“Hey.” My voice is rough, but I’m wide awake. Ridge wouldn’t be calling this early unless something is wrong.
“Shelby with you?” Wind muffles Ridge’s voice, so I know he’s outside.
“Yeah. I mean, no. Well, yes.”Fuck, Dallas, your brother doesn’t need to know our sleeping arrangements. “What’s wrong?”
“Got some calves not breathing right. Pops and I separated them from the herd first thing this morning, but we need help to figure out what’s wrong and to check the rest of the herd before it infects all of ’em.”
“You sure they’re not right?” Ridge isn’t exactly the most optimistic person in the world. He’s been known to be a bit of a hypochondriac when it comes to the herd.
He grunts. “The thermometer I stuck up their asses tells me this is serious.”
I grimace, scrubbing a hand over my face. I never did take to ranching like my big brother and my parents, but I help out because it’s the family business. Besides, the ranch can’t really sustain all of us financially anyway. My woodworking projects bring in a steady paycheck, more so than ranching full-time would. Also, I tend to leave all rectal procedures to Ridge and licensed vets, namely Shelby.
“I’ll go wake her up and be right over,” I promise, ending the call and heading straight to my bedroom.
Shelby’s curled on her side, sleeping peacefully. I rip the blankets away and nearly swallow my tongue seeing her in those stupid pajamas that leave very little to the imagination. She wakes instantly, already fighting mad.
“What the fuck?” She sits up, boobs nearly popping out the top. She tries to snatch the covers back, but I put them in front of me instead, mostly to hide the erection that has no business being there. Fuck, I should have put jeans on first.
“Ridge called about the herd. We have a problem.”
That’s all it takes to have her shifting into business mode. She leaps out of bed and points to the door. “Get out so I can get dressed.”
“Yes, ma’am.” I let go of the covers and head to get dressed myself but stop at the doorway to glance over my shoulder for one last look at those pajamas. Shelby’s standing there next to my dresser, frozen in place with her hands gripping a pair of jeans. Her teeth have her plump bottom lip in their grasp.
Well, looky there. Shelby Sweet is staring at my ass.
My grin is instant. And smug. “Like what you see, Sweetness?”
Her gaze flies to mine, eyes widening. She spins away, and now I get the pleasure of seeing her ass barely contained in those little shorts. “Get the fuck out, Gamble.”
The grin only intensifies. “Yes, ma’am.”
I close the door behind me. There’s a bit of pep to my step as I find my clothes from last night and pull them on. Always did like a pretty lady’s eyes on me.
By the time I get my boots on and find my wallet, Shelby’s ready to go. We hurry to her Blazer without talking about the arrangements. I know her vehicle’s loaded with all the equipment she needs for a vet visit, but I take the keys from her hand.
“Hey!”
“We can argue later about the fine line between old-fashioned gentlemanly gestures and overstepping toxic masculinity. For now, get your butt in the truck, and let’s save my family’s ranch, huh?”
She huffs, but does what I say, slamming her door just a little harder than necessary. “I can drive just fine, you know.”
I crank the engine and back out of the driveway. “Just ’cause you’re capable doesn’t mean you should. What kind of man would I be if I let a woman drive me around?”
Shelby looks left and right out the windshield as I creep down the dirt road that connects my house to the big house, careful to take it slow in the pitch black. “Well for one thing, you’d be a man who reaches his ranch much quicker. Would you step on it, grandpa?”
I put my elbow on the doorframe and take my time. “When safety is first, you last.”
I can hear her eyes rolling in her head, but she doesn’t argue with me further. We reach the big house a few minutes later, the headlights showing Pops waiting for us. Shelby hops out first and runs to him with her heavy medical bag in her hands. Pops updates us on what’s going on.
“Pretty sure it’s bovine respiratory disease. The two we put in the side paddock have fevers and labored breathing.”
Shelby nods, focused on the job. “Dammit. I’ll confirm the diagnosis. I’ve got antibiotics on hand, so we’ll get them fixed up as quick as possible. You boys need to check the rest of them. Any sign of labored breathing or even runny noses means they need to be isolated until I can look them over.”
Pops nods. “Will do.”
Ridge is headed our way on horse, flanked by two more saddled horses for Pops and me. He’s got his jaw clenched hard, which means the situation ain’t good.
