Unbridled Trails Read online

  The other man didn’t stand a chance and stumbled backwards into the seats behind him.

  Members in the waiting audience gasped and a woman screamed as he fell.

  Dazed, Guy shook his head, raising his hand to rub at his cheek, staring at the floor for a long moment. As things cleared, he raised his eyes and glared at Kyle. After another moment, he stood, fear holding him back from saying too much, but before he darted from the seating area, he tossed out with a finger thrusting into the air, “You are so finished, Darby. Done!”

  Kyle clenched his fists at his sides, anxious to run after the coward and finish things once and for all, but unwilling to leave Sherri unguarded.

  He waited another moment after Guy disappeared and then turned and reclaimed his seat beside Sherri. Kyle offered a tight attempt at a reassuring smile and patted her hand with his.

  She didn’t let him pull away, but turned her hand over and claimed his fingers in hers. She leaned over and rested her head on the top of his arm.

  He peeked at the top of her head, overcome by an immense desire to tell her he really liked her and loved being around her, but the lights dimmed further, signaling the start of the feature.

  They didn’t separate their intertwined fingers the length of the film.

  Chapter 13

  Sherri

  Monday dawned sooner than Sherri was ready for. She couldn’t call Kyle first thing, like she wanted to. Dang, she wouldn’t even see him until the next Friday again.

  She’d moved back to Clearwater County to see family again and have more time, but with the Western Pine Beetle infestation she was working overtime and her findings made the ranchers work longer – which meant Kyle worked longer.

  She removed her wide work hat and closed the office door behind her. Cool air conditioning soothed the morning heat from her flushed face.

  Barry Fielding rushed in, his bald crown freckled and white shined under the fluorescent lights. “This week is raring to be a scorcher. I’m closing the parks. There are already some real burners over in northern Idaho and Wyoming is getting hit as well.”

  “Did you want me to go close it?” Closing the parks fell under her responsibilities. She wouldn’t mind hitting the ridge anyway, a chance to catch a glimpse of Kyle more motivation at the moment. Plus, if she could close the parks and lessen the chance at fire mishaps, she’d do what she needed to.

  “You don’t mind? Why don’t you close the northern parks and I’ll close the southern ones. The state already closed the ones running along I-90 further south.” He poured a cup of coffee from the complimentary carafe set up on a small buffet in the corner. The Styrofoam cup fit his hand and he used a red stirrer to mix in powdered creamer from a single use packet. He sipped the steaming drink and screwed his lips up to the side. “Ew, that’s bitter.”

  Sherri laughed. “When did you want to start?”

  Grinning, Barry looked up from his cup. “You’re still here?”

  Sherri grabbed the keys to the truck issued to her. “I’ll radio when I’m headed back to the office.”

  He nodded as he poured the dregs of his cup into the water fountain beside the door.

  The drive out to the park was uneventful, much to Sherri’s disappointment. She tried, but no sign of Kyle on the sunlit prairies left her discouraged and more than a little deflated.

  At the turnout, she parked the truck and grabbed a fanny pack with water and jerky and headed up the trail. About two miles in, a rest stop provided respite from the heat. But the doors needed to be checked as well as the remainder of the trails. She’d only been up that far looking for the hikers the week before. She wanted to get some samples of the Western Pine Beetles to gauge growing patterns. They seemed rather aggressive for the time of year and the area.

  She’d read about the influx of varying organisms due to increases and decreases in water and temperatures, but she’d never seen the beetles affected so distinctly and in such a concentrated amount.

  Up ahead of her on the trail, within view of the bright blue port-a-potty, a man and a woman waved their arms frantically. From the distance, voices called but the words were swept away by the wind and absorbed by pine needles.

  Sherri picked up her pace, slowing when she reached them. “Are you alright? What’s going on?”

  The man wiped tears from his eyes. “Our horse...” His sobs caught up his words and he choked. He gripped the woman’s hand in his, his knuckles whitening with the pressure. “I won’t do it, Margaret. If we have to put him down... I can’t do it.”

  His companion placed a hand on his upper arm and with tears in her eyes, pointing down the side of the hill toward untraveled terrain. “The gelding is down there.”

