Sloan was short five of his crew and already two calves had gotten tangled in some fencing. Then one of the ranch hands had gotten injured when he took a spill off his horse. The sound of cows and calves bawling as they made their way across the pasture and toward the pens was music to Sloan’s ears. He loved it all even as he rode drag behind the herd. The hard work usually kept his mind from wandering. This had always been a place where he found solitude. Peace. Yet right now, all he could think about was seeing Jade Hamilton at the end of the trail. The next hour was spent separating mamas from the babies. When it was finally finished, everyone, crew and neighbors, headed toward the patio to be fed their noon meal before they started the branding. Evan and Matt Rafferty walked up to him. It hadn’t been that long ago that the brothers had worked here. Now they owned a spread along with a vineyard. “Hey, Sloan,” Matt called. “Is your mother’s nurse still here?” “What business is it of yours?”
