Summer Love_ A Steamy Small Town Romance Anthology - Piper Rayne Page 0,86

turned to walk back down the steps.

“Anytime, Becs. Don’t forget that lemonade,” she called out and I gave her a little wave in response.

“You okay?” Mason asked, falling into step with me.

I shifted my head to look at his face. Dang, he sure is handsome.

“Yeah, I’m good. How about you?” I asked, even though I was afraid of the answer.

“I’m nervous about Charming but optimistic that everything will be fine,” he said softly. “I’m thrilled about our picnic, but worried about you and wondering what you’re thinking. And I’m hopeful that we can talk things out and see what happens next.”

That was a lot.

“Okay, so … honesty. Right.” Mason was nothing if not surprising. I’d only known the man a few short hours and he seemed to keep me constantly on my toes. “Well, then … I’m excited about seeing Charming give birth, if not a little nervous about what actually seeing it will be like. I’m confused over everything that’s happened today, and agree that we should talk, but can it wait until tonight, once Charming and her baby are safe?”

“Yes, of course,” Mason said, a relieved grin taking over his face, making him somehow even more appealing.

“Her water bag broke!” Dr. Garcia shouted as we entered the barn. “Make sure there’s enough fresh straw laid out.”

“Boss, it looks like Dottie and Bea will be calving tonight as well,” Henry said as he spread the hay.

“We’ve got a long night ahead, how are you feeling?” Dr. Garcia asked me.

“I’m ready to help however you need me to,” I assured her, my adrenaline starting to spike.

Charming made a sound of distress and her tail flicked up as she struggled to move.

“She wants to lay on her side,” the doctor said. “Give her some room.”

Once Charming was in a prone position, Dr. Garcia had me move up to stroke her neck gently while she monitored Charming’s progress.

“The front feet are visible,” she said, and I hurried around to take a look before going back to try and soothe Charming.

It was a long process, and I felt sorry for Charming, who seemed incredibly uncomfortable, but less than two hours later, Charming’s baby was born.

“Next she’ll expel the afterbirth,” Dr. Garcia told me as I gushed over the baby calf. “And we’ll want this little guy to nurse within the first four hours. Henry, can you make sure everything’s set up for Dottie and Bea? I’ll be there in a moment to check their progress.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Henry replied.

“What’ll you name him?” I asked Mason as Charming began to clean her calf.

“I was thinking maybe you’d like to choose,” he said, causing me to look up at him in surprise. “It’s kind of a tradition around here for first timers to pick the name.”

Pleasure flushed my cheeks and I crouched so I could get a good look at the little guy’s face.

“Peter,” I said after a few minutes of internal deliberation.

“Peter?” he asked.

“Yes, is that okay?”

“Of course, newbie’s choice. Peter it is.”

By sunrise, Paul and Mary joined Peter on Cherry Springs Farm.

Chapter Nine

I was exhausted, yet exhilarated, and smelled pretty terrible, and it was the longest, yet most fulfilling first day of work I’d ever had.

I’d seen three baby calves come into the world and had even gotten to help deliver the third one. I was riding on fumes but utterly jazzed over the last twenty-four hours.

“You want to come in and grab a shower?” Mason said as we watched Dr. Garcia drive away. “I’ll make you something to eat while you get cleaned up.”

“That’s the best offer I’ve had in my whole life,” I said with a laugh.

I may have been feeling slightly delirious.

“Come on. I’ll bet you a hundred bucks my ma has laid out some clean clothes for you and probably has biscuits and gravy warming in the oven.”

“Wow, really?” I asked, thinking how nice it must feel to be taken care of like that.

“Yeah, but I’ll hold up my end and scramble you some eggs to go along with them.”

My stomach growled in response and I realized I hadn’t eaten anything since our picnic at lunch the day before. Neither of us had.

Mason opened the door and led me inside through the rustic, country-themed rooms. It was obvious from the mix of antique furniture and family photos that the house was the center of the McClintock family.

“Your house is lovely,” I said as we stepped into a room with a pretty canopy bed covered in throw pillows, and yes, there