“She’ll be fine through the night,” Holden said in a voice she was sure was meant to reassure her. He herded the baby toward the straw lined structure in the middle of the field.
Olivia clicked her heels against the mare she rode and followed behind Holden.
“She’s in a good place and getting the mama to come back and claim the calf is in the best interest of everyone,” he told her as the calf stepped with wobbly legs to the open section of the shelter.
“That’s not going to happen,” the foreman, Joe, said as he joined the group. “I found her lying down just over the ridge. Prolapsed uterus. It doesn’t look like she’s been dead long, so it is possible that she already fed the calf.”
Holden dropped his head. That was not the news he’d been hoping for.
“There is no way to tell for sure. So, we don’t have much time to get some colostrum into her system.”
Joe nodded. “And Miss Blake might be right about it being too dangerous to leave the little one out here alone.”
A distant howl caught Olivia’s attention.
“Is that wolves?” she asked, fearing even more for the newborn calf.
“Coyotes,” Joe replied. “Saw a few of them hiding in the brush. I doubt they’ll leave the calf alone.”
Olivia sat up a little taller in her saddle. “Can we take her back with us?”
Everyone seemed to be waiting for Holden’s command.
After a few moments, he dismounted.
“Landon, take Olivia and Grayson and go get the truck and a bottle with a packet of frozen colostrum. Joe, tell the others to head back. We’re done for the day.”
“Yes, sir.”
“I’ll wait here with the calf.” Holden pulled a rifle from the holster on the side of his horse and nodded at his brothers.
“I’m staying.” Olivia swung her leg around and slid down off the mare. Her legs wobbled and she was afraid she might make a fool of herself by face-planting into the snow-encrusted dirt, so she held onto the side of the saddle until she was confident she could walk without falling. She had a new empathy for the little one who’d just been given a chance at life.
Holden captured and held her gaze for some time before he glanced up at his brother and nodded. The men immediately turned their horses around and headed for home.
Olivia admired the respect between siblings. It was obvious that Landon and Grayson both looked up to their older brother.
“You are something else, Olivia Blake,” he said as he collected the reins for both horses in his hands and made his way to the cozy little outbuilding.
She smiled.
Though a roof covered the majority of the structure, and wooden slats several inches apart served as walls, the place was still exposed to the evening air. There were dozens of stones of varying sizes lining the base of the semi-enclosed space and she wondered what they might be used for.
“Wait here,” Holden told her, handing her his gun and the horses’ reins. He opened the gate and went inside.
Olivia glanced over the top of the slatted wall as he pulled a bale of straw down off a short stack in the corner, and quickly spread it across the floor in two of the three stalls. He grabbed another one and repeated the process in the more spacious, but still enclosed side of the building. When he was finished, he shook out the blankets that had been covering the straw and draped them over the wall. He stepped back outside and took the horses from her, leading them into the stalls.
“We need to collect that calf,” he said as he opened a small cupboard built into the center of the building. He pulled out a few well-worn towels and a stack of something that looked like badly folded blankets and set them on the dry ground next to her, then motioned for her to join him. “I’m going to need you to man the gate. I’ll go round her up and as soon as she comes inside, I’ll need you to close it and lock it like this.” He demonstrated how to work the latch on the gate.
She nodded. “Got it.”
He took the gun from her and set it down at the edge of the stall, then swung the gate wide, heading out into the growing darkness toward the feeble newborn. After he’d gotten behind the little thing, he started making some of the noises Olivia had listened to all throughout the day.
“Yip! Yip! Hi-ya!” He ran from side to side like she’d seen the herding collies do earlier in the day, directing the youngling where to go.
She had to laugh.
Once the calf ran past her, she swung the gate shut and locked it as Holden had shown her. She dusted off her hands, clapping them together with a laugh.
“You did it,” she said, beaming up at him as he approached. He stopped mere inches from her, reaching up to take the blanket from the wall behind her.
“We did it,” he corrected.
A light breeze blew across the meadow provoking goosebumps to trail down Olivia’s arms. She shivered.
“We need to get a fire started. The last thing I need is for you to freeze to death out here,” Holden said.
“I’ll be fine.” But the warmth of a fire sounded delightful.
He regarded her with a look that said he didn’t believe her, then disappeared for a moment around the side of the building.
Olivia remembered the stones surrounding the structure. She collected a couple of them at a time and carried them to a place just to the side of the gate of the small open corral housing the calf and made a circle with the stones touching each other.
When Holden returned, he had a blanket-full of chopped wood cradled in his arms.
“Look at you,” he said with a nod. “You must have been a Girl Scout.”
“No sir, I just have a dad who enjoys camping. Every summer since I was old enough to walk, we’ve gone up into the mountains for a family vacation.”
“Three brothers and a dad who took you camping. No wonder you seem to fit right in around here.” He dumped the wood out of the blanket, shook it out, and folded it in half, setting it down on the ground behind her. “Sit.”
She wasn’t about to argue, unsure of how much longer her legs were going to support her.
