Sara Orwig - At the Rancher's Request

“Your son is asleep,” Savannah whispered.

“I figured he would be. He’s had a busy day in town. And you don’t have to whisper, he’s out.”

“I don’t want to wake him.”

“It’s just as well he’s asleep because he’s a worrier and we have to cross a swollen creek. At the main entrance to my ranch, there’s a bridge, but it’s older, already underwater and less reliable. The bridge on this part of the creek is newer, higher and wider so we’ve always been able to get across.”

“You better,” she whispered. “You promised him.”

When Mike glanced at her, Savannah smiled.

“Kids have great trust,” he said with his attention back on the road.

“Not if it isn’t earned. You must have always come through for him.”

“I hope I always can. He knows there are some things beyond me,” Mike said.

“We’ll hope crossing this bridge tonight isn’t one of them.” Savannah was thankful to have found Mike and Scotty. Otherwise, she would have been on a deserted road in the storm for the rest of the night and maybe a lot longer and she wouldn’t have known where or when to get help. Thinking about it, she shivered and studied Mike’s profile. He had a wide-brimmed black hat squarely on his head. He was in a leather, fleece-lined parka with fur trim and wore jeans and boots. He looked as competent as he was proving to be. His son was an adorable miniature of his dad with black hair and dark brown eyes.

After a time she wondered how big Mike’s ranch was because it seemed as if they had been driving a long time since going through the gate.

“There it is,” Mike said as if he guessed her thoughts. She peered through the streaming rain and could see what looked like a river. Swollen with surging black water, it was bigger than any creek she had ever seen. Rushing water had spilled out of the banks earlier in the evening. Mike’s truck headlights revealed seven men in slickers getting out of two pickups on the other side of the raging creek.

“I’ll be damned,” he said quietly, frowning as he peered through his windshield. “I’ve never seen the creek this high. Not ever.”

Chilled again by apprehension, she looked as the rushing water spread out of creek banks and splashed across the bridge that was already underwater.

“The bridge is covered by the creek,” she said, her apprehension mounting swiftly. “Can we cross?”

“We’re going to,” Mike replied, stopping to phone his foreman. “Thanks for coming, Ray. I really appreciate all of you being here.” Mike paused to listen. “I think we’ll make it, but I’m glad you’re here. Thanks.” Mike put away his phone and she watched as the men turned lights on the raging creek.

“They came earlier and strung ropes across the creek tied to trees on each side. If we go into the creek, I’ll get Scotty. You try to grab one of those ropes or anything else you can grab. Someone will come to help you. I don’t think that will happen, but if it does, we’ll have backup. If you go in, swim with the current, but try to angle toward the bank.”

“I hate to think about someone risking his life to come into the creek to get me. The water looks fierce. I don’t think I can swim in that.”

“It is fierce,” Mike said. “Just go with the current. The guys will get you. We can’t go back and we can’t stay out here all night. Thank heavens Scotty is asleep. Don’t worry until you have to because I expect the bridge to hold,” he said in a tone filled with so much confidence, her fear diminished. He lowered all the windows. “Sorry, but just in case we go in and the truck sinks, we can all get out easily. The pickup might just float because the current will carry it along.”

“I don’t care to think about the possibilities,” she said, staring at the creek.

Mike inched slowly across. Holding her breath and clutching the door handle until her knuckles were white, she watched waves splash over the bridge. They reached the other side and she let out her breath.

“You did it!” she exclaimed, looking at Mike who raised all the windows except his own. The men waved and slapped hands in high fives. One tall man in a hooded parka came to the truck.

“Thanks, Ray,” Mike said.

“Glad you made it across. We’re supposed to get sleet and later snow. I’m glad you’re back.”

“We’re thankful to be here. Ray, this is Ms. Grayson. She had car trouble and we left her car at Ed’s. She’ll stay here tonight.”

“Howdy, Ms. Grayson,” he said, bending down to look at her.

“Just call me Savannah, please.”

“Savannah, this is Ray Farndale, my foreman.”

“Thanks for waiting to help,” she said.

“Glad our help wasn’t needed. Mike, we’ll see you in the morning. We all better head home before it gets worse. If it keeps up, that bridge will be far enough under water no one can cross.”

“What about the animals? Do you guys need any help tonight?”

“Thanks, no. You get Scotty and Ms. Grayson out of the storm. We’re fine, so far. I’ll call if we need you. If the temperature drops the way they say it will, then tomorrow will bring a different set of problems.”

“I’ll join you in the morning because we’ll need every hand.” He raised his window as he drove past the other men and waved.

“Scotty slept right through that,” she said. “I have to say, I’m supremely glad the bridge held. You were very calm. You must not rattle easily.”

“It wouldn’t have helped for me to get worked up.” Mike smiled at her. “Let’s go home,” he said, the words wrapping around her with a reassurance that was comforting.

In minutes the first lights could be seen through the rain-covered windshield. One truck turned off and headed away. “Where is that pickup going?” she asked.

“Ray and a couple of guys are headed out to see about our livestock. The men all have phones and walkie-talkies so they can keep in touch.”

“And you like this ranch life?” she asked.

He smiled. “Yes, the good outweighs the bad. Everything has ups and downs. There is something new every day and constant challenges.”

“And you like that?” she repeated, shaking her head. “Good thing you can keep calm. I’d hate to be headed out in the blizzard in the dark.” She wondered about his rugged life that was so different from everything she knew. She looked into the darkness and shivered, thankful to be in a warm car.

They passed a large hangar. Farther along, Savannah could see lights from houses set back long distances from both sides of the road. Next, outbuildings came into view and then two large barns and corrals. In seconds the road divided, the remaining truck turned and headed away from them.

“The guys are going home or to the bunkhouse. Some of them have houses and families here.”

She rode in silence as they passed more outbuildings and an eight-bay garage. Beyond it was a fence and a sprawling three-story ranch house. Mike punched buttons on his phone and lights came on in the house. The drive circled beneath a porte cochere.

“I guess I won’t have to sleep on the floor,” she said, startled by the size of his home and outbuildings. She turned to him. “All this from raising cows?”

“All this from having ancestors who were the first cattle barons who settled here. Each generation has built on that. We’ve been fortunate. We still raise cattle.”

With a hiss the rain changed to sleet and Mike’s smile vanished as he swore quietly. “This we don’t need, but I’m thankful it held off until now.”

She nodded and looked up. He gazed into her blue eyes and she gazed back. The low dash lights bathed her face in a pink glow, revealing rosy cheeks, big blue eyes and smooth skin. As he looked into her wide eyes, he became aware of her as a woman. A current sparked and he saw her eyelids flutter at the same time he felt electricity ignite between them. Startled, he stared at her while his surprise held him immobile. He hadn’t been aware of another woman since losing Elise to cancer almost two years ago, a year after Scotty’s birth. Shocked by his reaction, Mike forgot how he was staring at Savannah. He looked away, turning to gaze at the rain.