How could she leave Cowboy to a life of solitary confinement in a metal cage knowing that information? With a heart filled with significantly more spite than gratitude, Josie signed the papers and carted the cat home in a cardboard box the staff had warned would be shredded to pieces before she even pulled out of the lot.
To this very day, Cowboy had yet to add to his tally.
Sometimes all one needed in order to let their guard down was the security of a place to call home.
Huffing a breath of frustration, Josie nearly felt like hissing as she reflected on her own sudden and unexpected lost sense of security. She needed answers from Marcie and Marty, but now wasn’t the time for that. The sun would have to set on her anger. Hopefully the sunrise would bring a new perspective.
She made surprisingly quick work of stowing her groceries away one-handed, and when she pressed the refrigerator door shut with her backside, her phone buzzed.
How long until it’s healed?
This son of a gun sure was persistent.
The arm? A few more weeks, Josie typed back with her only working thumb.
Not ten seconds passed before her phone shook again.
That’ll work. These horses won’t be ready to be handled before then, anyway. Come by tomorrow and check things out. I’d like to figure out what I’m dealing with here.
She wanted to roll her eyes, the presumptive text doing its best to turn her already simmering anger into a boil. Apparently, she’d used up the day’s ration of frustration already.
Fine. She relented, surprising even herself. Send me the address and I’ll be by in the morning. 10:00.
3
Seth
If the perfect imprint of sweat under Scout’s saddle was any indicator, the morning had already been a full one and it was barely creeping up on nine o’clock. Just before daybreak, Seth had set out to move their herd to a fresh grazing pasture, a task that typically involved at least two men on horseback, an equal number of cattle dogs, and a well-executed plan.
If his brother, Tanner, had been around, they could’ve knocked the chore out in record time. But Tanner and his wife, Amy, along with their two sons, Bobby and Colby, were with Seth’s parents in Oregon for the week. Seth had no real option but to round up what he could on his own. Sure, he’d hoped to drive all one-hundred head to their respective paddocks in one sweep—if only to impress his parents. He’d have to settle for half the herd that morning and he knew that accomplishment would be met with half the enthusiasm it rightfully deserved.
The bright side was that the bunch of cows he did manage to rotate stayed mothered up and that allowed both calf and cow to settle into their new grazing territory with minimal stress. Seth chalked that up as a win and gave that small success permission to expand within him, like a bird puffing his feathered chest in pride.
Seth had been a twelve-year-old boy the first time he’d helped his dad on a cattle drive. Back then, he had more confidence than knowledge and more opinions than experience. Seth wanted to do things his way. He’d watched his older brother and his dad work their cows countless times. Seth had it all figured out. His father, Mitch, had agreed to let him take the reins that particular day, a mistake that cost Seth a half a front tooth and all of his preteen ego. The mama cow that had been separated from her calf showed no mercy. Seth was grateful his father had been a little more forgiving.
He’d come a long way in the fifteen years since that first drive. Still, there was a nagging sense that he could always do better, and that nagging stemmed from the fact that his older brother was slotted to take over the family’s cattle business. Relegated to second fiddle when it came to an inheritance wasn’t ideal, but Seth had little say in the part he got to play.
“You did good out there, Scout,” Seth said to his horse as he swapped out the bit in the animal’s mouth for a carrot. The gelding chomped loudly on the much deserved treat. “Who says you and I can’t handle the ranch on our own?”
It was an undeniably rhetorical question. Scout didn’t have Mr. Ed’s magical talking powers, but Seth swore that horse offered a wink in agreement. Imagined or not, Seth needed that encouragement. He wanted to believe his parents had left him to tend to the ranch because they trusted Seth to look after the Ford family livelihood. But the truth of the matter was, they’d carted Tanner up to Oregon to scope out a herd of purebred, grass-fed Wagyu. When faced with a promising new business venture—one that had the potential to take their cattle company to the next level—Seth’s parents chose Tanner as their right hand man.
