Maverick Wild

“I do recall.”

“She’s passed on, and I’ve been on my own for quite some time now. I wanted to see the brothers I’d missed so dearly. I promise not to wear out my welcome.”

“You’re welcome to stay as long as you like, Cora Mae. With the babies due any day, some extra help around here would be really appreciated. Right, honey?”

“I won’t complain,” Skylar said, her hands folded over her belly as she watched them with a wide smile. “I usually have help from our foreman’s wife, Margarete, but since Zeke’s been hurt she’s had her hands full. Tucker, why don’t you help Cora get settled in a room upstairs so she can freshen up before supper?”

“Be happy to.” His arm closed around her shoulders and Cora was overcome by a sense of relief.

She’d made it.

The moon was well up in the night sky by the time Chance put out the lamps in the barn and headed to the house. He’d opted to clean up in the bunkhouse while the others had their supper. After the long ride to the ranch and fighting an attraction he had no business feeling, he wasn’t up to sitting across the table from Cora Mae.

He tugged up the collar of his jacket as a cold wind swirled around him on his way to the back porch. Cursing the misfortune of his day, he tugged off his boots and left them on the step before slipping inside.

Tucker glanced up from the small kitchen table. One of their account books lay open beneath the lamplight. “Wondered when you’d show up.”

“What are you doing to my ledgers?” The last time Tuck had offered to help with the books it had taken Chance a week to get everything back in proper order.

“Just checking our numbers, making sure we’re on schedule for filling our contracts.”

His brother’s frown wasn’t reassuring. “How’s it look?”

“Tight. All the trouble with the Lazy J is costing us time. We’ll be lucky to bring in our band of wilds and have them broke in time for the first drive. The number of mavericks increases every time our fencing goes down, some of our best horses. We don’t have time to chase them to hell and back before the first drive to the stockyards.”

Chance gave a nod of agreement. “We’ll start rounding up the mustangs tomorrow and get a solid count. If need be, we’ll pay a visit to the Lazy J, see if they’re being neighborly again by rounding up our strays.”

Tucker’s lips tipped in a wry grin. “More likely they’ve driven them out to the badlands just for spite. Where’ve you been all evening?”

“Catching up on chores.”

Tucker’s smile widened. “And here I thought you were avoiding Cora Mae.”

Chance thought the reason they’d settled at the back end of nowhere was so they wouldn’t have to avoid anyone, but decided to leave that unsaid as he opened the breadbox on the counter. He found half a loaf of Skylar’s bread and took it to the table.

“She mentioned you weren’t too happy to see her,” Tucker added, closing the ledger as Chance sat across from him.

He shrugged and bit into the bread. “I brought her out here, didn’t I?”

“All in one piece. I am impressed.”

“I was polite.”

“Must be why she frowns at the mention of your name.”

He tore off another bite of bread, annoyed by the notion that he’d somehow behaved inappropriately. “Have you forgotten who we’re talking about? Winifred’s daughter shows up unannounced and I’m supposed to just welcome her with open arms?”

“There was a time when you’d have crossed two enemy lines to do just that.”

“That was a lifetime ago. A lifetime she’s spent under the influence of a witch. What’s more, I think she’s lying about Winifred.”

“You have a suspicious mind, Chance.”

He grunted. “I’m blessed that way.”

“Why would she lie?”

“Why do most women lie? To get something. What do you want to bet Winifred’s finally squandered all she stole from our family and is looking for a new source of pay dirt?”

Tucker shook his head. “Cora’s nothing like her mama, and you know it.”

“You could tell that in one evening?”

“I could tell that when I met her at age seven. She’s already proven to be helpful in the kitchen, and Skylar happens to think she’s a pure delight.”

“I’m glad it’s all worked out, then.”

Tucker stared at him for a moment before releasing a sigh and looking away, obviously not seeing the sincere joy he’d hoped to find on Chance’s face.

How the hell was he supposed to react to Cora Mae turning up in Slippery Gulch?

“How’d it go down at the miners’ camp?”

“Just dandy. I gave Wyatt his colt and told him I’d be sending a bill for it and any others that died because of his ignorance.”

“Why am I thinkin’ there’s more to that account than what you’re telling?”

Chance shrugged and ate the last of the bread. “Might have tossed in a punch before giving him Starlet. No less than he deserved.”

“I sure wish you’d told me before you lit off into that valley.”

Chance wished he had, too. Then Tuck could have endured Cora Mae’s bright smiles and excited jiggles. The memory of how quickly he’d squelched that excitement tugged at his conscience.

Noticing some breadcrumbs on the table, he brushed them into his hand.

“Wyatt could have had others with him.”

“I had the kid along.” Chance stood and emptied his palm into the sink basin. “We took care of it.”

“Did Wyatt admit to damming the river?”

“He didn’t have to.” Chance leaned back against the countertop. “We knew it was him.”

“What makes you so certain he wasn’t following orders?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“He works for Widow Jameson.”