Page 29 of The Cowboy’s Reckoning

Lil tasted the bolognese then nodded in approval at both the sauce and the fact that it felt good to be on a forward course again. She’d spent the late afternoon focused on her sauce, trying not to think about Jordan’s confession and the effect it had on her. Yes, she who was empathy-ed out was empathizing. And she was drawn to the man. Was that empathy, concern, or something more primitive, like, oh say, gut-level attraction? A combination of all, she imagined. Regardless, she wasn’t stupid enough to hook up with her landlord. That guy-trouble thing.

But damn, she felt for him. What would it be like to discover that your real father was not the guy on the birth certificate? That he’d known of you, but never reached out to make contact? She’d be freaking bitter. And so, it seemed, was Jordan. She, who was not a hugger, had wanted very much to hug him before he’d left that day.

Meg came into the kitchen wearing a Griz hoodie and leggings that had seen better days. She went to the cupboard and took down a bottle of wine.

“Join me?”

“I’m good,” Lil said.

They dished up at the stove, then carried their plates to the table. They didn’t usually eat dinner well after eight o’clock, unless an emergency intervened, but Meg had gone for drinks after her training session and Lil had cooked an actual meal.

“Great news about the non-sale.” Meg twirled spaghetti onto her fork.

“I think he’ll put the property up for sale, but he promised it would only go to someone who accepted the terms as they’re written.”

“Maya will be disappointed.”

“Yes.” Lil slurped up an uncooperative noodle. “She’ll have to take on another fight.”

They ate in silence for a few minutes, which wasn’t unusual, but Meg kept studying something through the window between bites.

“That cow’s been down out there for a long time,” Meg said. “Since I got home.”

Lil craned her neck to see that there was a cow down near the center of the pasture, while the rest of the herd was gathered near the barn. As she watched, the cow tried to get up, then fell back down again.

She and Meg looked at each other, then pushed their chairs back.

Betty followed closely behind them as they made their way through the gate and across the grassy expanse to where the cow lay. She lifted her head as they approached, heaved, then gave up again with a deep bovine groan.

“Look,” Lil said as a chill went through her.

The cow’s front leg was bloody, the flesh torn. It looked very much like a fresh gunshot wound.

Chapter Seven

There was one quick knock on the trailer door, then Wade pulled it open, sticking his head inside. “You’ve got a call on the landline. She’s waiting.”

Jordan, who’d been deep into calculations on his laptop, trying to figure out a way to buy the Reed place, frowned. “Who’s she?”

“Your tenant.”

“Tell her I’ll be right there.”

“Like I’m going to beat you across the driveway,” Wade muttered as he turned to go.

He had a point. Jordan pulled on his boots then passed Wade a moment later as he strode across the gravel. He and Lil had exchanged cell phone numbers, so he had no idea why she was calling the ranch phone.

The landline receiver was lying on the table, and he picked it up. “This is Jordan.”

“Someone shot one of our cows.”

His heart rate spiked. Fuck. “Tell me what happened.”

“During supper we noticed that one of the cows was down and when we checked, it was pretty obvious that she had a bullet wound in her foreleg.”

“You’re sure it’s a bullet wound?”

“Ninety percent sure. She’s still alive. A deputy and a vet are on the way.”