That certainty felt like a swift kick in Seth’s gut.
He shrugged off the disheartening thought and gave Scout a pat on the rump, sending the horse trotting into the open pasture to spend the morning grazing with Sally, the old bay mare that belonged to Seth’s mother. Pulling the saddle from the gate where it balanced, Seth tried to shake his insecurities from his head. They had the awful ability to coil into his thoughts like a venomous snake about to strike. Seth was typically a confident and capable man, but more and more it felt as though he was spinning his wheels at the ranch. He wasn’t sure if he needed a promotion, a vacation, or a really stiff drink, but something had to give.
Dust swelled around his boots as he ambled toward the shed to store his tack until he’d need it again later that afternoon. Ignoring the low rumble in his woefully empty stomach, he wiped his hands clean with his favorite bandana and stepped out of the shed just as an old jalopy of a truck lumbered up the driveway. That vehicle coughed and wheezed like it smoked three packs a day, each little gasp propelling it another foot forward until it gave one last sputter before rolling to a stop.
Bringing the flat of his hand to his forehead, Seth squinted into the sun that silhouetted the ailing vehicle. A shadowy figure slipped out from the cab and slammed the door into place. Seth could barely keep in a laugh when the driver stomped up to the front tire, swung a leg back, and then kicked the rubber tread.
“Can I help you?” With his bandana still in his grip, Seth closed the distance and walked toward the visitor, surprised that the figure coming into focus was that of a woman. An incredibly attractive woman, at that.
“Sorry,” the stranger apologized, registering Seth’s obvious hesitation. “I’m a little early.”
“Early?” Seth’s gaze connected with honey brown eyes tucked under the brim of a tattered ball cap.
“For our appointment?” The woman dialed up the volume of her voice. “You texted me?”
A flash of understanding jolted through Seth. “Yes! You must be Joe!”
“Josie, actually. Very few people still call me Jo.”
“I was expecting you to be—”
“A man?” She slunk her arms across her chest, but the bulky cast wrapped around the left one made the gesture more awkward than assertive.
“I’m sorry.” Seth quickly located his manners. “That was really presumptuous of me.”
The woman shrugged and relinquished her standoff position. Her arms dropped to her sides. “Nah. Not really. If your name was Pat or something, I’d probably assume you were a woman. Jo is ambiguous. I’ll give you that.” A humorless chuckle left her mouth. “Your name isn’t Pat, is it?”
“No. Not Pat. Seth.”
Shoving the hand without the cast into his, Josie gave it a no-nonsense shake. “Good to meet you, Seth.”
“Good to meet you, too, Josie.”
Seth’s gaze hung on her face for a beat, running over the light freckles scattered across her cheeks and the bridge of her pert nose. His eyes instinctually traveled toward the heart-shaped mouth that looked purposefully clenched, like it was ready to flip into a frown at any given moment. Even with that hard edge, she was beautiful in an unassuming, natural way.
He dropped eye contact and twisted the cloth in his hands before shoving it into his back pocket.
“You have some horses you want me to take a look at?” Josie stepped closer.
“Horses. Right.” S
eth blinked. “Yes. I have horses.”
“Is now a bad time?”
“Not at all. Now’s a fine time.” He paused and squinted. “I’m sorry. I really was expecting you to be a guy.”
“Listen, I know I told you I’m out of commission for the next month, but I can assure you I’m a better shoer than any male farrier you’ve ever worked with. But if me being a woman is going to be a problem for you—”
“It’s not a problem at all. I’m just embarrassed that I’m not a little more cleaned up. More presentable.” Like his horse, Seth was covered in a fine layer of sweat and grit and he figured he smelled just as pleasant as the cows he’d rounded up that morning. “I’m a bit of a mess.”
“I’m not here to look at you, Seth. Just your horses.”
“Of course.” He laughed but Josie didn’t reciprocate. “Let’s go check them out. They’re over near our old milking barn. As I mentioned in my text, they’re not really used to people.”
