That little action has me fighting a grin like a fool. I guess we’re going to be okay. So much for her not being hungry.
I let out a sigh of relief and then turn the conversation to Charlie and her current work projects. “What are you working on now that you’ve finished that porch for my parents?”
“Right now, I’m only working on Magnolia’s bakery renovations, which are almost done. Oh, and Max is trying to turn me into a ranch hand. It’s not going so well.”
“Don’t let her fool you. She’s the best help I have,” Max pipes up with a warm smile directed at Charlie.
Charlie scrunches her nose and replies, “That’s because I’m the only help you have.”
“You’re also the most beautiful employee I’ve had,” Max goes on.
“I’m actually getting paid?” Charlie teases him.
Max waggles his eyebrows. “Not with money.”
“Oh, gross,” Bliss mutters.
Hubert just laughs. “They’re just newlyweds, and we’re the ones who crashed their breakfast. Just wait until you’re married someday, Bliss. You’ll be more understanding.”
Bliss chokes on a bite of bacon, and I reach over to pound on her back.
“You okay?” I ask as I stop slapping her back and rub circles as she catches her breath.
“I’m fine. I think I’ll go get those blocks out of your truck, Max. I’ve got places I need to be.”
“I’ll come help you,” I offer. “I heard Max say he was buying everyone breakfast today.”
Bliss looks at me for the first time this morning and smiles. “You know what? I heard the same thing.” Then she gulps down the rest of her coffee and stands. “See you later, Dad. I’ll put out some of the blocks this morning on my way to move sheep.”
“Thanks, sweetie. I’ll see you at home tonight.”
I pat Charlie’s shoulder as I stand. “Don’t let Max get away with anything today.”
She looks genuinely offended. “When have I ever let him do that?”
“Never. It’s why I’m counting on you.” I chuckle as Max splutters, then follow Bliss out the door.
Her truck is parked next to Max’s. Her window is cracked, and I see her border collie sitting in the driver’s seat, both paws on the wheel. He looks as though he’d happily take over as chauffeur.
“You don’t have to help with the bloat blocks if you don’t want to,” Bliss tells me.
“I don’t mind.” I follow her between the trucks and see the pallet of blocks there. “The whole pallet?”
She laughs. “No, I’m just buying half off of him. Dad’s moving some yearlings onto some spring feed, but I need to set these out before they get there. There’s some clover in the mix.”
I jump onto the flatbed and pull out my pocketknife to cut the top section of the plastic wrap around the mineral blocks. When cattle are turned out onto rich feed, you can lose some to overeating and bloat if you don’t have the proper minerals out.
Bliss clambers onto the back of the truck with me. “It’s wildly unfair that you can jump up here straight from the ground.”
I grin down at her as I lift a forty-pound block off the top. “I’ve got a height advantage.”
Jumping to the ground, I slide the block onto the back of her flatbed.
“Want to just pass them to me, and I’ll stack them on your rig?”
“Sure,” she replies as she starts grabbing blocks before passing them to me.
We fall into a steady, quick rhythm.
