Page 10 of Lost and Found

“Then let’s unload what we need,” Rafe said softly, seeming a little overwhelmed. “And in case I forget later, I want to thank you and your men for doing this.”

Russell nodded slowly, the appreciation in Rafe’s eyes getting to him. Russell had always helped his neighbors when he could, but none of them had ever seemed as overwhelmed as Rafe was at this moment. He simply blinked and stood still, as if he couldn’t quite believe this was actually happening.

“Come on, let’s get started,” Russell said. As he headed out, he heard the whine of the portable saw. The guys weren’t wasting any time, and he was glad of it. It was already after noon, which meant they only had five hours or so of daylight. So they all moved quickly, including him and Rafe, to get the supplies unloaded. Once that was done, he and Rafe took down the stall walls and dismantled them. They reused what was good and replaced what wasn’t. The process was tedious, but not as slow as rebuilding everything.

Russell took the lead, with Rafe cutting and helping place the new pieces. It didn’t take long before Russell just concentrated on his work. Usually he kept an eye on his men, but Rafe seemed to understand what he wanted. Not that Russell had an easy time of it. Every time Rafe returned with a board, his musky rich scent would surround Russell, and he’d end up pausing just to take it in. And as the day wore on, sweat and work only increased it. Russell knew that he needed to keep his mind clear, but he kept failing.

By the time they got the pieces of the first stall together, his head spun a little and he’d nearly nailed his foot to the base, instead of the board. “It looks really good,” Rafe said as he opened and closed the door.

“Let’s finish the next ones. Now that this one is solid, we can build on it.” Russell stood and turned to find Rafe watching him. He smiled and began laying out the next sections to be worked on. “Is something wrong?”

Rafe shook his head. “Sorry. I was woolgathering a second.”

“What about?” Russell asked. Rafe blushed and mutterednothing, but Russell had a pretty good idea. Still, he kept his thoughts to himself. He didn’t need a bunch of complications in his life right now, and Russell had no idea if Rafe was even going to stay… though he hoped that this show of neighborliness would make a good impression.

“I had a visitor a few days ago,” Rafe said as they took the side wall apart to make the repairs. Russell noticed the change of subject but let it slide. He was already hyperaware of Rafe, and he didn’t need them talking about anything personal. “Mendeltom came by. He said he’d make me an offer on the ranch.”

Russell tensed for a second and damn near banged his hand with the hammer. “What did you tell him?” Fuck, he had known the biggest vulture of them all would circle—he just hadn’t realized how quickly. “Because if you want to sell, I’ll beat any offer anyone makes.” He finished getting the bad boards out.

“Is that why you’re here?” Rafe asked, a touch of what might have been hurt and suspicion in his voice.

Russell set the hammer down. “No. I’m here because it’s the neighborly thing to do. Period. But are you even thinking of selling?”

“Arthur Gillian told me that this land is special, that I’d be a fool to sell,” Rafe said, watching him like a hawk.

“And Arthur, as usual, is right.” Russell liked that Rafe seemed shocked. It was good to know that he could surprise people every once in a while. “You would be a fool to let this place go. It’s an amazing spread, with fresh, clean water right down out of the mountains.” He sighed. “But if you want to sell, I will beat anyone’s price, period.” He lowered his gaze because the thought of Mack’s place going to a man like Grant Mendeltom made his blood run cold. And knowing it would eventually end up in Duane’s hands was even worse.

“Why?” Rafe asked as he measured one of the boards for replacement. “What am I missing?”

Russell paused for a second. “There are reasons why Grant wants this land, and then there are reasons I would. Grant wants this place badly because of the water. The stream that you have running through the property is clean and clear and perfect. Mendeltom would take all that water and use it to grow his operation as big as he could make it.” Russell swallowed.

“And you?” Rafe asked, cautiously.

“If you decided to sell, I’d want it because Mack and I used to fish for trout in that stream.” Damn it all. Why did Rafe bring out the emotional shit in him? “Mack and I were friends. Things between me and my parents weren’t always rosy because I was a surly teenager. My parents didn’t know why, but when we’d fight, I’d come over here and Mack would take me fishing or we’d ride out to the stream and sit. Your uncle didn’t talk much, and he rarely spoke about his family. But I knew who he was, and he knew me. And when I was growing up, that was enough.” He’d said plenty. “So the thought of the Mendeltoms getting their hands on this place makes me see red.”

Rafe leaned the board to be cut against the completed stall wall. “I have no interest in selling and even less in letting Duane’s father get his hands on this land. But I won’t be selling it to you either, I’m afraid. I want to build a home here, something I haven’t had in a long time.”

Russell smiled and nodded. “Cool. Then let’s get back to work.”

Rafe went to grab another board from the truck, and Russell took a deep breath and tried not to watch Rafe walk away. He failed. There was something about Mack’s nephew that pulled Russell’s attention.

“Boss,” Dustin said as he strode inside, “put your eyes back in your head.”

Russell had always been one of the guys. Growing up on the ranch, he had worked alongside most of the hands, and he liked that they treated him as one of them, rather than the boss. That title was reserved for his father, and Russell hoped things stayed that way for a long time yet.

“Ass,” Russell muttered as he went back to shoring up what was left of the stall wall. “What do you need?”

“We got the roof repairs underway, and they seem to be going well. The paddocks are done, so I have some of the men repairing a few places on this barn to tighten it for winter. There’s the equipment shed, which needs work too, so I’ll be sending the men over there next.” He knelt down close to him. “You really like this guy, don’t you?”

Russell didn’t answer. “I brought you here to help with what needs to be done, not to stick your nose in my business.” He tried to put some snap in his voice, but Dustin had known him way too long and simply ignored his remark, the way he usually did.

“Fine, I’ll go back to work, and you two can go back to whatever it was you were doing.” He smiled and hurried out of the barn before Russell could throw something at him.

Once Rafe returned with the trimmed boards, he slotted them into place, and they put the wall together, raised it, and shimmed it before finishing the front panel with the door.

RUSSELL’S HEADswam by the time he and Rafe were finished. Spending hours so close to Rafe, listening to his deep voice, smelling him, knowing Russell could just reach out and touch him any time… it was driving him crazy. There were times when they were right next to one another, Rafe’s hand so close to his. Russell had been so tempted to take it, just to feel what Rafe’s hand on his skin would be like. And the thought of leaning over and tasting Rafe’s full lips was making him breathless.

He stood back, looking at the bay of stalls, and smiled. They looked solid and would last a good number of years. “I should check on the others,” Russell said.

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