Josie nodded as she followed behind. “What’s your plan for them?”
He angled a look over his shoulder, meeting her eye. “Honestly? At this point, my only plan is to keep them alive. You’ll soon see, it’s a better plan than their previous owner had.”
“Gotcha. Well, I can take a look at their feet but I hope you’ve also got a vet coming out to do a thorough check up.”
“I do. This afternoon.”
“Glad to hear it.” Before they were even within ten paces of the horses, Josie let out an incredulous little huff. “I don’t think you’re going to need my help here, Seth. Those are mustangs.” When Seth didn’t respond right away, she continued, “See the freezemark brand under that sorrel’s mane? My guess is someone either adopted them directly from the Bureau of Land Management, or picked them up after they were dumped at auction. If they’re wild horses, then the one good thing they should have going for them is their feet.”
Dropping down into a crouch, Josie squinted her eyes as she peered through the slats in the stall.
“Yep. Those are definitely mustang hooves. I can come out and trim them in a month when I’m back at work, but those horses aren’t likely to ever need shoes.” She popped back up and swiped the front of her jean-clad thighs with her hands. “Shoot me a text once you’ve got them gentled and I’ll get you on the calendar.”
“Yeah.” Seth rubbed the back of his neck and wrinkled his nose with a grimace. “I’m not so sure that’ll happen within the month.”
“You don’t know how to break a horse?” The challenge in her tone made Seth’s defenses shoot up, like she’d implied he didn’t know how to change a tire or split firewood.
“I mean, I know my way around a horse. But if you’re asking if I’ve ever trained one—start to finish—then the answer would be no.”
“Ah.” Josie clicked her tongue. “So you’re the type of cowboy that likes to buy a horse that someone else has already put all the grunt work into. Got it.”
Seth’s eyes narrowed. “I’m the type of cowboy that likes to buy a tried and true horse who won’t get me killed when I’m out working cows.”
Something a bit like grief flashed across Josie’s features, but she rallied quickly and said, “Fair enough. You know someone who can break these horses then?”
“I could make a few phone calls—”
“Or I could do it.”
Seth’s head twitched. “You want a shot at breaking these mustangs?”
“If it’s on the table.” She set her shoulders, but her stony expression dissolved when her eyes met Seth’s. “I could really use the work right now. And I’m good. I know how to train a horse. Halter break and get them under saddle and all of that. I can do it.”
Something in the hopeful tone of Josie’s voice snagged on the heartstrings Seth didn’t even know he had. “Alright. We could work something out. But I’ll expect you to be here at the ranch, working with them everyday.” Tossing a glance toward her broken down vehicle in the driveway, Seth added, “If you’re confident in your abilities, then so am I. But I’m not confident that truck will get you back and forth reliably.”
Josie’s lips parted like she wanted to say something and when they clamped shut instead, Seth felt the need to prod. “What is it?”
“There’s another option.” She vacillated just a brief moment, then blurted, “I have a fifth-wheel. I could park it at your ranch. Stay here while I work with the horses.”
Oddly, the forwardness in that offer wasn’t off-putting. Seth realized his willingness to say yes said more about him than it did Josie. If any other stranger had asked to park their trailer on his land, he would’ve scoffed at the idea. But there was something undeniably intriguing about this woman, something that made his reservations, and all hesitation, fly out the window.
“Sure. That’ll work.”
Like it was the first good news she’d heard in years, Josie’s eyes rounded in unchecked shock. “Really?”
“Yeah.” Seth nodded. “Text me your address and I’ll drive my truck over this weekend to haul the trailer back here. Not a chance yours would be able to do it.” With an extended hand, Seth grasped Josie’s to seal the deal. “You start Monday.”
4
Josie
Josie had half a mind to beat her cast against the solid wood door. She’d knocked three times already and knew full well Marcie was on the other side, ignoring her insistent rapping.
