2. Callie
CALLIE
I was making coffee when the truck pulled up outside.
Through the kitchen window I watched Wade climb out, his phone pressed to his ear. Shelby got out of the passenger side, already laughing. She wore cream-colored pants and a silk blouse that probably cost more than my grocery budget.
Wade reached into the truck bed and pulled out a briefcase and two folders stuffed with papers. Shelby grabbed her bag from the cab.
They were coming here. To our house.
I set the coffee pot down and smoothed my hands over my jeans. I'd been up since five feeding the orphan calves, and I smelled like milk replacer and hay.
The side door opened.
"Callie?" Wade called out.
"In here," I said.
He came into the kitchen with the folders under one arm and Shelby right behind him. "Morning," he said. He leaned down and kissed my cheek, quick and distracted. "We need to spread out the Bradshaw contracts and go through the whole thing line by line. The dining room table okay?"
"Of course," I said.
Shelby gave me a bright smile. "I hope we're not intruding, Callie. Wade said you wouldn't mind."
"Not at all." I stepped back to let them through. "Can I get you coffee?"
"That would be wonderful," Shelby said. She was already walking toward the dining room, her heels loud on the hardwood. "Cream and two sugars, please. And if you have any of those little biscotti or anything like that, I'd love one."
I didn't have biscotti.
"I'll see what I can find," I said.
Wade had already dumped the folders on the table and was pulling out his laptop. Shelby sat down and pulled her own laptop out, flipping it open.
I went back to the kitchen and poured two mugs of coffee. Found the sugar bowl and the half-and-half. Arranged everything on a tray with the package of store-brand cookies transferred to a plate.
When I brought the tray into the dining room, Wade and Shelby were both bent over a contract, heads close together. Wade's finger traced a line of text while Shelby nodded.
I set the tray down. "Coffee's here."
"Thanks," Wade said without looking up.
Shelby glanced over and gave me another smile. "You're a lifesaver, Callie. Thank you so much." She reached for her mug and took a sip, then turned back to Wade. "So if we amend clause fourteen to include the mineral sub-rights, we can close the gap your father was worried about."
"Yeah, but then we're back to the same problem we had in January," Wade said. He was frowning at the laptop screen. "Shelby's dad won't go for that unless we give him veto power on the extraction timeline."
I stood there for a second, holding the tray. Neither of them looked at me.
"I'll just be in the other room if you need anything," I said.
"Perfect," Shelby said. She didn't look up.
I went back to the kitchen and dumped the tray on the counter. My jaw was tight. I made myself unclench it.
The coffee pot was still half full. I poured myself a cup and stood at the sink, looking out at the barn. One of the dogs was sprawled in sunlight by the barn door. I'd wormed him two weeks ago.
My phone buzzed on the counter.
I picked it up. Jolene's name flashed on the screen.
I answered. "Hey."
"Hey yourself," Jolene said. Her voice was warm and familiar, and something in my chest loosened. "I'm calling to beg. Again."
"What do you need?"
"Another pair of hands this Saturday," Jolene said. "I've got six goats coming in from that seizure case up in Fairfield, and I'm already running on fumes over here. Any chance you could come out and help me get them settled? I know it's a lot to ask, but I'm kind of desperate."
I wanted to say yes. God, I wanted to say yes. Wanted to drive out to the rescue and spend the day doing something that felt like mine, something I'd built before I handed it over and married into the Rutledge family.
"I don't know if I can," I said. My voice came out quieter than I meant it to. "Things are pretty busy here right now."
"Busy with what?" Jolene asked. Then, before I could answer, "Wait. Let me guess. The ranch has you tied up again."
"It's not like that."
"Callie." Jolene sighed. "You founded that rescue. You know these animals better than anyone. And I know you miss it."
Something caught in my throat. I turned away from the window. "I do miss it."
"Then come out Saturday," Jolene said. "Even just for a few hours. The goats won't settle for anyone but you, and you know it."
I heard footsteps in the hallway.
"I'll try," I said. "I can't promise, but I'll try."
