Cassie's Cowboy Crave: Witness Protection - Rancher Style (Sweet Montana Bride Series) (16 page)

Shane sped through the dreaded task of skinning the dead calf. The two were close enough in size; he should be able to pull it off. At least long enough to trick the mother.

Once he was finished, he tied the dead calf’s coat onto the motherless calf. After scrubbing up at the sink, Shane let the little animal into the bin with the cow who’d lost her baby.

The truck’s loud growl sounded alongside the barn before shutting off.

“Come on in,” Shane hollered.

He hadn’t anticipated Cassie would change her clothes, but there she was, dressed in denim pants, a plaid, button-up shirt, and those cowboy boots he’d been dying to see her in. What used to be a low ponytail at the nape of her neck was now a loose sort of bun up high on her head. A few dark strands hung free to frame that perfect, heart-shaped face of hers.

Shane cleared his throat. “Uh, you’re just in time. Come here,” he said, patting at the barrel next to him.

Cassie strode over, the sun casting her lengthy shadow across the barn floor. She lowered herself onto the barrel, eyes set on the calf as it walked wobbly toward the larger animal. Shane leaned forward, resting his elbows onto his knees as he watched.

The small calf prodded the udders with its nose. The mother turned her head, backed up a few steps, and sniffed at her new visitor. The little thing sniffed in return, stretched his neck, and after a few torturous seconds, managed to latch on.

The muscles in Shane’s arms and shoulders tightened as he leaned closer, waiting for confirmation that it had really worked. It came in the steady slurping sound echoing through the barn. Followed by the hungry animal’s anxious gulps. Shane sighed in relief. 

Cassie gasped. “It’s working,” she whispered.

“It is, isn’t it?” Shane said.

Her warm hand rested on his back, where she rubbed an open palm across the span of it. “You did it,” she said, a hint of pride in her voice.

The sweet scent of her wafted through the air as Cassie lay her head onto Shane’s arm. It remained quiet as they watched the two bond as mother and child would.

“This is definitely a happy ending,” Cassie said. “Or beginning.”

He nodded in reply, but his head was some place else. Entertaining thoughts of why Cassie had gone to the effort to change her clothes. Put on the boots she knew would drive him crazy. And plaid – she’d never looked so tempting. He forced himself to switch gears, get back on track.

“Do we still have that blanket in the truck?” he asked.

“Yeah. It’s on the passenger side.”

“That’s right,” Shane said. “Maybe we should take those sandwiches, grab a few cold drinks, and have a picnic somewhere.”

Cassie straightened up. “Really?”

“Yep. I’d like to take you on a date.” Saying the words aloud caused a mighty knot of nerves to build up in his belly. But it seemed the proper thing to do. After all, he had feelings for the woman. Thought of kissing her lips at least a hundred times a day. Something he had no business doing if he hadn’t courted her good and well. ‘Sides, Gavin and Blake had their fair share of time away while cozying up to Jade and Reese. And who cared if they assumed he was doing the same. It was time to stop worrying about the others. There was an undeniable flame kindling between him and Cassie. Just being next to her at times caused Shane to feel as if his skin might ignite. No doubt the physical connection was alive and breathing. Now it was time to discover if there was something deeper.

~+~

Cassie smiled over at Shane as the warm breeze played across her face. The moment felt like one from a storybook. Nestled on a soft blanket in the tall grass, the graceful, budding limbs of a large tree swaying high above them. And that Montana sky she’d come to love – a breath-taking image of lavender blue made picture perfect by white, puffy clouds and pale pink blossoms.

She finished rubbing the back of Shane’s hand before clamping hers over top. “Next one,” Cassie said, releasing it altogether.

With one arm propped behind his head, Shane lay on his back. He rotated so he could give her his other hand. “You didn’t tell me that you’d missed your breakfast entirely,” he said with a frown.

A sting of guilt pricked at her chest. Cassie hadn’t wanted him to see that, but he’d insisted on running in to get the drinks. “I forgot to thank you for that. I tasted some of those hash browns and they were amazing. I promise I would have eaten every bit of it had I not left.”

“Makes me feel bad,” he said.

