The Circle Eight: Tobias Read Free Page A

felt a stirring of recognition but could not place the man. Perhaps he worked for Angus MacRae, their closest neighbor. “Who are you?”  
    He smiled then and shook his head. “Five years is a long time, ain’t it?” He took off his head to reveal dark brown curls and even darker eyes. She searched his rough-hewn features and finally saw it.  
    “Jeb Gibson?” Her face flushed with heat. Gibson. Not the one who haunted her thoughts but his brother.  
    “Yes, ma’am. But Jeb was just a nickname. My real name is James and I use that now.”  
    Jeb, or rather James, had been fifteen when they’d met, two years younger than her. He was twenty now and he’d grown into a large man. He still had a shy smile but his eyes had lost the innocence. They were harder, cloaked in shadows. She wanted to ask him about Tobias, but knew it would be a mistake.  
    Anything to do with Tobias was a mistake.  
    “I never thought to see you again,” she blurted. Rebecca resisted the urge to wince. “I mean, I haven’t seen you in five years. I thought perhaps your ah, family had moved.”  
    “Some of us did. Will and I work at Donovan’s ranch. He got hurt when a tree fell on him we were cutting down. He’s in a bad way, Miss Graham.” James’s face tightened. “I’d appreciate if you could come with me.”  
    “Of course.” Rebecca didn’t hesitate. She remembered Will as being the shyest of the Gibsons. A slender young man who had lived under the thumb of his tyrant older brother. “I need to go home and get my things.”  
    James nodded. “It’s best we hurry. It’s about half a day’s ride and we need to make a stop.”  
    Rebecca tucked the knife into the basket and started up the bank. “I can be ready in an hour.” She had been exhausted when she’d arrived at the creek but the morning had reinvigorated her. Now the knowledge the young man she’d known, and liked, was hurt gave her an additional burst of speed. “Where do we need to stop?”  
    “Er, I have to tell Tobias.”  
    Rebecca almost fell on her head. “Pardon?”  
    “It won’t take long. I gotta tell him about Will no matter what bad blood is between us.” James’s mouth twisted.  
    She wanted to ask him about the bad blood or why the idea of talking to his brother was a chore. Yet the only thing she could focus on was the fact she would see Tobias again.  
    Rebecca didn’t know if she was excited or terrified.  
    She walked back to the ranch house beside James. He’d grown broader in the last five years. Much broader. He was as big as her brothers now. No longer the thin boy she’d met when she was a foolish girl. Life had changed both of them, in many ways.  
    “Can I carry the basket?”  
    She started at the sound of his deep voice. “No, thank you.”  
    The awkward silence returned. They were strangers of a sort. She didn’t know him and he didn’t know her. When they got closer to the house, she saw him tense up. She didn’t blame him for that. The Grahams and Gibsons had been at odds since they met. She hoped her brothers weren’t at the ranch presently. The last thing she wanted was to get into another argument with them about her traveling to treat people.  
    Fortunately, there was no one about in the yard. “I need to go inside and pack my bag. Will you come inside?”  
    James hesitated and she almost took back the offer. He was already upset about his brother and adding tension would be cruel. “I could use a cup of coffee.”  
    Rebecca let out a breath and nodded. Perhaps she would be lucky and it was only Eva inside. She opened the door and stepped in.  
    Not lucky. Unless bad luck was considered lucky.  
    Her brothers Matt and Caleb stood beside the table while her sister-in-law Hannah and their housekeeper Eva sat. All of them turned to look at Rebecca and James. Matt and Caleb straightened, their expression darkening. What were they all doing home?  
    “Rebecca.” Matt was still her