"That's all I'm asking," Jolene said. "Thanks, Cal. I owe you."
"You don't owe me anything," I said.
We said goodbye and I hung up. When I turned around, Wade was standing in the doorway with his empty mug.
"Who was that?" he asked.
"Jolene," I said. "She needs help with some new rescues this weekend."
Wade crossed to the counter and refilled his mug. "You going?"
"I don't know yet," I said.
"Okay," Wade said. He took a sip of coffee, eyes on his phone. "Just let me know if you're gonna be gone. I think we're supposed to have dinner with my parents Saturday night, but I'll check."
He walked back toward the dining room before I could answer.
I stood there in the kitchen with my own mug growing cold.
Then I picked up the pot and carried it back to the dining room and topped off both their mugs. Wade nodded at his screen. Shelby didn't look up from the contract.
I went back to the kitchen.
Through the doorway I could hear Shelby's voice, light and pleasant, talking about royalty percentages and contract amendments. I heard Wade laugh at something she said.
I dumped the coffee down the sink and went to find my boots.
The cattle were out in the east pasture, a couple hundred head scattered across the grass. I walked the fence line slowly, watching them. Most were grazing. A few were lying in the shade of the live oaks at the far end.
I stopped and squinted at the ones under the trees.
One of them was lying with her head stretched out flat on the ground. Even from a distance I could see her sides heaving.
My stomach dropped.
I climbed over the fence and walked across the pasture, keeping my steps slow so I wouldn't spook the herd. When I got close, I crouched down beside the sick cow.
She was burning up. Her eyes were dull and she didn't even lift her head when I ran my hand along her neck. Her breathing was shallow and fast, and when I checked her gums they were tacky and pale.
Shipping fever. Had to be. We'd brought in new stockers two weeks ago, and if one had been carrying it, the whole herd would be exposed.
I pulled out my phone and called the vet.
He answered on the third ring. "Doc Petersen."
"Doc, it's Callie Rutledge," I said. "I've got a cow down in the east pasture with what looks like shipping fever.
High temp, shallow breathing, dehydrated.
I need you out here as soon as you can get here, and I need enough antibiotics for the whole herd.
If she's showing symptoms, there are probably a dozen more incubating it. "
"I can be there in forty minutes," Doc Petersen said. "I'll bring the antibiotics. You got her isolated?"
"I'll get her moved to the quarantine pen now," I said. "Thanks, Doc."
I hung up and called the barn. One of the ranch hands answered, and I told him to bring the trailer and get this cow into quarantine. Then I walked the rest of the pasture, checking every animal I could get close to.
Found three more with early symptoms. Elevated temp, nasal discharge, not grazing.
By the time I got back to the house, Doc Petersen's truck was pulling out of the drive.
I climbed the porch steps and went inside.
Wade and Shelby were still at the dining room table. Papers everywhere, both laptops open. Wade had his sleeves rolled up and his reading glasses on. Shelby was scrolling through something on her phone.
"Hey," I said.
Wade glanced up. "Hey. You been outside?"
"Yeah." I pulled off my boots and left them by the door. "We had a cow down in the east pasture. Shipping fever. I called Doc Petersen and he came out. We've got her in quarantine now, and he's treating the whole herd to stop it from spreading."
Wade frowned. "Shipping fever? From the stockers we brought in?"
"Probably," I said. "If I hadn't caught it today, we could've lost a dozen head by the end of the week. The whole herd would've been exposed."
"Good catch," Wade said. He was already looking back at his laptop. "Thanks for handling it."
My heart kicked up. I waited for him to say something else. To ask how I'd spotted it, or which cow it was, or if I needed anything.
He didn't.
Shelby set her phone down and gave me a look that might've been sympathy if it had been coming from anyone else. "That must've been stressful for you, Callie. Having to deal with sick animals and everything."
"It's part of the job," I said.
"I'm sure it is," Shelby said. Her tone was light, but there was something underneath it I couldn't quite name.
