by Nancy M Bell
“Malt, like beer?” Coll scratched his head.
“Yup. It’s got to meet certain moisture and plumpness standards to get accepted, but it pays way more per bushel than feed barley. Never mind about all that, let’s go find Sam.”
Sam, the famous horse. Is there a horse I can ride?” He followed her out of the dim shed into the bright evening sunlight.
“Yeah, you can use Jewel, Mom’s mare. She’s awesome.” Laurel stuck her fingers in her mouth and produced a piercing whistle. A thunder of hooves heralded the appearance of a herd of horses seeming to spring from the prairie itself.
Coll joined Laurel by the barb wire fence of the big pasture. “I would have sworn there was nothing close by in the field.” He shook his head.
Laurel laughed. “It only looks flat, but there’s lots of little depressions and folds where stock can hide. We once spent hours looking for a lost calf. Finally found it, but it can be deceiving. This is Sam.” She dug in her jeans pocket and held out a piece of krunch to the big chestnut gelding who shouldered his way to the front of the herd. He whuffled softly before lipping up the treat. “The buckskin is Jewel, you’ll like her. Here.” She handed him a krunchie.
“She’s bigger than Sarie’s ponies,” he sounded a bit doubtful.
“She’s super well broke and she’s only 15.1, so not that much bigger than the Fell ponies. Mom takes her everywhere, to the mountains and moving cattle. You’ll do fine on her.”
“Are we going riding now?”
Laurel glanced at the position of the sun. “No, probably not enough time right now to go very far. Maybe tomorrow. Saturday we’re going to the Little Britches Rodeo in High River. This is the last year Carly and I can compete. Next year we’ll both be too old.”
“Rodeo? Like bull riding and the stuff we get on the telly sometimes at home? You’re not honestly gonna ride a bull, are you?” Coll scrubbed his hand through his blond hair so it stuck up every which way.
“Not hardly. Dad would kill me if I even mentioned steers, God forbid bulls. Carly and I are entering barrels, poles and team roping. She’s got an edge on me, ’cause Rayna’s quicker than Sam around the barrels. Sometimes we can make up the time on the way home though.”
“You compete on how fast you can both get home?”
“No, I mean Sam and I are faster on the straight run to the finish line after the last barrel. You’ll see. I have to practice tomorrow, and Carly and I have to practice roping too. She’s header and I’m heeler. Hopefully Chance is over his snit by then. He coaches us,” she explained.
Laurel gave Sam a last treat and turned away from the pasture. Coll caught her hand in his and they walked slowly back toward the ranch house. In the shade of the machine shed he pulled her to a stop and looked down at her.
“I missed you, Laurel. More than I thought I would. Every time something good happened I wanted you to be there to share it or help me figure out what I should do about school. Gramma wants me to carry on and get a degree, apply to Cambridge even. I’m just not sure if that’s what I want, but I don’t want to disappoint her. I mean she’s given up so much for me and taken Gort in too…”
“When do you have to decide, about Cambridge and stuff?”
“Soon. I filled out a bunch of applications before I left. Gramma’s holding on to them for me. And we had to wait for my marks to come back. If I want to go to Cambridge I have to go to school for another two years and then write some more entrance exams. I just don’t know. If I don’t go on, I can get a job and help with the expenses and things, so Gramma won’t have to worry so much about stuff. I’m pretty sure that’s what Gort has planned. Him and Ash are already talking about getting a flat in Penzance or Mousehole and moving in together.”
“What does Alice have to say about that?” Laurel’s eyes sparked with humour.
“They haven’t breathed a word of it around her. Are you a nutter? She’d go bonkers on them.”
“Probably wise, then. So, about school and Cambridge, what do you want? I mean if Emily wasn’t involved and it was just you to worry about? What would you want then?”
“There’s no sense talking like that, because I do have to worry about Gramma.”
“Okay but say that you didn’t. Just pretend for a minute, Coll,” Laurel persisted.
He paused for a long moment, squinting into the distance against the setting sun. “I just don’t rightly know, Laurel. That’s the trouble. I just don’t know.”
“Well, let’s not worry about it now.” She started to move toward the house.
