LITMIR.BIZ

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others. Apparently, Colleen had tentatively offered to let Fee use their upcoming wedding as part of the PR campaign to improve the Lassiters’ image, but she hadn’t wanted to exploit their big day and had politely declined.

      “Rosy and I seem to be getting along pretty well,” Fee said, bringing him back to the present.

      “So you’re having a good time?” he asked, noticing how silky her hair looked as a light breeze played with the blond strands of her ponytail.

      “Yes,” she said, giving him a smile. “I didn’t think I would, but I really am. Of course, I might not feel the same way if I was riding a different horse.”

      “I was pretty sure you and Rosy were...a good match,” he said, distracted by the faint sound of a cow bawling in the distance. Staring in the direction the sound came from, he spotted a large black cow lying on her side about two hundred yards away. It was clear the animal was in distress. “Damn!”

      “What happened?” Fee asked, looking alarmed.

      “I’m going to have to ride on ahead,” he said quickly. “You’ll be fine. I’ll be within sight and Rosy will bring you right to me.”

      Before Fee had the chance to question him further or protest that he was leaving her behind, he kicked Dakota into a gallop and raced toward the cow. The bay gelding covered the distance quickly and when he reached the cow, Chance could tell that not only was she in labor, she was having trouble delivering the calf.

      Dismounting, he immediately started rolling up the long sleeves on his chambray shirt. He could tell from her shallow breathing that the animal had been at this awhile and was extremely weak. He was going to have to see what the problem was, then try to do what he could to help. Otherwise there was a very real possibility he would lose both the heifer and her calf.

      “What’s wrong with it?” Fee asked when she and Rosy finally reached the spot where the cow lay.

      “I’m pretty sure the calf is hung up,” he said, taking off his wristwatch and slipping it into the front pocket of his jeans. He reached into the saddlebags tied behind Dakota’s saddle and removed a packet of disinfectant wipes.

      Fee looked genuinely concerned. “Oh, the poor thing. Is there anything you can do to help her? Should you call the veterinarian?”

      “The vet will take too long to get here.” Walking over to the mare, he lifted Fee down from the saddle and set her on her feet. “I’m going to need you to hold the heifer’s tail while I check to see what the problem is,” he said, taking several of the wet cloths from the packet to wipe down his hands and arms. “Do you think you can do that, Fee?”

      He could tell she wasn’t at all sure about getting that close to the animal, but she took a deep breath and nodded. “I’ll do my best.”

      “Good.” He couldn’t stop himself from giving her a quick kiss. Then catching the cow’s wildly switching tail, he handed it to Fee. “Hold on tight while I see if the calf’s breech or it’s just too big.”

      While Fee held the tail out of the way, Chance knelt down at the back of the animal. He wished that he had some of the shoulder-length gloves from one of the calving sheds back at ranch headquarters, but since that wasn’t an option, he gritted his teeth and proceeded to do what he could to help the heifer. Reaching inside, he felt the calf, and sure enough, one of the legs was folded at the knee. Pushing the calf back, he carefully straightened its front leg, then gently but firmly pulled it back into the birth position.

      “Will she be able to have the calf now?” Fee asked, her tone anxious as she let go of the tail and put distance between herself and the cow.

      “I hope so,” he said, rising to his feet. Using more of the wipes, he cleaned his arm as he waited to see if the heifer was going to be able to calve. “I’ll have to check my records when I get back to the house, but I’m pretty sure this is her first calf.”

      When the cow made an odd noise, Fee looked worried. “Is she all right?”

      “She’s pretty tired, but we should know within a few minutes if she’ll be able to do this on her own,” he said, focusing on the cow to see if there were any more signs of distress. When he saw none, he walked over to Fee.

      “And if she can’t?” Fee asked.

      “Then I become a bovine obstetrician and help her out,” he answered, shrugging. “It wouldn’t be the first time and it won’t be the last.”

      “This is definitely one of those jobs you mentioned that most people would consider disgusting.”

      “Yup.” He noticed the heifer was starting to work with her contractions and that was a good sign she at least wasn’t too exhausted to try.

      “Maybe a lot of people find something like this distasteful, but I think it’s rather heroic,” Fee said, thoughtfully. “You care enough about the animals on this ranch to make sure they’re well taken care of and if that means getting your hands dirty to save one of them or to help relieve their suffering, then that’s what you do.”

      He nodded. “I’m responsible for them and that includes keeping them healthy.”

      Chance had never really thought about his job the way Fee had just pointed out. Sure, he liked animals—liked working with them and being around them. He wouldn’t be much of a rancher if he didn’t. But he had never really thought about what he did as heroic. To him, taking good care of his livestock was not just part of the job description, it was the right thing to do.

      “Oh my goodness,” Fee said suddenly when the calf began to emerge from the cow. Her expression was filled with awe. “This is amazing.”

      Confident that the animal was going to be able to have the calf without further intervention on his part, he used his cell phone to call ranch headquarters. He needed to get one of his men to come out and watch over the heifer until she and the calf could be moved to one of the holding pens close to the barn.

      When the calf slid out onto the ground, Chance walked over to make sure it was breathing and checked it over while the heifer rested. “It’s a girl,” he said, grinning as he walked back to Fee.

      “Is the momma cow going to be all right?” Fee asked.

      He nodded as he draped his arm across her shoulders. “I think she’ll be just fine. But Slim is sending one of the boys out here to see that she gets back to the ranch, where we can watch her and she can rest up a little. Then she and her baby will rejoin the herd in a few days.”

      Fee frowned. “Why was she out here by herself to begin with?”

      “Livestock have a tendency to want to go off by themselves when they’re in labor,” Chance explained.

      “For privacy.” She nodded. “I can understand that.”

      He watched the cow get up and nudge her baby with her nose, urging it to stand, as well. “She had probably done that yesterday when the men moved the herd and they just missed seeing her. Normally, our cattle calve in the spring, but she apparently got bred later than usual, throwing her having her calf to now.”

      “But they will be back at the ranch house and I’ll be able to see the calf again?” she asked, looking hopeful as, after several attempts, the calf gained her footing and managed to stand.

      “Sure, you’ll be able to see her.” He grinned. “But I somehow got the impression you didn’t like big animals all that much and might even be a little afraid of them.”

      “This one is different,” she insisted, her voice softening when the calf wobbled over to her mother and started to nurse. “It’s a baby and not all that big yet. Besides, the fence will be between me and her momma.”

      Seeing the cowboy he’d called for riding toward them, Chance led Fee over to Rosy. “Our replacement is almost here. Are you ready to mount up and finish checking on the grazing conditions before we head back to the house?”

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