Page 37 of Waiting for the Rancher
“In all the busyness of setting up camp, they didn’t realize I was missing until well after dark. By then, the leader of our group made the decision that the search party would have to wait until morning to head out.”
“And leave a little girl to fend for herself all night?”
“I understand the reasoning. He didn’t want one loss to turn into more, which could have easily happened in the dark.”
“Don’t matter none. I would’ve gone after you.” Maverick’s tone was defiant.
She smiled. “Apparently Sterling tried to go, but my father tied him up to keep him from being reckless.”
“Reckon that’s my downfall. I act first, think later.”
“That’s because you have such a big, caring heart.”
“Or I’m an idiot, like Sterling said at the wedding.”
“No, Maverick.” She had an intense longing to reach for him and draw him into an embrace. But after the strain of the past week, she had to be careful. “He was just angry, didn’t understand anything that was really going on. I was angry too, until I had more time to think about it and talk with you.”
Maverick shifted and peered around again, his body tense. They’d stayed near the river, but with the banks gradually having grown steeper, Maverick had led them a dozen or more pacesaway—close enough to hear the rustling water, but far enough that they wouldn’t chance slipping off the edge.
“You want to do what’s right,” she continued, “but it doesn’t always work out. A few failures along the way don’t mean you should stop being you.”
“Those failures are mighty big ones.”
“Think about all the times when your decisions have turned into something great. Like the new Oakley breed. We wouldn’t have that if not for your urging and planning.”
Before Maverick could answer, a frightened whinny from nearby made them both swivel and start forward.
“It’s her.” Hazel scanned the brush, her pulse racing forward.
As Maverick had predicted, they only had to go around a slight bend before finding the mare grazing in a secluded and shaded area beneath several fir trees at the base of a rocky slope rising gradually to the mountains beyond.
From the tautness of the mare’s abdomen, Hazel guessed she was well into her travail.
As they approached, the mare nickered and tossed her head, as if warning them to stay away. But Hazel crooned gentle words of affirmation, trying to silently communicate that she didn’t intend to leave, that she was a friend, and that she’d be with her for every step of the birthing.
Maverick held back, aware that the mare was unstable and needed to be handled carefully so that she didn’t bolt again, this time harming herself and the unborn foal. He waited patiently to the side until at last Candy lay down.
As soon as she did, the water broke and one of the foal’s front feet made an appearance.
Relief pulsed through Hazel. “That’s my girl.”
She smiled at Maverick over her shoulder. “It’ll all work out, Maverick. Just wait and see.”
He smiled in return, giving her a brief glimpse into his eyes and revealing something there that was so sweet and tender that her breath snagged.
She couldn’t be sure what it was, couldn’t take the time to analyze it. All she could do was pray that everything really would work out, especially between her and Maverick.
14
He loved Hazel so much it hurt.
As much as he’d tried not to love her over the past week, the feelings had only grown instead of diminishing. And being with her at another foaling made it all the harder to do what he knew he needed to—keep his distance.
He’d told Sterling he’d stay away from Hazel, that he wouldn’t go near her, that he’d sacrifice his own selfish needs.
But as she knelt at Candy’s head and stroked her forelock, Maverick couldn’t keep from hungrily taking her in—every gentle movement, every comb of her fingers, every bend of her supple body.
“You’re doing great, sweet love,” Hazel said softly, trying to comfort Candy, now trembling with both fear and pain. “Almost done.”
