The Circle Eight: Tobias Read Free Page B

brother and although older, they looked similar with their brown hair and the Graham blue-green eyes. All the Grahams had like features, only Catherine, the youngest girl, had blue eyes. His gaze moved to James. “Who’s this?”  
    Caleb crossed his arms, equally as big as Matt, and a former Texas Ranger. “Good question.”  
    Rebecca forced a smile. “I didn’t expect to see you all here.”  
    “Too bad, hm?” Matt continued to stare at James.  
    “This is James. He works at Donovan’s ranch. One of the hands was injured and they need me to come tend to him.” Rebecca hoped James would forgive her for not mentioning his last name.  
    “Donovan’s?” Caleb’s gaze narrowed. “What happened?”  
    James tipped back his hat and she silently thanked him for not mentioning he was a Gibson. “Tree. We were clearing some land and it fell the wrong way. Busted his leg and head.”  
    Rebecca didn’t know the extent of his injuries, but knowing Will had a head injury concerned her a great deal. “We can’t stay to chat. It’s at least a four-hour ride. Caleb, can you saddle Ocho for me?”  
    Caleb looked startled. “Um, sure.”  
    Hannah got to her feet. Matt’s wife was closer to a mother than a sister and she had been influential in Rebecca’s life. A supporter, a strong woman who took what she called her plain brownness and became an amazing rancher and wife.  
    “Can I help?” She held a chaparejo in her hand. As someone who was gifted with a needle, Hannah was called upon to perform miracles when sewing was required.  
    “No, thanks. You should finish what you’re doing. I can pack quickly.” Rebecca was usually ready for anything and kept her life simple. That meant she could be ready to leave in minutes, not an hour. The basket of herbs would be transferred to her tapestry bag with the medical supplies and they could be on their way.  
    “Eva, can you get some coffee for James?” Rebecca was grateful he didn’t go by Jeb anymore or Matt might recognize it. She didn’t think the two of them had met before. Only Elizabeth, her older sister, and her husband, Vaughn, knew all the Gibsons. Fortunately they lived elsewhere.  
    “ Sí , hija .” Eva who had aged gracefully into her fifties, got to her feet and went to the stove. She cooked for the Grahams and their ranch hands, who happened to be Eva’s sons. But she was much more than that. She was the heart of the home. As she set the tin cup of steaming brew on the table, Eva gestured to James to sit.  
    He looked as though he’d rather bolt for the door, but he sat. Rebecca gave Eva a grateful smile and ran to her room to pack with all due speed. Matt would interrogate James but if she worked fast enough, it would only be a few minutes of questions.  
    “I’ll hurry.” She dashed to her room. Will could be bleeding to death while she worried about what her brother would say to James. Ridiculous of course. She needed to focus on the patient who needed her.  
    Rebecca’s steps quickened. Now was the time to put a fire under her and move like the wind. She couldn’t think about their stop along the way and seeing Tobias again. If she did, she might have to scream. Or vomit. Or both.  
     
     
    Tobias had spent the day trying to pick up the mess he lived in but he managed to nap and lie on the grass longer than he worked. The sun had started to drop low in the sky before he roused himself to stand again. Now he leaned against the tree he now thought of as the outhouse and took a piss.  
    “Shit you stink.” James’s voice startled Tobias and he managed to piss on his own hand.  
    Tobias tucked his cock back in his trousers and buttoned them, ignoring the tremble of his fingers. After he wiped his hand on the grass, he straightened to look at his brother.  
    “What do you want?”  
    James had grown into a big man, muscles hewn from hard work. His boyish face was now darkened with a few days’ growth of his beard.