Kiss Me (Fool's Gold #17)(88)

Phoebe stared at him. “Zane, no! Don’t do this. We’ll all go downstream. Together.”

“We don’t have much time. We have to try to save the cattle.”

She didn’t like this. Not any of it. But as she turned, she saw Manny and knew she couldn’t abandon him. Not without trying to save him and his friends.

Then Zane was gone, heading toward the water. Phoebe held her breath as he entered the swirling, muddy current.

She wanted to yell out for him to be safe. She wanted to tell him that she loved him. But she didn’t want to distract him, and she was busy praying for his safety.

She promised God just about anything He could possibly want if only He would keep Zane safe. She twisted the reins and willed her strength into Zane. Then she stopped breathing.

Zane’s horse walked into the river and immediately stumbled. The animal righted itself, but not before Phoebe died at least twice. Zane guided the animal through the swirling water. When the horse began to swim, she thought she was going to faint.

“What’s going— Holy shit,” Maya breathed as she rode up next to Phoebe. “No way we’re crossing that.”

Phoebe didn’t speak. She was too busy watching Zane. His horse went sideways two feet for every foot it moved forward, but finally it could reach ground, and it surged out the other side.

He took off his hat and waved it. “Piece of cake,” he yelled.

“Talk about a liar,” Maya muttered.

Twenty minutes later, Zane had ridden across the river to their side and rejoined them. A quick search of the banks found a nice low place to head into the water with a gradual bank on the other side.

“Here’s how we’re going to do it,” Zane said as he rode up next to Phoebe. “Chase will go in first, then you. Manny will follow. I want the steer on your left, so he’s downstream. If he loses his footing, I don’t want him falling into you. Understand?”

She nodded because she was too scared to speak.

“Chase will be downstream of you both, so if something happens, relax. He’ll catch you. Trust Rocky. He has long legs, and he’ll only have to swim for a few feet.” Zane hesitated. “You probably won’t like what it feels like when he’s swimming, but don’t panic. Hold on to the saddle and go with it. He’s strong, and he wants to get to the other side as much as you do.”

Zane’s fierce expression softened a little. “You can do this, Phoebe.”

She looked at Manny and the other steers milling behind him. They were all counting on her, and she wasn’t going to let them down.

“I’ll be fine,” she lied.

“Good. Now let me go tell everyone else what we’re doing.”

Phoebe only half listened while Zane explained the plan. He, Chase and Reilly would be downstream, while Martin, Thad and Maya would ride upstream of the herd. He warned them that the water was cold, to trust their horses and head for the bank. Then it was time to head out.

Phoebe waited for Chase to lead the way. When he hit the water, he started swearing. His combinations were so colorful that she started to laugh...right up until the icy river reached her feet and instantly soaked her boots. It was even colder than the last time.

The water sucked the breath right out of her. She wanted to turn back and say she couldn’t do this, but she didn’t. Instead she thought of Zane, of Manny and all the steers. She had to be brave. This mattered.

As Rocky moved forward, she turned to see Manny entering the water. The steer stopped. Phoebe reined in Rocky.

“Come on, Manny,” she called. “You can do it.”

The steer shuddered, then slowly moved toward her.

“That’s it,” she yelled. “Manny. Come on, big guy. Race you to the other side.”

The next few steers entered the water.

Phoebe was so intent on urging Manny forward that she forgot to watch where they were going. Suddenly Rocky stumbled, then lurched. She was nearly thrown.

“Phoebe!”

She heard Zane cry out, but she couldn’t answer. She reached for the saddle, the reins, anything. But her cold fingers wouldn’t cooperate. She felt herself falling into the icy, rushing water.

“Chase!” Zane yelled.

“I see her. Phoebe, grab on.”

She was trying. Desperately. She scrambled to stay in the saddle. She could almost reach the edge of the leather, but just then Rocky began to swim. The change in movement made her slip more.

Something large hit her in the back of the thigh, and she was thrust forward and up. Her fingers grabbed for the saddle, and this time she connected with the wet, slippery leather. She regained her balance. It was only when she was hanging on that she was able to glance down and see Manny right next to her horse. The old steer looked up, and in that second, Phoebe would swear that he was smiling.

Just as Rocky and Manny dragged themselves out of the water on the far bank, a group of riders appeared at the top of the hill. The Strykers had arrived. There was little for them to do, other than wait while the bedraggled riders made their way across the creek, one by one.

The oldest brother—Rafe, she thought—handed her a heavy blanket to drape over her shoulders. When that was in place, he passed over a thermos of coffee.

“Th-thank you,” she said.

“Looked like we might have to call search and rescue there for a minute,” he said.