“More wine?”
“Definitely.”
Chapter 24
Ember
Strength is what we gain from the madness we survive.
Rain fell from the sky in buckets. An upper-level high pressure system stalled over the region dropping eleven inches of rain in two days to the already saturated ground.
Ember sat atop Storm, listening to Mr. Montgomery deliver stern instructions for the day. The seriousness in his tone drew every ounce of her, and the two dozen cowboys flanking her sides, undivided attention.
“Our task today is searching for displaced cattle and any cattle loitering in water above their legs. The river has already overflowed its banks and we’re expecting more rain today which means our situation is only going to get worse as the day goes on. We’ve gotta get the cattle out of there and drive them uphill before we lose them, or they drown.” Rain funneled off his bone-colored hat in ribbons. His voice, more robust than normal, carried through the open range. “Rain or no rain, we’re here to get the job done, but I don’t need to remind everyone to be careful out there.”
With a nod of his head, they trailed off, dispersing into the weather.
Travis trotted up beside her. They hadn’t spoke about what happened, but a hint of pity still lingered in his eyes. One of which still held onto the black and blue aftereffects of a nasty bruise.
“Nice to see you finally breaking in those chaps and duster, Miss Thompson.”
“Now that I have them on, I understand why you wear them. I’m not even wet yet.”
Rough laughter crooned from beneath his hat. “You will be by the time we’re finished.”
Mr. Montgomery circled back. “Miss Thompson, I want you to ride tight with either myself or Travis. I don’t need to tend to two emergencies instead of one. The last thing I need is you getting lost or injured. I swore to your father I’d keep you safe and I intend on keeping my word.”
Wide-eyed, Ember assured, “Believe me, the last thing I want to do is get lost out here. Especially in this weather.”
Travis interjected, “You can ride with me, Luke, Johnny, and Sawyer.”
They’d been riding for nearly two hours. Rain pelted her shoulders, winding through tall sagebrush and trees searching for stray cattle. Thunder rumbled across the darkening skies in the far distance and cold rain whipped sideways through the air, lashing at her cheeks.
Following Travis’s lead, she rode for shelter under a large mesquite tree. Persistent rain pummeled the mud-soaked earth beneath the outer branches of the canopy but slowed to a drizzle under the heavily foliaged center of the tree.
Ember pulled a thermos from a deep pocket of her duster. The hot tea warmed her insides as she brushed a hand over Storm’s wet, glossy coat giving him a few good pats.
“I never got the chance to thank you.” Voice rising above the driving rain, she sliced him a look of strangled appreciation. “For telling me the truth.”
“No need.” Travis’s gaze remained straight and focused. “I hope the situation didn’t sour your taste for the ranch.”
Peering out from beneath the vibrant green branches, large droplets of rain hung from the tree’s drooping leaves. Her eyes squinted studying the land for as far as she could see. A sense of pride and contentment grew warm in her belly, spreading up her neck, striking fire to the lobes of her ears.
“Nothing could spoil my love for this place.” Her eyes feathered shut pulling a deep breath into her lungs. “The land, the ranch, the people, everything about this place has a way of seeping into your soul.”
Travis let loose of a rattled breath full of what she thought sounded like relief. “Walker Ranch does have a way of getting under your skin.”
“Even the infinite challenges,” she agreed, eyes popping in bewilderment. “I’ve grown more in the last four months on this ranch than I had in five years in California.”
Travis’s brows lifted in speculation. And hope. “In five years, you could be one of the most respected ranchers in Texas. But if you want my honest opinion, you could manage it in three. You’ve got your old man’s grit.”
The sincerity in his voice softened the roughness strangling her heart.
In the distance, Luke, Johnny, and Sawyer pushed a small heard of lumbering old bulls and skittering calves into the open.
“Sit tight and get warm. I’m going to get them moving to the south.” Travis made a short clicking sound out the side of his mouth, encouraging his horse into the weather. Jet followed hot on his heels.
Ember watched the men lead the ball of cattle over a ridge until their whistles and hollers disappeared. Relaxing into the saddle, she took another drink of hot tea, making a mental note to give Bee an extra big hug for the cup of steamy goodness to-go.
The scent of wet leather, fresh rain, and musky sage filled her senses, reminding her of childhood rainstorms. Her head cocked, hearing the faint sound of mooing over the beating rain.
Alarms fired off inside.
Tucking away the thermos, Ember nudged Storm to the edge of the canopy, keeping a keen ear. A familiar high-pitched cry of distress resounded from somewhere in the distance.
“Daisy.” The terrified gasp whooshed from her lungs.
Wrapping her legs around Storm like a wet washcloth, Ember gave him a little tap, coaxing him into the rain. She rode along the swollen river, snaking in and out of the trees and shrubs following the high-pitched bleats and bawls of the calf.
Typically, the river stretched one hundred and fifty feet wide, but days of heavy rainfall doubled its size, making the terrain unrecognizable.
Tension gathered in her shoulders as she hunched forward, eyes darting through the dense thickets. As she approached a clearing, she spotted Daisy stranded on a small patch of barren land in the middle of the rushing river.
Ember’s heart dropped to her toes.
Adrenaline and panic shot through her like an arrow.
“Oh shit. No, no, no. It’s okay, girl. It’s all right.” Taking in the distance, she cursed, “How the fuck did you get over there?”
Daisy’s cries of distress toppled the sound of the downpour, turning Ember’s stomach to bile.
“You’re way too far to rope.” A deep wedge scored between her brows. “Who am I kidding, I can’t throw a rope that far.”
Riding upstream, she studied the cascading riffles and wide pools stretching across the fast-moving waterway. The dark, muddy water made it impossible to judge the depth.
Daisy’s moos and bawls grew louder and more desperate.
The water was rising. Fast.
Storm’s ears twitched. He stomped at the mud testing the current swelling along the waterline. Lifting a hand to the brim of her dark, brown hat, Ember shielded enough water to make out Daisy’s big black, bulging eyes. The strain in her cries carried over the churning river.
She could feel Storm’s anxious energy building beneath the saddle.
Ember’s jaw clamped so tight her teeth cut into the fleshy insides of her cheek. Gaging the distance and the shifting current, her tongue darted across her lips, attempting to moisten her parched mouth, but she had no saliva.
With no time to think, Ember reacted.
“I trust you, boy. Come on.”