Chapter 3 #2
“Uh, yeah. That would be…yes,” I stammered. “Thanks.”
Janey flashed a quizzical smile. “You got it, Boss.”
Axel didn’t have to say a word. I felt his presence before I spotted his shadow filling the doorway. With the sun behind him, I couldn’t make out his features at all.
I held one of the kids to my chest and stepped forward to greet him, my pulse racing so fast, I felt dizzy.
Get your shit together, Tanner.
“Hi, there. Good to see you again.”
He grunted a response that might have been a neutral “You too,” or a sarcastic “Is it?” Not exactly socially graceful, though after our first encounter, it was almost expected. But his sheer largeness was another matter.
Christ, Axel really was a damn giant. A very fucking attractive one…in a rough and tumble way. And my thing for hulking men wearing plaid shirts and jeans that accentuated what I was guessing was a seriously big cock had officially reached a concerning phase.
I averted my eyes and reached for a baby bottle.
“I came to check on the herd. Make sure they’re acclimated,” he said in a gravelly tone that hinted at infrequent use.
O-kay…
“That’s nice of you.” I smiled and tipped my chin, wordlessly inviting him to enter. “They’re doing well, but since you’re here, you can see for yourself. I’ll come with you…as soon as I’ve fed this little one.”
Another grunt. He pushed his hands into his pockets and moved into the barn, immediately taking oxygen and filling space.
“A week old?” Axel guessed, his gaze fixed on the kids.
“That’s right,” I confirmed. “Nelly’s been able to feed them, but she’s not producing as much milk as the twins need, so we supplement and—hey, if you don’t mind, this will go quicker if you feed the other.”
Axel’s brows knit in a thick line across his forehead.
I almost thought he’d refuse, but he rolled up his shirt sleeves, scooped the kid into his arms, picked up the second bottle on the ledge, and gently set the nipple against its mouth.
The little one latched on, staring up at the beast of a man as if unsure or mesmerized or just… in awe.
Same, little dude. Same.
There was something incongruously charming about an oversized burly man cradling a tiny goat in his arms.
“This one has a good appetite,” he stated with the type of inflection reserved for reading the ingredients from a can of soup.
I inclined my head. “They both do. You’re good at that…giving him the bottle.”
Axel hummed. “I’ve done it a few times.”
“Right.” My cheeks flushed, and I wasn’t sure why. I couldn’t tell if Axel was an awkward bugger or if it was me. I tried again. “How do you like the ar—”
“How many goats do you have?” he interrupted.
“Uh…forty-three.”
“You make goat cheese?”
“We do, and we outsource the milk to a local firm that makes soaps, lotions, and cosmetics.” I could have continued, but the faraway look in his eyes indicated that I’d already lost my audience. “Was there someth—”
“You might have a problem with Hazel.”
“How so?”
“She lost her last calf, and that’s not in the records. Also, milk fever was a bigger issue than Dennis let on. Not that you should have any immediate concerns, but you should know.”
I blinked at the rushed delivery and lack of eye contact. “You signed off on the health charts.”
Axel finally met my gaze. “Yeah, it’s all in there. Read Hazel’s report. She’ll be fine with proper care.”
“And she’ll have it.”
“Good.”
Another scowl.
Dennis had been right about this guy. Axel was about as cuddly as a cactus.
I put the kid in the pen with Nelly and whispered my usual sweet-nothings to her. Axel took the hint and returned the twin too.
“Something tells me you didn’t come all the way out here to tell me to read your report.”
He shook his head but didn’t speak. The near constant baa and maa broken by an occasional oink filled the space. I waited…and waited.
After what felt like ten minutes, Axel sat on the bench a foot away from me.
He pulled his hat off and fussed with the brim.
His hair fell over his eyes like a curtain.
I itched to push it aside, but not to worry, I’d regained my cool.
And what the vet might not have realized was that I was a very patient man.
I stood and motioned for him to follow me from the barn enclosure to a wide path leading to the pasture. Holsteins dotted the green fields to the horizon with a few oak trees to break the monotony of sky and grass.
I stopped at the fence, tipping my hat to block the sun.
He could take his time here.
“You need help with the herd,” Axel said, finally glancing my way. “And I can be available as soon as tomorrow.”
I raised a brow.
“Are you looking for a job?”
“No, I’m making a suggestion.”
I twisted to face him. “What makes you think I need help?”
“An educated guess. You bought a lot of cattle from Dennis, and I’m the guy who knows them best.”
“I see. I have a vet on call who’s very reliable,” I hedged, my heart hammering away.
“I can fill in, and with a sudden influx of a few dozen cattle, you’ll probably want more help. I’m willing to do other odd jobs too. I’m available through most of December.”
“What happens in December?”
Axel’s jaw tightened imperceptibly. “I have something lined up in Texas.”
“Ah, so you’re suggesting that I use you as a secondary veterinary option and a temporary farm hand?”
“I am.”
And the answer was already a resounding yes.
It was a no-brainer. And he’d said temporary.
Temporary was good.
I could have said as much and ended this discussion by introducing him to Hudson, who’d agree with me that it was smart to hire a competent assistant with a veterinary degree.
Then I’d escort Axel directly to the office where Jax would conduct an informal interview.
A few signatures on official documents later, Oak Ridge would have an employee with invaluable experience.
Problem: I was incredibly attracted to Axel.
And this guy was no Mr. Congeniality.
Axel had sharp edges, a solemn air, and a hard gaze. He didn’t want to shoot the shit with me, and he wouldn’t stoop to ingratiating himself like most folks looking for extra work might.
I suspected he needed the income he’d lost when Dennis had sold the herd.
