Thirty-Three
Bart
“Poor Asa,” I said as I glanced at him slumped against the door. Drugged out of his mind and wearing a cast from shoulder to wrist attached to a sling that held it close to his chest.
“He’ll be fine, he just needs to take it easy,” Keith said.
The three of us squeezed into his old truck cab so it wasn’t the most comfortable ride, but I didn’t want to knock into Asa’s arm and make it hurt again.
Because even on pain meds it had to hurt.
“Don’t forget to stop by Don’s.” I called him when we left the hospital and he was happy to know Asa was okay, but he was also anxious to see for himself.
Asa stirred but didn’t say anything. “He’s not going to do well with not working,” Keith said.
“We’ll let him boss us around more than normal. He’ll be thrilled,” I said and knew it was true.
A short time later we drove into town and Keith turned down a street I hadn’t been to that he said was where Don lived. “We’re nearly there, you might want to see if you can wake him up.”
I gave Asa a good shake and he woke with a start. “Wha—what happened?” he yelled and pushed at the seat belt before pulling back in pain. “Fuck, I forgot.”
“We’re just pulling up to Don’s,” Keith said.
It was one of the smaller houses on the north side of town that were probably here from when the town was first built but had been torn down and rebuilt a few times.
As soon as the engine was off the front door opened and Don hurried out with his cane, being careful but moving as fast as he could.
“Don, be careful,” Asa said and tried to unlock the seat belt.
“I could say the same, you old fool. Are you okay?” he said as he got to the truck and spoke to Asa through the window.
“Yes, Noah drove me to the ER and the boys stayed there with me. Sounds like I’ll be down and out for a while.”
“I guess we’ll be watching lots of movies,” Don said and settled his hand on Asa’s.
“Maybe you can watch some from this century,” I said making Don chuckle and Asa shake his head.
“Go on home and call me later. Please be careful,” Don said before he leaned in and whispered something in Asa’s ear to which he nodded in reply. “Thank you, boys, for bringing him by. I needed to see he was okay.”
“Don’t worry, we’ll take care of him no matter how much he fights it. If you want to come out and visit him, just give me a call,” Keith said.
“I appreciate that,” he said before stepping back when Keith started the engine and waving goodbye as we drove away.
“Bart, watch out for Charlene. You know she can kick in any direction,” Asa directed from the office chair we’d been stupid enough to give him while he was in the barn.
“Thanks, boss,” I said making him laugh.
“You boys are doing a great job, it’s just not the job I’d do,” he said for the millionth time.
We’d put a wire basket over the squirrel hole so the mom and babies could get out when they were old enough and also so no one else stepped in it before we could fill it in.
“Keith will be here tomorrow for the usual trimming.
Be sure you separate any cows that need special attention.
“Already done,” Noah said.
“Good job. Now about that fence out in the south pasture.”
“Okay, we can do that after we’re finished here,” I said.
“I don’t want JW making another escape.”
“That beast is going to go through that fence if he wants to,” Noah said making us all laugh.
My phone rang so I dug it out of my pocket and walked to the other end of the barn. “Hey, how’s the hoof trimming going?”
“Good, I’ll be done early, care to meet me in town for dinner?” Keith asked.
“Sure, we should be done early.”
“Can you stay the night?” he murmured and that deep sexy voice went right to my dick.
“I might be able to do that. As long as I get back here in time for milking.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
“Sounds like. Plus, I haven’t seen you in person for at least a week,” I said. We’d both been busy and I understood, but I did miss him.
“We need to change that. I’ve really missed you. How’s Asa doing?”
“Bossy as ever. Even if I had no clue what I was doing it wouldn’t matter, he’s told me and Noah both how to do everything over and over.”
“He’s got to be so bored. I doubt that man has sat down this long his whole life.”
“Bart?” A shout came from the other side of the barn.
“Fuck,” I grumbled. “Over here. I’m just talking to Keith.”
“There’s work to be done over here, you can talk to your guy later,” he shouted as he walked toward me.
“I better go, I’ll see you later. Just send me a text where to meet.”
“Just meet me at my house,” he said.
“Bart?” Asa yelled again.
“Ok. Bye, babe.” I hung up and turned around to face a grinning Asa.
“Sorry, I couldn’t resist.”
“Oh my god and I always tell everyone how nice you are.”
“I am nice, but maybe just a little onery,” he said with a chuckle.
“A little? Don’t you have a boyfriend to call?” I asked because the cat was well out of the bag on that one.”
“He’s getting a ride out here and he’s going to cook me dinner, so you and Noah are on your own.”
“Wow, I remember the good old days when you cooked for us every night.”
“You mean a few weeks ago?”
“Yeah, I remember it,” I said on a deep sigh before ducking the slap he tried to land on my arm.
“Okay, I’m going inside to get ready. You two know what to do.
” He patted my back with his good hand as he passed me and walked off toward the house.
I watched him walk away, secure in the knowledge that even if I came here with zero knowledge of how to run a dairy, I did now know for a fact how to run this one.