Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 63469 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 317(@200wpm)___ 254(@250wpm)___ 212(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 63469 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 317(@200wpm)___ 254(@250wpm)___ 212(@300wpm)
“You fed and watered Murphy for me?”
I had already explained that I had. “Yep.”
“And covered him with that blanket?”
“I did.”
“And he let you? He just went with you?”
“He was waterlogged and tired and cold, so yeah, he came right with me.”
I was surprised he didn’t say anything, and when I looked back, he was staring at me, holding the towel around him, the other still over his head where I’d placed it.
“Mac?”
“The guys here were supposed to take Murphy to the stable with the other horses, but they just forgot about him,” he rasped. “If you hadn’t been here…”
“But I was,” I said gently. “Now do you wanna lie down by Murphy or—”
“Just here by you is good.”
My stomach did a barrel roll for whatever reason. “Okay, lemme get a pillow and a bedroll and a sleeping bag.”
There was a snort then from deeper in the barn.
“What the hell was that?” Mac asked.
I snickered. “That would be Mrs. Harrison, who snores beautifully, over there next to her husband. Their daughter is in the wagon.”
“Oh, that’s right. I saw her riding Juju.”
“Yeah, she slept right through the hurricane.”
He shook his head.
“What?”
“You just naturally take care of everyone, huh?”
“It’s how I was raised,” I replied softly. “At least while my mother was with us.”
He nodded, and I hung the towel I’d been holding on the rope that separated Murphy from Rand’s demon stallion, then went to find Mac what he needed to sleep. Of course he’d be naked in the sleeping bag, but there was no way around that.
Once he was lying down, he passed me up both towels, and I hung them, along with his wet clothes, near the enclosed industrial barn heater.
“I should look at your side, don’t you think?” he asked gently, then yawned so wide, his jaw cracked.
“No,” I said, chuckling. “Go to sleep. It’ll wait until morning.”
“Glenn, I should— What is she doing?”
Juju had leaned over and sort of kissed his forehead, and he was staring up at her in total shock. And then she did the same to his nose.
“She’s tired. She wants you to shut up so she can sleep.”
“Are you kidding?”
I chuckled. “No, sir. She’s tired and will probably—oh yeah.” I laughed quietly as she lay down with her nose against the side of my head.
He sighed. “She really loves you.”
“Well, yeah, she’s my girl,” I said, reaching up and stroking her chin. “Now go to sleep,” I said, reaching out and gently scratching his head for a moment, not even thinking before I did it, then moving my hand and closing my eyes.
“You’re so strange,” he murmured, and his voice was low and intimate in the dark barn. “You rant and rave about bullshit, complain, like I’ve said before, but then instead of leaving, you drive the wagon, take care of a family, your horse and then four others—and me. You’re the one who got hurt today, and it’s gotta be really hurting by now, but you took the time to take care of me.”
I was very close to passing out, but he was saying nice things, so I wanted to stay awake and hear them.
“Your mouth and temper are really somethin’, but that heart of yours…damn, Glenn, that’s worth havin’.”
I would have asked questions, but Juju huffed loudly. I smiled, and that was it. I was out like a light.
SEVEN
It was Texas, the weather was nuts, so in the morning it was cloudy, yes, but there was no more rain. And it was about sixty-four degrees, so everyone who had been freezing in the thirty-three degrees monsoon was fine now. Everyone did resemble a shuffling, shambling zombie horde, though. No one was moving fast at all.
Mac was gone by the time I opened my eyes, along with his horse, which was impressive. I had completely slept through that, which meant he was quiet and careful, and that was nice of him. As soon as I was alert enough to distinguish between what was a dream and what was real, I noted Annalise standing over me, looking pained, asking me where the bathroom was.
I took her with me, and on the way, we passed Rand.
“Hey, I need to talk to you,” he said, stepping in front of me.
“Small kid, small bladder,” I told him. “You wanna walk with us?”
He huffed out a frustrated breath but followed us to the bunkhouse so Annalise could go to the bathroom. I waited outside for her in the hall with Rand.
“Mac said you took care of our horses last night, so I wanted to thank you. I have to murder some folks this morning for nearly killing my boy, so again, thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Satan’s in good shape.”
He squinted at me. “Glenn, that horse’s name is not—”
“So what are we doin’ today?”
He tried to scowl but couldn’t manage to pull it off.