SWAT Ed: Fox & Bull (Nothing Special 8)

Amelia and his dad went out of their way to make Fox feel welcome at their dining table as Bull shoveled his food into his mouth to avoid conversation. Anytime his father asked him a question or looked at him to elaborate on something he mentioned about the ranch, Bull pointed to his bulging cheeks. He just wanted to hurry up and eat and get back to why Fox was there. Because the sooner he solved this vandalism problem, the sooner he could go home. And the sooner Bull could accept his life for what it was.

“Son, why don’t you tell Fox about the Arabian you just got? Now that’s one beautiful animal.” His dad set up for him again. “Bull’s rescue and training program has really taken off.”

“Oh, he’s so pretty,” Amelia added from beside his father. “I wish I could still jump on a horse and ride until my bum is sore. If only I was ten years younger.”

“Yeah, he’s beautiful. But he’ll buck you all the way to Montana if you try to ride him,” Bull muttered. “I got my work cut out for me with this one.”

“Mmhmm,” Fox hummed, cutting his eyes to Bull. “I wouldn’t mind watching you.”

“It takes weeks, sometimes months, to train an abused horse. To get him to trust again.”

Fox nodded, and he looked dead into Bull’s eyes when he responded. “Good thing I don’t plan on leaving.”

Amelia gasped and threw her hand over her huge smile, but Bull was thankful he held in his own shock.

Fox grinned. “Not for a while, anyway. I take my job just as seriously as you take yours, Bull. I’m here to protect your family and your business… for as long as that takes.”

Bull didn’t want to acknowledge how good it felt to be sitting at the head of his table, his father to his right and Fox to his left. He couldn’t remember how many times he’d wished for this. But it all felt like a mirage. Something that he’d run full speed towards, overwhelmed with excitement to finally have something he’d been thirsting for forever… only to have it disappear just as it was in arm’s reach.

“I’m sure you’ll miss the city and head back in no time,” Bull grumbled, then got up and left the table without so much as an excuse me.

Fox sat back in his seat and drank some more of the good coffee Amelia continued to refill his mug with. “I’m so sorry about that, Fox. He’s not usually so rude to company. I just don’t know what’s gotten—”

“I know exactly why. And don’t you worry about it, Ms. Amelia,” Fox reassured her as she sadly began to clear the table. “I’m sure it’s just stress. I know how I’d react if someone came after what I loved most.”

“Well, I hope you got more arrows in your quiver, son, because I don’t think Bull is going to make this easy on ya,” Walker said, then slowly got up. “I think he knows you’re here to catch more than just some hoodlums.”

“Oh, I got a few, sir,” Fox reassured. He’d seen the stubborn reservation in Bull’s eyes. Fox was already rehashing a new plan when Walker Sr. interrupted his thoughts.

“Don’t hurt him. Okay?” The sorrow in Walker’s tone made Fox pause. “I like to consider myself a damn good judge of character, and from the moment I saw you with Captain Hart, well, I knew you was double backboned. The kinda man Dominic deserves.”

Fox didn’t know if he was the man Bull deserved or not, but he was there to at least find out.

“I saw the way Bull looked at ya when you came to visit before. I should’ve known he wasn’t as fine as he was puttin’ on living out here alone. He’s been through a lot, Fox… and he’s lost a lot. More than I ever had, and more than any man should.” Walker stared at the head of the table where his son had been. “Life continues to knock him off his horse, but I’ll be damned if he doesn’t get right back up, dust off his hat, and keep riding.

“That’s why he’s Big Bull… and not me.”

“Yes, sir.” I won’t hurt your son. Fox nodded, meeting Walker’s eyes. He’d keep his word if it was the last thing he did.

Mr. Walker retired to the living room after the maintenance men had finished clearing the glass away. He settled in his chair in front of the window overlooking the ranch while Fox sat alone at the table. Walker had left him with a lot to think about. He heard Amelia humming in the kitchen while she did her thing, but he didn’t join her. It wasn’t time to question her. Yet. Maybe after supper he’d ask Amelia to go for a walk and show him the property from her viewpoint… and anyone she thought may want to harm it.