Western Flame

Chapter 3

The back lots at the auction yard were a hive of activity as Tanner wove his way through the crowds at the end of the sale. He spotted Rowan chatting with a group of friends, laughing, most of them with ropes in their hands, waiting to get to work to load up livestock. Roman spotted him and Tanner waved him over. It was time to get those cattle loaded up.

"That was awesome!" Rowan exclaimed, jogging up to Tanner, slapping his back. "I can't believe they sold that high!"

Tanner grinned at Rowan's enthusiasm. He could use some of that energy right now. Harry had raised a good kid and he needed to talk to Jake about giving out a bonus from the money they'd just made. The whole crew should get something. It had been a wild year, and he'd relied on his men more than ever.

"Good day today," he agreed.

The suit that had bought their lot of steers was making his way down, and Tanner unfolded the copy of the records to give to him. He recognized him from a big feeder lot south of Calgary as he got closer. They'd bought his grass-fed cattle many times over the years.

"Grant," he said and shook hands with the man when they reached him.

"Your cattle are getting expensive, West," Grant said amiably. "But they're worth it. Good lot today. I've already got 'em spoken for."

"Glad to hear it. Here's the records. Your rig here yet?" Tanner replied and handed over the paperwork. Grant ran his eye down it and nodded, stuffing it into his own file folder.

"Just up there. Waiting in line. I'm a man short today, can yours give me a hand? I have three lots to load up."

"Of course. Ro and I can pinch in."

They observed the hum of activity around them, the idling rigs inching forward every so often, the clatter of hooves and bawling cattle noisy, yet familiar sounds. Tanner let the stress of the sale ebb out of him, passively watching the wranglers opened the pen gates, making a tunnel that the crews herded the cows up. A rusty stock trailer pulled up, and Dermott hopped out of the truck. He flagged the gate crew with his lot number, and a horn blew from the PA pole.

"Bull comin'!" was the echo, and people moved back as the gates were repositioned. You didn't mess with a bull that was being herded out onto a rig. Grant stepped back with Tanner as a gate was swung across their area.

"Good looking fellow there. Sorry you missed out on him."

"Easy come, easy go. We'll get the next one," Tanner deflected. Truthfully, he was still sore about losing out to Dermott. The price they'd gotten for their head today more than made up for it, but he still had a very dumb urge to beat the smirk off that jerk's face.

How Dermott had kissed Liana knowing full well everyone was watching hadn't helped. The way she'd stiffened and pushed away, he knew exactly what she was thinking at that moment. She had never liked being pawed at in public. If Dermott kept it up, all bets were off if he'd make it to the end of the day uninjured. That she was letting him touch her to begin with had stirred him up, but she bothered him at the best of times, and seeing her with another man was no exception.

Dermott stayed put, his new bull slowly meandering up towards the loading chute, stopping to smell the air, looking around him with an air of superiority. He seemed like a laid back sonofabitch, no hurry in him at all. The crew from Bar C were all standing back, oddly, and to a one, had their arms crossed and amused looks on their faces. No one moved to help load the animal.

Maybe there was a reason they were selling him in January. Tanner leaned on the edge of the boards to watch. This could get interesting.

One of the yard wranglers gave the bull a pat on his rump with a coiled rope from the back of his horse. "Come on now, git movin'," he drawled, and the bull kicked out, the horse dodging back along the chute. The crowd laughed. The wrangler uncoiled a length of his rope and gave the bull a thwack.