Page 17 of Cowboy's Healing Heart

“A few of us are heading into town to grab a couple of beers. Wanna roll?”

I wipe the oil from my hands and drop tools into my box. “What the ole lady’s letting you hang out tonight?”

Kelvin laughs. “Yeah, the girls are having a slumber party. That gives me at least until eleven before they start dropping like flies.”

I chuckle and lower the hood of the tractor. “Yeah, I’m in. Let me shower and change.”

Krystal’s paired us up a few times, and Kelvin’s a good guy. Our lives couldn’t be more different. He’s younger and married with a family.

“All right, bet. I meet you there in about an hour.”

He heads out over towards the cabins. The living area of the property has cabins for families and a few bunkhouses for single team members. Kelvin heads in the same direction I saw Krystal earlier.

My mind drifts to Krystal. She left with the roundup team at dawn. I wonder how she’s holding up. Not that I’d ever ask. We keep our interactions strictly professional, despite the tension that seems to crackle between us whenever we’re in the same space.

I work to clean up my work area, reflecting on the contrast between this life and my old one. In New York, autumn meant galas and fundraisers, not dawn-to-dusk physical labor. The challenges here are immediate and more tangible.

Fix this engine, or we can’t harvest.

Gather the herd, or we lose cattle to the harsh winter ahead.

It’s a stark change from the cutthroat world of defense contracting at Innoventis. Here, every action has a direct consequence. Every decision impacts not just the bottom line but the lives of everyone on the ranch.

As the sun dips below the horizon, casting long shadows across the fields, I allow myself a moment to take in the scene. The vast expanse of land, dotted with cattle and busy workers,stretches out before me. It’s beautiful, in a rugged way that still catches me off guard sometimes.

This isn’t the life I was groomed for. It’s not the one my father envisions for me. But standing here, covered in grease and surrounded by the honest fruits of hard labor, I can’t bring myself to regret my choice.

At least, not today. But I can’t hide here forever.

FOUR

MOMENT OF WEAKNESS

KRYSTAL

The tractor sputtersand dies with a final, pathetic wheeze. I slam my hand on the steering wheel, cursing under my breath. This can’t be happening. Not today. Not when we’re already behind schedule on the cattle prep.

I hop down from the cab, my boots hitting the dusty ground with a thud. The smell of oil and hot metal fills my nostrils. Sweat trickles down my back, the midday sun beating down mercilessly.

“Piece of junk,” I mutter, popping the hood. A cloud of steam billows out, making me cough.

Footsteps approach from behind. I don’t need to turn around to know who it is.

“Problem?” Shane’s deep voice carries a hint of amusement.

I grit my teeth. “Nothing I can’t handle.”

He steps closer, peering over my shoulder at the engine. His presence at my back sends an unwelcome shiver down my spine. I shift away, putting some distance between us.

“Mind if I take a look?” he asks.

I want to tell him no, that I’ve got this under control. But time is ticking, and we need this tractor up and running yesterday.

“Fine,” I say, stepping aside. “But don’t touch anything without asking first.”

Shane nods, a small smile playing at the corners of his mouth. He leans in, examining the engine with a critical eye. His t-shirt stretches across his broad shoulders as he moves, and I force myself to look away.

“Looks like the radiator hose is shot,” he says after a moment. “We’ll need to replace it.”

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