Real Cowboys

“Guess what else? They do have a kind of rodeo here. They call it a Rope and Ride. Ben said all of their events are judged by Old West rules. I’m not sure what that means exactly. It’s next spring. Will you take me?”

“Oh, Danny, I have no idea where they’d hold such an event.”

He followed her out, his feet barely touching the ground as he waited impatiently for her to lock the door and motor down the ramp. “I can get directions. ’Cause that’s the other thing. Will you take me to their ranch tomorrow? Or, I could ride Flame over. They’re gonna brand calves. They’re late because of a drought. Clover said we can ride washes looking for calves that got separated when they moved the herd to a winter land lease. What’s a land lease, Mom?”

Kate stopped levering herself into the driver’s seat. “A land lease is pasture a person can rent from the government. Although, I don’t know what that has to do with this conversation. Danny Royce Steele, why on earth wouldn’t you have come in and asked my permission before you made such elaborate plans?”

His chin jutted stubbornly as he connected the lift clamps to her wheelchair. “I knew if I came in and asked before they took off, you wouldn’t think about it. You’d just say no. Please, Mom? All I’ve done since we got here is help set up the house. I did everything you asked. This will be so cool. Besides, yesterday when I talked to Mimi, she said Flame will get fat and lazy if I don’t work him.”

Kate couldn’t ignore the change in Danny’s spirits. It was like daylight from dark. Until now it hadn’t really sunk in how downcast he’d truly become since the move. After talking to Ben, he looked like his old, happy self.

But letting him spend the day with cowboys made Kate’s head ache. She tried again to discourage him. “Danny, I have Clover’s address, but finding their ranch without a map could prove impossible on these back roads. I think you should wait.”

“I know where they live. You remember the road we turned off of to find the cabin—the fork with the first red bandanna? If we’d kept on that road we’d have gone straight to the Rising Sun. That’s Ben’s ranch. His brand is neat-o. Clover showed me how to draw it the other day. She said Bobbalou named the ranch and drew the brand. I think it used to be his land, or something.”

“Who on earth is Bobba…whatzit?” his mother asked.

“Their trail cook. His real name is Lou Bobolink, but everybody calls him Bobbalou. He’s Paiute Indian. Uh, maybe Ben is, too.” Danny hesitated, pondering that. “Did you see how he ties back his hair? Gosh, do you think Clover’s an Indian? She said Bobbalou is sorta her pawpaw.”

“The politically correct term is Native American, Danny. I’d say it’s very likely Clover and Adam Lightfoot are native. The Paiute are probably one of the local tribes.”

“It doesn’t matter, does it, Mom?” Danny turned toward her with a slight frown as Kate parked at their cabin. “If they’re Ind…uh, what you said.”

“No, honey, that doesn’t matter.” What did matter was how Ben Trueblood had invited her son to take part in branding without consulting her. That was so typical of something Colton would have done—never mind the impact it might have on others.

“So then it’s okay if I go spend the day with Clover? You’ll trailer Flame, huh? We hafta get up early. Clover said they start branding at five-thirty.”

“A.m.?” Kate gasped, but it was drowned outby the grinding of the lift as it lowered her wheelchair.

“Yes, in the morning.” Danny laughed. “That’s daybreak here, Mom. Pawpaw and me were out feeding his stock at daylight in Texas.”

Kate squelched a sigh and handed her book bag to Danny to carry inside. She wasn’t a layabout type, but this weekend she’d planned to grab an extra hour’s sleep, followed by a leisurely breakfast to celebrate the successful completion of her first week on the job. “I have to give this more thought, Danny. Don’t bring up the subject again until after I fix supper and we eat. I’ll make a final decision after you shower, before you go to bed. Have you thought about Goldie? She’ll miss you.”

“She’s a cow dog. I’ll take her along.”

“Not if you didn’t clear it with Clover’s father. All ranches operate differently, honey. If the Truebloods’ cattle aren’t used to being worked by dogs, it could even be dangerous. What if Goldie startled a rogue steer, or a not-so-nice mama cow?”

Danny dashed ahead to let out the dog from the screened back porch. The two then raced back around to the front of the house, where Kate was unlocking the door. Danny had two possibilities worked out. “If you’ve got Clover’s phone number, I’ll call and ask about bringing Goldie. Or, we can take her, and if Ben says she can’t stay, you’ll have company while I’m gone.”

“If I decide in favor of your scheme, you’ll be stuck with the second of your suggestions. The number I have for Clover’s dad is for messages only. Also, you’re forgetting I said no badgering, Danny, or it’s an automatic no.”

“Bro-ther!” He snapped his fingers at Goldie and the two headed for the corral. “I’m gonna exercise Flame, then feed him before supper.”

