Kiss Me (Fool's Gold #17)(86)

Zane groaned. The three of them weren’t enough to get fifty head of wet cattle moving. Not when they had to cross a river to get to safety.

He looked at Chase and saw panic in his brother’s eyes. “That’s not enough,” Chase said.

“Should I call the Strykers?” Eddie asked, her phone at the ready.

“Yeah, call them, thanks. But we don’t have time to wait, and I don’t know if they’re going to be able to find us in time. They can’t come in Jeeps this time. They’re going to have to ride, and we’re clear on the other side of the spread.”

“I’ll go,” Thad said.

Zane looked at him in surprise. “I appreciate the offer, but this isn’t part of your vacation. This is hard, dangerous work. Cold and wet, too.”

Thad shrugged. “I want to help. I can ride and point the steers in the right direction. Will that be enough?”

“I’ll go, too,” Martin said.

“Me, too.”

The last voice came from behind him. Zane turned to see Phoebe leaning against the wall.

Maya groaned. “Dammit, Phoebe, if you go, I’ll have to, as well. Do you know what this weather is going to do to my hair?”

Phoebe smiled. “Wear a hat.”

“Oh, yeah, that’ll help in this rain.”

“You don’t have to do this,” Zane said. “Not any of you.”

“We know that,” Thad said. “We’re all in this together. Now I say we head out and save us some cattle.”

Chase nodded. “They’re greenhorns, Zane, but there’s plenty of them. Without them, we can’t get the herd to safety.”

Zane knew his brother was right. He didn’t have a choice. Not if he wanted to save the steers.

“Get the horses saddled up,” he told Chase. “We’ll be out in five minutes.” He turned back to everyone else. “Dress warmly. Make the top layer as waterproof as you can.” He nodded at Eddie and Gladys. “We’ll need some food.”

Eddie nodded, then grabbed Andrea and C.J. and pulled them toward the stairs.

Zane turned to Phoebe, who smiled at him. “They’re going to help,” she said.

He frowned. “I know.”

“They like you. We all like you.”

“Oh. My. God.”

He turned and saw Maya staring at him.

“I just got it,” she said. “You had sex with Phoebe.” She looked at Phoebe. “You had sex with Zane. I can’t decide if this is great or too gross for words.”

Phoebe laughed.

Zane walked toward his room. “Just get dressed.”

CHAPTER TWENTY

PHOEBE KNEW THAT it had to be after dawn. There was a milky quality to the horizon that hinted at light somewhere above the thick, gray clouds, but she was beginning to feel she would never see the sun again. She was also wetter and colder than she’d believed possible. Her clothes were soaked, and her body temperature had dropped from freezing to pain. She found it difficult to hold on to her reins, even with the gloves Reilly had given her to wear.

Water dripped off her hat and splashed onto Rocky. She’d given up apologizing to the horse. She knew he was as miserable as she was, and there weren’t any words to make up for that.

But still she followed Martin, who followed Zane. She forced herself to stay positive, to think about last night rather than the moment. To remember the passion she and Zane had shared. To recall him saying he loved her. Even if he hadn’t meant it, those were words she would treasure forever.

Finally, after what felt like hours, they reached the cattle. Phoebe was stunned to find the animals standing in knee-deep water. She could see the rushing current as the area flooded, and for the first time, she was afraid.

“Gather round,” Zane yelled, motioning for them to get closer.

When everyone had huddled together, he called out their instructions over the drumming of the rain.

“The cattle are restless from the water,” he told them. “Stay alert. Given the choice between losing one of them and losing one of you, I want you to save yourself.”

“Good to know,” Maya muttered from Phoebe’s left. “What if it’s the choice between me and two steers?”

Zane either didn’t hear her or ignored her.

“We’re going to head for higher ground. We have to cross a stream and then head through an open pasture. The pasture slopes up, and we’ll be safe once we’re there. But to get there, we’re heading downhill.”

Phoebe glanced at the swirling water all around them and swallowed hard. Downhill would not have been her first choice.

“We’re going to work in groups,” Zane said loudly. “Reilly will take Martin and Maya. I’ll take Thad. Chase—” he looked at his brother “—you’ve got Phoebe.”

Phoebe was about to ask why she needed her own personal escort when Zane swung around to face her. “I want you up front with Manny. You and Chase are going to lead the herd. Manny knows you and Rocky, and he’ll follow you. It’s dangerous, Phoebe. You’re going to have to be careful. No stopping to talk to trees. I mean it.”

She nodded.

Zane turned to his brother. “Chase, you know what you’re up against.”

“Yeah.”