  Sherri’s eyes widened and she nodded, more to reassure herself than them. Ever since Cyan’s short-term-owned dog passed away a year or so ago, Sherri was afraid of seeing animals dead or injured. She could handle most things creepy, crawly, and with more than four legs, but things that made noises? Not so much.

  Thick leaves on wild currant bushes blocked her view and she pushed at them as she carefully stepped off the shoulder of the path. She glanced back at the couple standing with their arms around each other. If she was like Rachiah and took horror movies to heart, she wouldn’t even think about going into those woods alone. But this was Sherri and she laughed at Stephen King’s It because if spiders didn’t scare her – what would?

  Besides fire. Stephen King’s Carrie had scared the bejunkers out of her. Rachiah didn’t need to know that, though.

  Sherri held onto a protruding root from a nearby pine as she scrabbled down the steep slope into the mini-valley.

  The complete lack of sound chilled her blood. No thrashing, no screams, nothing.

  Had they made it up? Were they lying?

  Sherri stepped further down the hill, disbelief slowly growing in her gut. At the crux of the valley, she stood with her hands on her hips and surveyed as much as she could see, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

  She sighed, long and low and turned to go when a brown chestnut rearend caught her eye from the protection of brush and grasses. Had the horse died?

  Moving closer, she was careful not to make any loud sounds or sudden movements. Searching the animal with her gaze, she pushed the leaves away, checking for signs of life. Dirt covered his coat like he’d flipped down the side of the hill. Looking back up the way she’d come, Sherri grimaced. Coming down, she hadn’t noticed the bent branches and smashed bushes. She’d been too concerned with getting down herself.

  At the head of the horse, she searched his open eyes which flickered as she moved in his line of vision. But he didn’t move. Didn’t whimper.

  Nothing.

  She wasn’t a veterinarian. She didn’t know what to do. Pulling out her phone, she tried calling Barry but only got his voicemail – all three times she called him.

  Finally, she dialed Cyan.

  “Cyan, I need help. I’m on Beaver Ridge and there’s a downed horse up this way. Not moving, but his eyes are open. I think he’s in pain.” She contained her own whimpers as she waited for Cyan to tell her what to do.

  “Holy cow, Sherri. Okay, I’ll call you back in a second.” Cyan hung up, not even waiting for a goodbye.

  Sherri crouched down beside the large animal. She didn’t want to touch him in case it hurt him more, but she didn’t want to leave him either. No one should be alone in that much pain. “Sh. It’s okay.”

  Sh? Sh to who? He was barely breathing with how still he was.

  Her phone dinged in her hand. “Yeah?”

  “I called Kyle. He’s the closest. Jareth is at Jonesy’s, but the closest vet is a doc in Colby, um, a McAllister or something. He’ll talk to Kyle by phone and walk him through what to do.” Cyan’s businesslike tone was normal when she panicked for her friends.

  Sherri nodded numbly. “Okay. Is Kyle heading up the hill? I can shoot off an emergency flare. No, wait.” She shook her head. “I can’t do t
hat. Fire danger.”

  “I’m sure he’ll find you. I told him off the trail. He’s pretty capable. I’ll keep your line clear. Call me as soon as you’re able.” She hung up, leaving Sherri grateful she didn’t have to worry about small talk as she sat next to a horribly injured animal.

  Where had the owners gone? They hadn’t followed her down and she didn’t want to leave the big animal to retrieve them.

  The minutes passed like hours and days. She didn’t check the time but instead stared at the horse and his eyes as he tried to focus on something or anything, his safety instincts on high alert. His ears flicked forward and back.

  After what could have been two lifetimes, Kyle appeared in the V of the valley on his horse who carefully picked his way over the natural debris on the forest floor.

  Kyle was there. Even though Cyan had said he would come, the bleakness of the situation hadn’t seemed to allow room for the brightness of the thought of Kyle. And yet there he was.

  She stood slowly, wiping her moist palms on the tops of her jeans, relieved to see him.

  He slid from the Arabian and handed Sherri the rope. Slowly, he approached the gelding and knelt beside him. Keeping his voice low, Kyle murmured, “Can I borrow your phone? I’m supposed to call the vet.”

