Page 13 of Revelry (Cowgirls Do It Better #2)

Gertie

The sun poked through the cracks in the blinds, stabbing into my eyelid s .

“Ugh,” I grunted, rubbing my eyes and smacking my dry lips. “What is that taste?”

My tongue was fuzzy, and my head pounded like there was the entire cast of STOMP rattling around in there. My hands throbbed and I stared at them, blinking a few times to clear my blurry vision. Rough scrapes littered my palms and stung like a bee but I was confused as to how I’d gotten them.

I threw back the blankets tangled around my legs and swung them over the side of the bed, standing. I yelped and toppled to the floor, unable to hold my weight.

“What the—" I looked down at my foot, spying a bandage wrapped around the center of it. Tugging it towards me, I inspected the work. It was neat and tidy, well done but again how did I get it?

“Are you a doctor?”

“Yes.”

The conversation began replaying and I could see myself staring into Tate’s smoldering gray eyes while he tended to my foot. Because he actually is a doctor. Not of people but still... Then the rest of the night downloaded.

I’d been notified by my lawyer that my divorce had been finalized. I couldn’t handle the swarm of emotions. I’d needed to talk to someone but didn’t want to intrude on Kat and Jack’s date night. That left Tate and he’d made it clear that we weren’t friends.

I’d felt all alone.

So I’d gotten blind drunk to celebrate and instead of living it up, I had myself a pity party.

Whatever had possessed me to climb the tree, I’ll never know.

I loved to be reckless and have a good time, but I usually did it when I was sober and in control of all my faculties.

It’s just as well Tate had spotted me and came to the rescue, I didn’t know where I’d be otherwise.

“Dammit, now I’ll have to thank him,” I grumbled, rubbing my sore foot.

I really didn’t want to thank him. I was still annoyed at him for being so mean yesterday and no amount of sexy-doctor-foot-bandaging would make up for that.

Even if I now remembered how good it felt to wrap myself around him, feel him moving against me as he safely maneuvered us down the rest of the tree.

How his mouth pulled into a tight line that begged to be nipped and teased until it spread wide into what I was sure would be a breathtaking smile.

I shook my head, not wanting to think about him and how breathtaking his smile would be.

He’d made his feelings clear; he didn’t even think I was worth the time of day. Once I had thanked him that would be it. We would avoid each other for the next four months. As much as was possible when you lived next door to someone.

I hobbled to my feet and limped around as I made the bed.

My head pounded but other than that, I felt fine.

I took myself downstairs into the kitchen where the evidence of my headache sat.

A two-thirds empty bottle of raspberry vodka that I’d found in a cupboard.

I knew my mom didn’t drink so it was likely Cathy’s, and it was a godsend.

I puttered around the kitchen. It was similar to the Cartwrights’, cozy-cottage in style but the wooden doored cabinets were painted a sage green with brushed steel handles and a mango wood worktop. The white tiles brightened the space and the rustic flooring kept the room warm.

After tidying up, I took myself off for a shower. The showerhead sputtered in protest and cut out occasionally as I struggled to keep my injured foot outside the cubicle and dry. I dressed in denim cutoffs and a checkered shirt, wrapped my foot in thick socks, and piled my wet hair on my head.

I wasn’t due to work at Redemption today, but I needed to keep busy or I’d spiral into my thoughts and I was already missing the ranch. I grabbed my things, gently pushed my feet into boots and headed outside to my little Beetle.

Just as I was unlocking her, I heard someone clear their throat behind me.

I turned, seeing Tate standing there looking insanely gorgeous in dark jeans and a navy polo shirt, hair slicked back, black framed glasses perched on his stupid cute nose, and with bare feet.

Why was it so attractive that his feet were bare?

It seemed a little out of character for Tate who was so well put together.

Ugh, I needed to stop noticing things like that.

“Tate,” I nodded, ignoring the pounding of my pulse when he tucked his hands into the back pockets of his jeans, flexing his gigantic biceps.

“Good morning, Gertrude. How are you feeling today?”

I wouldn’t have said he was smirking, but he wasn’t not smirking either, and it pissed me off. I remembered I at least needed to thank him for his efforts.

“Thank you for your help last night. I, uh, appreciate the position I put you in and well, thank you.”

