**** Beau and Brett worked their way around the new rodeo arena. Brett held the post straight as his younger brother filled and packed the soil down.
Just a few days before, Charity; Rowdy's orphaned niece had arrived. Unfortunately, the little girl had been present when her mother had died, and as a result had been traumatized.
"Rowdy said he and the munchkin will be here to help, later." Beau said as he straightened.
"Poor kid," the agent said, "She's been through a lot in only a few short months." He shook his head, "All this happened at a really bad time though."
The former bull rider nodded, "I know, I'm not sure how much we'll be able to shield her from." Beau looked in the direction of Wolf Mountain. "Bear said some hikers disappeared on the mountain last week." He shook his head. "I don't know. I have this feelin' that somethin' bad's about to happen, and this time...." he shook his head and looked down at his boots.
Brett agreed, "Nico and I both feel the same. In the SEALs, you're taught to go with your gut. I know you did with the Rangers as well."
Before Beau could answer they turned when an old beat up, four door Chevy truck rolled to a halt. The bed was filled with fencing supplies.
Rowdy stepped out and raised a hand to the men, as he walked around the truck to help a shy, beautiful little girl out of a booster seat in the back. The closer Rowdy and Charity came to her uncles, the tighter she plastered herself to his side.
Charity was trying to remember the men's names. She had met more men in the two weeks here on the ranch than she had known her entire life. She had only known Grandpa Mike, her mama's daddy. He had been old and sick.
'These guys aren't old and sick. They're big, even bigger than Uncle Rowdy. One of them had pretty eyes, just like Aunt Bobbi....Beau! That's his name! That one's Uncle Beau.'
That made her feel so much better, she was having trouble remembering names, there were just so many....Uncles, aunts and cousins.
'Now....what was the other one's name? Beau, Bobbi, Billy....no, that wasn't it. Beau, Bobbi, umm it has an R in it. Bro....Bri....Bro... Bre...OH! Brett! Uncle Brett!'
She was so proud of herself. Looking up at her new guardian and she pulled on the hand that held hers.
"I remembed their names, Uncle Rowdy. All by myself this time, I didn't have to be reminded." She announced with a smile. He gave the small hand a gentle squeeze.
"See? I told you it wouldn't take long. There's a lot for anyone to remember, honey. Just give yourself some time."
"Hi there, munchkin! How are you feelin' today?"
Charity smiled shyly and answered, "I'm feeling ok Uncle Brett, are you?"
Both men smiled, delighted that their niece was becoming more comfortable and seemed to be enteracting with them more.
"I'm feelin' very ok." Brett said smiling. "I'd feel a whole lot better if all these fence posts were in the ground."
She looked at the posts and post hole digger and looked at the men,
"I can help." She said, ready to jump into ranch work.
"Well now," Beau began, "that would be real nice. We don't get to work along side a pretty lady very often."
Charity grinned, giggled and shrugged. "I can stomp the dirt down, I can stomp really good."
"Can ya now?" Beau asked smiling. "Well now, that sure would be a big help." He found a wooden 4 x 4 that was about three feet long, light enough for her to handle and gave the last hole more tamping as an example.
"Ok, Uncle Beau." she said taking the wooden tamper. "How many do we have to do?" She asked looking at how many the men had already completed.
Rowdy pointed to the string line guide that ended at the next paddock. The men all turned aside so she wouldn't see their smiles as her eyes widened in dismay.
She worked steadily tamping the dirt around fence posts for about thirty minutes. Beau was about to call a halt before she got sore or wore blisters on her hands when his daughters came around the barn on a four wheeler.
"We've been looking for you Charity," Ava spoke to her cousin grinning. Nana is going to make cookies and wants to know if you'll come help."
"Cookies?" The eight year old said. She looked at the distance they still had to complete and then at Rowdy.
"Go on, have some fun and make us some cookies." Rowdy told her with a smile. "You've worked enough out here for today. Maybe you can help make enough that we can swipe some for a treat tonight." He said.
"Really? It...it's ok to quit? There's still a lot more dirt to tamp."
"That's ok, sweetheart. Extra cookies will be a good incentive for us to do it by ourselves." Rowdy assured her and the other men nodded.
Beau said, "Maybe you can help her remember to make some chocolate chip ones for me."
"Me too," Brett said. "Mmm mmm. I can taste 'em now. You make sure there's enough left for us, ok?"
Charity grinned, "Ok. I'll make sure." Brett picked her up and after giving her a quick kiss on the head and placed her on the wheeler in front of Kaylee.
"Thanks for helping honey," Beau told her seriously. "Sure goes faster when you've got extra help."
"You're welcome, Uncle Beau. Can I help again sometime?"
"Sure you can," Brett said. "You can help anytime. I'm always glad to work with a pretty girl."
Kaylee backed the four wheeler around and they began to zoom across the land.
"Have fun," Rowdy called as they rode off.
"Keep it to a minimum, speed demon," Beau called to their backs. Both his daughters raised one hand to let him know they had heard....not that they would comply....but they had heard.
