The Touch of Sage (17 page)

“
And she drives the buggy like a lunatic woman!
”
Livie whispered to Reb as she followed Mary into the house.

“
I heard that too, Livie Jonesburg,
”
Mary called over her shoulder.

Eugenia raised herself on her toes and kissed Reb
’
s cheek, patting it afterward.
“
You have fun with your herd, honey,
” she told him as she too
went into the house.

Rose
winked at Reb on her way in, leaving Sage as the only one still outside.
Reb looked at her to find her shading her eyes from the sun and looking in the direction of the far
-
off, but very large, cloud of dust.

“
They
’
re gettin
’
close,
”
he said.
“
Ya can hear
’
em bawlin
’
if ya listen.
”
Sage smiled at him and nodded
,
and before Reb had a chance to consider what he was saying, he said,
“
Ya can ride out with me if ya like.
”

What in tarnation am I doin
’
?
he thought to himself. But it was too late.

“
Really?
” Sage asked him,
her eyes lighting up like emeralds on fire.

“
Sure,
”
Reb said, still surprised at the offer he had made.
“Ya can ride Ned. H
e
’
s used to cowboyin
’
.
I
’
ll take the new geldin
’
I got last week.
Come on.
Ya can help saddle
’
em up.
Here, Bullet.
”

Had he
lost his ever
-
loving mind
?
As Reb headed for the barn, Sage and Bullet close at his heels, he smoothed his mustache nervously
,
trying to envision Ivy Dalton
’
s lovely face.
He couldn
’
t, however, and it worried him.
Ivy
’
s memory was the only thing that could save him from making a fool of himself over a woman again.
No
w he had already stepped in it
up to his knees by allowing his defenses to be broken by Miss Sage Willows.
He would take her out to the cattl
e for now
and deal with what to do about the mess he was sinking into later.

Dang!
She looked so pretty with her hair mussed up from the wind.

Sage followed Reb to the barn, patting Bullet
’
s happy head here and there, her heart hammering wildly in her bosom.
He had invited her to ride out to meet the herd with him!
She couldn
’
t believe he had done it!
After all, he could
’
ve asked Mary or
Rose
or even his Aunt Eugenia.
Any one of them would
’
ve enjoyed the adventure, but he had asked her!
Of course, the other ladies didn
’
t really ride much anymore, but she wouldn
’
t let that distract her from the fact he had asked her.

Sage compl
etely forgot about the boarding house
, her beloved widowed friends
,
and even fixing b
reakfast for the tired cowboys—
her
attention
falling to the back pockets of Reb
’
s
blue jeans
as he walked.
She smiled, noting their well-worn appearance.
The top corners of each pocket had worn a little hole through his
blue jeans,
and Sage wondered if he knew anybody could see straight through them to the white of his under-trousers.
She bit her lip trying to stifle an amused and delighted giggle.

“
Ya might get a bit dusted up, Sage,
”
he said to her as they entered the barn.

“
That
’
s all right.
I plan on stayin
’
off to one side anyway,
”
she told him.

They worked together saddling Ned and the new gelding.
Once the task was done
,
Reb took a weather-beaten old hat down from a hook in the barn and put it on his head.

“
Here ya go,
”
he said, taking a tattered bandana from the same shelf.
He folded it into a triangle, moved to stand behind Sage, placing it over her nose and mouth before tying it at the back of her head.
Standing before her once more, he tugged at the corner of the cloth, revealing her entire face again.
“
Just pull that up when the dust gets too much for ya, all right?
”

“
All right,
”
Sage said, delighted with his attentions.
He took another bandana down from the shelf, tying it around his own neck before helping Sage to
mount
Ned
.

“
Don
’
t worry none about ol
’
Ned,
”
Reb said stroking the horse
’
s neck.
“
He
’
s as calm as a Sunday breeze.
”

Reb mounted the new gelding and smiled at Sage.
“
Ya ready?
”
he asked.
Sage nodded, amused that Reb still had not taken the time to put on a shirt.
“
Then let
’
s go!
”
He clicked his tongue
,
and the gelding bolted out of the barn.
Bullet shot out after them, barking with enthusiasm.

