The Cattle Drive [The Armstrong Brothers of Cedar Creek] (Siren Publishing Classic) (22 page)

Mason was the only one sitting at the table when he walked into the kitchen. Looking at his watch, Michael sighed, seeing the time. “Jesus, Mase, haven’t you slept,” he said, yawning.

“I had my five hours. Why are you up? You should still be in bed sleeping.”

“Rachael wasn’t in bed. I thought she might be down here,” he said, looking around. “Where is she?”

“She left about thirty minutes ago. Said she had something to do?”

“She say where she was going?”

“Nope.”

“Did you ask?”

“Nope.”

“Did she say when she would be back?”

“Nope.”

“And you just let her leave?”

“Yep.”

“Jesus, Mason. You’re just full of information aren’t you?”

“Yep.”

* * * *

Rachael walked into the dark room, trying not to make too much noise. Softly walking over to the bed, she gently laid her hand on his shoulder, and whispered, “Dad.”

Her father slowly woke, turning to find his daughter standing next to him.

“Rachael?” he said sluggishly.

“Dad, I need your help.”

* * * *

It was the day before the cattle drive, and all hands were out covering the range, herding the cattle for tomorrow’s drive. Henry and his father were out on the north ridge, watching Kenny and Mark rustle up a couple of steers toward the group.

“Dad, I am going on the drive with you,” Henry said firmly, looking at his dad. Michael turned to look at his son and sighed, “I know.” And with that said, Michael turned Jasper and headed back to his house to check on Rachael.

He found her sitting at his kitchen table throwing papers everywhere. He just stood in the doorway and smiled. “Looking for something?”

“Yes. Where is that order from Crossfire Ranch. It was on my desk. I know I grabbed it before the fire. I need that order to confirm the delivery date,” she said, still looking for the paper. Michael walked up behind her, picked up the phone, and dialed the number he knew by heart. “Hi, Mom, it’s Mike. Is he around?” he said, talking into the receiver.

Once he heard his mother call for his father, Michael handed her the phone and walked out of the room. Rachael just sat there, and when she heard the man’s voice through the phone, she quickly answered.

Michael was standing at the counter when he saw Rachael hang up the phone.

“Have you decided to let Henry go yet?” she questioned.

“He told me this morning that he
is
going.”

“Is that so?” She smiled.

“Don’t look so pleased. I have a feeling you had something to do with my son’s sudden surge of determination,” he said, taking a drink of his beer.

“Why, Mr. Armstrong, I don’t rightly know what you’re talkin’ about,” she said in her best Southern drawl and quickly got up from the table, laughing. Michael smiled and quickly grabbed her, but she laughed and ducked away from him, running out the back door. Michael was after her in seconds, and soon he caught her, whirling her around to face him, and he swiftly took her lips.

The kiss was soft but wild, and as she parted her lips, welcoming him into her warm mouth, Michael felt like something had punched him in his gut. He took her mouth, devouring everything she offered.

Rachael lifted her hands up around his neck, running her fingers through his hair. He moaned when she sucked on his bottom lip, and then in an instant, Michael grabbed her butt and lifted her, wrapping her legs around him. He took her mouth and slowly made his way down her neck. He was about to take her mouth again, when they both heard the clearing of throats, and together they both turned their heads to find several of the herding crew, with Kenny, Henry, and his brothers staring at them.

“If you two don’t mind taking that inside, we do have a young impressionable boy here who does not need to be corrupted by the two of you,” Mason said with his eyebrows raised, shaking his head.

“No problem, Mase,” Michael said, carrying Rachael back into the house, kissing her once again along the way.

“Those two just need to get it over with,” Kenny said, laughing, turning his horse, and heading back to the barn, with Henry right behind him.

“Get what over with?” the kid said, trotting after Kenny.

* * * *

The alarm went off at three in the morning, and Michael rolled over to stop it from ringing. As he rolled back over under the covers, Rachael snuggled closer to him for a little longer. Her soft, naked body was nestled close to his, and though he tried hard to contain the urge to have one more time, his body was not cooperating.

“Why Mr. Armstrong, good morning to you, too,” she said, wrapping her hand around the back of his head. She slowly turned to face him as her hand slowly moved down his chest to his waist to the firmness between his legs. As she slowly wrapped her fingers around him, she slowly stroked his ego, and smiled…“You know, we do have a couple of minutes, if you don’t mind,” she asked shyly. Michael laughed and complied instantly.

Michael left her in the shower later that morning and got dressed and headed downstairs. He started the coffee, put on his boots, and walked out into the early morning, heading over to the bunkhouse to wake the ranch hands.

Soon the ranch was bustling with people and horses. Everyone was loading their gear, trucks arrived with more people, wives were saying good-bye to their husbands, and soon Rachael emerged from the house. Wearing jeans, boots, and a red flannel shirt under a calfskin wool jacket, she rang the cowbell hanging on the porch to get everyone’s attention.

“I want to thank everyone who is going with us on this drive. You have all been a blessing to the R & R ranch. Please remember to keep those cell phones on vibrate. We don’t want to spook the cattle. There will be no drinking on the trail, and please inform your wives, that yes, we will be stopping every now and then, so you guys can get showered and shaved properly. Even though we will be out on the open range, we will still have some of the comforts of home,” she said with a smile as the men started to laugh.

“For those staying behind, please make sure the ranch is still standing when I get back. I do not want to have rebuild
everything,
and please, no parties. So saddle up, boys. We leave within the hour,” she continued, with the moans of the young boys staying behind. She soon made her way through the crowd, shaking hands and saying thank you to everyone. Michael had Mystic and Jasper saddled and tied them up on the porch of the house.

