The youngest Dutton

For my family

Ch 9

Kayce asked if I could watch Tate. I agreed.

"What are you doing?" Tate asked

"Making him get his shit out of his system," I answered smiling.

"You owe me a dollar."

"I don't owe you a fucking dollar." The colt came to a stop. I put the lead on "okay you can pet his face now." I smiled. I saw Rip watching me. "Should we get another one?"

"Yeah!"

"Go get the gate for my Tate." Tate ran and opened the gate for me. I saw Kayce and my dad show up. "Guess you can add babysitting to my resume." My dad chuckled.

"Grandpa I have to ask you something," Tate said running up to my dad. "I want to be a cowboy but in order for me to do that I need a horse."

"Do I have to be part of this?" Kayce asked

"You don't have any money," Tate said. We all laughed. Kayce, rip, and I walked the horses into the barn. In a few minutes we heard Tate running up to us saying Kayce has to train his horse.

"You know," I said looking at Kayce, "reminds me of how I got my horse." I grabbed the next horse and took it out to be broken.

"Didn't you win the money off the hands playing black Jack and poker?"

"Yes, yes I did. Once I had enough I threw it on dads desk one night and told him I want a horse. A month later he let me pick one out."

"I miss those days." I looked at him as I closed the gate to the pen.

"Yeah I do too sometimes." I mounted the horse and began the breaking process.

I was on the roof top of the house. Just enjoying the fresh night air. I saw Jamie walk to the bunk house with Rip. I called him to join me. I passed him the bottle I was drinking from when he sat down next to me.

"I want you to take me on a date," I said moving closer to him.

"A date?" He asked

"A date Rip. Lord knows you can afford it. You've been wearing the same three pairs of jeans and five shirts since I met you." He started to laugh and took his hat off.

"Money is the one thing I don't have."

"You get paid every week dont you?

"Yeah, I do."

"Then what are you spending it on then? A sweet little place you have in town for Saturday nights?" He smiled.

"It's nice a night Lynn."

"Tell me." I said looking at him.

"I spent $22,000 on my moms headstone about as tall as me. It's a nice one with marble. I spent $30,000 on my little brothers, it stands a little taller so he can closer to heaven. Now the best money I ever spent was for a grave digger to dig up my fathers bones."

"Why did you do that?"

"I took his bones and spread them all throughout North Dakota while driving and throwing them out the fucking window." I moved closer to him. He wrapped his arm around me. He kissed me. I kissed back.

"We need to do this more often, Rip."

"Agreed Lynn." He kissed me again.

I saw Tates horse. "What's his name Tate?" I asked

"Lucky," he said. Rip dropped some hay in the pen.

"He's a good horse, he'll be good for you," I said smiling. I pulled him into a hug. Tate smiled.