Lost Memories (Honky Tonk Hearts) (4 page)

He released the horses out to pasture and topped off the outside water tubs before going in search of the others.

Had Darcy showed up this morning? He bet she’d been late. He stopped at the cow barn and noted clean stalls.

Where is everyone?

Nick continued to the goats’ feeding tub in the next barn. Big chunks of brown and tan filled the bucket.

What the hell?

He reached in, lifted a handful to his nose and sniffed. Unable to help himself, he chuckled. The tenderfoot had fed the goats
dog
food. He tossed the food back into the bin. She’d prove him right by the end of the week.

Ambling out of the barn, he started down the hill. What other animals had his brothers let her handle? A puttered
baa-baa
caught his attention to the right.

Damn the woman
. She’d put the sheep in the bull pen. Now things were getting dangerous. Lucky for her the bulls weren’t out...yet. Fisting his hands in irritation, he hurried his steps, sprinting around to the back. The gate to the deer run swung open in the slight breeze. He scanned left then right.
Who left the gate open?

Suddenly, his gaze narrowed on the small object of destruction running around the horse pasture, two deer sprinting away from her. The antler-less animals advanced halfway down the field before stopping to graze, giving Darcy time to catch up.

Chris moved in from the side, holding out a handful of grain, but the four-legged creature was more interested in his shirttails hanging loose at his waist.
He knows better than to have his clothing loose.

Darcy reached out to grab the animal, but the doe sprinted off before she gained hold. She stumbled into his youngest brother’s chest, and the two tumbled into a pile of straw.

A slight breeze carried the sound of their laughter to Nick’s ears. His fist clenched tight. What were they doing? This was no time for fun and games. He stomped closer, intending to break it up as the runt pushed himself to his feet and kicked the bedding at the new employee.

“Get those deer back in the pen!” he yelled, stopping their nonsense.

The pair jolted, and eyes so like his own narrowed in his direction as he closed the distance.

“Oh, hey, Nick. We had a problem with the deer.”

“I can see that.” He gritted his teeth. “What I want to know is why you’re standing here laughing instead of getting them back where they belong.”

Darcy’s face paled. “I’m sorry. Don’t be mad at Chris. It was my fault. He asked me to shut the gate.”

“No. I forgot to tell you the latch sticks open.” He laid a hand on her shoulder.

Nick looked from his brother’s hand, to Darcy, then to the most immature Matthews’s face. Suspicion ate at his gut and he narrowed his eyes. “I don’t give a damn who’s to blame. Get those deer back where they belong.” He inhaled to ward off his rising blood pressure. “There’s also the matter of moving the sheep from the pasture in front of the barn before Trent or Sam let the bulls out.”

“What?” The squirt frowned.

Nick’s sights settled on Darcy. “The sheep are in the bull pen.”

She shifted from one foot to the other and wiggled her fingers. “Me again, I’m afraid.”

Chris slapped his hat on his knee. “I should have specified what pasture.”

“Go get those damn deer before they cause problems.”

His brother hurried to corral the animals as one of the does headed into the horse barn.

Darcy started after him. “I’ll go help.”

“Not so fast.” Nick caught her arm in his hand. Cool, smooth skin registered under his fingers. He slid a thumb over her bicep as he loosened his hold, fighting the urge to pull her closer. Raising his sights from her arm to her face, his muscles tightened at the spark of interest lighting her eyes.

“This is my fault. I should help him.”

“I appreciate your honesty, but now that the does are in the horse barn, he won’t have any trouble.”

She frowned down to where his hand circled her thin arm. He let go.

“I know I messed up. I’ll make sure I get it right tomorrow.” Thin brows broke over expressive eyes. “Please don’t fire me.” Her chin lifted and tongue darted out to lick dry lips. “I love working with the animals. I’d never do anything to intentionally hurt them.”

He swallowed, his anger subsiding with her plea. At least she appeared remorseful. Respect filled him. She owned up to her mistakes, not letting Chris take the blame. A funny sensation fluttered in his torso. He rubbed his chest.

Aw, hell.
“I’m not going to fire you.”

“Thank you.” Relief shown on her face as she started forward. “I’ll go move the sheep.”

“There’s also the problem in the goat barn.”

Stopping, her brows and nose wrinkled in puzzlement.