“Laurel…”
She hesitated and moved back into the shade of the shed. “What?”
“I…nothing...that is…just this…”
Laurel’s heart jumped and seemed to stop for a second when he pulled her close and kissed her. She wrapped her arms around his waist and held on while his hands tangled themselves in her hair. The pressure of the kiss intensified and what felt like jolts of electricity shot through her. Leaning into him, Laurel moved one hand up to the back of his neck, the hair soft and silky under her fingers. A lovely warm liquid sensation coiled in her belly and spread through her body.
“Coll,” she whispered against his mouth and forgot to breathe when his tongue flicked over her bottom lip. She clung to him tighter, afraid her legs wouldn’t hold her.
“Laurel.” He broke the kiss and rested his forehead against hers, his breathing ragged. “Laurel…”
“I know.” She stroked his cheek.
“I don’t think you do.” He still sounded breathless.
“I want you to kiss me. I want to feel whatever that was…I want to feel like that again.” She snuggled closer.
“We can’t go any further, you know that. You’re too young and your parents will kill me. And, well, and it’s just not right…”
“But you can still kiss me, right?” She leaned back to study his face.
“I don’t think I could stop myself if I tried.” He grimaced. “But that’s as far as it can go. Kisses.”
“I’m good with that. All that pawing Chance always wants to do isn’t as much fun as kissing you.” Laurel smiled at him.
“What do you mean about Chance pawing? At you? Did you tell your parents?” Coll stepped back and glared at her.
“Oh, it was nothing. We went to a school dance and him and some of his friends got some beer. He was just being stupid. He dropped Carly off first and then drove me home, but on the way, he stopped and told me I was beautiful and he had feelings for me.” She snorted. “As if! Then he got all grabby and kissed me. It was gross, he tasted like beer and cigarettes. I pushed him away, but then he got all stupid and stuck his hand up my shirt and…and…other stuff. I tried to reason with him but well…finally I just hauled off and punched him. Gave him a black eye.” She giggled. “He told everyone a bronc did it. It’s okay, Coll. I threatened to tell my dad and Chance has never laid a hand on me since.”
“Did he at least apologize later?” Coll’s fists were balled up at his side.
“Sort of, he blamed it on the fact he was drunk, but he wasn’t that drunk and anyways that’s no excuse to go all stupid on me. Jack ass.” She held up her hand when Coll opened his mouth to say something. “I did tell my mom about it and she wasn’t too happy, let me tell you. I think she talked to Mrs. Cullen about it. I know neither of us told Dad because Chance is still walking around. Dad would geld him if he knew what he tried on me.”
“Oh.” Coll took a step back. “I’d better watch out too then. He doesn’t even know me, no telling what he’d do to me.”
“Why would I do anything to you, son?” Colton Rowan came around the end of the machine shed.
“Hi, Dad, get the last of the seeding done?” Laurel hugged him.
“Most of it.” He turned to Coll. “Hello, Coll. How was your flight?”
“Hello, Mr. Rowan. The flight was great, got in on time and everything.”
“Did Chance get you there in time?” Colton looked at Laurel.
She nodded. “He was an ass on the way home though, Dad. Driving way too fast and being rude.”
“I’ll speak to him about the speeding, but you can’t blame him for being a bit upset, Laurel. You know how he feels about you and seeing you with…” He nodded toward Coll.
“Don’t defend him, Dad. There’s no excuse for how he behaved. I just hope he’s over it by tomorrow when we have to practice for Little Britches.”
“I’m sure it’ll work out.” He patted her head and turned back to Coll. “Now, why are you worried about what I’m going to do you? What have you done?”
“N-n-nothing, sir,” he stammered. “Just if I did something wrong, or…or drove too fast…”
Colton Rowan grinned showing white teeth against his sun browned skin. “Unless you have an international driver’s license you won’t be driving anywhere, slow or fast. Just you mind you respect my little girl here, and we’ll get on just fine.”
“Yes, sir, Mr. Rowan.” Coll swallowed.