There, done. Now you can forget about him and the loneliness that permeates the air around him and makes you want to spend all your time with him, working out how to make him smile.

“It’s quite all right, Gertrude. How’s your uh…” he trailed off and gestured to my boot.

“Foot? Fine, thank you, great job bandaging.” I gave him an awkward thumbs up and turned back to my car, ready to get to the ranch.

“I’m glad, although you should be resting it,” he replied, stopping me. Then he gazed about him, flailing one arm and looking supremely uncomfortable.

“Thanks for your concern. Be seeing ya,” I called and tugged the door of my car open, the metal groaning with effort.

“Do you really think I have a stick up my ass?” he blurted, tilting his head at me.

Oh crap, I remembered saying that. Bad, Gertie, bad.

“Um…no?” I flinched, unable to lie convincingly.

He nodded, rolling his lips inwards and looking at the ground. When he didn’t say more, I got into my car, except he didn’t leave, just watched me. I refused to make eye contact when I pulled away, gingerly pressing down on the accelerator, forgetting my foot was so sore.

When I got to the mouth of the cul-de-sac, I glanced in my rearview mirror and saw he was still there watching me, and my heart did this weird little thump.

When the wooden arch that said Redemption Ranch came into view, I released a sigh of relief and immediately my day brightened. Cattle grazed in the nearby pasture. A few members of the Cartwright clan were outside. I parked and went over to Kat and Jack who were inspecting a nearby fence.

“I’m telling you, it’s not Bert. You need to get over Bert, sweetheart.” I heard Jack say as I approached.

“I know, I know! Fences break but after the drama of last time I just want to make sure that damn bison isn’t repeating his MO!” Kat replied.

I smothered a smile. I’d heard all about the Bert the Bison drama, but also I knew it led to breaking the ice between Kat and Jack so he couldn’t be all bad.

Maybe he was like a fairy god-bison?

“Morning,” I called.

“Hey Flirty, what are you doing here?” Kat said and slung an arm around my shoulder. I looked up at her, her blue eyes shining with happiness.

“I needed to get out and missed this place already. Although I might struggle today, I’ve hurt my foot,” I sighed, wrapping an arm around her waist and leaning into her side.

“How did you do that?” Jack asked, glancing down at my feet.

“I, uh, climbed a tree drunk.”

Jack’s eyes bugged. “You climbed a tree drunk?”

“You got drunk without me?” Kat whined.

I shrugged. “You were busy having date night. There’ll be more opportunities, I promise.”

She continued to pout. “How come you were drinking and climbing anyway?”

I kicked at a little pile of dirt with my cowgirl boot, wincing as my injury throbbed. “My divorce came through.”

Kat gasped. “Congratulations! You’re free of him!”

I just nodded, eyes fixed on the dirt because if there was someone I couldn’t lie to, it was my Kitty Kat. There was a heavy silence but my eyes stayed down.

“I, ah, I’ll go and do something else. See ya,” Jack said and hurried off.

“Come with me,” Kat said and dragged me over to August. “Can we take the horses?”

“Sure,” August replied. “Just have them back in an hour for the kids.”

“Kat, there’ll be loads to do today and—” I protested.

“And nothing. We need some girl time, and a ride,” she replied. She snagged the reins of Sunshine, the caramel-colored mare, and Chester. She mounted Sunshine, seating herself in the saddle with ease and tossed her head towards Chester.

“Well come on, Gertie. We’ve only got an hour.”

I smiled. She knew exactly what I needed: fun and adrenaline. I placed my good foot in the stirrup and hoisted myself over Chester, using the horn of the saddle to seat myself comfortably and then Kat and Sunshine were sailing past.

“No fair!” I shouted, clicking my tongue at Chester and urging him on, chasing after them.

I raced Kat through the pastures, the cattle lifting their heads as they lazily munched on the grass. Chester loved to go fast so he was up for the challenge of catching them up and soon we were overtaking.

Kat let out a loud whoop of excitement and I did the same, just like when we raced as teenagers. The trees rushed by, the birds scattering, and Sunshine’s hoofbeats pummeled the ground closer behind us.

“Faster boy,” I urged Chester, and he let out an excited whinny, picking up the pace.

I eventually spotted the tower of rocks near the lake which was usually our stopping point.

I glanced back, seeing Kat not far behind and signaled to the rocks.

