Page 58 of The Cowgirl's Secret Love
The supportive arm wrapped around her shoulders squeezed momentarily. “Might be a good idea,” Finn said.
It was a great idea. “I don’t have time to take care of him right now,” Karen said. “If you don’t think Sonora would mind.”
The veterinarian packed up his tools, even as he shook his head. “She’ll probably thank you for the distraction. She’s got a lot of regular volunteers coming in now, and this will give them something to do.”
“Thank you.” Karen paused. “Wish I’d been able to say that the mare was okay, but she was still down when I decided I’d better leave and bring him in.”
Josiah looked a little grim at her announcement and sympathy filled his eyes as he responded, “You know we can’t save them all, not even under perfect conditions. You brought the little one in, and that’s a wonderful thing.”
“Still wish I could’ve done more.” Inside, she ached.
Josiah took off one way, and she and Finn headed the other to the cottage.
He pointed her down the hallway. “Grab a shower. I’ll make you lunch.”
She drained the entire hot water heater and still couldn’t get rid of the chill in her bones. The sensation had nothing to do with the heat of her skin and everything to do with the coyote cries that had echoed around the cottage over the past weeks.
Karen leaned her forehead against the wall of the shower. Predators taking down an injured animal—it was part of life. Chances were the coyotes would put the mare out of her misery if anything.
Still, the idea that she probably left the mare to die didn’t sit well.
When she made it to the kitchen, there was a plate of food on the table. Finn was stretched out in a nearby chair with his arms folded over his chest. His eyes were closed, and his head nodded slightly. Fast asleep, sitting upright, waiting for her.
The poor man. He was still in pain and would be for weeks. The last thing he needed was her to weep all over him, and yet that was exactly what she’d done.
She sat down quietly and went to work on the food. Tasteless—no fault of Finn’s, she just had no appetite—yet necessary.
All the while she watched him. The slow rise and fall of his chest. The way his lashes laid dark against his cheekbones. Head slowly shifting until his eyelids eased open and his dark gaze met hers.
Instantly alert, he examined her face. “How’re you feeling?”
“Annoyed that I dragged you away from time with your friends.”
Finn leaned forward, disapproval rising. “Really?”
“Hey, just telling the truth.” Karen pushed back her plate, struggling to find an even keel. “It wasn’t the best morning I’ve ever had, so maybe we should let it go for now. Thanks for being there. I appreciate it,” she told him sincerely.
He examined her face, breathing out hard as if trying to blow away his own frustration, but he left it alone. Which was exactly what she wanted, even though it meant that mess of emotions was still there and out of whack.
To hell with it. No use in trying to pick apart the ache inside when the truth was sometimes life sucked.
She cleaned up the kitchen, then when Finn slipped out the back door, she headed into the living room to distract herself by going through the mail that had piled up over the past couple weeks. The things she’d had forwarded to her sister’s then brought over to the cottage and promptly ignored.
She was in the middle of paying bills when her sister called.
“Hey, Tamara.”
“Hey, sis. Heard about the colt. Sounds like you had a hell of a day.” Noise rattled in the background behind Tamara’s voice. Children and a deeper rumble as Caleb answered one of them. “I won’t keep you but wanted to let you know Dad’s coming out tomorrow. Come for supper. Julia will be here for sure. Maybe even Lisa.”
Since the discovery of Julia’s existence, George Coleman was now making an effort to be more involved in his daughters’ lives.
Karen’s relationship with her dad had never been what she would call close, but the last couple months had been the nearest thing she’d felt to having a true father.
Heck, she was here in Heart Falls because he’d insisted she take the time. He’d even written her a glowing recommendation that had contributed to her getting accepted into the training program she was headed for in the fall.
Still, there wasn’t a lot of dancing going on at the thought of a meal with him, and wasn’t that shitty?
He was trying, so she would too. “I’ll be there.”