“Call me Colt, son. Mr. Rowan was my father. Makes me feel old gettin’ called mister anything. You kids run along now. Laurel let your mom know I’ll be in as soon as I fuel up the tractor and get the seeder put in the shed. Shouldn’t take too long.”
“We’ll let her know, Dad.” Pulling Coll by the hand, she headed for the house. Once they were clear of the machine shed she broke into a run. Outside the back door she stopped and pulled him around to face her. “Don’t stop kissing me just because Dad is being all protective. I like kissing you.” She reached up and pressed her lips to his cheek.
“Mom, we’re back,” she called opening the door leaving Coll gobsmacked on the step. “Dad says he’ll be in after he fuels the tractor.”
“Thanks, Laurel. Go wash up and then set the table, would you? Coll, you come keep me company after you wash, I want to hear all about Sarie and your grandmother,” she lowered her voice, “and if you’ve heard from Bella.”
Laurel didn’t hear the rest of the conversation and promised herself she’d ask him about Gramma Bella after dinner. After a quick wash she dashed down the stairs to set the big table in the kitchen. She laid a plate for Harry Good Smoke the hired man who often joined them for dinner. Just as she finished placing the silverware, boot heels echoed on the back verandah and Harry’s deep voice filtered through into the kitchen. The tall First Nations man carried a basket of eggs which he set on the counter before removing his hat and hanging it on one of the pegs by the door.
“Thought I’d save you some time Laurie, seein’s ya got a friend stayin’. I stopped by the coop and collected the eggs.”
“Thanks, Harry. You’re the best.” She grinned at him.
Colt Rowan hung his jacket on the peg and removed his hat as well before kissing his wife. “Something smells good,” he remarked.
“Roast beef and Yorkshire pudding. I thought I’d do something simple tonight. On Sunday we’ll do BBQ and Saturday will be whatever you guys find at the rodeo.”
“How’s the roping coming along?” Colt raised an eyebrow at his daughter.
“Coming. I’m still having a little trouble laying the trap for the hind legs. Carly’s getting really good at heading, she almost never misses. I should probably get my rope and practice a bit after dinner.”
“Not tonight, Laurel. You’ve got a guest and Coll must be tired after that long flight. Why don’t you just take it easy tonight and stick a DVD in and watch a movie?” Anna suggested.
Laurel glanced at Coll. “That all right with you? Mom’s right, practice can wait.”
“Sounds brill, but I don’t want to create any aggro for you with that Chance guy. You said he was coaching you or something, right?”
“Chance can go piss into the wind—”
“Laurel Rowan! You watch your mouth young lady, or you won’t be going anywhere. That’s no way to talk.” Colt glowered at his daughter.
“Sorry, Dad. I’m just so tired of him being so bossy and acting like he owns me when any other guys are around. If he wasn’t Carly’s brother…” she trailed off. “Let’s go find a DVD to watch,” she changed the subject. “TV is in here.”
Coll followed her into the large room at the front of the house. The wide windows looked west over the prairie gilded with the slanting rays of the sun. She flopped down on one of the couches and picked up the remote. “We don’t have Netflix. Dad says we don’t need it, but he did get us satellite a while ago so we do get some channels. The DVDs are over there, see what you want to watch. You pick, you’re the guest.”
“We don’t have Netflix either. Gramma says it’s too dear, but I know there are shows she’d love to watch. I just want to be able to help out with expenses, you know?” Coll sat cross legged on the floor and searched through the DVDs. He pulled one out and looked at Laurel. “You have Moana? Isn’t that a kiddie movie?” He turned it over in his hand to read the blurb on the back.
“It is, I guess. But Mom and I love it. Pick something else if you’d rather.” Laurel turned the TV on and scrolled through the channels while Coll kept looking through the DVDs.
“How about this one?” He tossed a case at her.
Laurel caught it and scanned the title. “Dunkirk? You want to watch a war movie? I hate them, Dad loves them though. He’d watch it with you in a heartbeat.” She tossed the movie back to him.
“Watching a flick with your dad isn’t exactly what I had in mind.” Coll rummaged through the cases again. “What about Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them?”
“I like that one! Kinda Harry Potterish, but not really. Have you seen it?”
“Just the trailer for it. I watched Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri on the plane.”
