Page 137 of True North

Oh god.

I pull her head into my neck. Rubbing her back with my hand, I watch with amazement as the half-drowned calf scrambles up the bank fifty feet away.

“Fuckin’ Christ,” I breathe. “He’s fine, darlin’.”

She moves her head, slow and shaky, to see the calf in question. A huffy laugh puffs from her blue lips.

“Let’s get you home, Louisa May.”

“Su-ure, I cou-ld use a h-hot ba-th.”

She shakes against my body.

“Among other things.”

She melts into me, and I hold her, herd forgotten for a moment.

Just for this small slice of time, this is all that matters.

ChapterThirty-Four

LOUISA

Devastation is the only emotion I feel right now, watching Harry take stock of the miserably low numbers we brought down off the mountains. By the time we draft off the salable cattle, we’ll be barely able to scrape together half of the mortgage payment.

He trots past on Darby, cursing under his breath, and I try to talk to him. He’s closed off. Lost in worst-case-scenario mode.

“Harry?” I call after him.

He rounds the herd again. His hand points to the cattle as he roughly counts again.

Ned rides up beside me. “Something tells me he ain’t happy.”

“No, he’s not.”

My words are frail, like my hope at this point.

I adjust Mara’s reins in my hands. If they aren’t holding something right now, I think I will lose it.

My gut flips when Harry rips the hat from his head and shoves a hand through his hair. That one move tells me all I need to know.

After everything we went through, with buying the ranch, Ma, this roundup. This is a solid kick to the guts. Between the herd being too small, the wolves, and only being able to bring a portion of them down with the four of us, it’s not good.

Not good at all.

“Best get to draftin’ them out then, buddy,” Ned calls to Harry.

He waves him off but starts pushing the herd toward the pound. Ned tips his hat at me and trots over to Harry.

Mick is already off his horse and opening the gate, letting the first few head into the round section to be drafted.

Harry trots in with them as Mick closes the gate behind him. Harry singles out the first beast, barking orders at Mick on which gate it’s to go through. This is going to take a while. I’m exhausted, starving, and I’m betting the men are, too.

So, I walk Mara from the yards and tie her at the rail, heading for the house to do what I do best.

Feed the man I love.

In the kitchen, the food I left in the refrigerator a week ago looks more appealing than it should. I take out ingredients for a quick, hot meal and get to chopping. Instantly, it relaxes me. A thought hits me as I pause, knife hovering over the carrot under my persuasion. I could be happy here, cooking for the people I love.

---