Earth and Sky

sawing wood to make hurdles for Bernie, who was training her horse for jumping. He and Hunter had always agreed that Bernie wasn’t a rodeo girl, being attracted to the more formal types of riding, and she’d taken up three-day eventing. Hunter had bought her a fine horse that could tackle all three events—the dressage, jumping, and cross-country—and she was training every day after school.

    The work gave Grant time to think and come up with the nerve to ask Hunter for another few days off. He’d neglected going home for more weeks than he cared to think about, and despite his anxiety about asking Hunter for something he wasn’t ready to explain, he knew he couldn’t put it off any longer.

    After finishing off the long beams and crossbeams for the jumps, he loaded them onto the pickup truck and drove out to the riding paddock that was cordoned off for Bernie to use. They’d marked out where he’d have to put which hurdles, so he unloaded what he needed in the right spots. It was hard work, but Grant was a strong guy, so he managed. Building up the circuit was another thing, though, and he knew he’d need one of the other men to help him out.

    “Need a hand with that?” Hunter asked.

    “I thought about asking some of the ranch hands to help me out later,” Grant replied. He didn’t want to confront Hunter here, knowing it would be a difficult conversation. The plan had been to talk to him in the office after he finished up in the paddock, so neither would lose their tempers in public, or say things that weren’t meant for all ears.

    “I can help,” Hunter said happily. “I’m pretty much done with my week’s work, and since it’s Friday, I thought we could discuss what we’re doing this weekend.”

    Grant looked around to see whether there was anyone within earshot who could hear them. Hunter was becoming careless, he thought, although none of the crew seemed to be around.

    “Jack and his band are playing at the Barrel Run tomorrow, and tonight there’s a big football game on. I heard some of the guys saying they were all going to watch it together at Dave’s house, which means we’ll have the crew house to ourselves for two evenings in a row,” Hunter said, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

    “Listen, Hunter,” Grant started, righting his back so he stood his full height. “I was going to ask for a few days off next week. Possibly Monday and Tuesday, and I need to leave tonight. I’ll be back as soon as I can.” Grant knew that having the crew house to themselves was rare. It meant they could spend time in Grant’s room without worrying who could see or hear them. He was tempted to postpone his trip, but Hunter seemed to come up with enticing things to do every weekend, and every time it became harder to put him off, so Grant knew he had to stand his ground. Even if that meant seeing the disappointment in his Cowboy’s face. “I’m sorry, Hunter.”

    “Still no explanation, I see?”

    Grant shook his head. “Trust me when I say you can be sure I won’t do anything you won’t like.”

    Hunter pursed his lips. “It’s a little hard to trust you when you disappear at a moment’s notice because you have more important things to do than spend time with your lover .” Hunter whispered that last word, as if he needed to make sure that this most incendiary term was only heard by Grant.

    Before Grant could react, Hunter had turned on his heels and was determinedly walking out of the paddock.

    Grant was tempted to follow him, take Hunter’s arm and pull him back, but short of actually telling him where he was going and why, he didn’t think Hunter could be persuaded to see his side. With a deep sigh and an ache in his stomach, he let his Cowboy walk away.

    He had done all he could do for Bernie’s jumping course, so he surveyed the dirt-covered paddock and hoped she would like what he’d done. He walked in the direction of the crew house, hoping somehow to meet Hunter along the way, but his Cowboy was nowhere to be found.

    After a quick shower and donning his leathers, Grant packed his duffel bag with a change of clothes and strapped it to his motorcycle before speeding off the ranch. He’d stop somewhere along the way to eat and then continue his way west to Portland. Right now he wanted to put as much distance between himself and Hunter’s ranch as he could. Hopefully what was waiting for him was worth it, and he’d be able to clear his mind and make the