Once and for All by Jeannie Watt Page B

sniffed again and then licked.
    “Are we done here?” Jodie asked, glancing over at the other pen, where the cow was still going through the same routine as before. Up. Down. Up.
    “I might have to tube the calf just in case it’s too weak to nurse.”
    “Tube?”
    “You probably don’t want to know.”
    “Probably not,” Jodie agreed. “What will you do with the twin?”
    The stillborn calf was lying in the straw several yards away from the pen.
    “Lucas will take care of it when he gets back.”
    “You see a lot of death in this job, don’t you?”
    He looked down at her, an unreadable expression in his gray eyes. “I see a lot of life, too.”
    The mother cow was licking enthusiastically now and the calf responded, first bobbing its head and then trying to struggle to its feet.
    Sam and Jodie stood with their hands on the rails of the pen, so close that she could feel the warmth of his body, the solid muscles of his arm and shoulder against hers. She felt like leaning nearer, but couldn’t.
    “I may not have to tube, after all,” he said.
    As they watched, the baby managed to make it up to her feet, her tiny hooves wobbling on the straw-covered floor. The mama started nudging her toward the food source. The newborn stumbled, but managed to get her legs back under herself and totter a few steps toward the udder.
    “Time for me to go to work.” Sam turned his attention to the other cow. Sure enough, tiny hooves were showing.
    “Please be alive,” Jodie murmured.
    “This is a normal presentation,” Sam said as he climbed into the pen. “It’s probably fine.” He was right. Five minutes later a calf was on the ground, obviously alive and well. Sam climbed back out of the pen and let the mama figure out what to do next.
    The barn door opened and they both turned to see Margarite hovering in the doorway.
    “The boys just called. They found the cattle.”
    “Alive?” Jodie asked.
    “Yeah. The culvert drifted shut only on one side. The herd couldn’t get back through to the pasture. Lucas is on his way over with the tractor to help dig it out and move the cows back. Any calves yet?”
    “Two,” Jodie said.
    “That’ll make your dad happy,” Margarite said. “I have hot drinks ready whenever you’re done here.” She shut the door, leaving Sam and Jodie alone once more. Jodie picked up the gloves she’d dropped before giving Daisy her rubdown.
    “You do a lot to keep your dad happy, don’t you?” Sam asked quietly as he began to pack up his equipment.
    She slowly turned to look at him. “I’m trying to run this ranch to the best of my ability while he’s gone, if that’s what you’re getting at.” But she didn’t think it was.
    “What happens if you don’t? What happens if you make a mistake? You know…leave a gate open. Injure a horse.”
    Jodie slapped the gloves on her thigh to remove the bits of straw and dust clinging to the leather. “He’s going to be angry. He’ll get over it.” Eventually. After he’d had time to stew, then cool down.
    Sam just shook his head and continued packing his equipment.
    “Don’t judge me or my family, Sam.”
    Jodie shoved the gloves into her coat pockets. She’d told her father the ranch would be fine in her care, and she fully intended to live up to that promise. Nothing wrong with that. So why was Sam questioning her?
    “What’s the deal, Sam? Why are you asking about my dad?”
    His eyes were serious when he said, “I saw a different side of you when we played basketball.”
    “Yeah?” And what did that have to do with her dad?
    “Yeah. You’re nothing like you first came off.”
    She twisted her lips into a half smile, half smirk. She was slightly shocked at what he’d just said, but wasn’t about to show it. “How did I first come off?”
    He smiled slightly. “As someone who sees herself a step above the rubes who live here.”
    Her eyebrows rose. “You don’t have to flatter me.”
    “I can’t help myself,” Sam