suffered. Until the day Chance up and left before he could
retaliate.
“Right. What he does no longer concerns me.” He rubbed
his knuckles over the faded patch in his jeans and looked over the ranch. The
chill was more noticeable now than it was yesterday. Snow for sure. “So, have
you heard from Evan lately?”
“Nope, not for a bit now. Last time I heard he was
still in Denver at the hospital.”
“Yeah me too. Well, you take care and let me know when
you get that transfer. Can’t wait to see you, Rory. It’s been too damn long.”
“Likewise. Gotta run.” The
phone disconnected and Chance put it on the table beside him. He lazed in the
chair and waited for Callie to come back. He missed her already.
***
Once the horses had been brought in and the chickens
fed, Callie walked over to the fence and gazed at the cows, some now with
calves at foot. Sherbet sat beside her and leaned into her leg. Callie reached
down and rubbed the ears of her new best friend, thankful Chance had taken her
down to visit Jim when he had. A dog completed her in a way she couldn’t
explain. On the farm, the dogs had been like an extra pair of hands and here on
the ranch Sherbet saved her a lot of work. She was a well-trained cattle dog
and the two of them had bonded immediately. She also filled up the hole in her
heart that stood empty the moment she’d pulled the trigger.
The dog moved her head and growled low in her throat.
When Callie turned it was to see Terror at the fence, pawing at the ground, his
head down in a show of aggression that would have been frightening if Callie
was on the other side of the fence. “Give it up, big guy, you don’t scare me.
Seen tougher than you in the desert where I used to live.”
The bull snorted and tossed his head around, intent on
intimidating her. She ignored him, turning and glancing over the cow paddock
again, looking for any sign of trouble. Seeing none, she snapped her fingers
and Sherbet followed her back down the driveway to the house. Chance was
sitting on the front porch, gazing silently over the valley.
“Hey.” She dropped down into a chair beside him.
He glanced at her, gave a smile, and reached for her
hand. “Hey, everything okay?”
“Yes. Why do I think it’s the calm before the storm
though? The ranch seems bathed in a kind of eerie light.” She looked up at the
mountains but couldn’t shake the weird tingling up her spine. Callie stared at
the hazy cast over the mountains, unsettled by the unfamiliar sight.
“Snow coming. Jim was right, look at the birds
overhead.”
She raised her eyes to the sky and watched as the
birds circled the house, high enough that they were silently gliding on the
wind overhead. “Hmm, best I get out there early in the morning then and make
sure the cows are okay. Any idea how long it’s likely to last?”
“Depends on how much we get. Might only be a light
dusting although I doubt it. We could be snowed in for a week or so. Damned
inconvenient time for a flash storm with calves arriving.”
She grinned. “I can make a snowman. It’s going to be
so exciting seeing snow for the first time.” Callie and her sisters had yearned
for a trip to the ski fields but it was never in the family budget so she had
yet to touch the cold white powder and she was excited about the prospect.
“I don’t want you putting yourself in harm’s way,
understand? I can’t come and rescue you if you run into trouble. You need to be
careful out there and not take un-necessary chances.”
“I know how to handle myself. Don’t fuss. Now how
about I go and light the fire since its getting rather chilly and your hands
are white with cold?” She rubbed her fingers over his, before bringing his hand
up to her lips. Chance grabbed her and pulled her down onto his lap. Callie
squealed and pretended to fight him but in all reality she was exactly where
her heart yearned to be. A sexy cowboy of her own, a house the bank wouldn’t
come and take
retaliate.
“Right. What he does no longer concerns me.” He rubbed
his knuckles over the faded patch in his jeans and looked over the ranch. The
chill was more noticeable now than it was yesterday. Snow for sure. “So, have
you heard from Evan lately?”
“Nope, not for a bit now. Last time I heard he was
still in Denver at the hospital.”
“Yeah me too. Well, you take care and let me know when
you get that transfer. Can’t wait to see you, Rory. It’s been too damn long.”
“Likewise. Gotta run.” The
phone disconnected and Chance put it on the table beside him. He lazed in the
chair and waited for Callie to come back. He missed her already.
***
Once the horses had been brought in and the chickens
fed, Callie walked over to the fence and gazed at the cows, some now with
calves at foot. Sherbet sat beside her and leaned into her leg. Callie reached
down and rubbed the ears of her new best friend, thankful Chance had taken her
down to visit Jim when he had. A dog completed her in a way she couldn’t
explain. On the farm, the dogs had been like an extra pair of hands and here on
the ranch Sherbet saved her a lot of work. She was a well-trained cattle dog
and the two of them had bonded immediately. She also filled up the hole in her
heart that stood empty the moment she’d pulled the trigger.
The dog moved her head and growled low in her throat.
When Callie turned it was to see Terror at the fence, pawing at the ground, his
head down in a show of aggression that would have been frightening if Callie
was on the other side of the fence. “Give it up, big guy, you don’t scare me.
Seen tougher than you in the desert where I used to live.”
The bull snorted and tossed his head around, intent on
intimidating her. She ignored him, turning and glancing over the cow paddock
again, looking for any sign of trouble. Seeing none, she snapped her fingers
and Sherbet followed her back down the driveway to the house. Chance was
sitting on the front porch, gazing silently over the valley.
“Hey.” She dropped down into a chair beside him.
He glanced at her, gave a smile, and reached for her
hand. “Hey, everything okay?”
“Yes. Why do I think it’s the calm before the storm
though? The ranch seems bathed in a kind of eerie light.” She looked up at the
mountains but couldn’t shake the weird tingling up her spine. Callie stared at
the hazy cast over the mountains, unsettled by the unfamiliar sight.
“Snow coming. Jim was right, look at the birds
overhead.”
She raised her eyes to the sky and watched as the
birds circled the house, high enough that they were silently gliding on the
wind overhead. “Hmm, best I get out there early in the morning then and make
sure the cows are okay. Any idea how long it’s likely to last?”
“Depends on how much we get. Might only be a light
dusting although I doubt it. We could be snowed in for a week or so. Damned
inconvenient time for a flash storm with calves arriving.”
She grinned. “I can make a snowman. It’s going to be
so exciting seeing snow for the first time.” Callie and her sisters had yearned
for a trip to the ski fields but it was never in the family budget so she had
yet to touch the cold white powder and she was excited about the prospect.
“I don’t want you putting yourself in harm’s way,
understand? I can’t come and rescue you if you run into trouble. You need to be
careful out there and not take un-necessary chances.”
“I know how to handle myself. Don’t fuss. Now how
about I go and light the fire since its getting rather chilly and your hands
are white with cold?” She rubbed her fingers over his, before bringing his hand
up to her lips. Chance grabbed her and pulled her down onto his lap. Callie
squealed and pretended to fight him but in all reality she was exactly where
her heart yearned to be. A sexy cowboy of her own, a house the bank wouldn’t
come and take
Similar Books
