“House calls, herd checks. I woke up early to finish my chores, and I’ll have my homework done, too. Can I go with her?”
I stare back at him in shock. Caleb is a friendly kid, but he’s never really gone out of his way to be friendly to women. He’s kind of shy around them, honestly. I was shocked when he introduced himself to Sutton, but his wanting to go with her to do vet work is also surprising. I hesitate for a moment, eyeing him carefully. Did she only ask him to go with her to be nice?
“I’ll talk to her and make sure it’s okay.”
“She said it was.” He shrugs. “I want to learn as much as I can from her, Dad. I did some research on her, and she’s the real deal. She’s saved two ranching communities by pinpointing a bacterium that was growing in the soil and then some chemicals in the cattle’s drinking water. Someone from Hicks Creek did that, can you believe it?”
I nod slowly.
Part of the reason I couldn’t sleep last night was because I also researched her for most of the night. Her accomplishments are nothing short of incredible. I remember she got in a lot of trouble growing up for not getting good grades, but she’s way smarter than she ever let on.
“We’ll talk about it when you get home. Don’t miss that bus!”
“Yes, sir!” he calls over his shoulder as he runs toward the house.
Caleb seems to have the utmost faith in her, and he’s usually pretty good about reading people. I used to think he got that trait from me, but maybe I’m not as good as I thought because I seemed to have pegged Sutton Bishop completely wrong.
Chapter Nine
Sutton
Ican’t believe I had to pass Wade when I was drenched with sweat, a puffy face from crying, and struggling for air from sprinting to forget about my dad’s assholery.
I bet that was a sexy-as-hell picture.
“Not that it matters. The man is a jerk,” I say out loud to myself as I check my reflection in the large full-length mirror in the bedroom.
It’s hard to be sexy when you live your life in coveralls and boots at work.
I look around the guest house, taking in all the rustic charm of it. It’s not really a guest house. It was originally Mr. Callahan’s parents’ home, if I remember correctly. It’s been completely remodeled now.
My house in Billings needs this kitchen. Caleb and Wade did an amazing job.
I walk out of the house onto the covered front porch. Two rocking chairs sit to either side of the front door, and a hammock stretches between two posts.
I hope that I’m able to take advantage of that while I’m here.
Today’s going to be busy—more checks on the herd, more research, more trying to figure out what’s been plaguing the ranches in the community. I’ll be grateful for my morning run and the stillness in the air right now throughout the day.
More racking my brain for what this outbreak could be tied to. I tested just about everything I could to rule it all out, but nothing has come back yet.
In the past, when something in the soil was the culprit, it was usually pretty clear to me that’s what it was. Maybe it’s because I’ve lived on a ranch all my early life and saw it before, but it doesn’t look like that.
“I don’t think it’s lepto, not black leg…” I say as I check things off in my notes app on my phone. “Those are all soil-related. I guess I can’t confirm it’s not without the results from the lab, but preliminary guess.”
I stop for a minute and breathe in. There’s nothing off about the air, either. If it were something airborne, I think I’d sense that, too. Daddy always said I had a weird sixth sense about these things, and I finally understand and accept that he’s right. I grew up thinking everyone could smell rain or a thunderstorm, or if an illness is in the air. But they can’t.
Most people would probably take a giant inhale and complain about the smells. Being downwind of the cattle or the hogs is not a particularly glamorous thing. And as weird as it probably sounds, it’s comforting to me.
It feels like home.
Yes, I’m around cattle a lot. My specialty is bovine medicine, but I’m in the lab back home more than on the ranches. I love my fieldwork, too, on the rare occasion I get to do it, but even that isn’t the same. I forgot what it’s like to wake up, step outside, and hear the comforting sounds of the ranch in full motion, thesounds of the animals, the smells, the organized chaos of the day.
I missed this more than I realized. It may be the Callahan Ranch, but it’s very similar to home and surprisingly less hostile right now.
As I head toward the pasture, the sound of the screen door creaking open behind me makes me turn. Just as I’d hoped, Mrs. Callahan steps outside, her familiar figure framed by the soft glow of the morning light. She doesn’t say a word, just opens her arms wide, a silent invitation I haven’t seen in years. My throat tightens, and before I know it, I’m walking toward her, stepping into her embrace like I used to as a child.
“Mrs. C,” I say, my voice soft but full of emotion. “It’s so good to see you.”
