Page 18 of Captivated (Salvation #3)

Chapter Seventeen

Zeeb closed the back of the horse trailer and made sure the latch was down. Sorrel let out a soft whinny, and he chuckled. “I know you can untie yourself from a hitchin’ post, but even you can’t free yourself from one of these.”

“And right now Sorrel’s saying, ‘Heh. Watch me.’” Robert joined him, a cup of coffee in one hand. He leaned against the horse box. “He should be okay on the trail to Mirror Lake. It’s an easy enough one to follow.”

“I thought about taking Bailey and Lucy, but Nate’s used to Sorrel.”

Robert nodded. “Just keep the pace light, and he’ll be fine.” He cocked his head. “How’s Nate doing?”

Zeeb beamed. “I think today might be his best yet.” His chest swelled with pride. He had no idea what had caused the reversal of attitude, but something sure had. Nate was the most positive Zeeb had seen him so far.

Then he realized the boss was awful quiet.

Zeeb peered at him. “Something wrong?”

Robert’s eyes twinkled. “I knew I was right to pick you for this job.” Zeeb gave him an inquiring glance, and the boss smiled. “Maybe because I knew you wouldn’t treat it like a job. You’ve made time for him. You’ve been patient with him. And you take a genuine interest in him.”

Zeeb frowned. “Well, duh. How am I supposed to help him make the most of his stay here if I don’t try to discover what makes him tick?”

Another tilt of his head. “You like him, don’t you?”

Zeeb chuckled. “What’s not to like? He’s a personable guy.”

“And have you discovered what makes him tick?”

He sighed. “Boss, I don’t know what the hell happened to Nate, but I got the feeling it was real bad.”

Robert said nothing for a moment, but just sipped his coffee. He tossed the dregs onto the gravel, then raised his chin to look Zeeb in the eye.

“Sometimes people come our way, and we know they carry a lot of baggage, but we never get to see it. Maybe now and then we get a glimpse, enough to give us a clue and maybe adjust how we deal with them.” Robert’s eyes grew warm.

“And once in a while, someone comes along who gets under our skin. Hell, they even crawl into our hearts.”

“You talkin’ ’bout Toby?”

Robert didn’t reply right away. Instead, he studied Zeeb for a second or two. Then he smiled. “Maybe? Anyhow, you’ve got better things to do than jaw with me. Enjoy the trail.” He grinned. “I must do it again some time.”

Zeeb cackled. “As long as you don’t do it in the middle of a flash flood like you ‘n’ Toby did a while back.” He couldn’t rein in his smile. The pair of them had gotten caught out, and they’d spent the night at the lake.

And they’d returned to the ranch sporting huge smiles neither of them could hide.

Robert coughed, and Zeeb had a sneaking suspicion his boss was doing a little reminiscing.

“We’ll be back in time for supper,” Zeeb told him. He’d packed a bag with water, apples, cold chicken, and some of Matt’s cookies.

I might have to fight Nate for those.

It was time to get this show on the road.

Nate gaze through the windshield at the parking lot. “This is the start of the trailhead?”

Zeeb switched off the engine. “Yup. This is where we leave the truck.” He peered at the multitude of hikers. “I knew it’d be busy. So grab that bag, then we’ll get the horses out.” Zeeb pointed to the horizon. “That’s where we’re going. Up there are the Spanish Lakes.”

Nate stared. “That looks really high.”

Zeeb grinned. “Wait until you see the view from the top. It’s awesome.” He shook his head. “Been three years or more since I was last here. ’Bout time I came back.”

They got out and walked around to the rear of the horse trailer.

Zeeb led Sorrel out first, tied him to the post, then repeated the action with Bailey.

Nate saddled Sorrel, remembering everything Paul had shown him, and it wasn’t long before they’d left the parking lot behind and they were out in open country.

Nate gazed at the vast meadows on either side of the trail, lined by tall pine trees. Here and there were groups of hikers, and they waved as Nate and Zeeb trotted past them.

It’s so tranquil.

Sorrel’s gentle movement, the smell of grass and pine, the breeze that played with Nate’s hair, and the absence of conversation combined to set him at peace with both himself and his surroundings.

Zeeb appeared content to lead the way, relaxed in his saddle, at one with Bailey who seemed in tune with his rider.

He’s probably been riding his whole life.

Nate had seen plenty of farms and ranches when he was growing up in Oregon, and he recalled fields where horses ran or rolled on their backs, sometimes venturing up to the fence to poke their velvety noses over the rails, as if greeting the passers-by.

By the time Nate reached eight or nine, he’d asked if he could learn to ride a horse.

The man Nate had been unfortunate enough to call Dad had said no, and that was the end of that.

Nate liked that Zeeb wasn’t forever turning around to see how Nate was doing, or asking if he was okay. He simply left Nate alone to enjoy the experience.

