Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 100367 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 502(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100367 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 502(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
“Christ, Xander was right. I’m in deep with this woman.” I push my hand through my hair and then get dressed and have just poured a cup of coffee when my phone rings.
“Morning.”
“We have a problem, boss,” Scott says, making me frown.
“What kind of problem? Where the hell are you? The sun isn’t even up yet.”
“I couldn’t sleep, so I came out here early and drove the access roads around the property to make sure everything was secure and looked right.”
The hair on the back of my neck stands up, and I do not want to hear the next words out of his mouth.
“Something’s not right, Tuck.”
“Fucking hell. Dead animal?”
“Several,” is his reply, and I pour the coffee in a tumbler to take with me, grab my hat and keys, and head out the back door.
“Where are you? I’m on my way.”
“Access road, north border, near where that big maple got taken out by lightning.”
“Ten minutes, tops.”
I hang up and get in my truck. I know exactly where he is. That tree was struck more than thirty years ago, but I don’t have it removed because it’s a great marker for directions in times like these. I pull up behind Scott’s truck and leave the headlights on so I can see in the darkness.
Scott’s standing by the fence and gestures for me to look in the pasture.
“Jesus fuck,” I mutter and rub my hand over my mouth. “What in the hell did that?”
“Mountain lion?” he suggests.
Three of my cattle are massacred in the field, and the other cows are huddled on the far side of the pasture, clearly scared.
“We need to move the herd today,” I tell him, but he’s already nodding. “As soon as the sun’s up, we’ll look for tracks. If it’s a big cat, we’ll need traps because it’s not going to get any more of my beef.”
“Agreed. I’ll check the wildlife cams too.”
It’s going to be a long fucking day. This pasture is several miles from the other grazing pasture that’s ready for a herd, so moving the cows will take most of the morning. Then, we have to figure out what killed them, and that opens a whole can of worms.
Fuck my life.
This week just went totally sideways.
I haven’t seen Darby in two fucking days, and I might be about to lose my mind. I’ve smelled her in the bed, I’ve seen evidence that she’s used the shower and the kitchen, but between this mess with a mountain lion killing my beef, and her being out almost constantly with Dr. Fisher, we keep missing each other.
I fucking miss her.
But we’ve been leaving little notes for each other at the house, and if I can’t have her, it’s a decent alternative.
I left her some beef fajitas for dinner, since I know she’s probably not eating enough. This morning, I found muffins on the counter with a note.
T-
I know you love my muffins. So I made you some. You can share with the guys when you go back out. Let me know if you need me, or if any of the cattle are injured! I have to run to the Blackwell Ranch to look in on a dairy cow with an infected teat. Poor girl. I miss you. I need some firepit time. Let’s pencil that in.
xo
D
Fuck, I need firepit time too.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
DARBY
Basically, being a vet means always being tired. I don’t remember the last time I slept through the night. At this point, I don’t remember the last time I slept with my man. And I feel horrible because I’ve been out on calls with Dr. Fisher so much that I haven’t been able to help on the Hendrix Ranch like I normally would.
I know it doesn’t bother Tucker, but I miss it. I miss the horses, the kittens, the cows. I need all the other animals in this valley to chill out a bit so I can enjoy a down day in the garden.
It’s eight in the morning when I walk into the house, and I can tell by the stillness that he’s already gone for the day. I tried to get back earlier, but I kept getting sidetracked.
Waiting on the counter is a note, and the anticipation is killing me. Sure, we text a bit through the day, but these handwritten notes have come to mean the world. I carry them around with me, and when I’m feeling particularly lonely for him, I pull them out to look at his bold, masculine handwriting.
Duchess-
Good morning. I fucking miss you. I need to catch this damn lion so I can go back to normal. I made you biscuits and gravy for breakfast, it’s in the oven. There’s also a couple turkey sandwiches premade in the fridge for you to have for lunch, whether that’s here, or if you get called out. Get some sleep, baby.