“No. I was glad to help,” Cassie assured. “This has been one of the best days I’ve had in a long time.” She pressed at the muscles along the edge of his palm, thoughtful. “I mean, I’ve really enjoyed all my time here. But I loved seeing what you do out there all day. It was…” Sexy is what it was, but she wasn’t about to say that. “Nice.” Cassie hadn’t known that being a rancher held so many titles. Rider, roper, doctor or vet. One minute Shane Emerson was riding on that massive stallion of his like the lone ranger, and the next he was helping birth a calf after its mother had died.

“I’ve liked it too.” A slight moan sounded from deep in Shane’s chest as Cassie pressed deeper into the area along his thumb. “It’s been nice having you with us. Reese was thrilled to see you out there today,” he added.

Cassie turned to work at the back of his hand. “I didn’t realize she went with Blake so often.”

“During calving season mostly,” he said. “But she’ll venture out to pasture every once in a while. Jade too. Sometimes one of the couples will disappear altogether and leave us to pick up the slack.” He paused to wink at her. “Means we can do the same.”

A rush of heat spilled over her body at the sheer thought of being married to Shane – sneaking away on long summer days. She gulped, working to redirect her thoughts.

“I really like your family,” she offered. “I mean, growing up, it was pretty much just me and my grandma. So to watch your parents and see the way they are day to day – so involved in your lives…” She shook her head, recognizing the extreme contrast. “I can’t help but think that’s how I want it to be with me and my own kids. I can tell how much Betty and Grant enjoy having everyone over. Seem to even treat the ranch hands like family.”

Shane propped himself onto an elbow, a thoughtful look in his eyes; their warm, hazel depths seemed to reflect every ounce of golden sunlight shining across the large, open field. “How often do you talk to your parents?” he asked.

“Oh, I don’t. They don’t really go places they could get reception. Not that they’d ever dream of owning a phone. They just send postcards every once in a while. Tell me how long they’ll be where.” Cassie hadn’t thought much of what she’d just said, but as Shane’s expression changed, his handsome brow showing signs of a strange sort of concern, she considered the details she’d just shared.

“What about when your grandma died? Didn’t they come for the funeral?”

“No. They hate staged ceremonies and functions like that. To them, nothing’s an emergency. Anything that happens, happens. Knowing sooner rather than later, attending some funeral service – none of it can change the events. My parents grieve in their own way. Wherever they are. Whenever they hear.”

“That doesn’t make any sense. What about the others who are grieving?” Shane sat up and pulled his hand away, causing Cassie to realize she’d been done massaging it for a while. Had just been holding onto it.  

His face was flushed and angry. “So you’re telling me that if you died before them, heaven forbid, they wouldn’t even come to your funeral? You – their only child.”

Cassie gulped the odd lump forming in her throat. “No. They wouldn’t be there.”

“Who would plan it? What family do you have?” He was looking more disturbed by the minute.

“My mom’s an only child. Her mother’s the one who raised me. She never really had a father. But I have two aunts on my dad’s side. They’re my emergency contacts, so they’d be the ones stuck taking care of the details.”

Shane shook his head, his strong, handsome jaw clenched in agitation. “You say that like you’re a problem. Some thorn in their side even in death.”

He searched her eyes for a breath. “Has anyone in your life
not
made you feel like you were some … burden? Some chore to take care of?” His voice had risen, thick with a strained level of hostility.

“
Nobody
makes me feel that way,” she spat. “They just … have their own lives. They never asked to raise a grandchild, or some distant niece they barely know.”

“Well don’t you think that’s a problem all its own? Fact that a father practically abandons his own child and his sisters don’t even step in?”

“My grandmother was raising me.” Her words sounded weak and broken. Tears built up in her eyes as she continued. “His sisters lived half a country away. What were they supposed to do?” The conversation was hitting too close to home. Too close to the thoughts she’d entertained earlier in the barn.

Shane didn’t let up. “And what about his parents? Where are they?”

“Same. They all live in Georgia. We’ve always been too far away.” Cassie wiped at a tear. “My father and his parents didn’t have a great relationship to begin with, from what my grandma told me.”

“I’m not trying to be an ass, Cassie. I just, I can barely stand the people you call family, that’s all.”

