Free Heat of the Moment by Lori Handeland Page B

she’d wanted. What she’d dreamed of. What she was meant to be.
    And if he’d stayed, she never would have been anything but his.

 
    Chapter 7
    By the time Emerson arrived to do the milking, the twins were having breakfast.
    â€œTwo,” he said as proudly as if they were his doing. “Both heifers. Thanks.”
    I nodded. Too tired and hungry and happy to say anything.
    I’d been at a loss as to what was wrong, panicked that I was going to lose my first cow and calf. It happened, but it hadn’t yet happened to me, and I wanted to keep it that way.
    Was that why I’d “heard” the little voice say: We’re stuck!
    When I reached back in, I’d found the same hoof I’d been tugging, but this time I ran my fingers up the leg until I found the chest, a head, and then another head. I’d disentangled them like a reverse jigsaw puzzle and guided them both into the dawn. I hadn’t needed any help from Owen or the calf chains after that. Duchess did most of the work.
    Quite obviously the hint had been my subconscious adding all the things my hands and eyes and ears and brain had gathered into a solution and projecting that solution into the “voice” of one of the twins. Did it really matter how I’d figured out the problem so long as I had?
    My gaze went to Duchess and her girls. They wouldn’t think so.
    Owen was nowhere to be seen. Emerson opened the back door and allowed the housewives into the barn for morning milking. I lifted my hand in good-bye and hurried out the other door before I “heard” any more from them.
    I was half afraid Owen had left me to find my own ride. That would be rude; then again, I hadn’t expected him to stay all night. But he sat behind the wheel, engine idling. As I emerged, he whistled.
    Reggie bounded out of the tall grass and onto the seat. He was moving a lot easier than he’d been last night. Animals were like that. Around me, they were like that a lot.
    I climbed in too, and we were off. We weren’t even to the top of the long driveway when my phone vibrated. I groaned. All I wanted was food, a shower, and a few hours of sleep, in that order. However, if duty called I had no choice but to answer.
    I glanced at the text message. “Hallelujah!”
    â€œWin the lottery?”
    â€œBetter. My mom made waffles.”
    Owen reached the road but didn’t pull out. I pointed in the direction of the farm. “That way.”
    â€œI know which way. Don’t you want me to drop you at your apartment so you can get your car?”
    â€œI want waffles ten minutes ago. If you have somewhere to be at…” I glanced at my phone again. “Seven A.M. one of the boys can take me home.”
    â€œI don’t but I … uh…”
    â€œYou know my mom. She made enough to feed you too.” And probably most of the French Foreign Legion, though once my brothers got done, the Foreign Legion would be eating scraps. “The least I can do after all your help is make sure you have breakfast.”
    â€œI didn’t do anything.”
    Laughter spurted. “That’s exactly how you always said it.”
    â€œSaid what?”
    â€œThat you didn’t do anything. Every time someone—” I broke off.
    â€œEvery time someone accused me of whatever criminal act had been committed in the city limits,” Owen finished.
    â€œSorry.” He still hadn’t turned onto the road, and I waved to the right. “Whether you’re leaving or staying for breakfast doesn’t really affect your direction at this point. I’ll expire if I have to wait for you to take me to town so I can get my car and drive back to the farm. We’re over halfway there.”
    â€œYou will not expire,” he grumbled, but he turned right.
    â€œThanks. And thanks for staying with me at Emerson’s. It was nice to have more company than the ton in the middle of the