Bill had supplies on site at the lower meadow fencing project to work for a solid week. The nearby pond provided relief from the heat and to wash his sweaty self and clothes. A bubbling spring provided fresh, cool water to drink. The work was hard, but never completely kept his mind off the rancher's daughter. Their meeting had been so … disquieting. He preferred the quiet and calm. But headstrong Sarah Gage had stirred something in him. And it was a pleasant something.

Well into his last afternoon's work for the week, Bill caught sight of a lone horse and rider heading his way. He watched from the corner of his eye until he was able to identify the rider. Not Sarah this time. Instead, it was her father. Bill leaned the coil of wire against a post, grabbed his shirt, and strode to the shade tree as Reece Gage dismounted. Hastily tucking his gloves in his back pocket, he held his hand out to greet the boss.

"Mr. Gage."

"Bill."

Instead of looking Bill in the eye, Reece Gage surveyed the job site. It impressed him. He was beginning to see a trend with that. The man's behavior with his daughter had impressed the hell out of him.

He looked at the neat line of fence. No discarded material lying around. Materials in use were neatly stacked, coiled nearby. The line of the proposed fence path was mowed down with the scythe, providing a visual image of the enormity of the task. His attention went back to the long line of completed fencing, including a gap for a gate. He knew Bill was working here alone and it numbed his mind seeing how much was already accomplished.

Reece had done some discreet investigating on Bill after the incident with his daughter. He hadn't pried, but did what he'd felt was a father's prerogative. He found out that Bill went into town once a month, on pay day; he played an occasional poker game and rarely won; he was undefeated at arm wrestling and no one would challenge any longer unless they were new in town; he favored whiskey, but no one recalled seeing him drunk; the saloon ladies loved Bill and he was known to accommodate them. Most of his pay went to his family on the reservation and he had several horses and cattle on the reservation that he tended on his two days off each month from the ranch. Not a saint by any means, but a man with family values and a controlled wilder side.

That his daughter had become interested in Bill was no surprise. If he were a betting man, Reece would take it that Bill had some interest in Sarah as well.

"You doing Sarah's patrols while she's laid up?" asked Bill. He'd given the boss a few minutes to scrutinize the job site.

The question pulled Reece from his thoughts. He laughed. "That woman has me wrapped around her little finger." He gave Bill a friendly pat on the shoulder. "And I let her."

"Pass inspection?" queried Bill.

"In more ways than one," Reece murmured, gazing at the fence line again.

"Yes?" Bill wasn't exactly sure what that response was supposed to mean.

"Yes. Absolutely." He shook his head. "I don't know how you do this – all this work by yourself."

"No distractions, sir," Bill answered his boss's rhetorical question.

Reece laughed. "That'd do it. Certainly." He gave the young man a quick glance. According to his hire papers, he should be about twenty-four years old. As Reece aged, he realized that youth had more to do with working hard than he'd like to admit.

"Is Miss Sarah healing well?" asked Bill, pushing the subject away from himself.

"Oh, my, yes." Reece's face lit up thinking about his daughter. "Thought I was going to pull my hair out until Doc Bailey let her up with a cane to walk around with."

"That's good to hear, sir. A horse can do a lot of damage to a person."

"I know that," he said, tone very serious. "Speaking of Sarah," Reece lightened. "Along with checking on her pet project's progress, she asked me to invite you up for dinner this evening."

Bill stepped back, shaking his head. "You've already shown your gratitude, Mr. Gage. I'm not wanting any indebtedness."

"I told Sarah that'd be your reaction. This is totally her idea, no strings attached." Reece grinned at the uncomfortable expression Bill wore. "Seems my Sarah has taking a liking to your company."

"Sir, I never…" started Bill, his eyes wide with shock.

Reece held up his hand, stopping Bill's protest. "I've no objections. Yet." His daughter's interests could land on a lot worse candidate. "I'll never hear the end of it if you don't agree and I'll never keep her from coming down here and dragging you back. She still has some healing to do so I'd appreciate it if you'd volunteer."

Bill turned away, massaging his clenched jaw muscle. He wanted to see Sarah again, but not in that fancy house. He couldn't relax there. He wanted her to come out here where it was calm and familiar to him. But he knew she couldn't travel that far yet.

"I have to get more supplies, Mr. Gage," Bill said, still looking out over the meadow. "I'll finish up this strand, hook Ol' Jake to the wagon and be up at the house before sundown."

"Sounds like a plan." He gave Bill a hearty slap on the shoulder, almost hurt his hand and didn't think Bill even noticed. "You could just haul the wagon up now, let this work rest until tomorrow."

The sharp look Reece received gave him the impression of a man simmering at his limit. He raised his hands in surrender. "All right, we'll go with your plan. Dinner at eight, please."

"Yes, sir," Bill responded, already walking back to his work.

Mounting his steed, Reece Gage shook his head. He wasn't sure which of those two was the more hard-headed – his Sarah or Indian Bill.