Page 34 of Country Contract

I wasn’t expecting her at my brother’s place, and I tend to head over there after some of these disaster dates to word vomit to them. They find it entertaining, and I’mable to feel lighter after we all laugh about it. Harlow being there for the whole rundown didn’t have the same effect. Things that my brother and his wife would say that usually make me laugh stung in front of her. Harlow’s input made me feel a little juvenile and ignorant. She wasn’t malicious, just so much more mature than me.

Those moments in my truck left me thinking about her for the following two days. Anytime I thought of her calling me kiddo, I would blush with a tinge of anger and feel myself grow slightly aroused. It was bullshit. It made no sense.

Two of my hands were out sick today, so I needed to be out on the land more than usual, herding the cattle to a new paddock and pulling the tagged ones for vaccines. Our vet will be coming by tomorrow and getting the cattle pulled today makes things easier. I’ll put some salt out for them as a small treat. My girls are especially testy whenever they get separated, so I give them a little extra love when something causes a rift in their routines.

With my hands out and me on the land doing more than routine checks, the reminder of the need for a good herding dog comes to mind. I know a few breeders in town, including one that my father loyally went to whenever it was time for us to have a new hound in the house. I’ll reach out to them before any other breeder.

I’ve passed the bunkhouse twice today, but Harlow hasn’t come out as usual. Thinking about the last few days, she hasn’t come out at all. She spends a fair amount of time outside of the house sitting and enjoying the land. Drinking something hot, working on her manuscripts, reading a book for leisure. This marks the third day since our moment, if I can even call it that, in the truck. Since then, she’s holed herself up.

What if she’s uncomfortable?

What if she’s avoiding me?

What if she’s sick?

The last one worries me the most. I only have the basics in that house—a travel first aid kit with maybe a few doses of anti-fever medication, but nothing solid. If she’s too sick to go into town, that could be dangerous.

Harlow has grown close enough to Cassidy to ask for help, so I doubt she would be high and dry. No less, I’m worried enough to be curious.

By late afternoon, I’d worked myself up enough to reach out to Cassidy.

Me: Have you seen or heard from Harlow lately?

Cassidy: I mean, she was over for dinner the day you came in. Since then, a little texting here and there. What’s up?

Me: Everything seem okay?

Cassidy: Is there a reason it wouldn’t be???

Me: IDK, she hasn’t come out and she usually does. I was worried she was sick or something.

Cassidy: hmmmmmmmmm.

Me: -_-

Cassidy: I don’t think she’s sick. She hasn’t said anything. Want me to stop by?

Part of me does want Cass to stop over there and make sure she’s okay. The other part of me knows that’s acomplete invasion of privacy, and I likely wouldn’t be doing check-ins like that with any other guest. I can’t cross that line. The thought of complicating something as simple as host and guest makes me pull at my hair out of exhaustion.

Me: Nah, probably me just being nosy. It’s been cold. Probably too cold for a Cali girl.

I slide my phone back into my pocket and continue to work on my tasks.

At the end of the day, I’m dog-tired. I’m hot, even with the cooler weather, sweaty from the extra labor, and mentally tired after worrying about that damn woman.

I spend a little extra time brushing Star down, and she headbutts me a few times looking for a sugar cube. It’s a bad habit started by the previously stated exhausting woman. What’s worse is I’ve conformed to this habit and have kept a box of sugar cubes in the stable for both Harlow and me to give her. Once Star is satisfied and bundled up for the predicted chilly night, I close up the stable.

I see Jake tending to Hunter’s mare—out of love, not duty.

“Hey sport, what’s good?” I say, startling him slightly.

He looks over his shoulder at me and grumbles something. This is completely out of character for him. Ambling over, I lean against the open door of the stall and wait for him to try again. He doesn’t say anything, tossing a stable blanket over Legacy, and then fastening the front buckles.

“What’s goin’ on?” I finally pry.

“Just havin’ a bad day. You ever have one of those?” Jake’s tone is sharp, and we’ve only caught this side of him maybe two times before now. He’s sunnier than me and that’s saying something.

“Sure have, want to talk about it?” I move closer to Legacy, rubbing down her crest. She whinnies in appreciation, and Jake shoots me a look.

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