Bossing the Cowboy (Circle B Ranch #4) - Kennedy Fox Page 0,6
She’s done this more than a dozen times with me, so I know she’s more than qualified to handle it on her own, but if anything goes wrong, Jeffery will tell me.
After I finish dosing the Arabian with antibiotics and chat with the owners, I get in my truck. I pull out my phone to check for any missed calls, but there’s nothing. I’m concerned Elizabeth’s having issues because it’s been radio silence for the last hour and a half.
Once I’m on the road, I finally get a text from her. It’s a picture of her giving a thumbs-up next to the newborn, and I can’t help but smile at seeing her bright face. Below it reads—everything’s perfect!
Connor: Great.
She never responds to my one-word messages, which makes it an easy conversation killer. There are times when I want to praise Elle the way she deserves and maybe open up a little, but I refuse to break the boundaries I’ve set. The last thing I need is to give her the wrong impression and for her to see the way I really look at her.
I decide to stop at the diner to eat, then drive out to see Jeffery and his new calf. As soon as I pull up, he shakes his head with a shit-eating grin. He’s an older man, at least a decade older than my dad, and has known me since I was a toddler.
“Son, I knew you weren’t gonna make it home without stopping by here. The kid did a good job,” he admits.
“Kid? Elizabeth’s not that much younger than me,” I say even though I’m eight years older than her.
“You’re still a kid, too.” He chuckles and leads me over to the maternity stall. “You ain’t chargin’ me extra for this visit, are ya?”
I snort. “You’re already gettin’ the senior discount, old man.”
“Good one,” he muses as I step inside the stall.
After I look over the animals, I give him a nod of confirmation. “They’re both healthy.”
“Happy to hear,” he says.
“If there are any issues—”
“Give you a call. You know I will,” he assures.
I say my goodbyes, and by the time I make it home, I’m tired. I sit on the couch and watch TV for a little while before doing some laundry and cleaning around the house. Living alone has its perks, especially when I need the time to decompress, but sometimes the silence drives at my nerves. Before my divorce, there were days when I wished for quiet. Now it’s too much.
I miss Olivia’s laughter, her toys singing those annoying songs, and I sometimes even miss hearing Vivian complain. Now that the divorce has been finalized for almost a year and visitation rights were set by the court, I only get Olivia on major holidays and a month during the summer. It was a fight to even get to see her that much. Fighting for more rights got me nowhere fast, and I can only play with the cards I’m dealt.
Olivia spent all of July with me, and though she’s only been gone for a few weeks, I already miss her like crazy. My parents watched her while I was at work, and since they live close to my clinic, I stopped in as much as I could during my lunch breaks.
After looking over some paperwork and tidying up the house, I take a shower, then go to bed. Though I enjoy my work, my daily routine is monotonous—work, eat, sleep, repeat.
Monday morning comes early. I’m up by six and make coffee while I go over my daily schedule. I fill my travel mug to the brim, then head to the clinic. Once I’m in my office, I catch up on my emails and enjoy the quiet while I sip the hot liquid.
Thirty minutes before the doors open, Beverly and Trina arrive. Right behind them is Elle, who looks exhausted.
“Please tell me someone made coffee,” she groans. She just started her second year of vet school and is juggling a lot between working here and driving back and forth to campus. On top of that, she’s mentioned how she studies nonstop while she’s there Tuesday through Thursday. Honestly, I don’t know how she does it all, and it’s impressive as hell. When I was in vet school, I only worked the summers and spent the rest of the time with Vivian or studying. Elle’s a hard worker, but then again, so is every Bishop I’ve ever met. A strong work ethic is in their