Holden reached under the gate and grabbed a large handful of straw. He placed it in the center of the ring and took a few minutes to carefully build the familiar teepee over the top of the dry kindling, using the smaller pieces first and the bigger ones on top.
“Don’t tell me you are going to rub two sticks together to start the fire,” she said, only half kidding.
He snorted a breathy laugh, shaking his head, and stood up straight. He walked into the stalls and came out with a small cinch bag and his rifle. He pulled out a box of light anywhere matches and held them up.
“Boy Scout?”
“Yes, ma’am,” he replied with pride as he knelt down. “Eagle.” He struck the match and held it in the open space between two larger logs, until the straw caught fire. Then he leaned down and blew softly. “I’m always prepared.” He looked at her. “Well…almost always.”
It didn’t take long for the flames to rise. The warmth felt wonderful on her hands and face. Holden sat down next to her, his back resting up against the building’s gate, his legs stretched out in front of him.
“So, I never heard how your meeting went with Granddad yesterday.”
Olivia wrapped her arms around her bent knees. “It was good. Ian is a good man.” She dropped her head and stared into the fire. “Honestly, I thought I would be coming here to finalize a business proposal that would help to further my career. My publisher is always trying to think of new ways to market me and my books and we thought this would be a great adventure that would provide a real experience for my fans. Nineteenth century living at its finest.”
“And now?”
She glanced over at him, his eyes fixed intently on her. “Now…” she glanced up at the first twinkling star to appear. “Now, I think your granddad was a Godsend. This place. You.”
Another breeze sent a chill down her back and she started to tremble, unsure whether or
not it was only from the cold.
“Come here,” Holden said quietly.
She looked over at him and he had an arm stretched out to her. She scooted back and snuggled into his warmth, enjoying the feel of him next to her and reveling in the fact that she fit perfectly beneath his arm. Like a couple of puzzle pieces.
He rubbed her shoulders and pulled her in tight against him, wrapping the edges of the blanket up and over their legs. She rested her head up against him and closed her eyes.
“They should be back anytime now,” Holden said, squeezing her closer.
“What do you think about this whole reader’s retreat idea?”
He didn’t respond.
She raised her head enough that she could see his face. His eyebrows had creased together and he stared studiously into the night sky.
She returned her head to his shoulder, content to sit there in silence.
“I had a different plan for the ranch,” he finally said. “I thought I had everything figured out, but when I heard about you and your reasons for visiting Silver Springs, I must admit, I was more than a little apprehensive.”
“And now?” she used his own question against him.
He chuckled.
“Now,” he paused and she wondered if he were just doing it for the effect. “I think that I would make a wonderful Bentley Blackwood.”
She pushed herself up and looked at him again. “Have you…read my books?”
“Just the one,” Holden said with a laugh. “I’m not done yet, but…”
“And?” She knew she was fishing, but she truly wanted to know what he thought.
“I think you are one very talented woman.”
She bit her lip.
“Really?”
“Really,” he said, a soft smile touching his face.
He leaned down, his lips so close to hers she could almost taste them.
Light beams from the truck bounced over their position on the ground. The sound of dirt and gravel beneath the wheels unmistakable.
“They have perfect timing,” Holden groaned as he pushed himself up off the ground, then held a hand out to help her to a standing position.
Olivia’s backside and legs groaned in protest. At least she’d gotten more sleep last night than the night before. But she had a feeling she would sleep better tonight than she had in a long time.
Grayson was the first to hop out of the truck. She could have sworn there was a look passed between the two brothers.
It didn’t take long to get the calf loaded into the back of the truck. Holden put out the fire, then retrieved the horses from the outbuilding, but just the thought of crawling into the saddle made Olivia’s backside hurt even more.
“Gray, you can ride in the back with the calf,” Holden said. “Landon, Joe, you two take the horses. Stay close behind us. We’ll take it slow. Miss Blake, you’ll be with me in the truck.”
Relief washed over her and she exhaled loudly.
They all laughed as if in understanding.
A comfortable silence rested between her and Holden as they drove back to Silver Springs. The day had taken its toll and, more than once, Olivia found herself drifting off to sleep.
“We’re here,” Holden said, reaching over and touching her lightly on the arm.
Olivia opened her eyes.
“That was fast.”
Holden chuckled. “Funny how sleeping is almost as good as time travel.”
“What time is it?”
“Nearly ten.”
Olivia sat up and turned to see Grayson and the others unloading the calf from the back of the truck.
“Is she all right?” she asked as she clicked open the seatbelt and opened the door.
“She’ll be just fine, thanks to you. Gray already fed her on the way back and now they’ll take her into the barn where Granddad has a little area made up for her to sleep.
Olivia waddled around the truck and watched as the little calf disappeared inside the barn. Every muscle in her body cried out for relief.
“I don’t suppose you all have a massage therapist on call,” she said as she joined Holden leaning against the bed of his truck.
“I’m afraid not.”
