Page 45 of The Cowboy Takes A Bride

“I get it. You let me know how I can help.” She reached across the space with her palm up. Willow placed her hand in Meredith’s, and they squeezed.

“Look at us, crying in the garden,” Willow said, gripping tightly.

Meredith laughed. “No one has to know.” Mercy, she felt like a heel for being so petty and resenting of Willow before.

A low rumble echoed through the garden and vibrated the earth. Puzzled, Meredith looked up at the clear blue sky.

“It’s the herd. They’re coming in. Doesn’t sound like all of them, though. Come on, let’s go watch.” Willow jumped up, wiped her eyes, and then dusted the dirt from her pants. Meredith followed suit. Out by the barn was a large corral-like, pie-shaped contraption.

Meredith pointed. “What's that?”

“It’s a sweep tub. It helps keep the cows from getting anxious. When that happens, all kinda things can go wrong. ”

Meredith nodded like she understood, but made a note to ask Jace later.

“Jace is probably bringing in this batch to check their tags.” Willow pulled on her ear. Meredith saw some of the cows had a yellow clip in their ear.

“I’ll go open the gate.” Willow started forward, but Meredith grabbed her arm.

“Can I do it?”

“Sure, just open it and get out of the way.”

Meredith nodded then jogged out to the apparatus. The herd was close, coming in wide, their pace steady, and Meredith laughed. She now understood the term “louder than a herd of buffalo.” The sound was deafening. Unlatching the gate was easy enough, but her critical mistake was standing still and shoving it open instead of guiding it to rest against the metal sweeping tub. Her initial thought had been to avoid going toward the herd which she would have done had she taken the gate all the way open. Only now they seemed to be coming from everywhere, and thrusting the gate left Meredith exposed and in the direct line of the herd. Had she guided the gate open, she’d be by the sweep tub and could sit on the fence.

She faced the incoming cows and thought about all those videos she’d seen of people running from the bulls in Pamplona.

She turned on her heel and bolted, picking the path to run with the least amount of animals.

Willow was yelling something and pointing, but when Meredith looked in that direction, all she could see were cows. When one passed her, she braced herself to be trampled, surprised when nothing came.

Meredith ran faster, her legs burning from the exertion. If she died, at least it was at a time when she was happy. The ground shook with the pounding of stampeding cows, their hooves kicking up dirt.

Frightened, she unleashed the scream building inside her. Why hadn’t those stupid cows gone into the tub? Her gaze darted around as she looked for a solution, and she realized the herd was coming in from both sides of the prairie, Tuck driving another bunch in from the direction in which she was running.

Cows were everywhere!

Like that childhood game she was the Monkey in the Middle, and wished someone would throw her a lifeline. Out of options and heaving from exhaustion, she continued scanning for options. Something, anything, like a building or fence that she could use as cover. A whistle broke through the chaotic sound, and she jerked her attention in the direction from which it came.

Jace was on a horse barreling up from behind, leaning in the saddle toward her, arm extended as if to scoop her up. She pivoted on a dime, changing her direction toward him, and hoped they could pull it off.

Only in the movies.

Thankfully, she knew about horses, and when he was close enough she reached for the back of the saddle with one hand while linking arms with him with the other. She leapt into the air when they connected and used the saddle to help pull herself around. Once seated, she wrapped both arms around his waist and buried her head into the center of his back,trying to cease her shaking and calm her frantically beating heart.

Though the pounding of the hooves continued to echo in her head, she knew they were away from the corral because the sound had faded. She lifted her head and saw the big house in front of them. Jace brought his horse to a quick halt, jumped off, and pulled her down seconds later. Her knees wobbled, and she grasped his shoulders to steady herself.

“Are you okay?” He patted her body up and down.

“Yeah, but it was a little uncertain there for a moment.” She tried to laugh, but it came out shaky.

Jace stared at her, his face rigid with…anger?

Yeah, she was going with anger. The small muscle in his cheek pulsed in and out at a rapid pace. He pressed his lips together then puffed out one word. “Christ.” He drew in another breath.

Silver lining? She was getting to know his moods. She’d called this one correctly right out of the gate.

“I’m sorry I messed up opening the thingy.” She tested her legs for steadiness and let go of his shoulders. His hands were on her waist, his thumbs digging into her hips.

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