Western Flame

Chapter 44

Four months later

The calf darted sideways just as Chip slid to a stop, and Tanner braced against the horn on his saddle when they pivoted to follow him. That was twice now that the little guy had deked and gotten out behind them, away from the herd. Dust flew up into the air, and he grunted to keep his balance. He was not on the ball today.

"Git, He'll turn if he gets up halfway," he hissed and sank his heel into Chip's side. Chip flattened his ears and leapt into a gallop, snorting as his stride extended, nose stretched out towards the calf.

Yips from the rail echoed out towards him, but he was more focused on Chip's breathing, where his balance was as he chased the calf up the side of the outdoor sand ring and kept it moving up towards the chute than impressing anyone. If that calf poked out, Chip might have to slide and pivot again, and Tanner did not want to end up in the dirt.

He'd never hear the end of it.

"Git 'er done!" someone yelled and as the calf rattled through the gate to the other side, he snorted a laugh and shook his head. That one had been easy and he shouldn't have gotten away. They needed to bring out the flag rig for a tune up. Chip was getting a little lazy. Mind you, he hadn't been out on him as much. Wasn't his horse's fault.

He loped in a big circle, and turned back towards the crowd that was watching, the crew scrambling in to set up a pen. Brady, Trevor, and one of their boarders were doing some team penning next week as well, and it was now their turn to play.

"That enough for him?" Brady asked, turning his own horse in circles as they waited. His horse was pawing the ground, snorting, and bobbing its head.

Brady was on the horse they rescued from Nelson's. He'd come a long way from the heaving, sweated mess that they'd picked up in January. Brady had named the horse Chance, of all things, and spoiled him rotten. So Brady could work his new project in, Jake had inherited Zane, Brady's normal cutting horse, so he could get in on some practice too.

"Yeah. I think so. Both of us are feelin' our age today," Tanner said, catching his breath. "Might have him do some work once we push the steers up high for the summer."

"Age? You're younger than me and I feel like I'm twenty this morning!" Jake sassed as he rode past, a giant grin on his face, a very red bite mark on his neck peeking out of the collar on his shirt.

Liz heard him and rolled her eyes. "He thinks that, but I heard his back pop this mornin' just like mine did. You are certainly not twenty, darling!"

Jake unceremoniously spun his horse, rode over to his wife, hauled her up against him and kissed her to cheers and whistles all around them as she mock protested, but kissed him back.

Tanner chuckled and slouched in the saddle, parking by the rail to watch, tired and a bit rumpled from the exercise. Brady shadowed Jake to show him the rules as they started, Trevor hollering instructions while they moved about in front of the pen. The dust swirled, cattle protested their confinement, and cheers and whistles from the crew gathered alongside to watch filled the space with vibrancy. It was a rare day they could take some time off from being busy to just relax and cowboy.

He was glad for it. This past winter had put a strain on everyone, and being back to normal was a relief for the entire ranch. A relief for him as well. So much had changed since then.

He spied Peony walking down towards them with a giant carafe and a stack of cups in a basket and he waved at her, hopping off his horse. There was no sense staying on his back if he was done for the day. Chip nosed him, and he slipped a mint out of his pocket into his hand, which Chip lipped at immediately.