Blowing in the Wind

Chapter Thirty One

John was once again working outside only this time he was replacing the top and intermediate rails of the corral; one of the wranglers had been thrown from one of the horses and actually busted the boards. Thank goodness the worst the man walked away with was a bruised up back. As he worked, John caught sight of Barrett and Landon walking towards him out of the corner of his eye. Barrett didn't bother him as the man had never given him an ounce of trouble. Landon was a whole different matter; the red headed, twenty-six-year-old cowboy had been throwing a bad attitude towards John's way every time the two of them crossed paths. Well, almost every time.

"Hey, John," Barrett smiled as he approached John, "We're going into town for a few drinks later. Want to join us?"

John could tell Barrett was sincere in his offer, but he caught the 'did you really have to say that' look in Landon's eyes. It made his blood boil simply because he never could stand a man who wouldn't simply say what he meant, and after the long morning he'd had he didn't feel like putting up with it. He put down his hammer and turned to face the two men. However, when he spoke, he looked directly at Landon. His eyes narrowed and he asked in a no nonsense tone of voice, "Is that offer being made by both of you?"

Barrett, who had had a number of talks with Landon, turned his head. He was upset to catch the same look Nick had seen before Landon tried to replace it with another, more relaxed look. "Landon?" Barrett asked, praying the man would-somehow-use some common sense.

"I never said he couldn't come." Landon grew defensive.

John stepped away from the fence. He was already tired; Landon was only making it worse. "We've never met before. What do you have against me?" His eyes were now like flint; so much so that Barrett backed away from Landon.

Seeing Barrett back away from him should have told Landon he needed to grow up enough to apologize for his attitude. Only it didn't. Instead he chose to speak the ugly thoughts that had been running through his mind ever since Jarrod had brought Nick back to the ranch. "Well, if you must know Mr. Barkley, I don't buy the fact that you're even a Barkley. I think you're just a con man who sent Steve here to set it up so you could come in later and get a piece of the Barkley's wealth." He wasn't about to admit he was also very angry that he'd been stupid enough to gamble with John more than once in the bunkhouse only to lose every time.

Barrett's eyes widened and he sucked in his breath. While he had only worked for the Barkleys for a couple of years, he wasn't blind. He could see Victoria in John every time he, Barrett, looked at the man. Was Landon stupid? It was a question he didn't get to ask the cowboy as Landon found himself being sent to the ground by John's fist.

"MY NAME IS JOHN SUMMERS, OR MISTER SUMMERS TO YOU!" John bellowed as Landon staggered to his feet only to find Nick planting a fist into his stomach.

Barrett might have tried to stop the fight that was unfolding in front of his eyes only Heath and Jarrod, who had just arrived home from town, jumped off their horses just as Landon was stupid enough to lunge at John yet again. It didn't do him any good though; soon he was lying in the dirt next to the corral.

"What is going on here?" Jarrod demanded to know as Heath and he put themselves between their brother and Landon.

"I'M A LOT OF THINGS," John bellowed as Heath and Barrett, who had come to Heath's aid, did their best to keep him from going around Jarrod to get at Landon. "BUT A CON ARTIST IS NOT ONE OF THEM!" He broke free from Heath's and Barrett's grasp and stepped backwards. Though his labored breath, John pointed to Landon and repeated what the man had said. "If ANY member of this family, EVEN ONE thinks the same as he does, I'll be out of here by morning!" He whirled around and stormed away from the men and headed for the barn.

"Get your things and get out of here!" Pulling out his wallet and, taking some money out of it, Jarrod glared at Landon and threw the money at the man who he now considered his enemy. "I don't want to see you on this ranch ever again!"

Landon might have tried to plead his case, but he could see the same fire in Heath's eyes as well. For that matter, Barrett looked more than disgusted too. Landon picked up the money as he stood up. "Yes, sir," he started walking to the bunkhouse, holding his stomach as he did so.

"Go ahead and go into the house," Jarrod said as he looked at the barn, "I'm going to talk to John." He had to make sure his brother did not get it into his head to go back to Nevada.

"No," Heath started walking towards the barn, "We're both going to talk to him."

"Get back to work," Jarrod told Barrett, who looked more than uncomfortable, "Unless you're going to tell me you think the same way."

"No sir, I don't." He then turned and walked away as Jarrod hurried and caught up with Heath.

~oOo~

The night air, once nice and cool, now held a bit of bite to it. It didn't faze John any as he leaned against the corral fence, his arms resting on the top rail while his hands hung down. His coat was heavy and kept him warm enough. Jarrod and Heath had both talked to him for quite a spell after the fight between him and Landon. Due to the fact that Jarrod had so quickly fired the man, John took his word that he and Heath weren't even entertaining 'such ridiculous' notions. Once Victoria learned of the incident she was furious and made it crystal clear she backed Jarrod up on firing Landon. John was amazed at the extremely secure feeling that started washing over him; he had never expected to experience such a thing.

When he heard the sounds of a buggy, he figured Audra was home from her friend's home. He made no effort move as his thoughts were confirmed as he heard Audra talking to Ciego. Moments later he heard the front door open and shut only to hear it open back up not two minutes later, along with the sound of the swishing of a skirt. Soon Audra was leaning against the corral, not two feet from him.

"I never liked Landon. He seldom had anything nice to say about anyone. I don't even know why we hired him." Audra turned her face towards John. "You're not leaving are you?" She didn't want that. In the short time he had been there she'd gotten used to John's loud voice, slamming doors and the sound of his spurs hit the floor.

"When does this brother you speak of, the one called Gene come home?" There was no way he was going to stick around if Gene was anything like Paul Davies. Life was hard enough with men like Kyle and Landon around. He didn't need to adjust to yet another family if it was just going to be a repeat of what he already had in Nevada. After all, 'Mama Davies' had told him he always had a room in her home if he needed it.

"Next week, but you don't have to worry about how he feels." Audra smiled and hurried to assure him where Gene stood on the matter. "He wrote Jarrod and told him if the family was convinced you were the son that mother and father lost years ago that was good enough for him. He's eager to meet you." She then added softly, "You will stay won't you?"

John looked up at the stars twinkling in the dark sky and listened to a few crickets. After what seemed like an eternity to Audra, he turned his palms upwards. "I feel like I'm dreaming; I keep waiting to wake up, keep feeling like something, or someone, is going to try to take this all away."

Audra reached out and gave his hand a sisterly squeeze. "If anything, or anyone, tries to do anything like that I can promise you one thing."

"And that is?" He asked when Audra quit speaking.

"This family, each and every one of us, will have your back." Audra replied.

With those words John felt the same secure feeling he'd had earlier wash over him once more.