“I’ll have to consider hiring one to come in whenever we have a retreat. Us city-slicking folks might not make it otherwise.” She rubbed her backside. “A hot bath and a massage, add in some of that home cooking and you might not ever get me to leave.”
“Promise?”
Silence.
“You hold up your end of the bargain and I’ll hold up mine.”
“I guess I should whip you up something for dinner, then.”
“A man who cooks. I like it.”
Holden smiled, but didn’t say anything more.
“It was a good thing you did tonight. You’re a good man too, Holden Kane.” She pushed against him and away from the truck. “Goodnight,” she said with a wave, but he caught her by the wrist and pulled her back against him, sliding his free hand along her jawline and behind her head as he guided her face toward him, capturing her lips with his own.
The warm sensations that had started at her core quickly spread through every inch of her entire body. His masterful kiss teased her, taunted her, and filled her with the kind of hope she’d only believed existed in fiction. It had only been a few days, but it was as if they’d always known each other, but had forgotten for a while. She knew it might seem silly, but she couldn’t explain the connection she felt with him and being in his arms just felt…right.
He broke away, still only inches away from her. “Goodnight, Miss Olivia Blake,” he said before climbing back into his truck and pulling forward into the drive.
Her fingers moved to her lips, still tingling from the sensation of his kiss. She stood there for a few more moments, then hastily climbed the porch steps and headed for her bedroom.
It had been a bone-tired kind of exhausting, pain-staking, heart-wrenching long day and Olivia wouldn’t have changed a minute of it. As sore as her rear end and leg muscles were, they were a vivid reminder of all the possibilities ahead of her. Ahead of them.
Maybe she was reading more into that kiss than was there, but nothing with Jason had ever felt like this. Maybe Holden didn’t feel the same, but for a romance novel kind of love, she was willing to take a chance.
When she reached her room, she slipped inside and shut the door, leaning against it, her eyes closed. She touched her lips again and exhaled firmly.
I’ve never been happier than I am right now.
With an excited, breathy giggle, she pushed away from the door and headed for the bathroom. Something strange and morbidly familiar caught her eye.
She froze.
No! No, no, no, no no!
Slowly, she pivoted around to see the object that had captured her attention and dropped to her knees on the floor.
Roses. One dozen black roses sat on her nightstand tied up neatly with long strands of red ribbon.
Her heart began to race.
It was getting harder to breathe.
NO!
How had he found her?
She dragged herself across the wooden floorboards until she reached the table. With a trembling hand, she pulled at the white corner of the crumpled paper sticking out from beneath the vase.
Slowly, she unfolded the message. It was a to-do list. Several thick, red checkmarks glared back at her from the page.
Disconnect electronics. Check.
Introduce the worst jobs on the ranch. Check.
Flatten tires—make her walk long distance. Check.
Release rooster in chicken pen. Check.
She quickly skimmed over the rest of the list until she came to the last item. In the same red ink as the checkmarks, but different handwriting than the rest and in all capital letters, were four words that made her blood run cold.
GET RID OF HIM.
An eerie chill fell over her body. She glanced up. Pinned to the wall was a photograph of
her with Holden. A thick red circle drawn around his head, a heavy slash mark through his face.
Tears welled up in her eyes as she ripped the picture from the wall.
This can’t be happening. Not again.
Chapter Eleven
“What has gotten into you, big brother?” Landon asked when Holden walked into the barn whistling.
He didn’t respond, just picked up the towel at Grayson’s feet and started drying off the newborn. Her fluffy brown fur contrasted greatly with the white of her face.
“Holden’s gotten himself a girlfriend,” Grayson teased as he piled the blankets they’d used to keep the baby cow warm on the ride home into a basket to be washed.
“You mean, Olivia?” Landon asked with interest.
“Didn’t you see the way they were all snuggled up out at the shelter?” Grayson raised his eyebrows multiple times. “He likes her.”
“Is that true?” Landon asked as he poured some iodine into a small cup.
Without the assistance of her mama and the nutrients from her milk, the calf would be more prone to illness and infection. They needed to do everything in their control keep her healthy.
Landon and Grayson both stared at him. Waiting.
“Miss Blake is smart and talented—”
“And beautiful,” Landon filled in.
“And successful,” Grayson added.
“Yes,” Holden said, “she is all of those things…”
“So, that’s a yes? You do like her,” Landon affirmed as Gray laid the calf down on her side, allowing him to dip her naval in the red disinfectant without having it get everywhere.
“Okay,” Holden relented. “I like her.” He didn’t know why it was so hard to admit. He hadn’t felt this light in a long time. “What if I told you that I think I…love…her?”
“What?” both brothers exclaimed at once.
“You, my dear brother who would never even admit to kissing a girl, are telling us you are in love?” Landon nodded appreciatively. “She has gotten under your skin.”
“It’s only because she met him before she met me,” Grayson teased. “Seriously, Hold, I’ve seen the way you look at each other and I say if it’s right, it’s right.”
Landon's Love (Silver Spring Series Book 2) Page 6