Page 29 of Falling Hard for the Billionaire Cowboy

Tony interjects, "I didn't steal nobody! Sarah and Mike broke up weeks ago. It ain't my fault she wants to be with me now."

I hold up a hand, silencing them both. "I don't care about your personal drama. What I do care about is the safety of this ranch and everyone on it. Go to the bunk house and sleep it off until you can drive home Mike. You're suspended for a week without pay. When you come back, you'd better be sober and ready to work."

Mike nods glumly, while Tony looks relieved.

"And Tony," I continue, "next time, take your personal issues off the ranch. Now get back to work.”

As the crowd breaks off, I turn to Sebastian. "Take charge here. Give everyone a thirty-minute break. It seems the heat is getting to everyone."

"Alright Boss." Sebastian nods, taking his hat off.

Without breaking stride, I head back to the house, also feeling the heat of the day and the stress from all the challenges I have weighing on me. As soon as I step inside, the door blocks out the humid air from outside, providing instant relief.

"Arf! Arf!"

My dogs come bounding towards me, tails wagging furiously. I bend down to pat their heads, grateful for their excited greetings.

"At least you two aren't giving me any trouble," I mutter, scratching behind their ears.

I make my way to the kitchen, pouring myself a glass of iced tea. As I lean against the counter, sipping the cool drink, my mind wanders back to Hayley.

The ranch hands are not the only ones with girl problems, but my case is different.

I wonder what she'd make of all this ranch drama. Would she laugh at the absurdity of it all, or would her feisty retorts come through much faster?

Chuckling, I take another sip.

But there's only so much break I can take. Sighing, I head to my office. There's always paperwork to be done on a ranch this size. I settle behind my desk but find myself staring at the framed photo on the wall – a picture of my father and me, standing proud in front of the ranch I grew up on. He always made running the place look so easy.

"What would you do, Dad?" I ask the photo. Predictably, it offers no response.

He died when I was sixteen, and I had to grow up fast, taking care of the business, my mom, and my little sister.

Sighing, I turn to my computer and start working on the ranch finances. Time slips by as I lose myself in spreadsheets and invoices. It's not the most exciting work, but it's necessary, andit keeps my mind off a certain auburn-haired woman who's been occupying my thoughts far too much lately.

As the sun begins to set, casting long shadows across my office, I hear a soft noise at the door. Looking up, I expect to see someone pop in, but it's only the dogs waiting patiently for their evening run.

Who knows, we might run into someone.

But we don't.

***

Two nights later, one of my fears is fulfilled. Rain begins pouring down in sheets, and thunder fills the sky at intervals, the strikes heavy and powerful. I'm immediately worried about the pregnant cow – the noise and dropping temperature that could easily spook her into early labor.

"I need to get to the barn immediately," I mumble, frantically searching for my raincoat, but it's nowhere to be found. With no time to waste, I grab my leather jacket and dash out into the downpour. By the time I reach the barn, I'm soaked to the bone.

Just as I feared, the cow has gone into early labor. She's lying on her side, mooing pitifully as the contractions grip her body. The other cows are restless, adding to the chaotic atmosphere.

I pull out my phone, fingers slipping on the wet screen as I dial the vet.

"Dr. Peterson? It's Austin. We've got an emergency – a cow in early labor."

"I'm sorry, Austin," he replies, voice crackling over the line. "I'm out of town at a conference. Let me see if I can get someone else out there."

After what feels like an eternity, he calls back. "I've got someone, but they're helping with a difficult horse birth on theother side of the county. It'll be a while before they can get to you."

I'm about to reply when I hear movement behind me. I turn to see Hayley standing in the doorway, soaked and shivering.

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