“Marcie!” Peering through the long windows that flanked the front door to the ranch house, Josie scowled when she caught sight of the woman standing in the foyer in plain view. “I know you’re in there. I can see you. We need to talk.”
“No time.” She could hear the muffled response and see her lips move with the words. “You’ll have to come back later.”
“I’m not going anywhere until you open this door, Marcie.” Josie flipped around and slumped against the frame. She raked a frustrated hand through her hair and bit back a groan. “I mean, really! Don’t you think you at least owe me that?”
When the lock turned over, Josie spun fast, her eyes locking in on her landlord as the door edged slowly open. As usual, Marcie was adorned in gaudy costume jewelry and sloppy, winged eyeliner that folded in the creases of her wrinkled eyelids. “I’m busy packing, Josie. Don’t have time for chit-chat.”
“Good, because I’m not here for chit-chat. I’m here to have a very real conversation about the fact that you didn’t tell me the property was being foreclosed.”
Clicking the tips of her overgrown acrylic nails together, Marcie’s eyes narrowed as she studied her hands. “Our financial situation is none of your business.”
“It is when I’m paying you rent!” Josie counted to ten before continuing. She sucked in a massive breath through her nostrils. She would not let her frustration get the better of her here. There was no sense wasting emotion on something this far out of her control. “I expect you to reimburse me the last four month’s rent.”
“That’s not going to—”
“Not going to happen? It absolutely is. In the state of California, it takes one-hundred-twenty days of delinquency before going into foreclosure. Four months. I’ve done my research. You might not have been paying your share these last few months, but I sure as heck have.” Josie clenched her fists so tight she feared her cast would crack under her fingers. She could feel her chest trembling as she expelled a hot breath. “My four rent checks went somewhere. Evidently, that wasn’t the bank. I expect my reimbursement no later than Sunday afternoon. Otherwise, it won’t be me you’ll be dealing with; it’ll be my lawyer.”
“Do you actually have a lawyer?”
Josie popped the top off the amber bottle and passed it to Carly before taking another from the fridge door for herself. She fell into the trailer’s dining booth and pulled her legs onto the cushion, hugging them close to her body as she drew a thirst-quenching swallow from the longneck. She lowered her drink onto the table between them. Her trailer was a postage stamp in s
ize, but it had all the necessary spaces: a place to gather around the table, a place to lay her head, and a place to wash up. It was all she’d ever need.
“No, I don’t actually have a lawyer,” she finally answered her younger sister after relishing the first cool sip of her beverage. “How could I afford a lawyer?”
“Well, for starters, you could’ve taken what was rightfully yours from the drunk who nearly got you killed last month.”
“I broke an arm. I’d hardly call that near death.”
Carly cocked her head. Her fire-red hair swished along her shoulders as she processed that statement. “Your car was totaled, Josie. You’re lucky you walked away from that accident. Most people aren’t so lucky. Someone was looking out for you that day, no question. But just because you made it out relatively unscathed, that doesn’t mean Brian shouldn’t be held accountable for his actions. I don’t understand this misplaced allegiance you have to him.”
“It’s not an allegiance, Carly. I just don’t feel it’s necessary to ruin someone’s life over something that didn’t cost me all that much. Brian’s a good man.”
“It cost you your business, your car, and your left arm!”
“I still have my arm.” Josie hoisted her cast into the air for dramatic effect. “And I have my business, too. It’ll just be a while before either are operating at full capacity.” Josie threw back another guzzle of her wheat beer and shrugged. “And I’ve got Cutter’s truck on loan.”
“Which is on its last leg.”
“Legless now, actually. It gave up the ghost this afternoon. I’m grateful Seth was willing to drive me home, otherwise I would’ve been up a creek without a paddle.”
Carly paused, bottle suspended in front of her lips. “Who is Seth?”
“My future boss. My new landlord, too, I suppose. If we’re being technical.”
Take the Reins (A Cowboy's Promise Book 2) Page 2