Page 13 of Falling For Her Cowboy
“I ain’t got no fancy degrees. I’ll leave the science stuff up to you. I only know the basics.” Buck shook his head. His weathered face crinkled in the corners by his eyes. He brought a toothpick out of his pocket and slipped it between his lips. The older cowboy had given up smoking years ago. He’d had a scare a while back with his lungs that had led him to be hospitalized. It only took one time where he couldn’t breathe for him to give up cigarettes. “Plus, if I did all the work, what would there be for you to do, kid?”
Ridge barked a laugh and shook his head. He pushed off the gate and headed over to the vehicle he used to get around the ranch. In the back of it, he kept supplies he may need. One of the things he dreaded most was getting fresh stool samples from cattle. They could be ornery, and it could be dangerous if one didn’t know what they were doing. He didn’t have his vet tech, Heath, with him today, so he’d have to have the hands help him out.
He looked up, and his attention fell on Melah. She had taken off her hat and wiped her brow with the back of her arm. She turned and met his gaze. She paused for a moment then offered him a small smile. He nodded to her then grabbed the bag and walked back over to holding area.
This was about to get interesting.
Chapter Five
“Iwouldn’t want to be the doc right now.” Trent chuckled.
Melah inhaled sharply at the mention of ‘the doc’. She tried to keep her face free of emotions. She glanced over at the other hand and raised an eyebrow.
“Why?” She held reins of the horse she’d borrowed. Daisy was a working horse, but since she had the wound, Melah felt it was best to let her girl rest. She had found the material and medicated ointment Ridge had left for Daisy this morning when she’d checked on her. She’d change the dressing after work. It didn’t appear to be hard to do, so she’d try her hand at it.
“He’s going to need a stool sample.” Ethan snorted.
They all sat on their horses, waiting around while Buck spoke with Ridge. Melah glanced back over at them. The moment Ridge threw his head back and laughed, that fluttering in her stomach returned. She didn’t know what it was about a man who enjoyed life the way he did. She didn’t know his story, only that he had been in the Navy, then had come home, went to school, and now he was the local veterinarian.
Oh, and he was single.
That is not important, she reminded herself.
Okay, how about he was extremely handsome. Fit. Had a good job.
Nope. Stop thinking of him like that,she scolded herself.
He was a nice guy who’d come out and treated her horse and wouldn’t take payment. She swallowed hard, remembering that he’d take a meal as payment for treating Daisy. Why did her nerves act up at the thought of being alone with him at a restaurant? Maybe she could pick him up something to eat and drop it off at his house. That would still be her providing a meal for him.
It wasn’t like she had a kitchen she could cook in.She wasn’t the best cook, but she had certain dishes she’d perfected. Pierce had loved when she’d cooked, because that man could not even boil water.
We are not thinking of Pierce right now either!
She sighed. It was official—she was going crazy.
Who spoke to themselves and responded? She was sure that was the definition of deranged.
“So should we go out and collect some of the poop that dropped from the cattle?” The moment the words fell from her lips, she knew it sounded dumb.
“That would only be too easy.” Trent lifted his baseball cap and combed his fingers through his hair. He replaced the hat and motioned to Ridge walking toward his terrain vehicle. “He’s going to want a fresh sample. Straight from the sources.”
Melah’s eyes widened. Well, she shouldn’t be too surprised.
“I’m not sticking nothing in no cow’s ass.” Ethan snickered.
“I ain’t either,” Trent said.
Their gazes fell to her. She glanced at both of them. Ethan was new to the ranch, like her. He’d been there about two months and already fit in. When she’d first met him, she’d figured he’d been there much longer. Ethanwas former Navy. He hadn’t said much about this time in the service, but then again, neither had she. So far, he appeared to be a good guy. He’d helped her out a few times since she’d started.
“What y’all looking at me for? I’m not the doctor. He can collect his own samples,” she scoffed.
The guys chuckled then assured her the doctor would be obtaining the samples but may need help. Melah relaxed slightly. She eyed the herd and wondered if he’d need samples from all of the cattle. There had to be about thirty to forty in this group.
“Howdy, y’all,” Ridge called out as he approached with Buck strolling next to him. He carried his medical bag just like he had when he’d come to see Daisy.
Melah tried to keep her face neutral, but her damn heart was thinking otherwise. Her pulse spiked as he grew closer. Last night, she’d thought he’d been handsome. That had been in the low light of the barn, but now in the middle of the day with the sun providing ample light, her breath stalled in her chest.
His dark hair looked as if it had been recently raked with his fingers, and his blue eyes were bright and clear. His jeans and Silver Creek t-shirt had nobusiness molding to him the way they did. What was it with a man in tight Wranglers?
