Page 29 of Wellspring

ERICK ACCEPTED the plate of migas from Javier and carried it to the table where Mrs. Roarke sat, trying to rein in his irritation.

Since the night Cade had kissed him, they hadn’t had the chance to exchange a word.

Cade had returned to the bunkhouse with Chel from wherever he’d disappeared to and climbed into his bunk without meeting Erick’s eyes once, and Erick’s heart had sunk.

Was he regretting the impulsive act? Was he upset that Erick hadn’t kissed him back?

Did he think Erick wasn’t interested? He had spent so long fretting before falling into an exhausted sleep that when he finally woke up, Cade’s bunk was already empty.

Erick hoped to catch up with him at breakfast, but Payne had pulled Cade, Logan, and Michele aside and sent them off to gather a part of the herd from the far pasture.

He’d watched them ride off, bedrolls strapped to their saddles.

That was two days ago and they hadn’t returned yet.

“You seem out of sorts this morning, Heller,” Mrs. Roarke said as he poked at his food. “Is something bothering you?”

“The mustangs are all accepting a saddle now and will soon be ready to ride. Perhaps it is time for me to learn to work with cattle as well as horses.” There was no guarantee that Payne would agree, or that he would send Erick out with Cade, but it was at least a chance to spend more time together than their reading lessons, assuming Cade would even want to continue them.

“That’s good news,” Mrs. Roarke said. “I’ll see how many Zeke wants to keep on hand and put the word out in town if we have some left for sale. And tell him it’s time to round up a new batch. You should ride out with him, or whoever he sends, to bring them in. Since you’ll be working with them.”

He tried to look enthusiastic at the prospect.

He loved working with the horses, but unless Payne sent Cade with him to round up more, it wouldn’t give him a chance to spend more time together.

After the weeks of travel to Wellspring, having Cade all to himself, even these few days without seeing him ached like a missing limb.

“In the meantime,” she continued without seeming to notice his lack of enthusiasm, “I was hoping you would take a look at the ranch ledgers with me. I don’t usually have problems making them balance, but I can’t seem to find my mistake this month. You did say you’d managed an estate in Prussia.”

“Of course,” he said with a bow of his head. Another task that would keep him away from Cade, but he couldn’t begrudge the chance to contribute the only other skill he had to offer. “I can review them after our meal, if you like.”

“Yes, please. The sooner we can get the books to balance, the sooner you can get out on the range. I know you’re eager to learn, but while I wouldn’t trade any of our hands for all the gold in the world, most of them don’t have the skills necessary to help me,” Mrs. Roarke replied.

“I am honored by your trust in me.” Erick had just stood to return his empty plate to Javier when a cloud of dust down the road caught his eye.

For a moment he hoped it might be Cade and the others returning, but they’d be riding for the barn, not up to the front of the ranch house.

By the time they drew to a halt and dismounted, he identified the man he and Cade had overheard in Austin—Reichardt, Cade had named him.

He didn’t recognize his companion, but by the frown on Mrs. Roarke’s face, she wasn’t pleased to see either of them.

“Mr. Reichardt, Mr. Sanders,” she said noncommittally. “What brings you to Wellspring?”

“To see you of course, madam,” Reichardt replied as he dismounted, with a smile that set Erick’s teeth on edge.

They might very well be there to see her, but that wasn’t their only mission.

Erick wished he’d thought to pick up his gun before he left the bunkhouse that morning, but he still wasn’t used to wearing it for no reason.

Movement to the left caught his eye and he glanced toward it to see MacRae lounging indolently against the bunkhouse, one hand resting on the hilt of his pistol.

Erick still hadn’t found the time to witness MacRae’s shooting, but he trusted Cade’s assessment.

That was one gun against two possible assailants, but it was better odds than before.

“You’ve seen me, now if you’ll excuse me, some of us have to work for a living,” Mrs. Roarke said, her voice cold.

“Mrs. Roarke…. Grace, a beautiful woman like you shouldn’t have to work herself to the bone running a place like this,” Reichardt barreled on as if she hadn’t spoken. “If you’d just consider my offer… with our combined spreads, you could live like a queen.”

