“That’s it?” I demand uneasily. “Keep doing what we are?”
She leans against the fence as she watches Thunder. “We’ll keep a close eye on the bulls, especially Thunder. His heart rate was elevated before—monensin targets the heart muscle. I’ll run another exam and check vitals twice daily for the next week. Electrolytes in the water will help, and more activated charcoal to bind whatever’s left in their system.”
“And that’ll do it?” Dodge muses.
“There’s no antidote to monensin toxicity. Once it damages the heart and muscles, that damage can be irreversible.”
I close my eyes, my hands on my waist, my shoulders slumped. “You think his heart was damaged?”
“I don’t know. All we can do is remove exposure. If anyone staggers or spikes, you call me.”
“For God’s sake, Dove, he’s the future of Blue Rock. Give me a straight answer,” I yell, exasperated.
She doesn’t respond to my burst of emotion, but herexpression softens slightly. “I am…cautiously optimistic. Fast rebound means a small dose. But we will monitor. I can mitigate the damage, prevent further exposure, and keep them alive through the critical period, but I can’tcure.”
Dodge hands her phone back. “How long do you think the feed’s been tampered with?”
She slips the phone into the back pocket of her jeans. “From the samples, I’d guess no more than a day’s worth was contaminated.” Her gaze cuts to Thunder, sharp as a scalpel. “Otherwise, you’d already have a graveyard out here.”
Dodge links his hands behind his neck and looks up at the sky. “Fuckin’ hell. Who the fuck could do this?”
Someonedeliberatelytried to poison my herd. Before I think better, it’s out of me. “The only person I can think of who hates me enough to hurt my cattle is you, Sarah.”
Her head snaps up. Green eyes flashing like a struck match.
“The fuck, boss?” Even Dodge is stunned at my words, and he doesn’t shock easily.
Sarah gets in my face and pokes my chest with a finger. “How dare you?” she hisses. “I’ve given my life to healing animals.”Poke. “You think I’d throw that away poisoning yours?”Poke. Poke. “Use your head, for the love of God.”
I blow out a long breath, shame burning hotter than the sun.
The truth is that thanks to Sarah, Thunder is eatingbetter, and his ears are perkier. I owe his life to her and yet….
“I…I’m sorry. It was a knee-jerk?—”
“No. It was cruel.” The look she gives me could light a fuse. “When did you become such a mean and vile person?”Poke. Poke. Poke. “When did you learn to say such horrible things to someone who has been working day and night to save your Goddamn ranch?”
I grab her finger and then hold her hand in mine. “I’m sorry, Dove.”
She doesn’t soften, but something flickers across her face, quick as a shadow.
The chute rattles as Thunder stomps. Hypervigilant as we are, all three of us turn to my Angus.
Sarah opens the gate and goes inside. I’m about to stop her, but then I see how Thunder reacts to her.
“Easy, big guy,” she croons low.
Her palm rubs his neck in slow circles, and the bull exhales, deep and heavy, settling like she just flipped a switch inside him.
I swallow hard. I’ve seen men damn near trampled trying to settle a bull like Thunder. She does it with a whisper and her hand.
He’s like Evie and Bandit. They’re both in love with her.
Like you are, too, Cade.
“She’s somethin’ else,” Dodge murmurs. “I think I might ask her to marry me.”
“Fuck off.”
