Western Flame

Chapter 1

Welcome! Just a quick note that this is book three of the West Brothers Series. the first book is Western Heat which you can find on my author profile as part of the Paid Stories program, and book two is Western Connection, also available to read in Paid Stories.

You can read Western Flame on its own, but if you want the full story, I do recommend reading the first two books beforehand! I hope that no matter what order you read the books in, you enjoy them!

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Tanner took a long pull of the semi-hot coffee he'd picked up from the concession stand and eyeballed the crowd. The wooden seating around the livestock auction pit groaned as everyone filtered in, steaming breath mixed in through the conversation and laughter echoing off the walls. It was cold today, the air crisp and clear. Mid January deep freeze was well underway.

His phone vibrated in his pocket, but he ignored it. He didn't want to deal with whatever it was. He hated the damned thing, but it was necessary to have one for business these days. Always available, always a crisis to solve. It buzzed again, and he grudgingly dug it out of his coat pocket.

Jake was asking about the feed ledgers from last year. He typed 'In the file cabinet' and shoved the phone back in his pocket.

He wanted to just focus on getting his cattle sold. He didn't want to think about margins, yields, planning spring crops, or looking at schedules to rotate in for calving or whatever emergency needed his attention now. Jake, his older brother, handled most of that, but when a decision needed to be made that affected the day to day, he always sought out his advice.

Jake was a good businessman, but his former life as a New York City chef was not exactly the skillset needed to run a ranch. Thank God for Liz —Tanner and Brady's adopted sister and now Jake's wife— for her part in helping him learn the ropes. Tanner didn't have a lot of patience to teach him on the best of days. They were too much alike, their father's personality strong in both of them, even though Jake grew up never actually knowing Brett.

"Rowan says we're twelfth in the order," Harry said, elbowing Tanner out of his thoughts as the older man joined him. The bench creaked as he sat, and Tanner shifted over.

"Twelfth? Alright," Tanner replied. That was a good place to be, and he wondered if Harry had talked to one of the wranglers out back to get them in before the big producer lots went through. They had registered late, because he'd wanted to get a bit more weight on the steers he wanted to put through.

"Should be a good day. See some big feedyard reps," Harry added. "Plus, it's January. Folks tend to lose their heads just after Christmas, when they bid."

Tanner's head cattle man had been doing this a long time. Before Brett died almost two years ago, Tanner would come with him, but was always relegated to the back lots helping the crew get the head into the pens. Harry knew everyone working the lots, and loved to talk. Now, just like his father had operated, Tanner didn't have to schmooze. Harry did it for him.

Tanner picked out the suits from the big producers easily as he went back to watching the crowd. You could tell who they were, with boots that hadn't seen the outside of an office and expensive puffy winter jackets glaring against canvas overcoats, beat up Stetsons, and Wranglers. They always looked slightly out of place, afraid to get dirty.

"Had a look at that bull the Bar C is puttin' through later," Harry remarked to him as the PA system squealed to life. "I think he's worth bidding on if the price stays reasonable. He's only got one calving under him, but his rates look good."

"We'll see what he starts at. Don't need to overpay for the bloodline we can get private for less," Tanner grunted back. "Odd time to put a bull through. Any reason?"