“I am quite content with what I have, thank you.” It was clearly a dismissal, but Reichardt paid no attention.

“But you could have so much more.” Reichardt’s gaze slid over her simple cotton dress like a snake slithering up to its next meal. “French gowns, a maid to attend to you. You’d never have to lower yourself to consort with the hired hands.”

“Miz Roarke said she wasn’t interested,” MacRae drawled. “You’d best be on your way.”

Reichardt frowned, and his companion took a step closer, his hand falling to his own sidearm. It was time to defuse the situation, or at least get Mrs. Roarke out of danger before it escalated.

“If you please, we can review the accounts now,” Erick said in his most authoritative voice. It bought him enough time to take Mrs. Roarke’s arm and lead her into the house. Surely Reichardt wasn’t bold enough to force his way inside.

“This isn’t over,” Reichardt shouted.

Spotting a rifle leaning against the wall. Erick stepped back onto the porch and cocked it. MacRae had drawn his pistol, and the two of them were enough to discourage the JR owner from whatever his next action might have been.

“You’ll regret this,” Reichardt spat as he remounted his horse, the other man following his lead.

“Not as much as having anything to do with you.” Mrs. Roarke moved beside Erick on the porch, her own pistol raised. “Now get off Wellspring property before I have my men escort you off.”

Erick stayed where he was, rifle at the ready, until he could no longer see even the dust trail left by the two men’s horses.

“Hellfire and damnation,” Mrs. Roarke said when she finally lowered her pistol.

“I did not need that this morning. Or any morning for that matter. Zeke will be livid when he hears about this.” She took a deep breath and squared her shoulders.

“MacRae, stand watch and alert us if there’s any sign of them returning. ”

“Ma’am,” he said with a tip of his hat.

Erick followed her into the house and waited as she opened the door to a well-appointed office. Indeed, it was nearly a match for his office at his estate in Prussia.

“I regret I was not better prepared,” Erick said. “I thought it best not to be armed when working with the horses, but I will carry a pistol with me henceforth.”

“Keep it within reach,” Mrs. Roarke said. “You’re right not to wear it if you’re in a situation where you might get thrown, but near enough that you can grab it if needed. I hate that it’s come to that, but I don’t trust Reichardt as far as I can spit.”

It didn’t take long for Erick to familiarize himself with Wellspring’s ledgers and identify where a transposed entry had prevented them from balancing.

It was no slight to Mrs. Roarke’s bookkeeping, as he had been frustrated by the same sort of issue in his own accounts.

“A second set of eyes can be helpful in preventing this type of error, if you would care to have my assistance, Mrs. Roarke,” he offered.

“If you’re going to be my assistant accountant, I think you can call me Grace,” she said.

“If Herr Payne would not object,” he answered. The foreman refused to let anyone call him anything but Payne, but it felt disrespectful to refer to him so informally, whatever his relationship was with Mrs. Roarke—Grace.

“I’m my own woman,” Grace replied. “I decide how I wish to be addressed and by whom, Heller. Zeke respects that or we’d have parted ways already.”

“Then you must call me Erick,” he answered, “Grace.”

Grace smirked at him. “If Webster will not object.”

Erick’s cheeks flamed, but before he could babble an excuse, Grace’s smile softened.

“You have nothing to fear here. You’ve seen how Logan and MacRae are treated.

The others may joke and tease at first, but they will not judge you for following your heart.

Heaven knows they’d have left already if they were the type to judge, what with my relationship with Zeke. ”

Once again Erick gave silent thanks to any power that was listening for his good fortune at meeting Cade and finding a home at Wellspring.

“There is nothing for Cade—Webster—to object to,” he admitted, hoping his regret was not reflected in his voice.

“I had been aiding him to improve his literacy, that is all.” And he still wasn’t sure whether even that would continue.

“That is between you and him,” Grace said. “But if those reading lessons turn into something more, you are still safe and welcome here, Erick.”

Erick offered her the same formal bow he would have made to a princess. “I will do all in my power to keep you safe as well,” he vowed.

CADE TOSSED his bedroll under his bunk and flopped down on the mattress. After three days in the saddle and sleeping rough, it felt like heaven. Before he could settle, Chel kicked the bottom of his boot.

