disaster-free for three days and counting.” She paused. “And
also
also, I would like to thank you for my fabulous accommodations.”
Cole emerged and sauntered toward her. His light brown hair peeked out from under his Stetson, and was it her imagination, or did all Whisper Creek guys come with bodies that could be on calendars? No wonder the website got so many hits.
Still, as gorgeous as he was, when she looked back at Daniel, there was no comparison, at least for her. Where Cole’s hair was light brown, Daniel’s was the color of the darkest chocolate. Where Cole’s eyes were laughing and bright blue, Daniel’s hovered somewhere between brown and green, crinkled at the edges from way too many days out in the hot sun, she imagined.
Or maybe a lot of laughing, somewhere back in time.
“We still have a long way to go before you’re back on a plane. And Jess arrives in a couple of days, so our risk doubles exponentially at that point.” He looked into Apollo’s stall. “What do you think, Dan?”
“I think we’re gonna have an overnighter with this guy, unfortunately.”
Cole slapped his hands gently on the stall door. “Damn.”
“I’ve got it covered. I’m okay to stay.”
“No, you can’t. That’s ridiculous.”
Hayley perked up. “I could help!”
“Really. I’m good.” Daniel pointed to a small cooler and thermos as he circled the horse toward the stall door. “I’ve got coffee and Coke. Cole, you’ve got a night ride going out in half an hour, and a full slate of stuff going on tomorrow.
And
a wedding to get ready for. I can do this.”
Cole shook his head. “I appreciate it, but I don’t feel good about it. I’ll let you do the next two hours while I’m out on the trail. Then we’ll talk.” He pointed at Hayley. “Appreciate your offer to help, but it scares me. You need supervision.”
Hayley rolled her eyes as he headed toward the ranch hands gathering in the corral just outside the barn. “I don’t need supervision. Don’t listen to him.”
“Sure.”
She leaned back on the wall. “This all-nighter thing is sort of above and beyond, isn’t it?”
“No. Not really. Not with everything going on here this week. It’s the least I can do.”
“Can’t the ranch hands help?”
“Maybe, but Cole and Decker are already short-staffed, and they don’t want any of the other guys trying to deal with guests on not enough sleep. That’s a prescription for an accident.”
“Is this the kind of thing you do often? Set up your caffeine station and spend the night making yourself dizzy?” She, who closed her office at five o’clock sharp even on the worst days, could hardly imagine this lifestyle.
“Not often, no.” He paused, trying again to steady Apollo’s head. “But I’ve been friends with these guys forever. Plus, I’m the only large-animal vet in this part of the county, so when a horse goes down, it’s me or nobody.”
“How many hours a week do you end up working? If that isn’t too nosy a question?”
“Too many, usually. I need a partner, but being a horse and cow vet in this neck of the woods is turning out to be a harder sell than I thought.”
“Well, most grads long for the kind of glamorous life I have as a city vet, right?”
He was looking for a partner? Why did that make the baby birds sit up and peep so loudly?
He laughed. “Maybe, but I’d still rather get kicked by a horse than scratched by an overbred tabby.”
Hayley automatically lifted her hand to her neck as she watched him make another slow circle in the stall. The view from behind was just as good as the one from head-on.
She gulped. “It’s, um, it’s a good thing you don’t have vertigo issues.”
He looked over his shoulder, winking. “I’m going to end up with some at this rate.”
“I feel guilty just standing out here while you do all the work. Are you sure there’s nothing I can do?”
“Not really, no. But I appreciate you asking.”
“Can I go
also
also, I would like to thank you for my fabulous accommodations.”
Cole emerged and sauntered toward her. His light brown hair peeked out from under his Stetson, and was it her imagination, or did all Whisper Creek guys come with bodies that could be on calendars? No wonder the website got so many hits.
Still, as gorgeous as he was, when she looked back at Daniel, there was no comparison, at least for her. Where Cole’s hair was light brown, Daniel’s was the color of the darkest chocolate. Where Cole’s eyes were laughing and bright blue, Daniel’s hovered somewhere between brown and green, crinkled at the edges from way too many days out in the hot sun, she imagined.
Or maybe a lot of laughing, somewhere back in time.
“We still have a long way to go before you’re back on a plane. And Jess arrives in a couple of days, so our risk doubles exponentially at that point.” He looked into Apollo’s stall. “What do you think, Dan?”
“I think we’re gonna have an overnighter with this guy, unfortunately.”
Cole slapped his hands gently on the stall door. “Damn.”
“I’ve got it covered. I’m okay to stay.”
“No, you can’t. That’s ridiculous.”
Hayley perked up. “I could help!”
“Really. I’m good.” Daniel pointed to a small cooler and thermos as he circled the horse toward the stall door. “I’ve got coffee and Coke. Cole, you’ve got a night ride going out in half an hour, and a full slate of stuff going on tomorrow.
And
a wedding to get ready for. I can do this.”
Cole shook his head. “I appreciate it, but I don’t feel good about it. I’ll let you do the next two hours while I’m out on the trail. Then we’ll talk.” He pointed at Hayley. “Appreciate your offer to help, but it scares me. You need supervision.”
Hayley rolled her eyes as he headed toward the ranch hands gathering in the corral just outside the barn. “I don’t need supervision. Don’t listen to him.”
“Sure.”
She leaned back on the wall. “This all-nighter thing is sort of above and beyond, isn’t it?”
“No. Not really. Not with everything going on here this week. It’s the least I can do.”
“Can’t the ranch hands help?”
“Maybe, but Cole and Decker are already short-staffed, and they don’t want any of the other guys trying to deal with guests on not enough sleep. That’s a prescription for an accident.”
“Is this the kind of thing you do often? Set up your caffeine station and spend the night making yourself dizzy?” She, who closed her office at five o’clock sharp even on the worst days, could hardly imagine this lifestyle.
“Not often, no.” He paused, trying again to steady Apollo’s head. “But I’ve been friends with these guys forever. Plus, I’m the only large-animal vet in this part of the county, so when a horse goes down, it’s me or nobody.”
“How many hours a week do you end up working? If that isn’t too nosy a question?”
“Too many, usually. I need a partner, but being a horse and cow vet in this neck of the woods is turning out to be a harder sell than I thought.”
“Well, most grads long for the kind of glamorous life I have as a city vet, right?”
He was looking for a partner? Why did that make the baby birds sit up and peep so loudly?
He laughed. “Maybe, but I’d still rather get kicked by a horse than scratched by an overbred tabby.”
Hayley automatically lifted her hand to her neck as she watched him make another slow circle in the stall. The view from behind was just as good as the one from head-on.
She gulped. “It’s, um, it’s a good thing you don’t have vertigo issues.”
He looked over his shoulder, winking. “I’m going to end up with some at this rate.”
“I feel guilty just standing out here while you do all the work. Are you sure there’s nothing I can do?”
“Not really, no. But I appreciate you asking.”
“Can I go
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