The Vicky Series: Book 3: Living A Dream

Chapter 28

Quin bit his cheek. Damn. He did make the rule before he left them while she was carrying Lizzy. So this was all his doing?

"Thanks anyway." He grumbled and stepped out on the porch to collect his thoughts.

Something wasn't right. If he didn't know better, he'd swear he was jealous. But that was ridiculous. As Bo pointed out, he was following orders and just helping out. There wasn't anything untoward by helping out folks in need, especially when they were helping you out. Hell, isn't that what he did for the Kelley's when they ...Damnation.

That was when he'd fallen in love with Vicky...He swallowed the last of his coffee and was about to send Bo back to the bunkhouse when the door opened and six little munchkins came scrambling out to say good morning to Pa. With his attention sufficiently diverted, he felt his spirits lifting. Then Vicky joined them and when their eyes met, his happiness was complete.

"I've said my goodbye's." he whispered after he shooed them inside to eat the breakfast Bo announced was ready. "And they've promised to behave when I leave after breakfast."

"Ah. If this is to be the last of our time with you, then let us make the most of it. No more talk of goodbye." She smiled sadly as he opened the door for her and nodded agreement.

He left the noise of his family as he headed for the barn and then the hills. He wanted to catch up with all of his men today if he could. As he rode he thought about all the little things his family did that he was going to miss. As his eyes began to burn he shook his head and laughed. Vicky was so much better with these goodbyes.

Perhaps it was that the children kept her too busy, or perhaps she was just stronger than he. But he was sure she wasn't this emotional about their parting. She was just too damned sensible.

Quin was soaked and frozen before he caught up with the first of his men that afternoon. Three days later he couldn't remember what it felt like to be dry...or warm. Late in the morning the weather gave them a reprieve. It was still cold as hell but at least it stopped raining for a spell. Quin laughed at his men as they worked. They took bets as to how long the rain would hold off.

They worked quickly in the absence of the downpour and although the mud made everything more strenuous, they managed to build up the temporary corral. He left them to gather the strays in the area and set out to the north to round up the strays from the valley. It would be prime for mudslides and he couldn't afford to lose any stock...not if he was to recover from a four year absence.

As the afternoon wore on the rain again started. He pulled his hat down and adjusted his slicker. Jonah nickered his protest; he didn't like the mud and cold rain either. The rain quickly became a downpour that made any further progress impossible. He looked around for the best place to get out of the weather and let out a noise somewhere between a grunt and a scoff but definitely a noise of disgust.

He might have laughed, or maybe smiled...but his face was frozen. Instead of a sarcastic chuckle he mumbled a string of expletives. It didn't make anything better, but it helped to vent a little of his frustration. As if to express his mutual displeasure, Jonah bobbed his head and snorted. Vicky claimed he was smart and could understand her. Quin almost believed her as Jonah's timing was uncanny.

This rain had gone on for so long there was no place for them to get "out of the weather". The trees were saturated and their leaves and branches no longer offered any protection from the dripping on the rain. Not that anywhere near a tree was a good place to be in a thunderstorm...on top of a mountain. The ground was saturated and the mud was soft. Poor Jonah sank almost to his knees in places.