pass out before he made it down the porch steps.
Chapter 28
Brent thought they would never get to the ranch. They made it to the turn off easily, but the ranch road was a quagmire. He just put his head down and picked his boots up, one after the other.
“Jesus, why don’t you pave this damn road, buddy?”
“Shut up.”
Suddenly a wild whinny split the air, and he looked up, seeing his lead mare and her oldest son heading right for them.
Thank you, Jesus. “Nellie, girl. Hey, baby. You okay?” He waved Dan back, speaking gently to her. She came right to him, just complaining to beat the band. “That’s it, girl. Dan, meet Nellie. She’s a good girl. I’ll take Sarge.”
“Hey, Miss Nellie. You going to let me on your back, lady?” Dan spoke calmly, and thank God for that. The last thing he needed was a cowboy cop who couldn’t ride.
When he saw Nellie was gonna cooperate, he went toward Sarge, who needed more coaxing on good days. He was a butthead but trained to a treat. “You want to go see Jakob, buddy? I bet he has a carrot.”
Sarge bobbed his head, whinnying hard. Sarge loved his son with a passion and knew all about home.
“Good boy. Let’s go.” He climbed the fence and mounted. “Home, Sarge. Go. Go!”
Sarge took off, and Brent trusted the horse’s footing way more than his slick boots. They were fucking flying now, compared to the trudging they’d accomplished before. “Please. Please be okay. Please.”
They crested the hill above the house, and Brent’s heart stopped. There was a massive live oak tree crushing the guest room and the guest bath. The windows were blown out in the front that he could see.
He shook off his fear, though, because Sarge was feeling it, snorting and tossing his head. Cowboys didn’t have time to be scared. They had to be in service of the land.
“No, come on, buddy. Almost there.” The rain was letting up enough that it was almost just a normal storm. Well, for the last few weeks, anyway. “Take me to Jakob. Take us home.”
Sarge took off at a run, mud flinging wildly as he galloped and took his happy ass home.
He started shouting as soon as he thought anyone at the house could hear him. “Trace! Trace! Jakob!”
“Daddy! Daddy!” Caro came running to the porch, holding Suzy’s hand. “Dad-O’s hurt bad!”
“Oh God.” He pulled Sarge up, then leaped down. “Ringo! Keep.” That would keep the horses in the yard area. He ran to the girls, hugging each one. “Show me.”
Trace was in the hallway on the floor, white as ashes, holding onto Daisy while Jakob paced back and forth. As soon as Jakob saw him, his little boy crumpled. “Daddy!”
“Hey. My cowboy.” He oophed but caught Jakob in his arms. “You okay?” He couldn’t stop staring at Trace. “We need to help Dad-O, huh?”
“Uh-huh. His leg is all bad. We splinted it, and I only cried a little.”
“I cried some on the way here.” He carried Jakob to Trace, then knelt down. “Hey, baby.”
“Hey. Where are the girls? Did you find them?” Trace’s pupils were blown, his lover shocky. “I let the horses out. The goats and the dogs are safe. Jakob is a cowboy.”
“He is. So are you.” Trace held Daisy circled in one arm, his splinted leg sticking out, the other crumpled under him. “The girls are here. They came to me on the porch. The road is totally blocked.”
“I’ll see if we can get a flight in here to get him out,” Dan said, appearing at the end of the hall. “Hey, Trace. Nice splint.”
“Jakob did it. We broke the bathroom.” Trace blinked at Dan. “How’s Curly?”
“Disoriented. Coughing. He’ll be fine.” And Trace would be in the hospital too. “How’s Miss Daisy?”
“Not a scratch on her. Nanny has a scratched up butt.”
“The puppies are fine, Daddy. They’re in Caro’s room with the goats.”
“With the goats?” he asked, and Jakob nodded.
“And Mama Cass too.”
“Well, good deal.” He glanced at Dan, who was on his radio.
“I can make it to the van, I think. I needed to calm Miss Daisy first.”
“The road is totally blocked, baby. The only way you’re getting out of here today is either on a chopper or an ATV.” Brent reached out to touch Trace’s arm, needing to feel him alive and vital.
“I’m sorta bloody. I got the kids and puppies in the cast iron tub…”
“You did amazing. And my boy stepped up, huh?” He tried to