She nodded and I slowed Chester down, cooing at him for being such a good boy.

I swung out of the saddle and gently lowered myself to my feet, my wounded foot sore from the stirrup.

Tate was right, I should really take it easy but that wasn’t in my nature.

Kat pulled up next to me and dismounted Sunshine.

We tied them off on a nearby tree, the two horses nudging each other and nickering softly.

We made our way to the rocky platform that hovered out over the stream. Despite the chill in the air, we removed our boots, lining them up next to each other and dangled our feet in the stream. I hissed as the cool water hit my foot. I left my injured foot out, not wanting to get it infected.

“So, no more Gary?” Kat said eventually.

“No more Gary,” I sighed, peering up at the swaying trees.

“How do you feel?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know. I’m happy I’m not married to him anymore but I’m also sad.

It’s bittersweet. Like I’m free but I’m mourning the relationship we had at the start, before he became controlling and abusive.

I’m also mourning so much time wasted. I’ve got no career, no partner, no money, nothing to show for myself and I’m in my thirties, starting over. ”

“He didn’t give you any money?”

I shook my head. “I didn’t want any and it made the process much quicker so I didn’t ask for any,” I admitted, tensing in case she thought I was stupid for not taking anything from him. I should have known my best friend better.

“Fair enough. Well, there’s nothing wrong with starting over in your thirties. You know more now than you did ten years ago. You know what your boundaries are and that’s a big win all on its own. I feel like I’ve just started again too,” she said quietly.

I glanced at her soft features, her blonde hair shining under her pink Stetson, hanging over one shoulder in a long braid. “You do?”

“Sure. I’ve got the ranch now and I’m trying to figure out what to do with it. It’s been hard, I had such a block, but I feel like now the ideas are coming through. We’ve got plans and it’s exciting.”

I smiled at her, nudging her shoulder with mine. “I’m super proud of you and can’t wait to see how you transform this place.”

She nudged me back. “I’m proud of you too. But stop pressuring yourself, you can work at the ranch until you figure out what it is you want to do. You can think of loads of things you could do. Life is too short to try just one thing. And I know you’ll figure it out.”

“When did you get so wise?” I teased.

“Ah, wisdom comes after a great fall, young grasshopper,” Kat laughed.

“I see. Well, I don’t think I can fall much further.”

Kat slung an arm around my shoulder, resting our heads together. “If you do, I’ll be there to catch you. I’m pretty strong from all this ranch work.”

I chuckled. “Thanks Kitty Kat.”

“Anytime, Flirty Gertie.”

We watched the current rushing through the stream, taking debris with it, and listened to the horses snuffling in the fallen leaves.

I glanced around, seeing the green trees fading to amber and bronze.

I loved the colors of fall, it was so magical, and I was glad I was home for it this year with my friends.

I had missed them all so much; I was so lonely in Montana.

I didn’t know how I’d coped without them.

Hopefully I’d never have to find out again.

My mind drifted back to Tate and his lack of social life or friendships which was bothering me more than I wanted it to.

“You ever seen Tate out with friends?” I asked.

“That’s a random question,” Kat said, she tapped her chin thoughtfully. “I don’t think so.”

“Hmm.”

“Whhhy?”

I turned back to the water staring back and forth between the trees and their reflection on the surface of the lake. “No reason.”

Kat snorted. “Bullshit, Gerts.”

“He just seems so lonely. I haven’t seen anyone come to the house since I moved in almost two months ago. He seems to just go to work and go home.”

“Something wrong with that? Tate’s always kept to himself.”

“I guess,” I answered. “But why?”

“Does Gertie want a new friend to play with now she’s newly divorced?” Kat waggled her eyebrows at me, and I shoved her playfully.

“That would be the worst thing right now,” I replied but I couldn’t deny how much he intrigued me. “Besides, in my new life, I’ve sworn off men.”

Kat shot me a sly smirk. “That’s usually when they all come sniffing around. Maybe you should get to know Tate a little better?”

I leapt up from the rock and shoved my feet back into my lilac boots, forgetting the soreness, and untied Chester. “Come on, cowgirl, race you back!” I shouted, to change the subject and also conscious August needed the horses.

The journey back was full of cheating by both parties. It was exactly what I needed and I found myself once again supremely happy I’d come home to Redemption Ranch and Kat.