By way of explanation, she added, “The insurance won’t pay for my missing cattle because an employee stole them.” She attempted a shrug. “I told you I probably already lost the ranch. I’ve already been in the red for a month.” Her eyes flicked to his. She was afraid his expression would be triumphant.
Instead his eyes were soft. “I thought you were exaggerating.”
She shook her head. Pushing words through the lump in her throat was too hard.
“You might find a way to get out of debt before the three-month period ends. And September is nearly six months away. You shouldn’t count yourself out yet. Your grandfather’s will didn’t specify how old the cattle on the ranch had to be, just the number. You’ve got forty more now.”
It seemed ridiculous that Landon—a man who wanted to inherit the ranch—was giving her a pep talk. Even if she managed to have enough cattle, she’d need a miracle to put Coyote Glen in the black in time to meet the will’s provisions. The milk replacer would cost over seven thousand. She hadn’t even researched what the calves’ feed would run.
“You’ve got to hire some sort of help for calving season,” Landon said. “Otherwise you’ll run yourself ragged.”
“I guess I’d better get used to ragged then. I might be able to come up with the money to feed the bottle calves, but not if I hire help.”
Landon let out a sound that was half sigh, half outright pity. “I’m sorry…”
She didn’t want pity, not even from him. Or maybe, especially not from him. She forced a smile she didn’t feel. “Just help me get the calves situated and teach me how to take care of them. I’ll worry about the ranch’s bottom line later. Right now I need to take care of the cattle.” That’s what her grandfather would expect her to do—work until she’d fixed the problem.
Landon nodded, and even that motion seemed to be filled with sympathy. “I’ve got a milk bar you can use. Let me get it for you.”
While he went into his barn to fetch it, Kate regarded the Wyle Away’s fields and barn. Things were so calm and orderly here, so peaceful. Must be nice to have brothers helping you, nice to always have someone to count on.
Landon returned a few minutes later and put the tub in the back of her truck. “I’ll drive over in about an hour—sooner if I can get things tied up here. Leave the gate open for me.”
“I will.” That was an easy request because she hadn’t remembered to take it off automatic after the Colemans’ visit. “I really appreciate this.” She wanted to give Landon a hug goodbye but suddenly felt shy. She wasn’t sure whether he was coming to her aid because he felt sorry for her or whether his help was a sign of his feelings for her. He did have feelings for her, didn’t he? The flirting at church meant something.
She started to ask and then decided against it. If the news was bad, well, her heart couldn’t take more disappointment today. “I’ll see you soon,” she said and left.
Chapter Thirty
The calves had madea stinking mess of the barn. In the time Kate had been away, all forty seemed to have relieved themselves on the floor. She pushed, pulled, herded, and dragged them into stalls. Four lay listlessly on the floor. She put down straw along the wall by the storage room and tied them there so Landon could look at them when he came. Then she cleaned up the mess and rinsed out bottles.
By that time, Landon arrived. She’d never seen anyone look as handsome, self-assured, and amazingly competent. Competency was hot. Competency was the new rich. If she wasn’t too exhausted at the end of all these chores, she was totally going to throw herself at him.
With Landon helping her, the process of feeding the calves went a lot faster. He hung up bottles and guided bawling animals to nipples with a practiced hand. Sometimes the calves had to be redirected several times in order to understand that the bottle was a food source, but when they started drinking, they wagged their tails like happy puppies. The sight was precious.
The four in the back refused to eat at all. Kate didn’t ask Landon if those ones were bound to die soon. He left them with their bottles and went for the vaccines and antibiotics.
He gave the first shots to show her how it was done, then held the animals still and made her do the rest. After the first few, she was so fast that the calves didn’t even cry out from the prick of pain.
She and Landon went back to the calves who hadn’t eaten to see if they would give their bottles a second shot. They still refused to drink. He checked their noses for dehydration and their ears for sign of a temperature. “They’re not too bad right now, and hopefully the antibiotics will help, but a calf can go downhill fast. They might need to be tube fed or given some intravenous fluids.” He paused and glanced at her. “Don’t try that by yourself.”
Like sticking a tube down a calf’s throat was an option she would consider. “You know how to give calves IVs?”
“After you’ve been ranching for a few years, you do a lot of your own vet work.”
Those words shouldn’t have stung, but did. She wouldn’t be ranching much longer. She petted one of the calves, running her fingers through its smooth black coat. The animal hardly seemed to notice her touch. “You’ll pull through,” she murmured. “Everything will be all right.” She stopped herself and stood up. “This is a new feeling. I’m lying to cows.”
“You’re not lying. You’re being optimistic.”
The barn door opened, and a female voice called, “Hello?”
Kate turned to see Pastor Pieroni and his wife Brenda, stepping inside. Kate inwardly sighed. She’d never had a social call while she’d been at Coyote Glen, and this seemed like the worst possible day for her first one. The barn smelled of antiseptic and diarrhea. The calves were raising a racket, sadly mooing for their mothers. Kate didn’t have time for pleasantries. She still had questions for Landon, and despite his insistence that she’d be fine with the calves, just the thought of him leaving made her want to whimper.
Kate smiled at the pastor anyway. “Hello. What brings you here?”
Instead of answering, he called over his shoulder, “Come in, girls. She’s in here.”
Great. Children were involved with this visit. Two preteen girls slipped through the door and took their place beside their mother. They wore jeans, pig-tails, and cautious smiles.