“Dad used to eat like that.” Beau took a seat. “Is that what killed him?”
“You didn’t hear?” Will’s thick, black eyebrows shot up. “The old man was living on booze and pain pills by the time he died. The coroner’s report listed his death as an accidental overdose. But his heart and arteries were fine. You missed a lot, being gone.”
“I’m aware of that.” Beau sipped his strong, black coffee. “I was in Iraq when he had his accident. Otherwise I might’ve come home.”
“Just as well you didn’t. There wasn’t much you could’ve done. We hired folks to help him. But he was in constant pain. God knows he wasn’t easy to live with before the accident. Afterward, well, I think you can figure that out.”
Bernice bustled in with a wire basket of fresh eggs from the coop. She paused at the sight of them together in the kitchen. She’d come to work at the ranch after her husband died more than thirty years ago and was as much a part of Rimrock as her older brother Jasper. “My, but it’s good to have both you boys in here again. What can I fix for you, Beau? Bacon? Eggs? You like them over easy as I recollect.”
“Coffee’s enough for me, Bernice. And yours is the best. I can’t get it this good for five bucks a shot in D.C.”
“So you’ve decided?” Will lowered his fork to his plate. “On the basis of Bernice’s coffee?” Impatient at the lightness of Beau’s response, Will snapped. “Dammit, you said you’d let me know this morning, Beau. I’m waiting.”
Beau could almost picture his father sitting in Will’s place. He sucked in his breath, knowing that once the words were out of his mouth, they’d be binding.
“Let’s say I’ve decided to stay for a while. My job entitles me to two weeks off for bereavement. I hadn’t planned on taking it, but I’ll call the office today.”
“And?” Will was bristling with impatience.
“I’ll stick around long enough to give this place a try. At the end of that time, I’ll make a final decision. Fair enough?” It would have to be. Beau was already having doubts, wondering whether he and Will could get along over the long term.
Will sat silently, frowning as he mulled over what he’d heard. At last he shrugged. “Not quite what I’d hoped for, but I guess, for you, it makes sense. At least your timing’s good. We start spring roundup today. You’ll have plenty of chances to get those callus-free hands dirty.”
Beau sighed, already knowing what he’d let himself in for. “Suits me. I’m wearing my old boots, but I’ll need some gear—chaps, gloves, a hat, a saddle . . .”
“No problem. We’ve got extras in the bunkhouse. Think you can remember how to work cattle?”
“It’ll come back to me.” Beau remembered his teenage years on the ranch, riding herd until his butt blistered and his stomach caved in from hunger. Bull Tyler had been a hard taskmaster, even tougher on his sons than he was on his cowhands. Something told Beau that Will would be the same.
Picking up his empty plate, he held it out to the smiling cook. “Fill it up, Bernice. Looks like it’ll be a long, hard day.”
They were just finishing their plates when Erin came bounding in the back door. Bits of straw clung to her sweatshirt and her uncombed hair. Her cheeks were flushed, her blue eyes sparkling.
“How’s your new foal?” Beau asked her.
“Fine. He’s eating now.” She splashed her hands at the sink and wiped them on her jeans before flinging herself into a chair at the end of the table. “Sky let me brush him. He said I need to touch him a lot and spend a lot of time with him before I go back to school on Monday. That way he’ll remember me. It’s called imprinting.”
If imprinting was to be done right, it had to begin within forty-five minutes of a foal’s birth. Beau realized that was why Sky had brought Erin into the stall so soon last night.
Will frowned. “That mare could get protective of her baby. You’re not alone out there with that horse, are you?”
“Really, Daddy, I’m almost thirteen!” Erin poured herself a glass of milk and laced it with chocolate syrup.
“You won’t be thirteen till next
January, and I asked you a question, young lady.”
“All right. Sky was there at first, but he had to go help with the remuda, so he called Jasper. Jasper was with me the whole rest of the time.”
“Good. I want to know that somebody’s always with you in the barn.” Will rose and carried his plate to the sink. Erin was already digging into the pancakes Bernice had set in front of her.
“Have you named your foal yet?” Beau asked.
Erin grinned. “I have. His parents have Spanish names, so I’m going to call him Tesoro. In Spanish that means treasure.”
“Why, honey, that sounds just perfect,” Bernice exclaimed. “Wait till your mother sees him!”
Will shot her a half-irritated look, a shadow passing across his face, before he pinned his glance on Beau. “Are you coming, Beau? We still need to rustle you some gear from the bunkhouse.”