Page 39 of Cabins Cows Critics
“Sally-May thought all of our guests might like a warm treat to welcome in the first snow,” he says, putting the tray down on the small table by the window and lifting the cloth from the basket. A delicious banana cinnamon scent wafts up on a warm mist.
“Banana muffins and fresh roasted coffee.”
“Oh, yum,” Wen replies, grabbing a muffin and sitting in one of the chairs. “Do you want to stay for breakfast?” she asks him, and I interject.
“He’s probably got loads of work to do,” I say, and he nods.
“Thanks, but yeah, I’ve got to go help bring the girls over for milking. They don’t like being out in the cold, so it’s all hands on deck to corral them there.”
“Do you need any help?” I ask before I know what I’m doing.
“If you’re up for it, yeah, that would be great,” he replies, and I grab my boots from the end of the bed and pull them on.
“Wen, you’ll help, too, right?”
“I most certainly will not.”
“Come on, you were just saying how you wanted to go see the ranch in the snow,” I say as she breaks off a part of the top of one of the muffins and shoves it into her mouth.
“I said walk, not wrangle cows.”
Connor shifts toward the door, and I grab my coat and pull it on.
“I’ll wait for you outside. Seriously, no pressure, though. We’d love the help, but you’re here for a holiday, so it’s totally fine.”
“We’ll just be a minute,” I say, grabbing Wen’s coat. The second he closes the door, I shove it into her lap.
“Put it on. You’re helping.”
“You know I don’t like manual labor.”
“But you do like cowboys, and I bet you’ll get to spend some time with Nial and that other one…Atlas, isn’t it?”
Her eyes light up.
“Oh, do you think?”
“He said it was all hands on deck, so it’s likely.”
“Okay, but I’m bringing the coffee.”
“I woke up two minutes ago, the coffee is coming with me,” I say, grabbing the thermos and opening the top to add in some sugar, but the second the lid is free, a delicious sweet almond scent wafts up to my nose. I look inside and it’s not just regular black coffee, instead it’s creamy and sweet, just the way I like it.
I pick out a couple of muffins from the basket and we step outside to find a white wonderland. Every surface is dusted in fresh snow, and there’s Connor waiting beside one of the barren trees lining the path. He’s leaning on the trunk, turning his hat over in his hands, and when he looks up at me, he’s smiling widelike I’m his favorite person in the whole world. I can’t help but smile back. His hair is tied in a loose bun at the back of his head, low enough to not interfere with his hat, and he’s wearing dark blue jeans that contrast beautifully with his brown leather chaps and coat.
“It’s so beautiful,” I say, and his smile picks up a little more on one side in a cheeky smirk.
“It sure is,” he replies, his gaze sweeping up and down my body. Fuck, this man is going to ruin me for other men. This is supposed to be a job. I’m here for two weeks to review the Christmas Experience and not fall in love with a cowboy. Fuck. Is that what is happening here? Am I falling in love with Connor?
“He convinced you,” Connor says, turning his attention to Wendy as she follows me out.
“I should warn you, there is a very real chance I’ll send them in the wrong direction, so I’m not sure how much help I will be.”
He laughs, and it’s like the air just got warmer.
“Might have you at the milking barn, helping hook them up, then.”
“I can do that.” She beams, shoving more muffin into her mouth.