She shot to her feet. “Well, not all of us were born in a perfect little place like Emerson Ranch, Shane.” In a hurried rush, Cassie flung open the small cooler and began tossing all their picnic items back into it. “I can’t exactly change the hand I was dealt.”

“I didn’t mean it like that, Cass.” His voice carried an edge of desperation. “You misunderstood me. I just… I’m just pointing out–”

Cassie rose her head, looking up to glare at him. “What?” she yelled. “Pointing out the obvious? That my life is one giant train wreck? That I’ve never had anyone see me as anything but some horrendous burden to bear? Thank you for that. I feel much better.”

She strode toward the truck, flung the cooler into the flatbed, and hopped in, sitting as far from the driver’s side as possible. With her arms folded across her chest, Cassie stared out the window. Beyond the field lay what Shane said was his property. As her eyes settled on the stack of rocks, the fun-looking fort he’d built with his brothers, a sting of jealousy twisted its way into her heart.

Shane’s door opened, and the crumpled blanket plopped between them onto the seat. “Could you just give me a minute to explain?” His breath came out loud and labored.

“I’d rather you didn’t,” she said. “With each word you say, you only make it worse. So just stop already. It isn’t my fault I was born into that family, Shane.”

“Yeah, but what about…” He let the sentence die, and Cassie didn’t bother turning to look back at him, only continued to rant.

“All I’ve ever done is try to see the best in everyone. Sue me for not being some bitter, hateful person who wants them to suffer for not falling all over themselves to raise a child no one wanted in the first place.” Cassie proudly fought the tremble of her bottom lip, but she could not contain the tears spilling down her cheeks. Never had she wanted so desperately to disappear. To be anywhere else but where she was – in Shane Emerson’s truck, racked with grief.

And as if he could sense it, had known she needed a moment to give in to the pull of it all, Shane flipped on the radio. There was something unspoken in the gesture. Kind. It was his way of giving her the privacy she needed, as stuck as they were in the cab of his truck. And as he turned up the sound, the country beat picking up in volume, Cassie quietly released the pain welled up in her heart.

CHAPTER TWENTY

If Shane had learned one thing, it was to never tamper with a firecracker during an explosion. That stood double when applied to women – especially when you were the idiot who’d lit the fuse.

It had taken nearly everything in him to refrain from bringing up her crummy boyfriend – the one person Cassie
had
chosen to be a part of her life. But he was glad he’d been able to resist the urge. It was hardly the right time.

Shane rubbed a hand along Drake’s side before climbing onto the saddle. Cassie hadn’t uttered as much as another word. Only hopped out of the truck and stormed into the house. Some first date that was. Shane wasn’t sure how he’d make up for the mess he’d made, but he intended to fix things one way or another. He only needed to give her time to cool down first.

Drake picked up speed at Shane’s command. The steady thump of his gallop, along with the familiar rumbling vibration, set his mind to thinking of the time he’d lost Natasha. He’d ridden for hours on end after that woman left, distraught over the loss. Only now, he could hardly remember why he’d been so broken. The city-bound girl was a devil, in truth. He was far better off without her. Too bad he couldn’t say the same about Cassie Lovell. Anyone’s life would be blessed to have her in it. And yet Cassie felt like her mere presence was a curse to those around her. That’s what made him so crazy. The selfish people she called family.

Shane puffed out an irritated breath. Could be that he was only blinded by love, the way he’d been with his ex. It was possible that once Cassie was gone he’d see, in retrospect, that she wasn’t so great. That he’d had his heart broken by another witch of a woman he should have never fallen for in the first place. Hell, maybe he shouldn’t allow himself to get involved at all.

With the afternoon sun high overhead, he pushed Drake harder, faster, determination setting in. There was no maybe about it. Somehow Shane had lost every shred of his initial intent to stay as far away from this woman as possible. Kissing, dating, snuggling up to a gal who’d jet right out of his life and back to her own in a Seattle second. What kind of fool had he turned into? It was time to put up that armor – the shield that had slipped off him the moment he’d met eyes with her. There would be no more pursuing something that wasn’t meant to be.

With his thoughts so consumed as they were, Shane met up with his older brother  in no time. Blake was hunkered over a calf, having just tagged the thing.  After opening the corral gate for Shane, Blake nodded toward a calf running along the outer edge of the pen.