Page 5 of Bred By the Cowboy

Even in the silence, though, there’s a comfort to his presence. A reassurance that he’s going to do his damnedest to stop anything else from going wrong tonight.

The truck rolls to a stop in the driveway. The only light comes from the moon, and we sit quietly side by side in the truck.

“Why are you here, anyway?” I ask, finally building up the courage to break the silence.

“This is my home. What makes you ask such a question?”

“Annie says you left because you hate this town, and the people who live in it. That’s why you were always so standoffish and hostile to everyone. And in turn, no one knows how to act around you.”

“You’re assuming things. You don’t know anything about me, Dolly,” he says in a tone that says he’s clearly annoyed at having to repeat himself.

He steps out of the car and walks along, staring at the sky. I’m quick to follow him. “You never talk about yourself. Or express yourself. So all we got are assumptions, Angus. I’m thankful for you stepping in back there, but I’m also confused.”

“Any decent man would have stepped in there, it’s not that big a deal.”

“It’s a big deal to me and that’s what matters.” I cross my arms and join him in stargazing. “What’s your deal? Why did you come back to Burly? People are surprised you’re back at all.”

“I always intended to come back. I didn’t even really want to go, but I did anyway.”

“You’re not here because of your father. He thinks your degree is a load of crap and he knows all you need to learn around here.”

Angus shakes his head. “He would think that. He doesn’t want to admit that there’s more to ranching nowadays than just knowing how to herd cattle. My mother knew there was more, and she handled that part of the operation.”

“What do you mean?”

He sighs. “My mother kept on top of things. How the world is changing. How to make business connections and keep the ranch afloat as the corporations exerted their influence. She knew that my father had no stomach or brain for that, so she handled it. When she was dying, she told me the best thing I could do to help this ranch was to go to college and learn how to run it like it’s 1990 instead of 1890.”

I don’t know what to think of that. I know the Rowdy Ranch began to run into trouble when Meringue passed, and then Angus took off soon after.

“I love this ranch, Dolly. It’s my home. I want to help it flourish, and I wanted to respect my mom’s wishes. I know it’s gotten bad but I think I can help my Dad turn it around. I didn’t spend the past four years learning nothing.”

There is a sincerity in his words. He’s not just telling me things I want to hear. This is his passion, and it’s become mine too. The Rowdys have treated me so well and I want to give back to them as badly as Angus does.

We lean against his truck, taking in the view. My hand drifts into his. He doesn’t express his emotions in the best of ways, but when you get past his shell, there’s a good heart in there.

The things I’m feeling are so complex that I’m not sure how to really deal with them. We turn to face one another. There’s a slight smile on his face, and he’s so handsome, his eyes glistening in the moonlight.

I’m amazed what I’m feeling about Angus Rowdy, of all people. I always thought he was an asshole, but I guess I was wrong. He shares a long gaze with me as well, us leaning into one another. Something’s going to happen, and my heart is racing.

A loud whinnying echoes through the night. It sounds painful. Angus snaps away and goes to the barn, and I’m quick to follow. I’ve been learning a bit about the ranch these past few years, but I defer to people who grew up here like Angus.

“Oh, Cheddar,” he says, looking into the stable.

Cheddar is one of the ranch’s mares. She’s pregnant, or at least, was pregnant. She’s currently in the process of concluding that journey.

“I remember when Cheddar herself was a filly,” Angus says. “It wasn’t that long ago. It’s amazing how times change.”

I watch the scene, as the mare gives birth to her new foal. Angus watches intently as well, but he’s prepared to step in if Cheddar needs it. Cheddar is having no problems, it seems, beyond the normal trials of labor.

There’s a beauty to the whole scene. It’s messy, but that’s nature. The tiny horse emerges from its mother, and the mare tends to it, licking its snout to let it know who birthed it. The two horses’ eyes meet, and my heart melts. The bond of mother and child. I instinctively yearn for it.

I don’t even notice that my hand met Angus’s as we watched Cheddar begin her family. A gut feeling brings my eyes to the man I suddenly realize I want to build my own family with. It’s hard to deny the reality of it all, and just as overwhelming and beautiful as watching Cheddar give birth.

I never really considered it before, but I think Angus is destined to be the stallion to my mare.

5

ANGUS

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