Page 13 of Hometown Cowboy
Darby bit back on her smile. Ryan loved Gabe’s cows as much as his own, hence the reason he even knew their names.
“True, but you have to admit she’s a cutie.”
His mouth twisted as if he agreed but wasn’t prepared to admit it just yet.
“Okay, Darb. Get back in the ‘cruiser and pick up the slack real slow. Make sure it’s in low.”
She nodded and got back behind the wheel. She positioned the side and rear-view mirrors so that she could see Ryan clearly. He’d moved behind Marigold and looked up. He raised his hand, thumb up.
Darby inched forward, keeping her eyes glued on the man now behind the cow. The ‘cruiser’s taillights lent a surreal red glow to the scene. Lightning flashed in the background, coming from the south-west. The intermittent flashes sent shivers down her spine.
She focused on the mirror and could see Marigold scraping with her front legs as she inched forward. Another minute and Ryan held up his hand. Darby stopped and killed the engine.
As Darby rounded the back of the ute tray, Marigold struggled to her feet, her legs shaking. Ryan already had the rope off and was checking her over. The cow took a hesitant step and stopped.
“Vi called back before you got here. She’s going to stop by as soon as she’s finished in Bialga, but probably won’t be here for a few hours. Let’s see if we can get this lady up into one of the stalls.”
*
Darby leaned againstthe wall and shook her head. She smiled tiredly at Ryan, who looked similarly exhausted beside her. Marigold the Pampered stood happily chewing hay in the stall behind her, seemingly oblivious about her close brush with death.
A bright flash, then an almost instant rumble split the night sky.
Darby squeaked and pushed herself against Ryan.
Muffled laughter reached her ears. “You and your fear of storms. C’mere.” He put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close.
“I’m not scared of storms. I’m scared ofthunder. There’s a difference. I happen to love lightning. I’m just not that fond of what comes after it. It’s too loud.”
She nestled into his side anyway. The next rumble had her hiding her face in his shoulder. He rubbed her arm through her coat gently.
Darby breathed deep, then started laughing.
“What’s so funny?” Ryan’s voice was strangely soft and low.
She breathed again then turned her face upward to squint at him. They’d only turned on some of the lights, a soft glow pooling beneath each one.
“You smell like cow. And mud. With an undertone of spice.”
Amusement burst across his face. “Thanks, kid. Just what I was going for.Parfum a’ la Bovine.”
She snuggled back into his side and scrunched her eyes shut when more thunder rolled. “You’re welcome. I didn’t say I don’t like it.”
An almost unintelligiblehmphreached her ears. “Do you think we should make a run for it?”
Her emphatic, “No!” echoed against the next rumble. “You’re not getting me out there anytime soon. The last storm took hours to go over.”
Ryan nodded and looked to his left. “All right, then. Let’s go rustle up some food. I’m hungry. Maybe Gabe has something in the lunchroom fridge.”
The fridge was a bust, but the cupboard yielded some crackers and vegemite. Ryan screwed up his face.
“Yuk. I’m not eating that.”
Darby swallowed her amusement and pretended indignation. “Why, Ryan Thomas. How very un-Australian of you.”
Ryan didn’t have the grace to look ashamed. “I don’t know how you can eat that stuff. It’s too…blergh.”
Darby laughed. “Blerghisn’t a real word. At least, it’s not a taste.”