Page 45 of Clearly Charmed

I loaded Bryce up with equipment from my truck and ordered him toward the barn like he was my own personal pack mule.

‘How’s she doing, George?’ I asked, stopping next to the pen and stepping into my coveralls.

He stalked toward the gate and quickly opened and closed it behind him. ‘She’s been like this for several hours. That’s why I couldn’t come to the town meeting. Too worried about her.’ He slid the black cowboy hat off his head and rubbed it across his chest. ‘You remember how difficult a time she had last year. This, well, it seems worse.’

Bryce huffed behind us like the weight of the gear was too much.

‘Is there a reason he’s here?’ George bristled.

‘He’s like a horse fly. Can’t get rid of him.’

That got a chuckle out of George.

‘Set the bags down next to the gate, and wait out here,’ I said to Bryce. ‘Cows can be unpredictable, especially when they’re in labor. The last thing I need is for you to get kicked by a twelve-hundred-pound animal.’

Bryce did as he was told, and even though his watchful stare was annoying, it was good to have backup in case we needed help with a calf in distress.

George’s three border collies raced into the barn. They beelined straight for me and before they could crash into my legs, George made a loud whistle, stopping them in their tracks.

‘Sorry,’ George said, holding the dogs back. ‘Thought they were locked in the house. Must have figured a way out of the dog door.’

Bryce gave me that same quizzical look from that day in town when the dogs surrounded me.

‘It’s all right, you can let them go,’ I said.

‘Hooks, Walker, Steinem, release,’ George said. The dogs trotted toward me, and I gave them each a warm scrub behind the ears without a single flash of dizziness.

Bryce admired the dogs, who sat still at my feet. ‘Interesting names.’

‘I might be a farmer, but I went to a liberal arts college on the east coast. Took a feminist literature class, because a girl I liked was in it. She never gave me a glance, but the books we read made a lifelong impression.’

‘Ever read Isabel Cañas?’ Bryce said.

George scrubbed at his salt-and-pepper beard. ‘No. Should I?’

‘Absolutely. Start with Vampires of El Norte. You won’t be disappointed.’

I hid my smile while Bryce continued to give George a long list of feminist must-reads. Damn. He was full of surprises.

Daisy’s pacing inside the pen grew frantic, and I slid one of my equipment bags over my shoulder and entered through the gate.

‘She’s gonna be ornery,’ George called out. ‘Took me a half hour to get her into the pen.’

I set down my bag on the straw and took small, cautious steps, approaching Daisy from behind the tip of the shoulder so I wouldn’t spook her.

‘George,’ I said, keeping my voice low and steady, ‘grab some clean towels and leave them by the gate. Not sure what condition this calf is going to be in once it’s out.’

He moved to a crate in the far back of the barn and loaded up his arms.

I inched in closer to Daisy. ‘Hello, sweet thing.’ I reached out, bracing for the shock of what I’d feel when I touched her. I started easy, rubbing a hand over her back. Thankfully everything was normal. No dizziness or zap of pain.

‘Dani, you okay?’ The latch on the gate shook like Bryce was trying to come in, but the sharp tone to George’s voice stopped him.

‘She’s the best vet I’ve ever seen, and I’ve lived in this county for sixty years. Seen many come and go. Give her a minute.’

‘I want to help.’ Bryce’s voice went firm.

George dropped the load of towels next to the gate. ‘You can help by letting her do her job. Just watch and learn, city boy.’