Cowboy Logic - B.A. Tortuga Page 0,42
raise horses like his mom.
Doug was talking hard, and Jericho watched with his heart in his throat. Please Jesus. Please. Let this work.
Doug got the loop slipped on, slow and easy, the damn beast actually dipping his head to help.
Good boy! He didn’t dare shout, but Jericho did move down the road to keep the stallion and mares moving in the right direction. Damn it, he needed a horse or an ATV. His pickup was useless in this situation.
“Come on, y’all. Let’s go home to Momma. Are you hungry? I bet you are.” Dougie jabbered softly, just doing so right.
Anderson galloped up on Star, then eased off, sliding out of the saddle. “I’m going to let you handle this, man. This isn’t my day job.”
“You got it.” He took the reins so he could vault up on Star’s back. “You take Doug to the ranch.” He walked Star over, and Spark didn’t even twitch. “Hand me the rope, kiddo, and get in with Uncle Logic. You did real good.”
Jericho would drive the stallion, whose name escaped him, toward the barn. Star was a good mare for the job.
“You are a horse whisperer, kiddo. Your momma is going to be over the moon. Great job.” Anderson’s praise tickled him and would mean the world to that little boy.
He turned Star and Spark toward home, whistling and hooting to get the loose horses to go ahead of him. Just like rounding up the far-off herd at home. Some days he really did feel like a cowboy.
They caught up to Travis, who had obviously climbed a fence post to mount. “To the barn, I guess? They’ll be cooped up there.”
“Yeah, until we can get a safe fence up. She has that exercise ring too.” Bailey would make sure the horses rotated to get exercise and not get bored, come to that.
“Yes, sir. Sounds good.” They rode to the house, where Bailey was leading horses into the stable, two at a time.
“Y’all got them. Thank God.” She opened the pen, hazing until they went to the barn. “Where’s Dougie?”
“In the truck with Logic.” Logic was just easier to say. “He caught Spark for me. He’s good.” When she took Spark’s lead, he moved to run the stallion and his mares into the pen Bailey opened for him.
She looked mad enough to spit nails. “I’ve got Tempest saddled up and your cattle away from the road, but we have to fix this. It’s a mess.”
“Do we need fencing, or do you have any to patch? I have maybe twenty feet I can get, but it’s in the far barn.” Jericho nodded at Travis, who climbed off Sugar and put her in the pen before heading to the house. He would feed everyone and keep an eye on them.
“I’ve got enough to patch by the road, absolutely. Let’s start there. Where the fuck is Logic?”
“I’m right here. I was getting Dougie inside.”
“Travis will watch everyone. Pull my truck up, and we can load it with supplies.” Anderson had been wearing jammies with his cowboy boots. Oh God, so cute. Now he wore jeans.
“No problem.” Anderson brought the truck over, maneuvering it like Richard Petty.
He grabbed his gloves out of the console. “Point me and shoot me.”
“The roll is in the shed.” She jerked her chin. “My mare Bloom is still missing. I need to go after her.”
“Anderson and I have this.” He waved her off, and she was up on Tempest and down the drive in moments. He put Star in the pen. He and Anderson would start on the fence. He texted Trav. “Keep the kids inside. Gonna go fix fence.”
“On it.” Sometimes the fact that his kid had a phone didn’t suck.
He grinned at Anderson. “When was the last time Logic strung fence?”
“Many, many, many, oh my God, years, but I’m quick on the draw.” That happy laugh really melted his butter.
“Mmm.” He winked broadly, and he saw when Anderson got it, laughing out loud. He opened the shed, the roll of fencing right there. “Looks like the tools are on the bench over there. Find you a pair of gloves.”
“I’m glad I put on jeans.”
“Me too. Though the jammies were adorbs.” He hoisted, then grunted. “Whoa. Help me out?”
“Old man.” Anderson helped him, and they got the shit loaded up. “First the road, right?”
“Yeah. When I drove by, it looked like it was cut at the juncture of our fences. We attach to the same post and use the same centerline. That way