How could he remain upset when she looked so damn cute? He pushed his hat back on his head. “Someone filled the tubs with dog food.”

He bit back a chuckle at her frustrated groan.

“I keep Dakota’s food up at the house. The bag must have gotten mixed up when Trent pulled the sacks of feed from the truck yesterday.”

“I’ll fix it right away.”

Nick admired the sway of her hips as she scurried toward the barn. This morning’s mix-ups presented the perfect opportunity to prove his point to the others
and
his mother, so why hadn’t he fired Darcy on the spot?

Her embarrassed little smile flashed in his mind together with the way she jutted her chin out in stubbornness, and the impact hit him with lightning speed.

Damn.
He was in trouble.

****

The next morning, Darcy scanned her living room as she pulled on her boots. Chris had called the one-story cabin small when he first warned her of the space. To her, the one bedroom, open living room, and kitchenette cabin was perfect. Everything she needed—dishes, towels, cupboards full with food. Her own place.

Making her way out the door, the sun peeked out from the horizon behind the buildings and a sense of peace surrounded her as she strolled to the barns.

Sam winked as she approached. “You look refreshed.”

“How could I not feel energized breathing in all this fresh air?”

“Mornin’,” Trent said in monotone from beside him.

“We missed ya at supper last night,” the stockier of the two continued, his eyes shining bright. “You do know you’re welcome to eat with us. Our cook, Ms. Liz, makes enough to feed an army.”

“Yes, thank you. But I was really tired.” Guilt ate at her insides. Chris had informed her of the dinner arrangements, but after the mishaps yesterday, she dreaded facing Nick. When Chris declared her done for the day, she’d rushed to hide in her cabin with her strawberry jelly sandwich.

“Long as you know it’s an open invitation.”

“Thank you.”

“Come on, we’ll work on the cows again.” Trent led the way to the cattle barn.

For the next hour, he helped her feed and water the milk animals. He spoke little, but when he did his voice was quiet and calming to even the most skittish animals. Sam, on the other hand, talked and laughed, filling her in on different animals and the bad behavior of a few as he helped her remove the soiled straw from the small herds’ living quarters and replaced the bedding with new. Trent laughed a couple of times during the morning, but Darcy wondered what lurked in the shadows of his face.

About midmorning, Chris showed her the guest cabins before making their way to the goats. Not once during the course of chores did she see Nick.

He remained the one Matthews who made her question if she made the right decision taking the job. Who knew the difference between goat and dog food? Or the corral that connected to the sheep barn actually led to the bull pen. The fact remained, if she didn’t improve, the top honcho was sure to have her head on a silver platter. Without Sam, Trent, and Chris, she’d have high-tailed her butt back to Jordan’s by the end of her first day.

Stepping from the barn into the heat, Darcy fanned herself with a hand. The temperature had risen ten degrees in the past hour, but goose pimples rose on her arm. Feeling someone watching her, she swung her gaze around the surrounding area and turned in a circle. When a male body suddenly appeared beside her, she screeched and jumped back a foot.

“Ready for lunch?” Chris asked, taking off his gloves.

“You startled me,” she admitted with a hand to her chest.

“I see that. Why so jumpy? Afraid Nick might be around?” He chuckled. “Don’t let him bother you.”

Easy for him to say.

Has Mr. Bossman been watching me? Waiting for me to screw up...again?

Darcy rubbed her arms, brushing off the sensation. She glanced to her watch. Past one. Must be the lack of substance making her delusional. “Food sounds great.”

A small sense of worry found its way into her mind. What if Nick hadn’t been watching? What if he was at the house? Her heart fluttered in her throat as she glanced around one more time as she mounted the steps.

Chris held the screen door open. “Want to help me move the pigs after we eat?”

“That’s what I’m here for.” She forced a smile as she passed him. If not for his easy nature, her lips were sure to fail at the attempt.

In the kitchen, a large woman stood with a scowl on her weathered features and a wooden spoon sticking out of the apron tied around her thick waist. “You’re late.”

“Sorry, Ms. Liz.” Chris hung his hat on the rack before grabbing a plate and handing one to Darcy.

The cook gave a humph and moved to pour coffee. “The rest of the boys already ate and cleared out.”

“We’ll catch up.” He piled his plate with cheese bread and homemade pizza before accepting a mug from her hand.

