Page 37 of Thaw My Heart

“Sadie, stop!” I shout. My heart jumps in my chest, constricting blood flow.

What the hell is she thinking? The current is too rough, and the undercurrent would be strong enough to drown her. If she falls into the rushing river, she could get dragged away to God knows where.

I’d never be able to find her.

Lightning cracks in the sky, streaking bright white light across the darkness, and I flinch. The cow jolts with fright. One second, Sadie’s brown eyes are on me, and the next, she slips into the raging current.

“Sadie!” My heart jumps in my chest.

I ride towards the river, about to jump in after her, when she finally lifts her head above water, clinging to a weak branch.

Her scared doe eyes meet mine, and I reach for my rope, tying it to the horn. “Eyes on me. I’ve got you,” I assure her. “I’m going to throw this to you, and you catch it⁠—”

“No, save the cow!” she yells, lips quivering.

“What?” I glance at the calfling, barely hanging on, and then back at her, shaking my head.

Fuck the calf. I’m going to save Sadie.

“This isn’t up for debate.” I point to a sturdier branch about three feet from her. “You swim to that branch next to you, then take this rope and tie it⁠—”

“I can’t swim!” she yells.

She can’t… what?

“Kit, please! Save her. I’ll be fine.” She’s terrified, but at this moment, she cares more about that damn calf than her own life. And that calf is probably a male.

“No fucking way. You⁠—”

“I’ll make my way to the branch,” she interrupts me. “Please, Kit. Save her p-please,” she begs, shivering.

“Goddamnit, Tequila,” I shout.

She smiles at me, spitting out water as she shakes with fear. I glance back and forth, wishing she would just listen to me, but I know she won’t. Why can’t she listen to me?

The branch she’s stubbornly clinging to wouldn’t last much longer, but this seems to be the only option this frustrating woman is allowing me to make. If Sadie dies while making me save this damn calf, I’ll never forgive her. I will hate her the rest of my goddamn existence.

“You better fucking keep hanging on, or I swear to⁠—”

“I will,” she yells back. “Please.”

It goes against everything that I feel is right, but I clench my teeth and throw the rope over the calf’s head, slowly pulling her out of the raging river as Smoke backsteps away.

Back. Back. Back.

The rope stops, not budging any further. It must be stuck on something.

I curse under my breath. “Come on,” I grunt, grabbing the rope as I pull with everything I have, tendons cording and pulling to the point of pain. Smoke whinnies, fighting the hold, but never faltering as his legs shake beneath him.

A few more tugs and finally the calf is free, running out of the river and heading towards home after the other two. I smile at the sight, except when I look back at Sadie, she’s nowhere to be found.

Fear takes hold of me, gripping me like a vise. “Sadie!” I quickly untie the rope from the horn as I dig my heels into Smoke, taking off towards the river. Scanning every inch of the water, but there’s no sign of her.

“Sadie!” I call again, but there’s no answer.

Sleet starts to fall, soaking through my thick jacket and jeans as I follow the current. The cold seeps into my bones. Her name on my lips begins to sound like a prayer, a plea that I’ll find her. I have to find her.

I can’t accept anything else.