Page 31 of Falling Hard for the Billionaire Cowboy

"If we don't help her now, the calf could suffocate," I explain, my voice rising with urgency. "And the mother... she could bleed out if we don't act fast."

Austin looks at me, "You sound like you know exactly what is going on?"

“I sure darn do.” I inhale deeply, steeling myself. "I might have been gone a while, but I was a ranch girl first, Austin. I've helped birth calves before. I know what to do."

He nods, instantly getting into assistant mode.

Wait, hold up.

Isn’t he supposed to at least have doubts?

But from the expression on his face, this man immediately trusts me.

Is he crazy? I mean…

“Hayley, are you alright?” Austin asks, concern on his face.

“Yes… yes… I’m fine.” I clear my throat, focusing on the mission at hand.

"Okay, then. Tell me what you need."

"First, we need clean towels, warm water, and some iodine if you have it," I instruct, already shedding his jacket and rolling up my sleeves. "And rope – and your hands. I will need you to push the prolapse back in while she pushes out. "

Austin nods, darting to a nearby storage cabinet. As he gathers supplies, I approach the cow, speaking softly to her. "It's okay, girl. We're going to help you through this," I murmur, stroking her flank. She lets out another low moo, her dark eyes wide with fear.

Austin returns with an armful of supplies. "Next?"

"Now," I say, meeting his gaze, "we work together. I need you to stay calm and follow my instructions exactly. Can you do that?"

He nods, a hint of a smile playing at his lips despite the tense situation. "Yes, ma'am."

We position ourselves behind the cow, and I begin to explain the process. "We need to guide the calf out gently. If we see the front hooves and nose, that's good. If not, we might need to reposition it."

Austin listens intently, his brow furrowed in concentration. As we prepare, I can't help but notice how in sync we are, anticipating each other's movements, working together like we had done this a million times.

"Okay," I say, taking a deep breath. "Here we go. On my count, we're going to start guiding the calf out, as you push the prolapseback in. Just be careful to use your palms and not your fingers since you could puncture through her tender flesh. Ready?"

Austin nods, his eyes lock on mine. At this moment, all our past tensions and misunderstandings seem to fade away.

"One... two... three!"

As we begin to work, I'm struck by how unreal everything in this moment feels.

I mean, the rain continues to pour outside, but here, in this new cow shed, time seems to stand still. It's just us, the laboring cow, and the miracle of life unfolding before us.

Austin follows my lead without hesitation, his strong hands gentle as we guide the calf. Sweat beads on his forehead, and I realize I'm holding my breath.

"You're doing great," I encourage, both to the cow and to Austin. "Just a little more..."

As we continue to work, I can't help but wonder how quickly things can change. An hour ago, I was avoiding Austin at all costs. Now, we're shoulder to shoulder, at a cow’s backside.

The cow lets out another loud bellow, and I feel movement beneath my hands. "I think this is it," I say, whispering. I admit to myself that I’m frightened about what could go wrong if the prolapse continues. The tissue could become infected and necrotic. "Austin, are you ready?"

He meets my gaze, and in his eyes, I see something else – something that makes my heart race in a way that has nothing to do with the task at hand.

"Ready as I'll ever be," he replies, a hint of a smile on his lips.

As we brace ourselves for the next step, I’m reminded of the life I had left back in the city. I had come here to open a practice and establish myself as a lawyer.

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