, but he chose not to comment on it. Finally, they reached the pasture, where Peter released the lead line, letting Knickers join Daisy in the cool grass.
They walked back to the barn when Baxter spotted Midge approaching with a steaming cup of coffee in her hands. She looked relieved when he accepted it and gave a thankful smile. “You don’t know how much I’ve wanted one all morning.”
“Why didn’t you come in?” she said, her eyes still heavy with sleep.
“I didn’t want to disturb anyone. I have some hardtack and water in the barn.”
A snarl emitted from Peter’s throat, and Baxter shot him a warning look. “Why are you here?”
“I’m here to help your sister,” Baxter growled, his patience wearing thin.
“I don’t think that’s why you’re here. I see the way you look at her.”
