The Cowgirl's Secret Love by Vivian Arend

Author:Vivian Arend [Arend, Vivian]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Arend Publishing Inc.

13

Karen: I miss you

Finn: I would give anything to be with you.

~Unsent messages, fall, after Whiskey Creek ranch~

Karen was a mess, not just on the outside. She was tired, and dirty, and had a headache from hell. But the most frustrating part was not being able to dissect the tangled emotions inside enough to be able to push them off.

Finn was there, and that part was wonderful.

Once Karen had recovered enough to be able to stand on her own, Josiah gave her an approving nod. “Looks as if this little tyke should be okay. A bit of work in terms of feeding him, but if you want, I can take him over to Sonora’s animal shelter. They’re bottle-feeding some calves right now, so adding him shouldn’t be a big deal.”

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.

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