Harlequin Love Inspired March 2021--Box Set 2 of 2 Patrice Lewis (i read book txt) 📖

“I’m really happy for you, Larae. I am.”

“I know.”

“Besides, I’ve got the twins. And if you two keep having babies, I’ll have them to love and help mother the way Stella has mothered all of us.”

“Whoa, I’m not even married yet.” Lexie settled Rand into her shoulder.

“Can I hold him again?”

“Sure.” Lexie handed him over. “And you can still get married someday, maybe adopt.”

“In the meantime, whenever you need some sweet baby love, you know where to come.” Larae shot her a wink. “But this was a lot easier when I was eighteen. So don’t expect me to be a baby factory.”

Stacia chuckled and kissed little Rand on the forehead, seeing him as the blessing he was.

* * *

The sound of Stacia’s sander reached Ross before he ever stepped through the open back door of the workshop the next morning.

“The pregnant jersey didn’t come to feed this morning, so I’m off to go hunt her up,” he hollered.

“I hope she’s okay.” Stacia didn’t turn off her tool or look up from her claw-foot tub project.

“Is this her first calf?”

“Yes. She might be protective. Take some range cubes to distract her with and call if you need help.”

“I’ve got this. But thanks.” No way would he let her think he couldn’t handle a cow. Not with her just beginning to count on him. He hurried toward the barn.

He grabbed a blanket and tack from a stall, and tucked two handfuls of cubes in his pocket.

With a rope on his arm and the saddle against his hip, he opened the gate and clicked his tongue as he approached the buckskin filly assigned to him. She followed him out of the barnyard and stood still, flicking her black tail, as he fastened the gate, then approached her.

“Hey girl.” He ran his hand down her golden face. “You’re ready for another ride, aren’t you?” He set the blanket and saddle on her back, tightened it in place and slipped the bridle over her head. The horse had trusted him like this the very first time he’d ridden her.

Unlike Stacia. But over the last several days, they’d jumped a few hurdles.

He slid his foot into the stirrup and the horse stood stock still as he mounted.

“Yah.” He urged her into a canter, searching the edge of the woods as he rode. The jersey cow would blend in with the yellowed grass. Hard to find. He hoped if she’d had the calf or was in the process, coyotes hadn’t found her.

Nothing. He followed the trail into the woods, crossed the river at a shallow point and searched the next field. Over by a cluster of large, round hay bales, he saw something move. Small. Either the calf or a coyote. He squeezed his heels into the buckskin’s sides urging her into a full gallop.

As he neared, he was able to make out the calf with its mother close by, totally blending in with the bales. Still. Wary. He might have to call Maverick to distract her, so he could get to the calf. But no way would he call Stacia. He couldn’t take the chance of shaking her burgeoning faith in him.

He led the horse to the farthest hay bale, dismounted and made his way around the maze of bales to the cow’s other side, then gingerly headed in her direction.

She made a gruff, growling sound—universally known to ranchers as mad mama moo. Oh boy. “Come on, little mama. I’m just trying to help. If y’all stay out here tonight, the coyotes will come and neither of us want that.”

She took a few trotting steps toward him and he ducked behind a bale. The calf was no help; it stayed right under her.

“Just let me take your little darling back to the barn, so you’ll both be safe. You can come too.” He threw a cube toward her and she stooped to eat it. Then threw another, a little farther away. But the cow didn’t fall for it. She did her mad mama moo again.

“Need some help?” Stacia called.

He looked up to see her astride her bay, one hand blocking the sun from her eyes.

“I’ve got this.”

“I can tell, with you cowering behind a hay bale and all.” Her mouth twitched.

She better not laugh. He might just have to—kiss her. Now, where did that come from? “I don’t see you dismounting.”

“I can’t rope her if I dismount, now can I?”

“You can rope?”

“I suggest you get back on your horse and watch.” She took her rope off her saddle horn.

“You’re on.” He rounded the bales and mounted the buckskin, then steered her to head off the cow.

Stacia rode her horse in closer until the cow trotted away, then swung the lasso in a circle above her head and released, capturing the cow’s back hoof. She struggled, did her mad mama moo and the calf stayed under her as Stacia took up the slack in the rope.

With the cow distracted by tugging at the lasso, Ross dismounted, managed to fish the calf out from its mother’s shelter, pick him up and haul him up onto the horse. As he settled in the saddle, thankfully, the calf didn’t fight him.

The calf bawled and the mama did too as Stacia jumped down from her horse and ran to loosen the loop on the cow’s heel.

“Careful there.”

“She’s not mad at me. You’re the one who took her calf.” She slapped the mad mama on the rump and the cow bolted away from her. Once she was back on her horse, he rode over beside her.

“Where’d you learn to do that?”

“I’ve helped Daddy with the ranch since I can remember. Calli never wanted anything to do with the cattle, but I tried to be Daddy’s boy since he didn’t have one.”

“I’m impressed.” But there was nothing boyish about her.

“I’m impressed you got the calf, with my help.” She didn’t quite manage to suppress a grin.

“I had it handled.”

“Uh-huh, half a day later, maybe.”

The cow’s