Chapter Ten
“W e’re here.”
Darby’s cheerful announcement had Emma’s stomach twisting like pretzels. Here was Gabe’s farm. Cattle grazed on lush grass behind a fence a few hundred feet away, the sight sending shivers spiking down her spine.
Nasty creatures.
As soon as Darby had learned Emma was scared of cows, she’d insisted they head out to Gabe’s place immediately.
“You’ll see there’s nothing to be scared of. They’re too stupid to be scary.”
Emma grunted and chewed her lip. This wasn’t going to be fun.
Never mind the fact that this was Gabe’s place. A man who would be any woman’s dream, hers included. She’d never thought herself a particularly sensual or sexual woman but man, did he give a new meaning to the word fantasise .
Sweat had drenched her body when she’d woken this morning, her chest heaving, her breath curiously short. She’d even glanced around the room to look for Gabe, so sure was she that her dream had been real. She’d fallen back onto the pillows, unsure whether to be relieved or disappointed that he wasn’t really there.
A long shower had been needed to calm herself down. Even hours later, her stomach clenched when remembering what he’d done to her in that dream.
“Earth to Emma? They really aren’t that scary, you know.”
Emma’s cheeks heated as she realised Darby was talking to her, and here she was, daydreaming about her brother. She nodded in Darby’s direction to try and pretend that the cows were what had her all flustered.
“Gabe’s probably over in the barn.” Darby pointed to the massive structure to their left. “He has his surgery in there.”
Emma shut the car door. Her gaze caught on the majestic vista of the Great Divide dropping off to her left. The never-ending peaks in the distance framed the pasture. The grazing cows completed the picture-perfect image, but she kept a wary eye on them.
The pungent scent of fresh hay and cow permeated the warm air. She took a deep breath.
It really wasn’t that bad a smell. Darby’s laughter caused her to glance in her direction.
“They can’t get you from over there! Come on.” Darby grabbed her hand and pulled her through the doorway into the cool interior of the barn.
Emma stopped, stunned. Neat, clean stalls lined one wall. Only two were occupied at the far end. Huge, ceiling-high sliding doors took centre stage on the other wall. What lay on the other side, she had no idea. Except maybe cows.
A loft full of hay covered a third of the ceiling space, and toward the back of the barn a series of steps and landings rose to reach it.
A double-doored room sat to the left of what appeared to be an office, the semi-opaque doors reminding her of an operating theatre. Beside it, two rooms with chest-high, solid-timber walls were topped by a clear Plexiglas window that ran the entire length of the rooms. Quarantine was written in large letters across the bottom. Gabe stood inside the closest one, looking worried. He glanced up and sent them a brief smile, waving them over.
Gabe scratched at his stubbled jaw and leaned back against the wall, shaking his head.
“What is it? Is something wrong?” Darby moved to the open half-door that allowed entry to the room and leaned her arms on the top.
Gabe waved an agitated hand at the cow before him. “Jez rejected the calf.”
Emma stepped up to the wall cautiously. She clenched her hands into fists before Darby or, even worse, Gabe saw them shake. The thing couldn’t get her out here.
“What do you mean, ‘rejected’?”
He looked up, his stormy grey eyes catching hers. “It means the mother won’t accept the calf. Won’t even let it come near her. I’ve tried all night. This last time she tried to attack it.”
Emma gasped aloud before she could stop it. “But why? It’s only a baby.”
Gabe shrugged a shoulder. “I don’t know.”
From the look she gave her brother, Darby was clearly surprised. “Jezebel has never done that before. She’s usually such a good mother. I wonder what set her off?”
Gabe reached out and patted the caramel-coloured head of his cow, scratching her behind the ears. Unlatching the door, he stepped out to join them.
“Where’s the baby? How can it be without the mother?” Emma asked, unsure how all this worked.
Crooking his finger at her, Gabe motioned to his right. The other quarantine room was quiet. A heat lamp hanging low beamed out at them. Emma peered through the clear window and gasped. It was so small.
Sitting in the middle of the hay-strewn floor was the tiniest cow she’d ever seen. Its delicate little legs were tucked up beneath it. Its head was lying curled around on its knees, eyes closed tight.
“Oh!” She moved closer to the door, unaware that the other two were watching her intently. “That’s it? And Jezebel doesn’t like her?”
She couldn’t fathom it. It was a horrible, scary cow, but such a sweet little one. Well, maybe not so scary, considering how tiny it was.
How could a mother reject something like that?
“Do you want to go in?” Gabe’s deep voice sounded close behind her.
Emma jumped, startled at how close he was. She could smell the scent of his aftershave, faint beneath the overlaying odours of hay and the outdoors.
He smelled good. Too good.
She shook her head at him. “Oh no. She’s sleeping. I wouldn’t want to wake her.”
Gabe pointed a finger over her shoulder. Emma peered into the room, surprised to see enormous jet-black eyes staring at her. The tiny creature struggled a moment and heaved to its feet, staggering a little until it gained balance. The slight wobble as it made its way to the door belied its young age.
“Go on. You’re safe. I’m right here.” Gabe pushed against her back, urging her into the room.
Emma bit her lip hard, curiosity overcoming her caution where this animal was concerned.