“Did you like it? I haven’t seen that one yet.” Laurel scooted over on the couch to make room for him.
“It was okay. Killed some time. You want this one, then?” He held up Fantastic Beasts.
“Sure, just stick it in the DVD and I’ll hit play.”
Coll slid the disc into the player and joined Laurel, careful to leave a bit of space between them. Laurel tossed him a fluffy blanket and pulled another over her knees. She hit play and skipped forward over the advertisements and trailers. “Mom! Can we have some popcorn?” She waited, but her mother didn’t respond. Laurel handed Coll the remote. “Just hit pause when the movie is starting. I’ll go get us some popcorn. Be right back.” She jumped to her feet, letting the blanket fall to the floor.
Mom and Dad were at the far end of the kitchen sitting with Harry sharing coffee and gossip. The conversation made Laurel pause in the doorway.
“Those wildies are starting to cause trouble again. Cory says that black stud stole two of his mares. He’s hell bent on getting them back,” Laurel’s dad was saying.
“Is he sure it was Coal?” Anna frowned.
“For God’s sake Anna, don’t go calling that horse by the stupid name those bleeding hearts have hung on him. When a horse starts breaking down fences to get at expensive livestock it’s time to do something about it,” Colt declared.
“To be fair, Colt, the Cullens need to quit leaving gates open and do some fencing. I was out checking the back-fence line earlier this week and there’s a lot of wire down on their fences. And two gates left lying on the ground with the wire all tangled. Can’t really blame that old stud for nipping through and catchin’ himself some ladies.” Harry Good Smoke lit a cigarette and grinned at his boss through the haze of smoke.
“Don’t you go defending that bastard, too. Bad enough those Facebook groups have got all kinds of people all riled up about those damned wildies.”
Laurel gripped the door jamb. Coal. She loved the wild stallion. He was so handsome in a rough sort of way. Short coupled and thick necked with powerful shoulders and hind quarters, he was magnificent.
“What about Coal?” Laurel stepped into the kitchen.
“Don’t you start in on the poor wildies, too. I thought you were watching a movie with your frien
d?” Colt got up to pour more coffee.
“We are, I just came to get some popcorn. What are the Cullens planning to do. I think they leave those gates down on purpose so they can say some of those horses broke through unto their property and so they’re entitled to catch them and sell them. I heard Chance bragging about a chestnut yearling they got that way and Mr. Cullen got on the phone and called one of those groups trying to preserve the wildies and told them he was gonna send the poor thing to Fort McLeod. Chance was killing himself laughing because they got five times what they would have got for meat price. Said it was an easy way to make money. I think it’s pretty underhanded and mean.” Laurel stood her ground.
“It’s none of your concern, Laurel. Go make your popcorn,” Colt dismissed her.
“But…”
“I don’t want to hear another word about those horses, you hear? Fish and Wildlife have already approved a cull, that’s the end of it. A lot of the ranchers around here would like to see them all cleared out.”
“It’s not fair, they’re not hurting anything,” she muttered and put a bag of popcorn in the microwave.
“Let it drop, Laurel.” Colt’s tone warned her he would brook no disobedience.
Still grumbling under her breath, she waited for the corn to pop and then transferred it into a big bowl. The grownups were still debating the wildie issue when she left the room.
“Something wrong?” A worried frown creased Coll’s face. “It sounded like your dad was yelling or something.”
“Nothing much.” She handed him the bowl of popcorn and sat beside him. “Chance and his dad and some other ranchers want to clean out all the wildies and I just don’t think it’s fair. Dad and I don’t agree on the subject.”
“Wildies? Is that some kind of wild animal?” Coll stuffed a handful of popcorn in his mouth.
“Wild horses. There’s a couple of herds around here. They don’t really do any damage, although some of the ranchers claim they eat too much of the pasture that they want for their cattle. The hunters say they take away forage from the animals they want to hunt. It’s so dumb. Why can’t they just leave the poor things alone? I got pretty close to Coal, he’s this big pitch-black stud. He’s amazing. I hope you get to see him while you’re here. I just can’t imagine him getting caught and shipped off to Fort McLeod.”