To Tame a Cowboy (Colorado Cowboys #3)(11)
“I’m sorry too.” Linnea sat quietly for a moment. “Flynn worries about Brody all the time.”
Savannah was beginning to understand why. “Because of the fights he gets into?” She’d witnessed how easily Brody jumped into the one today. The bruises on his face were evidence of more.
“He’s had a hard time adjusting to life. And at times he doesn’t know how to handle his confusion and anger except by using his fists.”
“Sounds like he still needs time to heal.”
Linnea nodded. “He loves our daughter, Flora. He loves training wild horses. I want to believe he’s on the road to healing. But Flynn isn’t so sure.”
Savannah stared at the redheaded beauty, trying to comprehend everything. Flynn hadn’t just given in to Brody’s whim to hire her as the ranch veterinarian. Nor had he brought her to the ranch to play matchmaker between Brody and her.
Rather, he was seeking anyone and anything that might possibly bring Brody out of despair and breathe new life into him. If she had the ability to do that earlier in town, could she do it again? “I had the feeling Flynn was hiring me for Brody’s sake. Now I understand why. I hope I truly can help.”
Linnea reached across the table and took hold of Savannah’s hand. “Flynn didn’t bring you here expecting you to work a miracle in Brody’s life. Only God can do that.”
Savannah released a taut breath and prayed Flynn agreed with his wife.
“But while you’re here, it might do Brody some good, draw him out of his shell, show him that he has something more to look forward to.”
“You should know, I’m not interested in getting involved with a man right now.”
“I understand. Even so, Flynn saw a side of Brody today he hasn’t seen in a long time. And he’ll take whatever help he can get for his brother, no matter where it comes from or how long it lasts.”
Savannah squeezed Linnea’s hand, knowing she would like this kindhearted, wise woman. In fact, from the sounds of things, she would have no trouble liking all the McQuaids, including Brody. After Linnea’s story about his hardships, she ached for him more than she already had.
She would just have to pray that she didn’t give too much of her heart to Brody and hurt them both in the process.
CHAPTER
5
He didn’t need someone watching over him every blamed minute of every blamed day.
With a half growl of frustration, Brody scraped the last bite of grub from his plate, thrust it away, and rose.
At the table’s end, Elmer took a long swig of coffee, shut his Bible, then pushed up from his chair. The house was quiet, everyone already getting shut-eye.
Elmer should be asleep now too, should have gone with Vesta hours ago. Instead, he lingered, like he did every night. Only after Brody snuffed out his light and climbed into bed did Elmer close and lock the kitchen door and start across the yard to his own place, which sat beyond the garden.
As Elmer bent to bank the fire in the stove, Brody paused and watched the faithful ranch hand. Elmer’s legs bowed out from so many years riding a saddle, and his shoulders contained a permanent hunch. He’d moved up from Texas with his wife, Vesta, to search for gold like thousands of other prospectors. It hadn’t taken him long to get tired of the mining life and realize he wasn’t gonna get rich quick. Even though he hadn’t taken a liking to mining, he’d taken a liking to the mountains and hadn’t wanted to leave.
Elmer had made it clear he didn’t want to ride with the herd anymore and had accepted Flynn’s offer to manage the day-to-day operations in and around the homestead while Vesta cooked, cleaned, and helped care for Flora.
Brody guessed Elmer never expected that part of his duties would include watching over a grown man. The time or two Brody had brought up the issue, Flynn had waved him off, making the excuse that Elmer liked to go to bed late. But Brody knew Flynn was paying the older man to play nursemaid.
His muscles tightening, Brody shifted his feet awkwardly, an apology pressing to be said. At the very least, he oughta tell Elmer he didn’t have to sit up with him anymore. But saying so would end like it had every other time he’d told Elmer to go home. The man would shrug, keep on sitting in his chair, drinking his coffee, and reading his Bible.
At least Elmer was content with silence. Even so, Brody chafed under Flynn’s overprotectiveness. Maybe it was time to build a place of his own.
Elmer closed the stove door, then stood and arched his back all in one motion. “’Night, son.”
“’Night.” Brody hesitated but made himself turn and go. About the only thing he could do was hop in bed. Then once Elmer left, he could do what he wanted like he usually did.
The moment Brody shuffled up the steps, his thoughts turned to Savannah. His pulse surged, as it had every time he pictured her. All the while he’d groomed the horses and calmed the new mustang, he relived the way she’d glided her fingers over his arm when she’d taken her bag from him. He doubted she meant anything by the touch. Probably hadn’t known she’d done it. But just thinking about the caress made the hair on his arm tingle again.
He’d never seen a woman as pretty. Or as kind. She’d fussed over the mustang off and on during the ride back to the ranch and had taken better care of her own horse than she had of herself. Weariness had marked her features long before she’d started yawning.