Darcy ducked around the forbidding woman who hurried out of the kitchen.

“Is she always so friendly?” She placed a slice of pizza on her plate and grabbed a cup of coffee before following the easy natured Matthews to the table in the corner of the kitchen.

“Ms. Liz means no harm. She isn’t one for nonsense, and me being the jokester of the ranch put a burr in her bonnet years ago.” He bit into his cheese bread. “She’s really an okay woman, but runs a tight ship and expects us to follow her rules.”

“It’s your ranch.”

“Yeah, but she’s been here as long as I can remember. There’s also the respecting-your-elders factor. My ma is big on manners and respect. If she couldn’t brand it into our skull, my dad made sure he did.”

Darcy sipped the caffeine and closed her eyes, her taste buds flooding with the rich flavor. “She does make some mean coffee.”

“Best around.” Chris stuffed pizza in his mouth, his warm hazel eyes sparkling with mischief. “Now, I should warn you about the pigs. Horace can get an attitude every now and again, but he means no harm.”

She downed her java with a grimace. “I haven’t handled the pigs yet. I’m sure you’ll be entertained.”

“You’re doing great.”

She gave a sarcastic laugh. He obviously suffered from short-term memory loss.

“I’m serious, Darcy.”

Shaking her head, she watched him devour his food in haste and managed to get a few bites into her stomach. Chris finished in record time, and she drained the remains of her cup before following him to the pigs’ pen.

“We need to get the sows from this pen into that one.” He pointed to the enclosed area not four feet away and opened the gate for her to enter.

“Are you sure that pen’s not for the goats or deer?” She squinted in the sun’s rays. “There isn’t one an acre away or anything?”

Chris smirked and his eyes softened. “Come on, Darcy. You’ll get the hang of everything.”

“You’re right. Sorry.”
Toughen up, girl
.

“Glad you agree. Now, we need to move the pigs in order to improve the drainage. Horace is digging too deep into the ground. If we don’t fix the problem, he’ll dig his way out of the enclosure.” He chuckled. “He likes to escape any chance he gets.”

Great
. Just what she needed—a pig on the loose.
Horace the Troublemaker
. She made a mental note, eyeing the mischievous livestock.

Extracting the rubber band from her hair, she pushed the run-away strands back, and retied her unruly curls at the base of her neck. “What’s the game plan?”

“Anyway that works.”

His smile grew contagious, and her spirits lifted. She liked working with Chris. He kept things light. No pressure.

“Uh-oh.”

She twisted around in time to see Nick approaching, glowering in her direction.

Chapter Three

Darcy stepped back. “He doesn’t look happy.”

Chris’s lean form bent toward her. “Probably swallowed a fly or something.”

She hid a giggle behind her hand.

Nick frowned at his brother. The muscle in his cheek worked at a steady pace. “You’re supposed to be helping Trent with the sheep.”

“Sam’s in town picking up a load of rock for the pen and asked me to move the pigs before he gets back. Darcy agreed to help.”

“Head down and help Trent. I’ll help her move the pigs.” Broad shoulders stiffened as he stepped into the fenced area, his eyes not straying from his sibling.

Chris stared back, appearing ready to say something. Tension snapped through the air like a crackle in a stormy gray sky, and Darcy bit her lip to keep from telling Nick he was being awfully hard on his youngest brother.

The kinder one shook his head and left, brushing his shoulder against his elder.

The brute sighed and turned. “You ready?”

She stuck out her chin and firmed up her lips. “Yes.” Though annoyed with the way he treated his brother, his standoffish attitude kept her on edge. Not to mention his downright unapproachable appearance with his black Stetson pulled low, and the black shirt stretched taunt across his chest, tucked into his low-riding Wranglers.

She pulled on the neckline of her T-shirt. Working with Chris, she experienced a sense of calmness, but with this one...

Get your mind off your boss and on your job.
She wiped her hands on her jeans. “Let’s get started.”

With the Almighty One’s help, five of the seven pigs where relocated from one enclosure to the other. The last two proved more difficult. Darcy went one way, Nick another, only to circle back around and hit heads leaving her dizzy. Then the thick-headed animal led her around the maddening cowboy’s legs causing her to slip. Her boots and jeans ended up covered in mud.