"It's been a tough couple of days. He saved my life. Four times, actually."
"Four times?" She let out a low whistle. "And?"
"And I think Mitch should tell you what happened." I wasn't about to explain being a trespasser on their land or Doug's death without Mitch there to back me up.
“Oh, come on, don’t leave me hanging. The suspense is killing me.” Her smile was so beautiful that I imagined hardly anyone could say no to her.
“Sorry. It’s just?—"
Cassidy studied me for a moment, then her jaw tightened. "Fine. I’ll get it out of Mitch."
The rest of the flight passed in awkward silence.
When we touched down at the ranch, another man came out to meet us. He was older than Kayden, with dark hair and a neatly trimmed beard. He had the same strong features as his brothers, but his skin wasn’t as weathered by the sun.
Cassidy opened my door. "Declan," she called over the dying rotors. "Come help Charlie out."
“Charlie?” Declan strode over and offered his hand. "Oh, hi. You all right?"
"I'm fine," I said, gripping his hand as I slid out of the seat.
"Mitch found Razor," Cassidy said. "He and Kayden are riding back. Should be here by sundown." She headed for the stairs of the large wraparound verandah. She glanced back at me. "I'll have Bella fix you something to eat."
"Oh, you don't have to go to any trouble."
"No trouble." She disappeared inside.
I hobbled alongside Declan, my body suddenly screaming with every ache I'd been ignoring.
He glanced down at me, his brow furrowing. "You don't look fine to me."
"Gee, thanks," I muttered, trying to make a joke.
"I mean, you look like you've been through hell." He swept a long lock of hair away from his face, and I noticed a pale scar running across his left cheek. "Let's get you inside and cleaned up."
The next few hours passed in a blur. Cassidy and Declan looked after me, bringing food and asking careful questions about my injuries. As I devoured sandwiches and a divine lemon cupcake that Bella brought from the kitchen, they pressed for details. I didn't answer most of their questions, but I had to explain why I was wearing Mitch's socks. I told them about the rabbit, the dingo attack, and how Mitch had saved me yet again. After that, they gave me privacy in the bathroom to clean up.
By the time I emerged from the bathroom, scrubbed clean and smelling much better, I was beginning to feel human again. In the large bedroom, Cassidy had put clothes and a first-aid kit on the bed, along with a note telling me to help myself.
I perched on the edge of the bed and examined my feet. The blisters that had burst were angry red and crusted with dirt despite my shower. The ones still intact bulged like bubble wrap. I cleaned around the broken ones with antiseptic wipes, gritting my teeth against the sting, then dabbed on antibiotic cream. The intact blisters I left alone, they were the only thing protecting the raw skin underneath.
With my feet propped on a pillow, I slathered moisturizer over my sunburned face and body. Every inch of exposed skin felt tight and hot to the touch.
The pair of worn jeans Cassidy had left fit surprisingly well, as did the soft, blue cotton shirt, and fresh underwear that still had a store tag.
I wandered through the old homestead, taking in the high ceilings with their exposed beams. Wide hallways lined with black-and-white photographs of stern-faced men on horseback and women in long dresses standing before this very house. Worn floorboards creaked under my feet, and everything about the place spoke of generations of Bransons who had lived here.
I found Cassidy and Declan sitting out on the verandah, sipping beers and watching the sun bleed across the horizon.
"Here, take mine," Declan said, standing and offering me his chair.
I sat beside Cassidy. "Thank you for the clothes. I'll get them back to you as soon as?—"
Cassidy waved me off. "Keep them. They look better on you anyway." She handed me an open bottle of beer, and I accepted.
"Here come the cowboys now," Declan said, nodding toward a distant hill.
I squinted and saw the plume of dust before I saw the riders.