Read Online Coming Home by Shirlee Busbee - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Shirlee Busbee
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as he moved off to take care of Jeb's request. Returning to Jeb, Nick asked, “Now what, boss?”
“Think you fellows can distract her long enough for me to get the calf? If you can and can give me a head start, we should do just fine.”
Roxanne's eyes widened. “Are you crazy? She'll make mincemeat out of you.”
“Ah, Princess, I didn't know you cared,” he drawled, his dark eyes twinkling.
Roxanne's hand curled into a fist. “I don't,” she said in a snooty voice. “I just don't want to hire a bulldozer to scrape up what's left of you.”
Jeb laughed. “Don't worry—I won't put you to that expense.”
It took several minutes for everyone to get positioned. Jeb figured the least distance he had to run with an eighty-pound-plus calf in his arms was best and so while he lurked nearby in the underbrush, Acey and Nick gently worked the cow and calf in the direction of the trailer. When the cow was about a hundred feet out from the trailer she started getting stubborn so they backed off and let her graze.
Roman and Roxanne prepared to do their part. Once Jeb snatched the sleeping calf, it was up to everyone to do everything, short of getting killed, to distract the cow until Jeb made it to the trailer. Rox anne was armed with pots to bang and Roman had towels to wave.
The calf slept. The cow ate. The humans eased into position. Standing behind a patch of buck brush, Jeb considered the situation. The calf lay about ten feet in front, of him—and almost a hundred feet away from the safety of the trailer. The cow was grazing about thirty feet from the calf; Acey, Nick, Roxanne, and Roman ready to rush between them the instant he grabbed the calf. He took a deep breath, wondering if he was crazy. Looked at Roxanne in those low-rise jeans and cropped top. Her expression was tense and she clutched those two pots of hers as if her life depended upon it. Funny thing—his probably did. No doubt about it—he was crazy—he hadn't showed off for a female since he'd been sixteen.
The cow continued her browsing, putting another six or seven feet between herself and the calf. Jeb waited, his heart thumping. A moment later she was another couple of feet away and her back was to the calf. Now or never, Jeb told himself.
He wiped his hands on his jeans, took in a lungful of air, and exploded out of the brush. Sprinting over to where the calf lay, he snatched it up, surprising a bleat from the animal as he threw it over his shoulder. The next second he was racing toward the trailer.
Even though they knew the plan, Jeb's actions took everyone by surprise and for one almost fatal second, they all just stared. Even the cow who had spun around at the first sound from her calf.
After that, everything seemed to happen at once. The cow let out a bellow and charged. Acey and Nick kicked their horses forward and plunged into the area between the cow and the running man. Yelling and whistling, they swung their ropes in the air. Roxanne and Roman added to the din, Roxanne banging the pots together for all she was worth and Roman waving the towels like a madman. It worked. Confused by all the noise and activity the cow hesitated. A second bleat from her baby, however, was all she needed to send horses and humans scattering and plowed through the ragged line.
Nick swung his horse around and rode hard after the cow, the loop of his rope singing in the air. Acey was a half horse length behind him.
Her heart in her throat, Roxanne stared helplessly as the cow ate up the distance that separated her and her calf as it bleated piteously and bounced on Jeb's shoulder.
It was going to be a near thing, Jeb not ten feet from the trailer and the cow, enormous and black and enraged, five yards behind him—and closing fast.
Half laughing, half swearing, Roman yelled, “Run, Jeb. Run! And don't look back!”
His chest feeling as if it would burst, Jeb hit the trailer in one desperate leap. The trailer shook and rattled. A second later, the
“Think you fellows can distract her long enough for me to get the calf? If you can and can give me a head start, we should do just fine.”
Roxanne's eyes widened. “Are you crazy? She'll make mincemeat out of you.”
“Ah, Princess, I didn't know you cared,” he drawled, his dark eyes twinkling.
Roxanne's hand curled into a fist. “I don't,” she said in a snooty voice. “I just don't want to hire a bulldozer to scrape up what's left of you.”
Jeb laughed. “Don't worry—I won't put you to that expense.”
It took several minutes for everyone to get positioned. Jeb figured the least distance he had to run with an eighty-pound-plus calf in his arms was best and so while he lurked nearby in the underbrush, Acey and Nick gently worked the cow and calf in the direction of the trailer. When the cow was about a hundred feet out from the trailer she started getting stubborn so they backed off and let her graze.
Roman and Roxanne prepared to do their part. Once Jeb snatched the sleeping calf, it was up to everyone to do everything, short of getting killed, to distract the cow until Jeb made it to the trailer. Rox anne was armed with pots to bang and Roman had towels to wave.
The calf slept. The cow ate. The humans eased into position. Standing behind a patch of buck brush, Jeb considered the situation. The calf lay about ten feet in front, of him—and almost a hundred feet away from the safety of the trailer. The cow was grazing about thirty feet from the calf; Acey, Nick, Roxanne, and Roman ready to rush between them the instant he grabbed the calf. He took a deep breath, wondering if he was crazy. Looked at Roxanne in those low-rise jeans and cropped top. Her expression was tense and she clutched those two pots of hers as if her life depended upon it. Funny thing—his probably did. No doubt about it—he was crazy—he hadn't showed off for a female since he'd been sixteen.
The cow continued her browsing, putting another six or seven feet between herself and the calf. Jeb waited, his heart thumping. A moment later she was another couple of feet away and her back was to the calf. Now or never, Jeb told himself.
He wiped his hands on his jeans, took in a lungful of air, and exploded out of the brush. Sprinting over to where the calf lay, he snatched it up, surprising a bleat from the animal as he threw it over his shoulder. The next second he was racing toward the trailer.
Even though they knew the plan, Jeb's actions took everyone by surprise and for one almost fatal second, they all just stared. Even the cow who had spun around at the first sound from her calf.
After that, everything seemed to happen at once. The cow let out a bellow and charged. Acey and Nick kicked their horses forward and plunged into the area between the cow and the running man. Yelling and whistling, they swung their ropes in the air. Roxanne and Roman added to the din, Roxanne banging the pots together for all she was worth and Roman waving the towels like a madman. It worked. Confused by all the noise and activity the cow hesitated. A second bleat from her baby, however, was all she needed to send horses and humans scattering and plowed through the ragged line.
Nick swung his horse around and rode hard after the cow, the loop of his rope singing in the air. Acey was a half horse length behind him.
Her heart in her throat, Roxanne stared helplessly as the cow ate up the distance that separated her and her calf as it bleated piteously and bounced on Jeb's shoulder.
It was going to be a near thing, Jeb not ten feet from the trailer and the cow, enormous and black and enraged, five yards behind him—and closing fast.
Half laughing, half swearing, Roman yelled, “Run, Jeb. Run! And don't look back!”
His chest feeling as if it would burst, Jeb hit the trailer in one desperate leap. The trailer shook and rattled. A second later, the
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