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“Well, that’s a relief, but it’s still awful. What are you going to do now?”
That was the big question, and he had no idea how to answer it. His family couldn’t seem to do anything to stop this series of attacks. Would they escalate until someone else was hurt? Or worse? He had a job to do, though. He would start there.
“I need to get the truck so I can repair the fence. Rex will guard the opening until I return, while the others chase down our stragglers.”
“Why don’t you let me?”
Asher had been scanning the pasture for escapees, but the other man’s words brought him around.
“You want to track the cattle? Because I hate to tell you, but this...” Asher gestured toward him and the horse.
Jace shook his head, his lips lifting despite the gravity of the situation. “You think I want to ride? We both know I’m a lousy horseman. My only real time in the saddle was the pony rides at the county fair.”
“Good. I was
worried.” At least Jace had come clean about his lack of experience.
“Don’t be. I was only offering to guard the fence until you make it back with the truck.”
Asher tilted his head and squinted. “What if a cow decides she wants out?”
“You’ll give me some suggestions for how to talk her out of it. Hopefully, they’ll even work.”
“Well, Rex needs to be out herding our strays. You’re sure you want to do this?”
“Sure, I am. I’m your...well...guest.”
Swallowing, Asher glanced at Jace and quickly looked away. He wasn’t the only one who’d begun to believe, perhaps even to hope, that the DNA test made them brothers.
Rex mounted his horse and pulled his hat lower over his eyes. “So, it’s okay with you two if I head out?”
“Yeah, go. We’ve got this.”
As they watched the ranch hand ride off, Asher gave Jace some suggestions for guarding the opening. At the next post over, he demonstrated how to remove Tally’s bit from her mouth and tie the reins around the wood and through the interlocking galvanized steel wires.
Jace got it right on the second try.
“You know, I have zero experience with that, either, but I’d love to help you repair the fence. If you’re okay with it, I’ll even serve as watchman around the ranch and the house whenever I’m not assisting with the earthquake rebuilding efforts. With all the stuff happening lately, it sounds like you could use some extra hands around here.”
He hated to admit that Jace might have been right about the last part. They needed to hire more security. “It sounds like you’re going to be busy for the whole week.”
“It’s better than sitting around waiting for the hospital to call with the test results,” Jace said.
Now that Asher could relate to far more than Jace could possibly know. He’d been driven to stay occupied, even before this most recent discovery, so he couldn’t blame the other man for the same need.
“So, how do we begin?”
Asher blinked, then shook his head.
“Right. I need to get the truck, the extra fencing, tools and the fence stretcher.”
“I’ll be here, fending off Bessie and Buttercup.”
“Good.” Asher mounted Dancer and guided the horse in the direction of the stables. But as he stepped away, he spoke over his shoulder. “Thanks, Jace. I appreciate it.”
“Hey, Asher.”
He’d started away again, but he glanced back.