“I’m done with the shower. Get in there and get cleaned up before you stink up the whole bunkhouse. None of us want to smell you.”

Cade closed his eyes and ignored her. He just wanted a few minutes to rest. He’d take a shower before dinner. Or maybe he’d take one during dinner so he could put off seeing Erick a little longer.

Chel kicked him in the shin this time. “Oww!”

“Shower. Now.”

Before she could lame his other leg as well, he pushed himself to his feet and shuffled toward the shower building.

He could hear water running as he stripped out of his dusty gear and tossed it on the bench.

Probably Kit , he thought as he walked into the humid space, only to find himself face to wet, naked ass with the one man he’d been trying to avoid for nearly a week.

He almost turned around and walked right back out, Chel be damned, but he wasn’t quite that much of a coward. He cleared his throat. “Um, hi, Erick.”

Erick spun around in surprise—he obviously hadn’t heard Cade come in. For a moment Cade thought he was going to turn his back on him again, but Erick stood his ground, swallowed, and met Cade’s eyes. “Welcome home, Cade.”

Cade forced himself to keep his gaze fixed on Erick’s face rather than let it wander the way he wanted. “Thanks. It’s good to be home. I… um, well, I missed our reading lessons.”

He’d missed a hell of a lot more than just their lessons, but that seemed the safest thing to focus on. And maybe if they could start their lessons back, he could find a way to talk to Erick about what he really wanted to say.

Erick’s posture eased and a corner of his mouth twitched up. “We yet have most of the alphabet to get through. Perhaps after dinner, if you are not too tired.”

“After dinner would be great,” Cade said. He stepped under the spray of water and let it cool the burning excitement inside him. “Did I miss anything interesting while I was out on the range?”

The tense posture was back. “Indeed you did. Herr Reichardt and one of his men. He tried to importune Grace, and threaten her when she would have none of him. I am afraid he did not take her rejection well.”

Grace, is it ? Cade didn’t think she let anyone but Payne call her by her given name. It would seem things had gotten more than a little interesting in his absence. “Better not let Payne hear you call her that. He might decide to ‘importune’ you. As for Reichardt, I hope she shot him in the ass.”

“I am assured that Grace decides how she wishes to be addressed and by whom.” That was definitely a twinkle in Erick’s eyes. Cade only wished he’d been the one to put it there. “There was no shooting, though it took Grace, MacRae, and myself threatening it to convince them to depart.”

Cade let out a low whistle. “If MacRae was involved, you’re lucky it didn’t end up a full-blown shootout. He’s on a hair trigger anyway, but the one thing guaranteed to set him off is someone threatening a woman.”

It was the reason Cade trusted Mac. He’d come to Chel’s defense in town without knowing who she was or what had led to the argument. He simply couldn’t stand to see a woman in danger.

“It is fortunate Payne was not present, or I would not have been able to prevent it,” Erick admitted. “I know Grace will warn him, but I also know men of Reichardt’s kind. I fear much worse is to come.”

Cade was afraid Erick was right about what was coming, but he’d gotten one thing wrong.

“Payne won’t start anything, no matter the provocation.

He can’t. They’d have him lynched before we could do a thing to stop them.

No, he’ll defend himself and Wellspring, but he won’t fire the first shot.

MacRae, now… he might. Hell, I might if they push me the wrong way.

But Miz Roarke would beat me like a rented mule if I did. ”

Erick finished rinsing and picked up the towel he had slung over the shower wall. He wrapped it around his waist and turned back to Cade. “I will see you at dinner, then?”

Cade turned to face him fully, giving Erick a chance to look if he wanted to. “I wouldn’t miss it.”

“That is good.” Erick’s eyes didn’t wander the way Cade hoped they might, but his lips curved in a shy smile. “I missed you, Cade.” Before Cade could reply, he was gone.

Well, fuck. How was Cade supposed to interpret that? He couldn’t stop the glimmer of hope in his chest. He’d have to hope reading lessons tonight weren’t all Erick was willing to share with him.

He finished washing up quickly and headed back to the bunkhouse. He definitely didn’t want to be late to dinner tonight!