wasn’t the type to let him brood like an old mare. “What’s got a burr under your saddle?”
“Nothin’.”
Like hell.
“McKay brothers, you’re up,” the event leader shouted.
“Well, whatever’s got you so sore, leave it until after we win this damn thing, okay?”
“Yeah. Come on.” Jonas spurred his horse, leaving Silas to follow.
Once they were in the paddock, Jonas deferred to him.
Fifteen sheep were released. The leader shouted, “Number two.”
There could be as many as nine number-two-marked sheep, or as few as three number-two-marked sheep.
Jonas went left; Silas went right.
Silas yelled out his count first. “I see seven.”
“Yep. Seven.”
Rather than attempting to sort in close quarters, Silas scattered the entire flock of sheep. Jonas’s horse had more dexterity, so he cut and penned the number twos one at a time after Silas moved the other numbers back.
It took them four minutes from start to finish.
The cattlemen who’d stayed to watch this competition clapped enthusiastically when the McKay brothers’ time—a new record—was announced.
Zeke West glared and didn’t notice when Zachariah gave them a quick hat tip.
They hung around until the last team finished and the McKays were announced the event winners. The prize was another store certificate to Farnum’s in Sundance.
Silas thanked the event coordinators and the sponsors. Then he left the competition area and scanned the crowd until he spied who he was looking for. He dismounted before approaching her.
She didn’t return his smile. She studied him with her arms crossed over her chest. He didn’t blame her.
“Hey there. I gotta say, you were the best sheep wrangler in the sheep dip competition, and you won fair and square, Edna Mae. So if it’s okay with your folks, I’d like to give you our winner’s certificate to make things right.”
Edna Mae’s eyes widened. “But you had the best time. The best time ever! Don’t you wanna buy something special?”
Silas shrugged. “We already got a certificate in the cattlemen’s competition. I’ll probably spend it on something boring. But you deserve to get yourself something special for bein’ the best. So what do you say?”
Her mother said, “Are you sure, Mr. McKay?”
“Yep. Just as long as you let Edna Mae spend this however she wants.” He winked at the girl. “Even if she uses it all to buy candy and fireworks.”
“That’s generous of you.” She prompted her daughter. “What do you say?”
Edna Mae grinned at him. “Thank you, Mr. McKay.”
“You are welcome.”
Silas walked his horse back over to the pens behind the competition area, leaving it in the hands of the stable boy since he wouldn’t need it for the last competition. He turned around and Jonas was right there.
“Now before you get mad—”
“Why would I get mad? I’d planned on doin’ the same damn thing.”
“Oh. Well. Okay.” He adjusted his hat. “We ain’t so different after all.”
Something in the distance had caught Jonas’s attention as he sat on top of his horse. Without looking away, Jonas said, “How I wish that were true, brother.”
Chapter Seventeen
Ruby had planned to spend the Fourth of July in her room cutting out fabric pieces to create a new jacket. She’d given her girls the entire day and evening off; customers were always scarce on a family day devoted to picnics and frolicking. She’d expected her girls to hang around the boardinghouse since they likely wouldn’t be interested in attending the celebration in Sundance.
But they’d surprised her. Millie had organized an outing for all the girls, plus Mavis and Dickie, to the Belle Fourche River, where they could swim. Then afterward, they’d head to Hulett for that township’s celebration. They’d invited her to join them, but she knew they’d have a more relaxed day if she declined.
Even Sackett’s had closed.
Her rooms were stifling. Given her recent outdoors excursion with Jonas, she was having a harder time than usual staying inside.
As brave as she considered herself to be, the idea of rolling into Sundance by herself filled her with dread. But the thought of hiding away in her rooms on such a glorious day gave her pause too.
Damn them all. As a citizen and as an American she had every right to be there. Every right to celebrate.
She exited her rooms and headed up to the second floor. The snoring coming from behind the closed door to the smallest room indicated she wouldn’t have to go far to find who she sought. She knocked once.
A mad scramble ensued inside, and a sleepy Jimmy flung open the door. “Miss Ruby. I’m sorry. Mrs. Mavis said it was all right that