So far, it was magical.

And I’m going to ache tomorrow.

It was worth it.

They drew closer to the trees, and the trail crossed a creek into woodland.

“Gotta take it easy this next bit,” Zeeb called out. “Ground’s kinda rocky, so we’re gonna go slow, okay?”

“Got it.” Nate gazed at the terrain. Roots snaked across the ground, but Sorrel and Bailey stepped over them. Nate leaned forward to pat Sorrel’s neck. “Good boy.”

They reached a creek, and Zeeb twisted in his saddle. “This is just the first, an’ they get wider the nearer we get to the lake.” He chuckled. “The last one’s a doozy. You’ll know what I mean when you see it.”

Nate followed Bailey’s sure steps, and sure enough, they crossed so many creeks that Nate stopped counting. He lost himself in the soft murmurs of the water, a low musical sound that blended with the peaceful scene around them.

When they reached a fork in the path, Zeeb pointed left to where water cascaded down over rocks, a kind of mini waterfall.

“We go that way.”

Nate loved the way the sunlight sparkled on the tumbling water, shining like diamonds as they trotted across the top of it, the water louder than before.

Once they reached the other side, they were back in the trees, riding in shadows, the trail narrowing as it climbed, the wind whistling through the forest. The air was different, fresher, and Nate inhaled deeply, drawing its scent into his nostrils.

To the left, the hills climbed, the gradient steep. Nate stared at the rocky terrain and slowed Sorrel after noting Zeeb doing the same. Exhilaration flooded through him.

This is riding.

Still the trail climbed, and Nate’s ears popped. “How high do we go?”

“The trail climbs two thousand feet in about three miles.” Zeeb twisted again to grin at him. “Not long now. Almost there.”

Then he pointed to behind Nate. “And take a look at that.”

Nate turned, and caught his breath at the sight—rolling hills covered in lush green, dipping into denser forests, below a cloudless sky.

“It’s beautiful.”

Zeeb chuckled. “You ain’t seen nothing yet.” He moved off, and Nate followed him through the trees until they reached the lake at last.

“Mirror Lake,” Nate murmured. “I can see how it got its name.” It was nestled in a valley, surrounded by trees, a mountain rising to the left of it, and all of it was reflected perfectly in its calm waters.

“The area is named after a dead Montana congressman, Lee Metcalfe,” Zeeb told him.

Nate chuckled. “What did he do to earn such a legacy?”

Zeeb snorted. “Not a fuckin’ clue, pardon my French.”

“To be honest, I thought I’d hear more of that on the ranch.” Nate grinned. “Then I decided you were just a really sweet-talking cowboy who didn’t swear a lot.”

Zeeb exploded into a fit of laughter. “Oh my God, are you fuckin’ kidding ? I’ve got the dirtiest mouth this side of the Rockies.”

His laugh echoed, and the sound of it filled Nate with delight.

Zeeb came to a halt. “We’ll stop here.” He dismounted, using a tree stump. “The horses need a drink.” He led Bailey to the water’s edge. Nate dismounted too and followed suit. Sorrel bowed his head and drank, and Nate stroked his flank.

“You did good, Sorrel.” He gazed at the calm surface of the lake. “I think this is even better than the lake where I was painting.”

“You know what makes it so?” Zeeb straightened. “All the effort you put in to get here. Your first ride.” He flung his arm out. “An’ this here is your reward.”

Nate turned his face toward the sun. He could feel its warmth on his shoulders, seeping through the fabric to the skin below.

Suddenly he understood Zeeb’s impulsive dive into the lake the previous week.

“You wanna sit a while and eat something?”

Nate glanced at Zeeb, who was spreading a blanket on the ground a foot or so away from him. “Sounds good. I was just thinking I should’ve brought a towel. That water looks perfect for swimming.” Not that Nate would ever do such a thing.

Maybe I should. When was the last time I did something spontaneous?

Zeeb grinned. “You mean like the two towels I packed ‘n’ brought along?”

He laughed. “That’s what I call good planning.” He joined Zeeb on the blanket. “Don’t we need to tie up the horses?”

“Not these two. They won’t stray far from us.” Zeeb’s eyes twinkled. “Besides, Sorrel can smell the apples. He ain’t goin’ nowhere.”

Minutes later, Nate was helping himself to chicken, more relaxed than he’d been for a long time. Part of that was down to his decision to change direction, but Zeeb had helped, being his usual chilled self, giving Nate space.

Zeeb opened a box, and the aroma of sugar and chocolate filled the air.

“Matt’s cookies are amazing. I got lucky this morning. He’d made a fresh batch last night, and I grabbed ’em before everyone else got their paws on ’em.”

“Was your dad’s ranch anything like Salvation?”