Page 68 of Taming the Wild Cowboy

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Once they got back to the ranch, talking turned out to be more difficult than expected. Mac’s truck was in its usual spot near the foreman’s house, which would have been a great ending to the evening if a veterinarian truck had not also been there, parked beside the well-lit barn.

“Just what we need,” Trev muttered, turning off the ignition. He half turned to Mac. “You don’t have to—”

She was already opening the door.

Jordan met them at the barn door. “C-section. It went well. Big heifer calf.”

“Great.” Trev was relieved that the big event was over. C-sections were a lot of work.

“How’s …” Jordan began, only to have his voice trail off.

“Mike,” Mac supplied. “He’s having surgery for a ruptured spleen, but it looks like he’ll be okay.”

“Good to hear.”

The three of them headed into the barn where Dr. Kelly was loading supplies back into the side compartments of his truck. “Hey,” he said to Mac. “Did that job lead work out?”

“In a way,” Mac replied.

Trev gave her a look, but she kept her profile to him.

Wade was busy cleaning the pen where the C-section had taken place. Dylan opened the gate and held out his hand for the pitchfork. Surprisingly, Wade let him take it. “I’ll go make coffee.” He glanced at the vet. “Do you want to join us?”

“Wish I could.”

“I’ll pass, too,” Mac said. “Do you need me to take one of the night checks?”

Wade looked over his crew of four strapping guys, then shook his head. “Not tonight. Get some sleep.”

“Thanks.”

Dr. Kelly finished packing his truck, promised Wade a bill in the mail, then climbed into the cab to head off to his next late-night adventure.

“You should skip coffee, too,” Dylan said to Trev as the four men followed the vet truck out of the barn. Jordan turned off the light and Wade closed the wide doors as Dr. Kelly drove away.

“I’m making coffee anyway,” Wade muttered as he dropped the latch.

“I’ll join you,” Jordan said. “That other cow is looking problematic, so I’ll probably need the caffeine.”

They headed to the house as a group, then at the gate, Trev peeled off. Wade pretended not to notice, but when Trev glanced over his shoulder, Jordan cocked an eyebrow, and Dylan gave him a discreet thumbs-up. Trev was halfway to the foreman’s house when he heard the gate to the main house open and suddenly, he was joined by a dancing poodle-terrier.

“Heading home?” he asked the dog, who gave him a canine grin in response.

So was he, in a way.

He raised his hand to knock on the door a few minutes later, but it opened before his knuckles hit the wood. Maclyn stood before him, barefooted with an untucked shirt over her jeans, looking as if she’d been surprised while undressing. She leaned down to cuddle her pup, who’d been supposed to spend the night with Wade.

“You’re here,” she said as she rose back to her feet.

“I couldn’t stay away.”

Bold statement, but she didn’t slam the door, so maybe honesty was going to pay off.

Mac stepped back, holding the door. When she closed it again, the tiny living room was even smaller-feeling than usual. That’s what happened when a place was swamped with big, unspoken feelings.

“I can leave if you need some sleep.”