What could it do? It was tiny. It couldn’t hurt her. She’d never actually seen a baby cow before, not in real life. Gabe wouldn’t send her into a room with a wild animal. She glanced at Darby, relieved to see her nod of encouragement.
Very slowly, she opened the door and stepped through, her heart pounding so loudly she worried it would startle the calf.
It wobbled some more, its head lifting to stretch out toward her. Emma stopped dead, fear once again overtaking her.
What was she doing in there? She wasn’t an animal person. Nothing above a puppy anyway. Heck, the thing could bite her or do something much worse.
Did calves have teeth? Did they carry diseases?
Emma’s mind whirled, panic rising sharply. A sudden movement caught her eye, and the calf bounced right at her. She squealed and flew backward, the pitch making her ears ring. The calf seemed to twist in mid-jump and bounce around toward the back of the small room.
A soft bawling stopped her hand on the latch of the door. Heaving in a calming breath, Emma dared to look around.
The calf’s legs wobbled again. It dropped to its knees, falling to the floor beneath the light.
“No! Oh heck, Gabe! Help her, there’s something wrong.” Emma flew to kneel before the little animal, all fear forgotten with the thought it was injured. What if it was her fault?
Unthinking, she reached out a trembling hand toward it. A small, velvet-soft nose touched her hand, seeking warmth.
*
Gabe watched carefully, not realising he was holding his breath until he let it go. Stomping hard on the minute tendril of awareness threatening to snake through his veins at the sight, he stared at the gorgeous woman on her knees in the hay, her hand shaking but still reaching out to what she believed was a hurt animal.
Concern overrode her fear—to the extent that she seemed to have forgotten about it.
An idea wormed its way into his head, almost making him smile. He’d cure her of her fear, if it was the last thing he did.
“It’s a shame. I don’t want to do it, but I don’t really have a choice.” Gabe glanced at his sister, who stared back at him in confusion. He jerked his chin toward the two sitting in the quarantine room, and winked, willing her to get with it. Darby blinked. A small conspiratorial smile tilted her lips for a moment, then disappeared.
“Yeah. Such a pity. It’s a nice-looking calf too.”
Emma looked around, a frown marring her features. “What’s a pity? What don’t you want to do?”
Gabe gestured at the calf, willing it to forgive his next words. He made his expression turn sad. “The calf. Jez has rejected it, so I have no choice.”
Emma’s eyes darkened further, her mouth flattening to a thin line. “What aren’t you saying?” She looked to Darby for clarity. “What is he talking about?”
Darby let her bottom lip drop and wobble a little. Damn, she was good. He’d have to buy her a drink for that performance.
“Gabe means that since Jez refuses, there’s no one to look after the calf. He’s going to have to put it down.”
Emma’s eyes flew wide open, disbelief draining her face to a stark white.
“No,” she whispered. “Y-you can’t. That’s just wrong!” She glanced down at the tiny calf lying in front of her, then back to them, an obvious shine to her wide eyes. “Can’t you just look after it yourself? I mean—”
“No Emma, I can’t. I don’t have the time needed. They have to be fed every few hours. This is a working farm, as well as my veterinary business. I’m running behind as it is.”
A lone tear found its way in slow motion down her cheek to drop off the edge of her jaw. Guilt gnawed at his gut. He shouldn’t be doing this to her, but something told him it was the right thing.
“Please don’t kill her.”
Her soft words were barely audible, spearing him right to the heart. Gabe shoved hard at the unwanted emotions she dredged up. She needed this. How he knew it was beyond him, but he’d committed himself to this course of action so he had to follow through.
“The only way I can think of is if someone takes it and looks after it.” He glanced at his sister. “Darby works and I’m too busy.” He lifted his hands in a show of defeat. “There’s no one left.”
She narrowed her eyes and stared at him, then at Darby. Gabe squirmed a little. They’d been made.
“I know what you’re both up to. If you wanted me to look after her, you only had to ask.”
Gabe jerked a nod. “Perhaps, but you don’t like cows. And it would be a huge commitment.”
Emma’s face lost the slight annoyance that had taken up residence there. “I can do it.”
Emma’s attention went back to the calf, its nose nuzzling her thigh. Those four gently spoken words sent a warmth flooding through him he’d never experienced before. He couldn’t help but smile. He squashed it immediately as Emma’s head turned around, her stormy blue eyes glaring at him.
“I don’t have to go to work yet, so I’d be home at the times she needs. And I have a big yard, with a fence. I’m home all the time doing my renovations. If you just tell me what I need to do, I will. I suppose it would be a start in getting used to these horrid creatures. The small ones, at least.”
Her gaze darted between them, daring them to doubt her, wanting them to believe her.
Darby nodded slowly. “I think it’s a great idea. With some help of course. We’ll need to keep an eye on you for a few days until things settle down, and we’d need to organise a shed or something for the little fellow for night-time.” She glanced at Gabe, her smile leaking out the edges, lending credence to her words. “I think it might work.”
Emma’s shoulders visibly relaxed, her hand going to the top of the calf’s head, her long, slim fingers stroking it.
Darby grinned at them from her position leaning on the half-door beside him. She tilted her mouth to his ear. “You owe me, brother mine.”
Gabe threw an arm over her shoulder and squeezed. “Yeah, I know.” He raised his voice so Emma could hear.
“By the way, Emma? It’s a boy.”