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season. But on occasion she'd slip away to the workshop where she and Dimitri would engage in a
passionate embrace, while at the same time she'd be mulling over when to tell her parents about their
relationship, because as the days passed, Maddy was increasingly more certain that she'd be leaving
with Dimitri.
Her father would use the issue of Jeremy and Billy being in witness protection to stop her, but the
family was under no legal mandate to stay clear of Las Vegas, though Mario Moretti's iron-fisted
demand held a lot of weight, psychologically.
On the Sunday preceding the last week of Dimitri's run at the Coyote, Maddy and Dimitri were in
the stables, where Maddy had just finished working with Dimitri on the basics of neck reining, when
Adam came in, and addressing Dimitri, said to him, "I could use another drover to move cattle
tomorrow. It's just overnight. We'll be moving around seventy-five head and I'm shorthanded. One of
my wranglers and I will be up front riding point, another wrangler and one of the guests will ride
swing to keep the herd moving in the right direction, Jesse will ride flank to keep the herd from
spreading out, and you'd ride drag to start with, but all riders except points switch off being drag
riders, who bring up the rear."
"And also eat a lot of dust," Maddy pointed out.
When Adam eyed her with annoyance, Maddy figured out what this was all about. The family
wanted to keep her and Dimitri separated during Dimitri's final off days from the Coyote.
"Who's riding flank opposite Jesse?" she asked.
"Probably one of the guests," Adam replied. "I like to give them a chance to go."
Which meant he didn't have anyone, and he wasn't about to ask her, even though he knew she
liked going on drives. She looked at Dimitri, who acted as if he was considering it, and in fact looked
enthusiastic when he said, "I'm game to go, as long as it's just overnight."
"It is," Adam reassured him. "By the time we return, you'll be a seasoned wrangler."
Dimitri smiled, which made Maddy wonder if he had any idea what he was getting himself into.
Catching his eye, she said, "It's a long day in the saddle, even though you don't cover much territory,
so be sure to bring something for muscle aches."
"I don't mind a long ride," Dimitri said. He turned to Adam. "How long are we talking?"
"Ten to twelve-hours, which includes resting and watering the stock along the way," Adam
replied. "But a day in the saddle will help you work up an appetite for steaks and all the trimmings,
prepared over an open fire. And in the morning we'll have a breakfast of flapjacks, eggs, bacon and
black coffee."
"Sounds good," Dimitri said. "What should I bring?"
"A change of clothes," Adam replied. "I have a bedroll you can use, and since we'll only be gone
one night we'll wash in the stream, so bring a towel and wash cloth."
"I'm comfortable with Tut. Can I ride him?" Dimitri asked.
"Sure," Adam replied. "He's a well-seasoned cattle horse so you can help with the roundup.
After that we'll drive the herd at the speed of a walking cow. One thing cattle do well is walk. They
don t go fast, but they go willingly, so basically our job is to point them in the right direction, let them
go at their own pace, and sit back and watch the parade."
Maddy could hardly believe what she was hearing. Adam was laying it on thick, like going on a
cattle drive was taking a stroll in the park, and although she loved going on drives for a half dozen
reasons, she couldn't imagine Dimitri wanting to do it ever again, after sitting in a saddle and eating
dust for the better part of an entire day, which was no doubt Adam's goal in taking him on this little
excursion into the mountains.
"So, where do we go to round up the cows?" Dimitri asked.
"An allotment we lease from the Forest Service. It's not far from here," Adam replied. "The herd
has been there for a couple of weeks and will have scattered some, so we'll go on a cow hunt. Once
we round them up we'll move them along logging roads and clear-cut areas, and when we stop for the
night you can help us bed down the herd."
"How do you do that?" Dimitri asked.
"We sing to them," Adam replied.
Dimitri eyed Adam with skepticism. "Are you serious?" [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]