He stepped into the kitchen and found Rachael waiting there for him.

“Are you ready to do this, Mr. Armstrong?” she said, handing him a cup of hot coffee.

“Are you going to call me that from now on?” he asked, looking at her.

“What should I call you?” She smiled.

“Anything but that,” he said, moving closer to her.

“But, Mr. Armstrong,” she said, teasing him.

“Rachael,” Michael said, inches from her lips.

“Yes, Mr. Armstrong,” she whispered.

“Please,” he said, brushing his lips softly against hers.

“Mr. Armstrong,” she moaned.

“Say my name,” he said softly.

“Michael,” she said, and then he took her mouth.

* * * *

Matthew walked into the kitchen and sighed. “Oh, for heaven’s sake! Do I have to separate you two? It’s time to go,” he said as he left the kitchen, heading back outside.

Michael broke the kiss and looked into her green eyes and smiled. “Time to go, Mrs. Mason, the boys are getting restless,” he said, grabbing his hat and giving her a swat on her butt before leaving the house.

All the men were saddled up and waiting as Rachael walked outside. The judge, who showed up more than an hour ago, walked over to her as she made her way down the steps. “Who do want running the ranch while you’re gone?” her father asked.

“You and only you, Dad. Don’t forget about that matter we discussed the other day,” she simply said and walked over to Mystic and soon mounted up. The judge just stood there watching his daughter. She was so much like him. Very little words were ever spoken between the two, but what was said was enough.

With a wave of her hand, the drive had begun.

The Drive

The trail from Cedar Creek, Texas to Silver Lake, Montana was over sixteen hundred miles, through five states and several river crossings. The drive was going to take the better half of four months, with their final destination ending in Silver Lake on December first.

The drive had been a dream of Robert’s, to once again experience the way things were done before trains, trucks, and electronics. After his death, Rachael was resolved to see his dream lived out.

The planning of the drive was two years in the making. With close to three hundred thousand head, eighty horses, three wranglers, fifty-two cowboys, five wagons, fifteen oxen, one cook and a woman bound and determined to see this drive completed, everyone knew this was going to be something that they would remember for the rest of their lives.

The crew was working diligently, keeping the cattle together. The sounds of whistles, horses’ hooves, yeahs, and mews surrounded the air as she made her way through the open range. This was truly a sight to be seen. This was by far one of the largest drives Texas had ever sent off. With such a great feat ahead of her, she raised her shoulders and looked ahead to the future.

The land was a blanket of golden honey wheat, with clear blue skies. Open and vast, the land moved with grace and softness. She listened to the land speak to her as they made their way. A soothing whisper whirled around as she looked around, finding no one near. She closed her eyes and listened.
“You can do this, honey. I will always love you.”
Rachael smiled and opened her eyes, finally feeling a release.

* * * *

Three hours into the drive, Rachael found Henry a quarter mile ahead, looking out onto the herd. She rode up to talk with him.

“Well, Henry, what do you think?” she asked the awestruck young teenager.

“This is amazing, Rachael. It’s like right out of the movies. I didn’t think this was still possible anymore. Thank you for letting me come.”

“It wasn’t my doing. You got yourself here,” she told the boy.

Together they rode side by side for the rest of the morning and into the afternoon hours, working together and herding the cattle. Rachael was amazed at how the boy took to ranching, and when he herded, he did it as if he had been doing it his whole life. Sitting there, she tried to imagine what it would have been like if her sons had lived. Would they have been enamored with the drive as Henry? Would they have even liked living on the ranch, or would they want another life? That thought had never occurred to her, but watching Henry, she dreamt of a life she was never going to have—sons that would never grow up and get to experience this life that she had worked so hard for, to know what it was like to ride a horse, lasso a steer, kiss a girl for the first time, drive a car, or even know the love of their own mother.

Sitting there as a shiver ran through her veins, she knew that life was dead and gone. She only had her future. Whatever that might bring, she was ready for it. She welcomed the new friends and the life that awaited her. She was ready to live once again.

Stopping Mystic, she looked at the whole scene before her. What an amazing sight it was.

“You okay, Rachael?” Henry asked, turning Daisy to face her.

“Sure, just looking,” she replied, looking out over the range. Rachael watched Henry remove his hat and look at the ground below. “Can I ask you a question?” the young man asked sheepishly.

“What’s on your mind, Henry?”

“It’s about my dad.”

“Okay.”

“You love him, don’t you?” he said, raising his head to look her in the eyes. Rachael just smiled at the teenager, patted him on his back, gave Mystic a swift kick, and galloped off ahead of the herd to find Kenny.

Henry smiled as he watched her take off.

* * * *

As Rachael rode ahead, she saw six steer veering off and raced to wrangle them back to the herd. She whistled quickly, and soon she had two other cowboys on her heels. She and the hands quickly corralled the steer and moved them back to the herd.

The sun started to settle, and Michael gave the order to make camp. He and the crew bedded down the herd for the night while Rachael and Mark assigned night watch.

The assignments were a thing of frustration between Rachael and Michael. With Rachael wanting more than eight men on duty at a time taking two-hour shifts, and Michael saying that only five were needed with four-hour shifts, it was a never-ending battle between them.

In the end, Michael got his way.

With the men fed and bedded down for the night, some in tents, while others slept under the stars, Rachael made her way to her tent, sitting at the folding table going over the maps and GPS coordinates to calculate the miles traveled. Going over the figures three times, she sighed and grabbed the GPS and went to look for Michael and Kenny.