Cooper by his coat sleeve to follow her onto the heated back porch. She fit the drain plug in the oversize utility sink, then ran warm water. “Let’s get him clean and warmed up.”
Cooper gingerly nestled the calf into the big sink. It was a tight squeeze—probably the bathtub would’ve been a better fit—but for now, this would do.
What wouldn’t do? The awkward awareness stemming from working alongside Cooper—especially when every so often his elbow accidentally grazed her breasts. In an effort to keep her mind on the calf’s welfare, as opposed to her jittery hands and inability to even hold the mild pet shampoo, she asked, “I’m assuming the little guy’s momma rejected him. Got any clue why?”
“
Helga
had twins. Her firstborn’s fat and happy. My guess is she was as surprised by this one as we are.”
“Twins... Never saw that coming.” With her hands sudsy, Millie nudged hair from her cheek with her shoulder, but that only landed the escaped curl on her mouth.
“Let me help...” Cooper swept the lock over her cheek, tucking it behind her ear. His finger was warm and wet and blazed a trail she could feel, but didn’t want to.
“Thanks—not just for that, but you know...bringing in this guy.”
He nodded, but then graced her with a slow grin that did funny things to her stomach. “No problem. I’m not a total deadbeat, you know.”
“Yeah...”
I do.
Time slowed as she drank him in, remembering the many good times she and Jim and Cooper had shared. But she couldn’t just flip a switch and make all those years she’d hated and resented him for not being there go away. Even before they’d been in-laws, they’d been friends. Good, lifelong friends. She’d never known her dad, and her mom had virtually abandoned her to be raised by her maternal grandparents. The Hansens had been like a second family to her. It’d been inconceivable how Cooper had lived with himself for not having come home.
But he’s home now.
Shouldn’t that count for something?
“Dad still keep colostrum in the deep freeze?”
“There should be some in there.”
“Good. When we finish, I’ll make a bottle.”
“Thanks. I’ll find you the powdered formula.”
“I’d appreciate it.”
What changed? Why the stilted formality?
She finished scrubbing the calf then let the water drain before rinsing him with the sprayer. Under Cooper’s appraisal, her every movement felt stiff and labored—as if she were under water.
A growl followed by metallic clanking came from the general direction of Clint’s room.
“Want me to check on Grandpa?” The whole time Millie had stood hyperaware of Cooper, LeeAnn and J.J. had hovered near the kitchen pass-through. What did that say about her state of mind that she hadn’t even noticed her kids had been in the room?
“I’ll do it,” she said.
Cooper asked, “What do you want me to do about this guy?”
“Lee, please grab a couple of old quilts—you know, the ones I put over the garden for frost?”
The girl nodded.
“Pile them in the corner by the fridge. It should be nice and warm.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“J.J.—” Millie knelt to his level “—I need you to run down to the basement and get the feeder bottles we used when we had those two calves with scours. They should be somewhere on the shelves by my flowerpots.”
“Okay.” Her son bit his lower lip while his eyes filled with tears. “Is the baby going to be all right? He’s so tiny.”
She pulled J.J. into a hug. Her son had already witnessed too many hardships during his short life. She couldn’t bear for him to have one more. “He will if I have anything to say about it.”
*
W ITH THE CALF nestled in a cozy quilt nest, Cooper ducked his head while taking the ninety-degree turn on the basement stairs. He’d conked his head on the damned rafter so many times as a gangly teen that even his long absence couldn’t make him forget.
J.J. clomped behind him as they descended into
Cooper gingerly nestled the calf into the big sink. It was a tight squeeze—probably the bathtub would’ve been a better fit—but for now, this would do.
What wouldn’t do? The awkward awareness stemming from working alongside Cooper—especially when every so often his elbow accidentally grazed her breasts. In an effort to keep her mind on the calf’s welfare, as opposed to her jittery hands and inability to even hold the mild pet shampoo, she asked, “I’m assuming the little guy’s momma rejected him. Got any clue why?”
“
Helga
had twins. Her firstborn’s fat and happy. My guess is she was as surprised by this one as we are.”
“Twins... Never saw that coming.” With her hands sudsy, Millie nudged hair from her cheek with her shoulder, but that only landed the escaped curl on her mouth.
“Let me help...” Cooper swept the lock over her cheek, tucking it behind her ear. His finger was warm and wet and blazed a trail she could feel, but didn’t want to.
“Thanks—not just for that, but you know...bringing in this guy.”
He nodded, but then graced her with a slow grin that did funny things to her stomach. “No problem. I’m not a total deadbeat, you know.”
“Yeah...”
I do.
Time slowed as she drank him in, remembering the many good times she and Jim and Cooper had shared. But she couldn’t just flip a switch and make all those years she’d hated and resented him for not being there go away. Even before they’d been in-laws, they’d been friends. Good, lifelong friends. She’d never known her dad, and her mom had virtually abandoned her to be raised by her maternal grandparents. The Hansens had been like a second family to her. It’d been inconceivable how Cooper had lived with himself for not having come home.
But he’s home now.
Shouldn’t that count for something?
“Dad still keep colostrum in the deep freeze?”
“There should be some in there.”
“Good. When we finish, I’ll make a bottle.”
“Thanks. I’ll find you the powdered formula.”
“I’d appreciate it.”
What changed? Why the stilted formality?
She finished scrubbing the calf then let the water drain before rinsing him with the sprayer. Under Cooper’s appraisal, her every movement felt stiff and labored—as if she were under water.
A growl followed by metallic clanking came from the general direction of Clint’s room.
“Want me to check on Grandpa?” The whole time Millie had stood hyperaware of Cooper, LeeAnn and J.J. had hovered near the kitchen pass-through. What did that say about her state of mind that she hadn’t even noticed her kids had been in the room?
“I’ll do it,” she said.
Cooper asked, “What do you want me to do about this guy?”
“Lee, please grab a couple of old quilts—you know, the ones I put over the garden for frost?”
The girl nodded.
“Pile them in the corner by the fridge. It should be nice and warm.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“J.J.—” Millie knelt to his level “—I need you to run down to the basement and get the feeder bottles we used when we had those two calves with scours. They should be somewhere on the shelves by my flowerpots.”
“Okay.” Her son bit his lower lip while his eyes filled with tears. “Is the baby going to be all right? He’s so tiny.”
She pulled J.J. into a hug. Her son had already witnessed too many hardships during his short life. She couldn’t bear for him to have one more. “He will if I have anything to say about it.”
*
W ITH THE CALF nestled in a cozy quilt nest, Cooper ducked his head while taking the ninety-degree turn on the basement stairs. He’d conked his head on the damned rafter so many times as a gangly teen that even his long absence couldn’t make him forget.
J.J. clomped behind him as they descended into
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