  Sherri held out her hand, a little disappointed he hadn’t greeted her differently and yet fully aware that she didn’t know how to greet him either. An urgent situation called for a more controlled emotional response.

  But that didn’t mean Sherri didn’t want to be grabbed and kissed. It just meant that she understood why she hadn’t.

  He dialed a number by memory and spoke with someone on the other line. Sherri could only assume it was the veterinarian.

  Kyle stated things he saw and then ran his hands carefully down legs and sides. The belly of the horse moved as he breathed, sometimes quickly and shallowly and sometimes slow and deep.

  Kyle nodded after he reported his findings. He fell quiet and just listened, softly stroking the horse’s mane and watching his eyes.

  After a moment of listening he finished with, “Yes, I understand. Thank you.” He handed the phone to Sherri who pushed the end button.

  “Doctor McAllister said he most likely broke his pelvis. He also said that we need to stay with him until he can get a helicopter up here to airlift the poor guy out.” Kyle stroked the horse’s jowls. “It’s okay, buddy.” He looked up at Sherri. “Where are the owners?”

  She pointed weakly up where she’d left them. “They were up that way, but I’m not sure if they still are.”

  “Let’s hope they didn’t abandon him. If not, I’ll call my friends at the horse rescue ranch and see what they can do to help.” He clenched his jaw, a small tick just at the curve pulling her gaze like a magnet.

  Sherri sat Indian-style on the soft ground. “Thank you for coming. I know you’re busy at the ranch. I called Cyan because I didn’t know what to do—”

  Kyle shifted his weight to put him closer to Sherri. He rested his finger against her lips. “It’s okay. I think you did the best you could and I’m glad I could come help.” He winked. “But you have to admit, you were just trying to see me before Friday.”

  Even under the circumstances, Sherri couldn’t contain a grin. “What makes you think you’re seeing me Friday?”

  “What makes you think I’m not?” He leaned closer to her and pushed his lips against hers, just enough to brush warm skin across the sensitive flesh of her lower lip.

  He pulled back and winked at her. In mock horror, he continued speaking low. “How dare you try to take advantage of me and my emotions for this poor creature?”

  “You’re sweet.” She sobered and studied the horse. “Did he say how long?”

  “No, he has to make some calls first. I can make some calls, too, and get my jobs covered. Do you need to call your boss?” He tilted his head. “I assume we’re staying together?” The warm invitation was in his eyes and Sherri couldn’t say no, even if she wanted to.

  They made their calls and other than concern for the horse, no one gave them any problems or expected any less than staying with an injured animal – whether they owned it or not. They claimed a spot on crushed down ferns and tall grasses beside the heavy breathing horse.

  “I wish we could do something to help him. He has to be in so much pain.” Sherri rested her chin on her knees pulled up to her chest. “He’s got to be so scared.”

  “I can’t believe those people never came back for him. He’s a beautiful horse. What do you think his name is?” Kyle petted the large animal’s nose with care, speaking low and comforting.

  Sherri picked at a stalk of grass, flicking the pieces into the surrounding foliage. She considered the horse and its richly brown coat. “He’s a big strong guy and if he survives this, he should be named something like Duke or Maxximus.” She shrugged. “I’m not the best at naming things.”

  “I think those are great names.” Kyle studied the big brown eyes and whispered, “I think Duke is a perfect name.”

  “Duke it is.” Sherri’s heart tingled at the sight of Kyle leaning over the fallen horse with the Arabian nibbling on green grass just past the dark brim of his Stetson.

  She’d be very irritated if she fell for Kyle and ended up worse than the horse.

  Chapter 14

  Kyle

  Spending more than a handful of hours with Sherri in the woods and nothing else to do but watch an injured horse was exactly what Kyle needed.

  The delicate way she touched her forehead with the back of her thumb to sweep her hair away entranced him. She had an ability to captivate others – him especially. He wasn’t surprised that M.T. was so taken with her.

  Kyle pulled his knees up and wrapped his arms around them, rocking back slightly to watch her as they talked. “This whole M.T. thing. Is he going to back off?”

