My Rowdy Cowboy. (3B Ranch Series) Book 2

19

She looked at the posts and post hole digger and looked at the men, "I can help." She said, ready to jump into ranch work.

"Well now," Beau began, "that would be real nice. We don't get to work along side pretty girls very often."

Charity grinned, giggled and shrugged. "I can pour dirt in the hole and I can stomp it down too, I can stomp really good."

"Can ya now?" Beau asked smiling. "Well now, that sure would be a big help." He found a wooden 2x2 that was about three feet long, light enough for her to handle. He gave the last hole more tamping as an example.

"Ok, Uncle Beau." she said taking the wooden tamper. "How many do we have to do?" She asked looking at how many the men had already completed.

Rowdy pointed to the string line guide that ended at the next paddock. The men all turned aside so she wouldn't see their smiles as her eyes widened in dismay.

"Oooo. That's lot of stomping, but I can do it."

She worked steadily tamping the dirt around fence posts for about thirty minutes. Beau was about to call a halt before she got sore or wore blisters on her hands when his daughters came around the barn on a four wheeler.

"We've been looking for you, Charity," Ava spoke to her cousin grinning. "Nana is going to make cookies and wants to know if you'll come help."

"Cookies?" The eight year old said. She looked at the distance they still had to complete and then at Rowdy crestfallen. "But, I promised to help with all these fence things.."

"Go on, honey. Have some fun and make us some cookies." Rowdy told her with a smile. "You've worked enough for today. Maybe you can help make enough extras for us to swipe some for some milk and cookies tonight." He said.

"Really? It... it's ok to quit? There's still a lot more dirt to stomp."

"That's ok, sweetheart. Extra cookies will be a real good reason for us to do it by ourselves." Rowdy assured her and the other men nodded.

Beau said, "Maybe you can help Nana remember to make some chocolate chip cookies for me."

"Me too," Brett said. "Mmm mmm, with walnuts. I can taste 'em now. You make sure there's enough left for us, maybe even a few sprinkles, ok?"

Charity grinned, "Ok. I'll make sure."

Brett picked her up and after giving her a quick kiss on the head, he placed her on the four wheeler in front of Kaylee.

"Thanks for helping, honey," Beau told her seriously. "Sure goes faster when you've got so much extra help and and having such pretty help is a major bonus."

"You're welcome, Uncle Beau. Can I help again another time?"

"Sure you can," Brett said. "You can help anytime. I'm always glad to work with a pretty girl."

"Have fun," Rowdy called as Kaylee backed the four wheeler around and they began to zoom across the land.

"Keep it to a minimum, speed demon," Beau called to their backs. Both his daughters raised one hand to let him know they had heard... not that they would comply... but they had heard.

***

Later that day, Kaylee, and Ava went out riding. Charity was beginning to stiffen up from all the tamping and stomping and was happy to stay and "help" her gramma that she had begun to call Lillie.

Beau had insisted that the girls take a hand with them. It didn't take them long to ask if it be Topper, Kaylee in particular had a huge crush him. A

For extra safety Topper strapped a rifle and scabbard to his and Kaylee's saddle. Kaylee preferred her father's Winchester .40/40 lever action. While Ava had borrowed Rowdy's revolver.  Both girls were well trained in firearms safety and were very skilled with their weapons.