“
Go on, Ned,
”
Sage said, grateful for the older horse
’
s slower start.
Ned quickly broke into a gallop, however, obviously not wanting to be outdone by his new stable pal.

Sage loved the feel of the breeze on her face, the sun warming the top of her head
—
the fresh fragrance of sagebrush and piñon all around her.
She laughed when Reb looked over his shoulder at her, smiling with excited anticipation.
He slowed the gelding, waiting for her and Ned to catch up to him.
Bullet
’
s tongue hung from his mouth as he looked up to Reb for instruction.

“
Just there, boy,
”
Reb told the dog
,
and Bullet seemed please to trot along beside him.
“
It
’
s a perfect day for bringin
’
in
a
herd, ain
’
t it?
”
Reb asked.
His smile was so broad and perfectly dazzling against the bronze of his sun-baked face and torso.

“
Yes, it is,
”
Sage agreed.
Reb
’
s enthusiasm was completely infectious
,
and Sage couldn
’
t keep from smiling.

“
So,
”
he began as they rode, slower now.
“
Charlie brought
’
em right through the middle of town, huh?
”

“
He did at that,
”
she confirmed.
Reb chuckled.

“
Charlie Dugger never was one to be quiet about anythin
’
.
He rode for the
Pony Express
when he was just a kid,
”
Reb said, still smiling.
“
Everybody in town came out to see my herd?
”

Sage nodded.
“
Everybody,
”
she told him.

“
Good,
”
Reb said.
“
I worked hard buildin
’
up that herd.
”
Sage was happy in Reb
’
s obvious pride.
He was a man who worked hard for what he had.
He deserved to own a bit of satisfaction.
Just then a large grasshopper landed on one of his broad shoulders
,
and he flicked it away with his middle finger.
Still smiling he said,
“
I plum forgot to put a shirt on!
”
He winked at her
,
adding,
“
Hope ya don
’
t mind too much.
”
Sage shook her head
,
indicating she didn
’
t mind at all.

Unexpectedly
,
he reached over and caught one of her hands in his as his stirrup tangled with her own for a moment.
He drew her hand up to his face, brushing her fingertips across his mustache and smiling.

“
You been pinchin
’
sage leaves again,
”
he said.
Dropping her hand, he clicked his tongue and sent the gelding into a gallop.
“
Come on, Bullet.
Woooo whoooo!
”
he whooped, taking his hat from his head and slapping the gelding
’
s hindquarters. Sage laughed wholeheartedly, delighted with Reb
’
s excitement.

“
Go on, Ned,
”
she said, loosening her hold on the reins.
Ned seemed to draw pleasure from the freedom of the gallop, as did Sage. She felt happy, carefree, excited.
Emotions
that
had eluded her for so long now traveled without restraint through every part of her being.
Suddenly, the sun seemed to shine brighter, the wildflowers seemed more drenched in color
,
and Sage knew only elation.

When they reached the herd, Sage directed Ned to one far side of it.
She had ridden plenty but hadn
’
t had much experience with herding cattle.
Reb rode at a full gallop, reining in next to Charlie Dugger, and whistling loudly to Bullet to quiet his excited barking.
The two men struck hands
,
and even over the rumble of the herd, Sage could hear the happy sounds of two friends greeting each other with joy and laughter.

Reb rode next to Charlie for a few minutes and then whistled, waving his arm in the air, gesturing to Sage to join them.
The herd was enormous, more than just a little intimidating, but Sage knew Reb would look out for her.
Brushing several
windblown
strands of hair from her face, she rode over to meet them.

Charlie Dugger pulled the bandana from his face and smiled at Sage as she approached.

“
Dugger,
”
Reb said above the rumble of the cattle.
“
This here
’
s Miss Sage Willows.
Sage, this here
’
s my old saddle pal, Charlie Dugger.
”

Charlie Dugger touched the brim of his hat
and
smiled at Sage.
“
I seen this pretty young miss at the boardin
’
house when we was a
-
comin
’
through town this mornin
’
, Reb,
”
he said.
“
Mornin
’
, Miss Willows.
”

“
Good mornin
’
, Mr. Dugger,
”
Sage said, blushing at his calling her pretty.

“
Whatcha think of Reb
’
s herd?
”
Charlie asked.