  Sherri’s laugh brightened the woods around them. “Doubtful. He’s professed his ‘undying love’ for years. He doesn’t have anyone to compare me to. Once he gets out there and sees more of the world, he’ll understand there’s nothing special about me.” A derisive smile and a wave of her fingers enunciated her comment. “I mean, I’m just an entomologist. My idea of a good time is sitting around feeding crickets to Tommy. Or going for a hike.”

  “Isn’t Tommy the spider that tried to kill me?” Kyle made his eyes grow wide in mock terror.

  “Hardly.” She giggled and Kyle couldn’t help it. He pulled her closer, to sit beside him.

  The sound of helicopter blades beating the air grew, interrupting the moment.

  He met Sherri’s dark eyes and murmured, “You’re growing on me, bug girl.”

  But she pulled back, looking down. “You don’t want that. I’m serious when I say, I’m boring.” She directed her gaze upward, trying to see through the towering canopy of pine boughs. “Which way will they come from?”

  Bemused, Kyle considered her, not looking up when he pointed southwest. She continued avoiding his eyes. Why did she pull away when he mentioned anything remotely intimate? She didn’t strike him as a girl who’d had relationship problems. Kyle wasn’t one to hide from talking things out. Much to his brother’s irritation.

  “Sherri, I don’t want to push, but why do you pull away when I try to get closer?” Kyle reached out again, touching her hand softly with the tips of his fingers.

  She glanced down, but made an obvious effort to not pull away. Sherri still didn’t meet his gaze. “It’s really not you. It’s just... guys don’t like me. They like what they think they can do to me. I’m not the exotically angry one of us girls like Rachiah. I’m not the eccentrically principled one like Cyan. I’m just...” She shrugged. “Mild. I’m a vegan who doesn’t like it spicy. Bugs have always been a passion of mine. Boys? Not so much. I just don’t see the point in being tied down to someone who doesn’t like the same things as me.” She smiled softly. “I don’t mean to be blunt, but you can’t even talk about Tommy without gooseb
umps.”

  Kyle cleared his throat. “You have to admit, he’s huge.”

  Sherri burst out laughing. “Yes, he definitely has size on his side.”

  “So you’re saying the only thing you like are bugs.” Kyle didn’t want to miss a flicker of an eyelash or a curl of her lips.

  She blinked like taken by surprise. “No. Actually I like a lot of things.”

  It was Kyle’s turn to laugh. “Let’s build on the things we have in common rather than run from the things we don’t then.”

  She considered him, ignoring the chopping of blades above them. Slowly she nodded. “Okay. I can do that. I like horses.”

  Kyle reached out and flipped a stray chunk of hair off her cheek. “Good. So do I.”

  ~

  Kyle didn’t get back to the bunkhouse for dinner until the guys were heading up for seconds and dessert. His thirst was undeniable so he headed straight for the water at an empty seat by Nate. “Hey, when did you get back?” Things had to be going well, if Nate was home already.

  Nate’s eyes were shadowed and ringed as he looked up from the food he swirled around his plate with his fork. He spoke with a voice that was husky and worn like he’d gargled with whiskey and glass. “Yeah, well, the cancer’s back. And Emma just wanted to be home, so...” He trailed off, forcing a bite into his mouth and sipping a drink he obviously didn’t want.

  Kyle sank onto the seat beside him, his euphoria over Sherri shrinking into a black pit of despair. “It’s back?” More cousins closed rank as they heard Kyle’s voice. Murmurs of sadness and regret surrounded them.

  Nate nodded, baring his teeth but unable to pull off even a fake smile. “Yeah, but we’ll beat it, right? That’s what she and I do. We beat it.”

  “Why are you here? I mean, why aren’t you with Emma?” Kyle didn’t touch his water. He couldn’t care about his thirst when his cousin hurt so much.

  Nate sniffed. “She... well, she doesn’t want to talk about it or do anything about it. She just wants to leave it for now.”

  A solid mass settled in Kyle’s stomach.

  “Can we talk about something else?” Nate motioned toward the rest of the ranch hands who had grown quiet while he spoke.