CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Phobias
Wednesday, December 12, 1877
"Why are we redirecting that creek now?" Heath asked as he saddled Charger.
"So we have water in the winter pasture where we need it," Nick answered calmly, opening his saddlebag and packing the cookies he'd ask Silas to make for the men as a surprise. He also had sandwiches and apples packed in another saddlebag, which he placed on Charger. "Now, don't smash the sandwiches."
Heath shrugged at the saddlebags. "We didn't redirect last year until the middle of January."
"Well, I want to do it early this year."
"But that don't make no sense, Nick. There's still plenty of grass in the summer pasture. We don't need to move the beeves or the dam for at least another month."
Nick turned and faced his brother. "Don't worry your pretty little head about it. We're doing it now."
"Why?" Heath insisted.
"Because I said so."
Heath glared at Nick. "You best give me a better reason than that."
Nick mounted Coco. "It's all the reason you need."
Heath swung up onto Charger. "I want to know your reasoning."
"And I told you not to worry your pretty little head about it. I'm the boss, and I said so, and that's all you need to know."
Anger surged through Heath. It had been a long time since Nick had pulled rank on him, and he liked it even less now. He didn't mind the work. He just wanted to know why. If he was to be Nick's partner on this ranch, he needed to understand why things were done when. And Nick didn't want to tell him.
Heath tried to swallow his ire. He couldn't argue with Nick in front of the men, but this wasn't going to be the end of the discussion. Nick was going to tell him why he changed the schedule if Heath had to beat it out of him. He hurried Charger to meet the men for the day's assignments.
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It was over a two-hour horse ride to get to the site. Nick led the way while Heath, Sam, and the three other hard-working hands he'd chosen so they could finish in one day followed behind him. Finally, Nick slowed so Chester, a hand who had been with them for several years, caught up with him. "You know the way, Chet," he said. "I want to drop back for a while."
Chet nodded and took the lead.
Nick continued to drop back until he finally was even with Heath at the end of the group.
Heath glanced at him and scowled.
"It's gonna be a hard day," Nick said.
Heath didn't answer.
Nick shook his head. That boy could pout. "It's gonna be a long day," Nick stated in a louder voice.
Heath looked at him and shrugged.
"Isabella told me she's certain the baby will come early."
Heath kept his eyes straight ahead.
"And that's why I wanna do this now."
The younger brother turned and glared at the older.
"I don't know if the baby will come in a day or a week or even a month, and I don't wanna be far away from the house when it does."
"I helped you do it last year," Heath stated. "I know how you want it done."
"I know you did. But it's one of them things I prefer to supervise myself. I like just a little of the water to stay on the old path so passing humans and critters can get a drink, and it's hard to explain how to accomplish that."
Heath stared at him. "Didn't we do it right last year?"
"Yes, but it's still one of them things I like to do myself. And I know you're mad because I wouldn't explain my reasons this morning, but I didn't wanna take the time to tell you right then."
"You coulda told me you'd tell me later instead of saying it's because you're the boss and I didn't need to worry my pretty little head about it." Heath's voice betrayed his irritation.
Nick smiled. "I coulda. But then I couldn't watch you stew all morning."
Heath turned his fuming steel blue eyes on his brother and kept them there until Nick looked at him. "You're a horse's ass, you know that?" He clicked his tongue and Charger took off for the front of the pack, leaving Nick alone at the rear.
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The group made great progress. The trenches had been dug a year and a half before, so all they had to do was move the rocks blocking the winter path back to the summer path. It sounded simple, but the rocks had to be placed to avoid unwanted leakage. And moving the large rocks was hard physical work.
Heath still avoided Nick, which made Nick smile just a little. While the others cleaned up the remains of lunch, he opened his saddlebag, reached in, and—something hissed. He jumped back. A snake—a rattlesnake!—was in his saddlebag.
Instinctively, Nick drew his gun, but as soon as he pointed it at the snake, he realized the bullet would end up in Coco. He took a breath. He had to think.
"Something wrong?" Heath asked innocently, coming up behind him.
"A damned rattler is in my saddlebag!" Nick growled, his heart pounding.
"Let me see." Heath headed for the saddlebag.
"No! Get back!"
Heath ignored him, reached in, and took out the almost five-foot snake. He held it in his hands and turned to Nick.
Nick jumped back. "Don't . . . get . . . put!" he sputtered.
Heath gripped the snake's jaws in one hand and supported its body with the other. "He's a nice little guy." He held out the snake and stepped towards Nick.
Nick backpedaled.
By this time, the rest of the men had gathered around.
"He's harmless," Heath said, still approaching Nick.
Nick turned and bolted.
All the men laughed.
Nick swung around.
Heath tossed the snake toward him.
Nick dodged it, but this time, he got a good look at the snake. It wasn't a rattler. It was a gopher snake. He was no fonder of that than a rattler, but at least it was a harmless critter. He glared at Heath.
Heath's grin erupted. And then Nick knew exactly what had happened. Payback.