Tension edged up the back of Kate’s neck. If he’d asked to go anywhere else, she was sure she’d have said yes without qualm. But cows and roping? This was why she’d left Texas.

She went straight to the kitchen, turned on the oven, then pulled a premade dinner out of the fridge. Kate wished she did have a home phone number for Trueblood. She wouldn’t be shy about giving him a piece of her mind. He had no right to meddle in her life—to expect a kid Danny’s age to accept or decline an invitation. But maybe that’s how people operated here. Clover seemed awfully independent for her age. Come to think of it, was Ben even her legal guardian? It sounded as if he’d claimed her like a pound puppy. He’d sure flared up at the mention of a failed marriage. As if someone like him never failed at anything. Still, he had to be commended—single parenting wasn’t a picnic.

Kate found herself wondering why Trueblood wasn’t married. But, that was counterproductive. Besides, it had nothing to do with her.

Throughout dinner of meat loaf, mashed potatoes and sliced tomatoes, Danny spoke little, but watched his mother warily.

“I’m not going to bite you if you talk,” Kate finally said before serving the custard dessert. “I’m so relieved to have made it through the first week of school. But, Danny, you hear the kids’ perspective. How would they rate my first week? Be honest. I know kids talk about teachers on the playground.”

“Aw, Mom. It’s not fair to ask me to be your snitch just ’cause we’re related.”

The spoon Kate was using to dip custard wavered and a blob fell on the table. She made two nervous attempts to clear the mess, but it slid off and hit the floor. Goldie trotted over, licked the spot clean and wagged her tail as if asking for more. Kate sent the dog back to her corner.

“I thought things went well,” she said, pressing Danny. “Can you give me complaints without naming names? Otherwise, how will I fix the problem?”

Danny took the bowl and scooped out his own custard. “In a word, Mom, basketball.”

“What about basketball? I’ve devoted every break and most lunch hours to helping Terry, Ron, Mike and Adam sharpen their game.”

“That’s the trouble. Ain’t none of those guys lookin’ to be the next Kobe Bryant.”

“Ain’t is not a word recognized in this house, young man.” Kate sat back in her chair. “I’m being pushy, you mean?”

“Don’t get mad, but…yeah.”

“I thought they wanted to make the high-school varsity team.”

Danny turned red to the tips of his ears. “If you let on I said this, I’m gonna be so busted. They just wanna look cool. For the girls, see?”

“Girls?” Kate felt like a parrot, but she must’ve missed something.

“Shelly, Meg, Mary and a couple of their friends hang around acting dorky when the guys make baskets. It’s…like, so gross.” He made a face as he finished his custard and shoved back from the table. “I’m going to go shower. I know I’m not s’posed to ask, but…you are still thinking about taking me to the Rising Sun Ranch?”

The pleading in his eyes, mixed with an emotion that said he wasn’t holding out much hope, made the decision for Kate. She gently pushed back the lock of blond hair that drooped over his right eye. “It’ll be lonely here all day without you, sport. But, I need to prove I can get along on my own. I guess tomorrow will be a good test.”

“Really? Yippee!” He hugged the stuffing outof her, then danced around until his shouting and Goldie’s barking had Kate calling a halt.

KATE SET HER ALARM for four o’clock. Even so, Danny was up before her. She heard him outside hooking Flame’s trailer to the pickup. As she stifled a yawn, an image of Ben Trueblood’s handsome face came to mind. She didn’t want to feel this squiggly anticipation in her stomach at the prospect of seeing him today, but it was there.

Because she cared about the impression she made in the community, she took pains to use a curling iron on her broomstick-straight hair. She added a touch of color to her lips so she wouldn’t looked washed out in the red blouse she teamed with jeans. Not that she planned to get out of the pickup.

“Mom!” Danny slammed the front door and thundered down the hall. “Aren’t you up yet? I need something for breakfast.”

“And a lunch,” Kate said, meeting him and Goldie in the hall. She hoped Danny wouldn’t notice or comment on her makeup. As a rule she didn’t wear any.

“Clover said Bobbalou cooks biscuits, corn and meat or beans at lunch. All the buckaroos eat in shifts around a fire pit. It sounds like they do that all the time, not just at roundup like at Pawpaw’s.”

“I doubt they eat outside all the time, Danny. Mrs. Goetz said winters can be severe on this high plateau. Which reminds me, we need to find the box with our jackets and gloves.”

“Uh-huh, they live with the herd all the time,” Danny insisted.

Kate didn’t argue further. Frankly, it was too early. “How does toast, juice and instant oatmeal grab you?”

“Fine, can we just hurry? I already loaded Flame.”