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He shook his head, leaning up against the railing we’d stopped at. “My older brother.”
“You don’t seem to like him.” I watched him as he tipped his hat up and stared off at the group of men joking around.
“You’d be surprised with how wrong you are.”
“Then what do you mean?”
He pushed himself backwards off the railing and kicked some dirt with the toe of his worn boot. “That I don’t get away with stuff with him like I do with everyone else. But he’s that way with everyone. I got the sense of humor. He got the brains.”
“Well, at least together you two are the complete package,” I quipped back, and he clicked his tongue.
“I am that alone.”
“Who told you that?” I swiveled to face him.
He gave me a flirtatious grin. “Every girl in this entire town.” He puffed his chest out.
“I wouldn’t say that with pride. You obviously couldn’t keep one.”
I heard a low chuckle behind me. Cassidy’s eyes glanced over my shoulder and a scowl crossed his face.
“Nice to hear someone else put him in his place,”a voice spoke—one I could’ve sworn I’d heard before but couldn’t quite place. I swung around as the figure who spoke turned to face the railing, his back facing in my direction, and hopped the fence.
“Well, time to get to work,” Cassidy muttered as the figure sauntered towards the crowd that had formed. A tall figure with broad shoulders and a powerful gait. Someone who knew who he was.
“Weston?” I questioned, and Cassidy sighed, answering my question without a word.
As I watched Cassidy jump the fence after his brother, I couldn’t help but see the resemblance in their walk. Both of them had grown up in this world, hardened by physical labor and practically born in a saddle. Weston had a slightly thicker back, but both had the same dark hair that curled at the ends.Similar style wide-brimmed cowboy hats, just one was black and the other was gray.
Cassidy caught up with Weston, said something as he gestured in my direction, and then grinned. Weston gave a stiff nod and grabbed the reins to a lone Buckskin that had been ponied into the pen from a man who looked eerily like Cassidy. Older than Cassidy, but not old. Not like the gentleman sitting upon a bay back in the corner. That cowboy was beside a woman with bright hazel eyes who was standing on the ground.
Hooves stampeded closer, and suddenly a few horses and cattle emerged over the edge of the hill, headed straight towards the pen that housed so many people. Brushing my hands over my cargo joggers, I hopped the fence and walked into the cage.
Cassidy was now sitting atop a Chestnut and trotted my way. “Well, Doctor. Head on over towards the chute. You get to preg check today, since you so willingly admitted that you have experience with that.”
I rolled my eyes at the jab and walked towards the chute for another round of checking pregnant cattle. Heads swung my way and brows furrowed in confusion until Cassidy rode into the group and announced who I was. There were several greetings after that as I stopped myself beside the chute, and the first wave of cattle burst through the open gates.
“HERE WE GO!” Weston shouted above the crowd, his voice so familiar. I scanned the group trying to find him, but didn’t have time as the first cow shot into the chute.
“You’re up, Doc!” one of the hands with a thick beard said and I got to work.
Chapter 5
Cassidy hadn’t been wrong. I was cold and practically numb by the time the last cow made her way through the run. It was a miracle I could feel anything at all to give them an accurate assessment by the end. I slumped against the chute and closed my eyes as hooves and voices faded, all headed towards the main house where Cassidy and Weston’s parents lived.
The silence was welcoming, and I could hear the whistle of the wind brushing against the leaves that were quickly making their escape to the ground. It smelled fresh once more, and I couldn’t help but smile. All had been worth it for this simple relief afterwards.
Another wave of fresh fall air tickled my nose. I cracked my eyes open, ready to climb the railing and gaze at my surroundings. Cassidy and I still needed to go find locoweed, so staying wouldn’t be considered an intrusion.
“I’ll be going with you instead of Cassidy,” Weston’s voice spoke behind me as I hoisted myself up a couple rungs of the railing. “He informed me of your suspicions, and I want to see the evidence myself.”
“Hmmmm,” I breathlessly acknowledged as I stared at the serene surroundings. Brightly colored crimsons and ambers, mixed with flashing hues of peach and greens bounced across the light that sang upon the breeze.
“This is perfection,” I whispered. Despite the numbing cold, I had fallen in love with someplace that shouldn’t exist.
“It never grows old,” Weston spoke close to me, and I felt the railing rattle and glanced his way.
My eyes met his.
