“Honey, your daddy had a passel of friends. He had an open hand when it came to helpin’ folks. I’m sure they’d all step up to return the favor. You just need to figure out what it is you need.”
“I need to get my friggin’ herd to market.” The words erupted before she could think about them, her voice filled with all the anger and frustration she’d tamped down for a week.
A man at the counter swung around on his stool. “That’s what cattle haulers are for.”
Cass rolled her eyes. “Duh. But none of them will haul for me.”
The man’s brow furrowed, and he scratched his head, which set the John Deere cap on his head to dancing. “They locked you out?”
“Evidently.”
“That don’t seem fair.”
She bit back another duh. “It is what it is. I still don’t have a way to get the herd to market. If I use the old stock trailer at the ranch, I can only take a few at a time. Running them through the sale that way loses me money in the long run. I need a big ol’ chunk of money to pay off everything.” She didn’t want to mention that she could barely afford gas for the truck.
Almost everyone in the diner turned to look at her, and she resisted the urge to bang her head on the table. A little boy perched on a stool at the counter continued to watch the TV above the cash register. An old black-and-white movie played across the screen. He tugged on his mother’s sleeve and pointed at the screen. “Mommy, can I have cartoons?”
The young woman chuckled. “I can’t believe you don’t want to watch a cowboy movie, C.J. With John Wayne, no less.”
The youngster offered a disgruntled expression and a deep sigh. “But...cartoons, Mom.”
The man on the stool next to the boy winked. “Your mom’s right, son. John Wayne and cattle on a trail drive is a classic Western story.”
“Huh.” The child scowled again before gazing at his mother impatiently.
Nadine slid out of the booth and headed for the remote control. “I think I can get the Cartoon Network, honey. Just give me a sec to find the right channel.”
Cass twisted in her seat to stare at the TV before it flickered quickly through several channels and cartoons filled the screen. She shifted to stare at Boots. “No.”
Boots looked perplexed as he returned her gaze. “No what?”
“I...nothing.” She shook her head. “Just a really crazy idea. One that is way too far-fetched to ever work.”
“I can see the wheels turnin’, honey. Why don’t you just tell me?”
She continued to shake her head, denying the wild scheme forming in her brain. “But...”
Nadine returned with a fresh pot of coffee and refilled their mugs. “Boots, you ever notice she gets that same look Ben got whenever he got a wild hair?”
“No. It’s...there’s no way. The idea is too ridiculous to even consider.”
“Well, honey, if you don’t tell us about it, there won’t be a way ’cause we won’t be able to help you figure out how to make it work.” Boots sipped from his coffee mug.