Page 13 of Her Second Chance Cowboy
As she drew closer, she could see that the calf was in bad shape. Its leg was twisted at an unnatural angle, and there was a gash on its side that was oozing blood onto the grass. Emma’s stomach churned at the sight, but she forced herself to keep moving, to focus on what needed to be done.
She dropped to her knees beside the animal, keeping clear of its thrashing hooves, her hands shaking as she tried to assess the damage. She knew she should call a veterinarian, should let the professionals handle this. But the animal was sufferingnow,and the vet would take at least twenty minutesto get here, longer if he was already out on a call. This was her ranch now, her animals and her land, however temporarily. She has a responsibility to do what was right for the injured calf, and that meant helping it right now, in whatever way she could.
She took a deep breath, her mind racing as she tried to remember everything she’d ever learned about animal care. She knew she needed to stop the bleeding, to immobilize the leg and keep the calf calm until help could arrive.
She looked around, her eyes landing on a coil of rope and a stack of old blankets that had been left out by the fence. It wasn’t much, but it would have to do.
She worked quickly, her hands steady as she wrapped the blankets around the calf’s leg and secured them with the rope. She talked to the animal as she worked, her voice low and soothing as she tried to keep it still and calm.
It was hard, backbreaking work, and by the time she finished, Emma was drenched in sweat and covered in dirt and blood. But as she sat back on her heels, surveying her handiwork with a critical eye, she knew she couldn’t stop there. The calf was still in distress, its breathing labored and its eyes rolling in pain.
Emma stood up, her mind racing as she tried to think of what to do next. She knew she needed to get the calf to a vet, but she had no idea how she was going to manage that on her own. The animal was too heavy to lift, and even if she could get it into the back of her truck, she didn’t know if it would survive the trip into town.
She was just about to run back to the house and call for help when she heard the sound of an engine in the distance. Her heart leaped in her chest as she recognized the familiar rumble of Cody’s truck, and she felt a rush of relief wash over her.
But as the vehicle drew closer, Emma felt a sudden, irrational surge of panic. She couldn’t face Cody like this, covered in dirt and blood and reeking of calf. She didn’t wanthim to see her at her worst, didn’t want him to know just how out of her depth she really was.
Abruptly, she was furious with herself. An animal was suffering, and she was worried about how the man she’d decided she couldn’t fall in love with would see her. She needed to get her priorities straight.
Cody’s truck pulled up beside her, the engine cutting off with a final, sputtering cough. He jumped out of the cab, his eyes wide with concern as he took in the scene before him.
“Emma!” he called out, his voice rough with worry. “What happened? Are you alright?”
Emma opened her mouth to answer, but before she could get the words out, Cody was already at her side, his hands gentle as he checked her over for injuries.
“I’m fine,” she managed to say, her voice shaking slightly. “It’s the calf. I think its leg is broken.”
Cody’s gaze shifted to the animal, his brow furrowing as he took in the makeshift splint and the blood-soaked blankets. He crouched down beside the calf, his hands running over its body as he assessed the damage.
“You did a good job with the splint,” he said, his voice filled with admiration. “But you’re right, we need to get her to a vet, and fast. She’s lost a lot of blood.”
Emma nodded, her mind already racing ahead to the logistics of getting the calf into the truck. But before she could voice her thoughts, Cody was already moving, grabbing a nearby length of rope and fashioning a makeshift harness around the calf’s body.
“We’ll load her into your dad’s trailer,” he said. “It’s old but serviceable, and the ramp should be low enough for her to get in.”
Together, they managed to get the animal to her feet, supporting her weight as they slowly guided her towards the oldtrailer. It was a painstaking process, and more than once Emma thought the calf would collapse under the strain. But Cody’s steady presence beside her gave her strength, and somehow, they managed to get the job done.
As Cody closer up the trailer, Emma leaned against the side of the vehicle, her breath coming in ragged gasps. She was exhausted, her muscles aching from the exertion of the morning. But more than that, she was acutely aware of Cody’s proximity, of the way his arm brushed against hers as he worked.
She felt a sudden, irrational urge to lean into him, to rest her head on his shoulder and let his strength support her, just for a moment. But she resisted, stepping away and busying herself with wiping the blood and dirt from her hands.
Cody finished securing the trailer door and turned to her, his expression softening as he took in her exhausted appearance. “You did good, Emma,” he said, his voice warm with praise. “Real good. Your father would be proud of you.”
“Thanks, Cody,” she said, her voice rough with emotion. “I couldn’t have done it without you.”
Cody’s eyes held hers for a long moment, and Emma felt her heart skip a beat at the intensity of his gaze. But then he looked away, clearing his throat as he gestured towards the truck.
“We should get going,” he said, his voice carefully neutral. “The sooner we get her to the vet, the better.”
Emma nodded, climbing into the passenger seat as Cody hooked the truck to the trailer. As they drove down the dirt road towards town, she stared out the window, trying to ignore the way her heart raced every time Cody’s arm brushed against hers on the center console.
She knew she was playing a dangerous game, letting herself feel these things for him. But no matter how hard shetried, she couldn’t seem to shake the memory of last night, of the way he’d comforted her under the stars.
It was a moment that had changed everything, even if she couldn’t quite admit it to herself yet. And as much as she wanted to believe that she could walk away from this place, from him, without looking back, she knew deep down that it wouldn’t be that easy.
Because despite her best efforts, despite all the promises she’d made to herself, Emma was starting to realize that her heart might have other plans entirely. And as terrifying as that thought was, she couldn’t help but feel a flicker of hope, a tiny spark of possibility that maybe, just maybe, she wasn’t meant to leave this place behind after all.
But she pushed those thoughts aside, focusing instead on the task at hand. She had a calf to save, a ranch to sell, and a life to get back to. And no matter what her heart might be telling her, she knew she had to stay strong, to keep her head clear and her feet firmly on the ground.
