“We made a big pot of beef noodle soup and a stack of roast beef sandwiches,” Ellie said. “We figured when the hands rode in, we’d have something warm for them to eat.”

“That’s good,” Kade said. “Beats the hell out of a sack lunch. Thanks.” He sat down tiredly at the table, and Ellie brought him a bowl of hot soup and a sandwich piled high with beef and cheese on whole wheat bread.

“How’s it going out there?” she asked.

“Riley’s horse took a fall, broke Riley’s leg. We splinted the leg, and Slate took him in. They’re on the way to the clinic in Eagle.”

“Oh, dear. I hope he’s going to be okay.”

“The break looks pretty clean. With any luck, he’ll be fine.”

Ellie frowned. “With Riley gone, that puts you one man short. Two until Slate gets back.”

He just nodded. Losing Riley was going to make a tough situation a whole lot tougher. He dipped into his soup, which, at the moment, tasted better than filet mignon. A couple more mouthfuls and he glanced up to see Ellie standing next to him.

“Maria can handle the cooking. Until the storm passes, we won’t be doing anything fancy. I can take Riley’s place.”

For a second, he thought his hearing was faulty. “You got any idea what it’s like out there?”

Ellie’s gaze went to the steamy glass panes battered by slashes of rain. “I’ve got a pretty good idea just looking out the window.”

“Yeah, well, it’s worse than it looks. It’s nice of you to offer, but—”

She gently squeezed his shoulder. “I’m from Wyoming, Kade. I’ve worked in conditions like these. You need a hand. I can do the job.”

He didn’t want her to do it. He already had a man down, and he didn’t want Ellie getting hurt. He started to shake his head.

“Let me help you, Kade,” she said softly.

He scrubbed a hand over his face, felt the roughness along his jaw. “I need a couple of hours’ sleep. Seth and Turtle came in with me. They need to eat and get a little rest before we go back out. If you’re still willing, I’ll have Billy saddle you a horse.”

“I’ll get my things together. I can do this, Kade. If I wasn’t sure, I wouldn’t have offered.”

Already regretting his decision, he finished his meal and headed upstairs to bed. Two hours later, his alarm went off. Ignoring the wet, muddy clothes he had discarded in a pile on the bathroom floor, he put on his long underwear, jeans and boots, and a heavy flannel shirt, snapped his chaps up the sides, and went back down to the kitchen.