Anyone else would have bent over backward to explain the situation and dazzle a prospective employer with their qualifications…
not Axel. His mask of studied nonchalance warred with a grumpy scowl that didn’t invite casual chitchat. Or serious chitchat.
So why was I still here? There was no chance of my inane crush ever becoming anything more—doubly so if I hired him.
But like I said, I was a sucker for animals and an even worse sucker for people who loved them as much as I did.
Under his tough as nails, grouchy exterior, I suspected Axel was a gentle giant.
I’d noticed the way he’d picked up Nelly’s kid with practiced hands and fed the newborn like a pro, stroking its furry ear as he’d suckled.
It was a little funny that he’d growled at the guy holding the purse strings, but color me fascinated. Against my better judgment, I wanted to know more. A lot more.
“Well?” Axel prodded.
I tilted the brim of my hat, pursing my lips thoughtfully. “Where’re you from?”
Another scowl. “Texas originally.”
“Oh, yeah? Where in Texas?”
The fuzzy caterpillar made an appearance across the bridge of his nose. “Merriweather.”
“Outside of Austin, right?”
“A few hundred miles outside of it. You know the area?”
“Not well,” I admitted. “Some of our early cattle were from a ranch in Texas. How long have you been in California?”
Axel opened his mouth and closed it, his brow furrowed at a maximum. “A couple of months. Does that matter?”
“Of course not. I’m just making small talk, trying to get a feel for a potential employee, if you will.”
“I don’t—small talk is…I don’t do that,” he grumbled, crossing his arms, gaze fixed on the grazing cattle.
My lips twitched in amusement.
“I’ll go first. I was born and raised in central California, went to college in San Luis Obispo, and settled in Santa Ynez about fifteen years ago with three cows and an overly ambitious business plan.
I love it here. We have the best of all worlds—a beautiful valley, a short drive to the ocean, and the mountains are in our backyard.
If I’m in the mood for the city, which doesn’t happen often, I can be in Los Angeles in a little over two hours and in San Francisco in under five.
” I paused, giving Axel a chance to chime in.
Nothing. I continued. “The nightlife is quiet. We have a movie theater in town and a few bars. None of them stay open late, but I’ve outgrown my club era so I don’t mind. ”
Axel grunted. “Did you want to head into the field and—”
“No, we’re only halfway through the small-talk portion of our impromptu interview.” I couldn’t quite swallow my laughter at his effort to hide a cantankerous pout. “When did you decide to become a vet?”
His shoulders visibly tensed. “I grew up on a ranch. My dad rode bulls and wild horses in the local rodeo. I tagged along with him and ended up befriending the vet. I like animals. They’re easy company. People…aren’t.”
That was practically a sonnet. Now I was more curious than ever, but this was a get-to-know-you chat with a potential employee—nothing more.
“Some aren’t so bad,” I commented, pushing away from the fence. “Let’s check on the herd and introduce you to Jax and Hudson and the others.”
We toured the pasture, the stable, and the barns.
I didn’t have the luxury of time to give details.
I received two urgent calls and had to leave Axel in the hands of whoever happened to be in the vicinity while I dealt with a local distributor interested in our pistachio harvest. I switched gears from livestock to nuts like a pro, watching Axel interact with the animals from a distance.
He was a natural.
Axel approached the horses with care and spoke in soothing tones to the cattle, always making eye contact. In some ways it was hard to believe that the guy cooing to the pregnant Holstein was the same one who’d growled at the notion of a little conversation.
“How’s she doing?” I asked, nodding a greeting at the farmhand spreading clean hay on the floor.
“Pretty well,” Axel replied, patting the cow’s neck.
“Glad to hear you think so.” My cell buzzed again.
It was time to get back to work. “Look, I don’t deal with numbers or employee packages.
That’s Jax’s territory. You can talk money and whatnot with him.
Should you decide to come aboard, you’d be working directly for Hudson.
He’s a great guy. Except he’ll tell you Nelly likes him more than she likes me, and that’s just not true.
” I grinned and thrust a hand at Axel, unsurprised by his suspicious frown.
“You’re supposed to shake it, man. It’s one of those pesky traditions that goes along with new alliances. ”
Axel dropped his arm and stretched his fingers, then slowly clasped his bear-sized paw against mine. The warmth of his touch matched the heat in his eyes. Skin on skin, a firm, calloused grip…so warm.
I wouldn’t claim that I saw stars or felt butterflies in my stomach. It was nothing like that, and yet…it was something. Like a low-watt connection or a subconscious understanding.
Hey, I was the first to admit that I was drawn to complex people with fierce pride. Add broad shoulders, a sexy ass, and a gentle nature he couldn’t quite hide, and I was smitten.
Relax. It was nothing serious. Just a bout of harmless infatuation. It didn’t matter that Axel ticked all my boxes and that I was obviously attracted to him. If he was going to be a new employee, he was off-limits. Period. End of story. I’d learned my lesson.
“Thanks,” he said, his voice deep and husky. “I appreciate it.”
And yes, I was still pumping his hand and still staring into his baby blues and still wondering about the secrets he guarded. But I wasn’t an idiot.
“So…you can start tomorrow?”
He nodded. “Yes. Thank you. I should, uh…be honest and let you know I’m a single dad.
I know animal welfare isn’t a nine-to-five gig, but anything that happens before or after day care may require me to bring my five-year-old daughter along.
At least until I can find a babysitter I can trust. If that’s a problem, I—”
“It’s not. We have families and kids living on the property.” I pointed out a smattering of bungalows in the distance. “We have resources if you need a sitter, too. Talk to Jax. Like I said, he handles the HR stuff.”
“Huh…”
“What does that noise mean?” I asked.
“I dunno. I just didn’t think it would be that easy.”
I smiled. “Welcome to Oak Ridge.”