Wild and Unruly

Chapter 7

By Tuesday evening, the calving had slowed to a more manageable pace. More and more cows were out at pasture, and a new group identity was forming as the herd adjusted to the influx of new members. Niall was still on duty, his shoulders sagging as he leaned on the old split-rail fence that separated the near pasture from what Louis had heard the wranglers call the "west-facing slope," the parcel of pretty land that included, a few acres away on its far side, the creek and the hillside where Jolene had given birth.

Louis watched him curiously as he stood in the shadow of the calving barn, holding his manure fork in one hand. He thought he could see some agitation in Niall's face, in the set of his slight, whip-lean body. The conversation Louis had overheard two days before had lingered in his mind, and he'd been on the verge of asking Harry about it a couple of times. Something always stopped him, though. Mainly the suspicion that money wasn't a subject Harry wanted to discuss with him. I still technically work for TwistCorp, he thought, letting the implications of that fact and what it meant for the future of their relationship swirl nervously around in his belly. I didn't quit... Maybe he thought I would. And Harry's friendship with Niall was so old, and in some ways so private, that Louis didn't want to disturb the workings of it. Louis thought that inserting himself into the disagreement that was brewing between them would feel too much like brushing off the hay Jolene still liked to cover Sally and Paul with when they lay down to sleep -- too invasive, too bold.

Louis sighed. A bright glow bobbed in the dusk as Niall pulled his phone out of his pocket and thumbed over it for a second. Then he tugged his walkie-talkie from the holster at his left hip and held it up to his mouth.

I wonder what's going on.

Louis turned away when he saw Harry stalking across the front yard to the trucks a few moments later, shrugging his jacket on. It was getting late, and there was a sharp smell in the air, like someone had started a bonfire out on the land somewhere. Louis leaned the fork up against the side of the barn, putting Niall out of his mind as he jogged over to Harry.

"Hey," he said, tugging on his sleeve. He felt a zip in his heart when Harry glanced down at him. He was in full rough-rancher mode, hair falling in loose ringlets under his Stetson, face on the edge of a frown.

His expression softened a touch when he saw who it was. "Hey, baby," he said, twirling his key ring around and clasping it in his palm. "I've gotta go into town. Out of disinfectant for the OB equipment, apparently. And toilet paper."

Louis snorted, wrapping his arms around Harry's waist. "You've been up since 4 a.m.," he said. "You sure you can drive?"

"I'll be fine," Harry sighed. It looked like something else was bothering him -- Louis didn't miss the way he glanced over his shoulder, eyes searching until they fixed on Niall. He shook his head and turned away again, face unreadable as he moved to unlock the truck.

"Give me your keys," Louis said, snatching them from his hand. "Text me what to get."

"Louis," Harry frowned, looking a little defeated. "It's your vacation, and you're already basically working for me for free --" Louis thought he saw Harry wince a little at that, and he cut in.

"I want to," he said, firmly, putting a hand on Harry's forearm and giving it a light, comforting squeeze. "I'm doing that stuff because I want to do it. And I wouldn't mind a change of scenery from the barn, anyway. Might stop by Liam's for a drink."

"But..."

"No buts. Until I get back."

Louis shook his head at himself as he was saying it, but Harry snorted and gave him a little smile, relenting. He dropped a kiss to the corner of Louis's mouth and told him to head to Walmart, that he would text him a list on the way.