"Although I have to say, I'm surprised Wade doesn't have a full-time animal manager for this kind of thing.
I mean, it's a lot to put on you, isn't it?
Running around checking cows and calling the vet.
That's not really what a ranch owner's wife usually does. "
Wade glanced up again, made a sound that wasn't quite a word, and went back to his screen.
Shelby smiled at me, sweet as sugar. "I just think it's so generous of you, Callie, to take on all those extra responsibilities. Most women in your position would hire someone. But I guess you like to stay busy, don't you?"
I kept my eyes on her face and my hands still.
My throat burned.
"Somebody has to do it," I said.
Shelby tilted her head, still smiling. "Of course. And you do it so well. Wade's lucky to have someone who's so... hands-on."
Wade had already gone back to the contract in front of him. His finger was tracing another line of text, his brow furrowed.
Shelby leaned forward and tapped the laptop screen. "Wade, look at this clause here. If we restructure the royalty split to favor the first five years, your family gets the bulk of the profit up front and my father gets long-term stability. Everybody wins."
Wade's whole face changed. He looked at the screen, then at Shelby, and he smiled. A wide, easy smile.
"That's smart," he said. "That's really smart, Shelby. My dad's going to love that."
Shelby's smile widened. "I know how important this deal is to your family. I want to make sure it works for everyone."
Wade reached over and squeezed her hand. Quick. Casual.
I stood there in the doorway with my hands curled into fists at my sides.
I looked at his hand on hers, and then I looked at the floor.
Wade was still smiling at the screen. Shelby's hand rested on the laptop beside his.
My chest felt tight and hollow all at once.
"I'm going to start lunch," I said.
Neither of them answered.
I went into the kitchen and pulled out sandwich stuff. Bread, turkey, cheese, lettuce. Spread mayo on the bread and built the sandwiches with hands that didn't shake even though I wanted them to.
I put the sandwiches on plates and carried them into the dining room. Set one in front of Wade and one in front of Shelby.
"Thank you, Callie," Shelby said. She picked up half the sandwich and took a bite. "This is perfect. You're so thoughtful."
Wade glanced at the plate and nodded. "Thanks."
He took a bite without looking away from the screen.
I went back to the kitchen and made myself a sandwich I didn't want. Sat down and ate it because I needed something to do with my hands. The bread tasted like dust.
Through the doorway I could see Wade and Shelby, side by side, bent over the contracts. Shelby said something and Wade laughed, low and easy. She touched his arm and left her hand there too long.
He didn't move away.
I finished the sandwich and threw the plate in the sink. Went down the hall to the laundry room and started a load of towels. Folded the load that had been sitting in the dryer since yesterday.
When I came back out, Wade and Shelby were packing up.
"We're heading over to the main house," Wade said. He was shoving papers back into the folders, his phone already tucked between his ear and his shoulder. "I need to walk my dad through this new royalty structure before we send it to Shelby's lawyers."
"Okay," I said.
Shelby slung her bag over her shoulder and gave me a little wave. "Thanks for everything today, Callie. You've been such a help."
I nodded. Didn't trust myself to say anything.
Wade grabbed his briefcase and kissed my cheek on his way past, the same quick distracted kiss he'd given me this morning. Then he was out the door with Shelby right behind him, already talking about mineral rights and contract language.
I stood in the hallway and listened to the truck start up. Listened to the crunch of gravel as Wade backed out of the drive.
Then the house was quiet.
I walked back to the bedroom and sat down on the edge of the bed. The wedding ring was still on my finger. I twisted it around and around, the gold warm against my skin.
The light coming through the window was soft and golden. I could hear the dogs barking faintly from the barn. Somewhere in the east pasture, the sick cow was in quarantine, and the rest of the herd was getting treated, and by tomorrow the whole crisis would be behind us.
I looked down at the ring on my hand. My throat ached.
I didn't cry. Didn't call Jolene back. Didn't walk out to the main house and tell Wade what Shelby had said.
I just sat there on the edge of the bed with the light falling across the floor and the ring on my finger.
The house was quiet around me.