The rest of the men continued to laugh.
"Scared of a little ol' gopher snake, Nick?" Bronson taunted.
Nick's hands hardened into fists. He went after Heath.
Heath saw him coming and put up his arms in self-defense. "Settle your britches, big brother," he said, stepping back. "No harm done."
"Harm's gonna be done to your face!" Nick growled.
Sam stepped behind Nick. "Calm down," he said quietly in Nick's ear. "You don't wanna do this in front of the men."
"The hell I don't! He embarrassed the crap out of me in front of the men!"
"Nick, c'mon," Sam continued in a soothing tone. "It was a joke. Not a man here thinks less of you because of it. But they will think less of you if you can't take a joke."
Sam's words penetrated Nick's anger. Sam had a way of calming him. Nick sighed and lowered his fists. "Okay, okay," he said to Sam. Then he pointed at Heath. "You won that round, but this game ain't over." He went to his saddlebag, took out the cookies, and faced the men. "Molasses cookies. Who wants some?"
The men clamored around. Heath hung back—there was no way he was asking Nick for a cookie. But, after all the men had gotten a few cookies, Nick took three of them and offered them to Heath.
Heath looked into his eyes. "A peace offering?"
"I ain't beggin' you. If you want 'em, take 'em."
Heath considered, then grabbed them and stepped back.
Nick rolled his eyes, then shook his head. "Let's finish this job, boys."
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Heath was tired. It had been a long day. Nick hadn't mentioned the snake again, and he didn't appear to be upset with Heath, but, still, Heath knew Nick. Nick always got in the last word—or the last jab.
He lay across the bed, wearing only his jeans, waiting for Margaret to return from the bathroom so he could go.
Finally, the bedroom door opened. Margaret stood there in her nightgown and robe, staring hard at Heath's chest.
Heath grinned. "What?"
"What's that on you?"
Heath glanced down. A spider—no, a tarantula—stood in the center of his chest. He slapped it across the room, then jumped to his feet. "Where the hell did that come from?" he yelled.
"Shhh," Margaret said gently. "The family is sleeping."
"Nick ain't gettin' no sleep! He's gettin' his ass in here and findin' that thing."
"Nick?" Margaret asked softly, looking around the room near where the tarantula hit the wall. "Here it is!"
"Keep an eye on it!" Heath ran out the door, raced to the room next to his, and pounded on the door. "Nick!" he yelled.
"What?" Nick asked.
"Get your ass out here!"
"Just a minute." Nick pulled on his pants and opened the door. "What's—"
"You know damn well what's goin' on!" Heath spat.
"Keep your voice down!" Nick out-yelled him. "People are sleeping!"
"You get in my room and get that damn spider outta there!"
"Spider?" Nick stopped and took time to stare at his brother in the dim light. "In your room?"
"Like you don't know! Now move!"
Heath's bedroom door opened and Margaret stepped out. "It's okay, honey," she said sweetly. "I threw it out the window."
Nick looked from Margaret back to Heath. A slow smile spread across his face. "So, you're scared of a spider?"
Heath took a step towards Nick. "I can't believe you did that!"
Nick shook his head. "I didn't—"
"What's going on?" Jarrod demanded as he ran to the top of the stairs. He hurried over to his brothers, who both had paused when he yelled.
Margaret, aware of her inappropriate dress, ran into her room.
"He put a tarantula on my bed!" Heath bellowed.
"Quiet down," Jarrod said firmly.
"Margaret was in there!" Heath yelled.
Nick laughed. "It's okay, Heathie," he said mockingly. "Your little wifey saved you. She took care of that little ol' spider for you."
Jarrod swung around and pointed at Nick. "Get in your room and stay there!"
But Nick was having too much fun. "Does she save you from—"
"Nicholas, get in your room now!" Jarrod warned. He faced Heath. "And you get in your room." He pointed at Heath's door.
Nick went to his room but left the door open and stood just within the threshold.
Heath stared at Nick, realizing he was technically doing what Jarrod had ordered, and then looked at his oldest brother. Nick had warned him more than once not to cross Jarrod. Heath took a step back and dropped his shoulders. "Okay," he said in a normal voice. "But that—" Heath pointed at Nick. "That ass put a tarantula in my room—in my bed—and my wife was there."
"I did not!" Nick yelled.
"He ain't got no right to involve Margaret in his little quest to get back at me."
"I didn't do it!" Nick bellowed.
Jarrod took a step towards Heath, pointing at Heath's bedroom door, his eyebrow raised.
"Nick," Isabella appeared in the doorway behind her husband.
Nick turned. "Sorry, sweetie. I didn't mean to wake you." He put his arm around her but looked at Jarrod. "I'll kick Heath's ass tomorrow."
Victoria strode down the hall, her face scrunched in anger. "Nicholas! I will not have that language—"
"Nick," Isabella said more forcefully, then grabbed her stomach and doubled over.
Nick turned to her, tightening his arms around her. "Izzy? What's wrong?"
"The baby is coming," she said.
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