SWAT Ed: Fox & Bull (Nothing Special 8)

“’Bout time you answered,” his dad said softly. “You skipped breakfast, son.”

“What?” Bull checked his watch. “Shit.” Not only had he missed breakfast, but he only had fifteen minutes before his first training session started. He jumped up and shoved his chair under his desk.

“Son. Maybe Fox had to—”

“Not now, Pop. I gotta get to work.” Bull gently brushed past his father, not wanting to see that pitying look.

If Fox had vanished again, there wasn’t anything Bull could do about it.

Bull had just finished a forty-minute trail hike with a group of the advanced riders and was on his way to the barn when Dale eased up beside him on Brandy, his light bay quarter horse. “Nice ride, huh?”

Bull nodded. “Yeah, this group is really coming along. You guys keep moving them from intermediate so fast, we might have to break them up soon.”

“They’ve become a pretty close bunch. Probably won’t like the idea of splittin’,” Dale murmured. His mouth barely moved when he spoke, nothing except for the short piece of straw sticking from corner of his lips.

“We’ll think of something,” Bull responded solemnly. He wasn’t in the mood to talk. Hadn’t been all day. He nodded at the few riders who’d considerately stayed to help provide after-ride care for the horses as Shannon wheeled over a cart of hot chocolate to warm everyone up.

It was almost time for his three-o’clock session, but he was of the mind to ask Garvin to cover it for him. Bull couldn’t get over the heavy feeling in the pit of his stomach at not knowing what had happened to Fox, and it was fucking up his day. He didn’t like being in the dark. It was prohibited for any of his staff, including him, to use their cell phones while on a ride, so he couldn’t check the online news.

After the few moments he and Fox had shared in each other’s space, he didn’t want to believe Fox would’ve disappeared without good cause. Which could only mean… Bull exhaled roughly, causing Dale to frown in his direction, but his foreman didn’t say anything.

What if Fox’s team had responded to a call and he’d gotten injured and couldn’t message him? What if things had turned deadly like they had in the past? Bull’s head continued to spin wild tales until he knew he needed to get somewhere and calm himself down. He’d been avoiding going back to the house since he’d skipped breakfast, but if he didn’t put something in his stomach soon, he was liable to pass out.

“You feeling all right?” Dale asked. “You seemed off on the trail… like you were distracted.”

“Hmm.”

“Wanna go for another ride tonight?” Dale asked.

“I’ll let you know.”

“Or…” Dale muttered. “I’ll come over and watch some PBR with you and Walker… unleash the beast is starting tonight. Whattaya say?”

Bull shrugged. A good rodeo show might be the best way to keep his mind occupied.

“Hey, boss.” Rid rode up on his bay Morgan, his eyes lingering on Dale longer than him. “Want me to take Brandy and groom her for you, Dale?”

“Naw. I got a session in thirty minutes,” Dale answered, barely sparing Rid a glance.

“Heard you guys talking about the PBR tonight when I was riding by.” Rid paused, grinning awkwardly when he nor Dale commented. Bull had too much on his mind to hold pleasant conversation. “Anyway. My college has a roping competition that I’m gonna enter in this spring. I been practicing my ass off.”

Dale nodded, but he never met Rid’s eyes.

“I guess I’ll see y’all tomorrow,” Rid ended up mumbling, and turned away.

“Sure. Um… Let us know when you compete, Rid. We’ll come watch or…” Bull said to Rid’s already retreating back. Damn. He was just about to ask Dale if he knew what was up with the younger man until he started speaking first.

“I haven’t seen the land surveyor today. What’d he do, sleep in? Fuckin’ lazy-ass city—”

“You’ve known him one day,” Bull bit out.

“I didn’t know you knew him longer.”

Bull pinned Dale with a hard glare, and he could see when he got the point. The conversation was over.

Dale clicked his teeth at Brandy and trotted off, stopping several feet away to let a couple of ladies pet her. Bull dismounted and began to walk Mercy back to the barn so he could cool down. Once he was inside and away from onlookers, Bull sighed and leaned into his friend. He quickly loosened his cinch so he could breathe a bit easier, then rubbed along his chin.

“Dale’s right… I don’t know Fox,” Bull whispered near Mercy’s head. “But damn if I don’t wanna know him, boy.”

He removed Mercy’s tack and rubbed his back to comfort him, but he was also checking him for any sores. He smiled for a brief moment when he thought of his dad watching him from afar, and him and Amelia making their usual fun at Bull’s rigorous after-ride care. Was he a little extra and overprotective of his horse? Hell yeah. But he’d almost lost him a few years ago to that flood… They’d saved each other’s lives. Paying him extra attention was Bull’s way of saying he loved him and thank you. If Mercy hadn’t come for him, Bull may have been washed away in that flood with everything else on his ranch.