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didn't like him.
    “Because I'm just a no-good coward in your
books, right?” he suggested, a little rasp to his voice.
    She eyed him a moment thoughtfully. “You said
it.” She shot him a frown and took off again.
    He adjusted his sweat-faded hat and took off
after her. When he caught up, he kept up with her and watched her
for a long moment. She could feel his eyes on her. She couldn't
tell what he was thinking, but she didn't like being looked at. Not
the way he looked at her. He had a way of kind of seeing through
her, and she definitely didn't like that. She'd have rather enjoyed
the new green of the countryside than listen to him.
    “So,” he said as though it were his business
to know, “are you Hershel Walker's girl? I mean, has he spoken for
you, or something?” He was purposely agitating her.
    Her brows knit together in one fine line.
“I'm no one's girl.”
    And she rode away again.
    He chuckled and began to sing a song. She
glanced back over her shoulder. She would have hushed him, but his
music seemed to settle well with the cattle. He had a lovely
baritone voice so she left him alone and prayed he wouldn't bring
up the subject of marriage again.
    Never had she heard such a voice.
    It was noon or after before they stopped. She
had Brady and Dutch on the flank, and they herded the cattle into
one neat bunch while the others made camp.
    Used to being the chuck wagon master, she
took out the pots and pans and began heating bacon and beans she'd
prepared before leaving that morning. She clanged her wooden spoon
against her old black pot when it was ready so everyone began
gathering about her.
    As she dished out the food to each of them,
she introduced Hunter. No one smiled. No one welcomed him. She bit
her lip. She hadn't expected them to like or accept Hunter, yet,
she felt awkward trying to find a way to ease the tension in camp.
This would be a long ride and tension just didn't go with
cattle.
    Joshua, one of the younger boys, ambled up to
her side and sat on a rock next to her. He was a clean cut cowboy
of barely her own age. His sandy blonde hair and his wide set brown
eyes made him look even younger than his eighteen years. He was
sporting a beard, but it was very thin, and far from full blown.
“What's he doin' here?” he asked tersely.
    The dislike in his voice made Jodi eye him
steadily.
    Abandoning pretense, she responded sharply,
“Clem's back is broke. I hired him to help us get the cattle
through.”
    “Hired him? But he's a...” Josh began only to
be cut off by her quick gasp.
    “I know. Keep your voice down, Josh.” She
elbowed him. “I know what he is. But Clem insisted he was the only
one to help us get the herd through. Don't ask me why. Because of
the fact that Clem is bedridden, I couldn't help but take his
advice.”
    Hunter dipped his own second helping of beans
then strode toward her. She started to get up, but he shook his
head.
    “We better talk now.” Impatient blue eyes
swept over Joshua, and he moved away.
    “I don't have much to say.” She started again
to get up, but was stayed by his uplifted hand.
    He motioned for her to sit tight. He stood up
and looked around the camp at the men. He cleared his throat and
studied them all, one by one. She could tell just by his expression
that he had taken all of them into consideration. Could a man size
others up that quickly?
    “Listen up, men.” Hunter turned away from her
to speak to the men. Jodi started to protest him making any
announcements just yet, but he was already into his little speech
and she couldn't stop him.
    The drovers gathered about her and Hunter
slowly, all with well decided frowns on their faces. Obviously,
they all had the same opinion of him as she did from the looks on
their faces. She knew instinctively they weren't going to like
Hunter, but they gathered nonetheless, perhaps out of respect for
her.
    “Thought you boys would like to know, Jodi
Parker and I...are going to get married.” He smiled at