One Tough Christmas Cookie - Lucy McConnell Page 0,31

in the bright sunlight. She hoped it would warm them up, at least a bit.

Everyone had a place. Mr. Nichollas and Caleb were in the chute. Jack worked the gate. Forest and Pax herded the animals through, and Drake worked at the other end, letting the reindeer out.

Faith waited outside the chute near the exit. “If you’ll push them against the fence, I can put the shot in from here.” She had no desire to climb in with the wild animals and let them throw their weight around. Males could weigh up to 400 pounds. Which meant that if they so much as stepped on her foot, they could break a bone. Crushing her between their bodies and the fence was an opportunity they didn’t need.

“Send in the easy ones first,” Caleb called to Forest and Pax.

Forest’s face fell. “I like a challenge.”

“You might, but I don’t want the lady doc to get a bad impression of our herd.” Caleb winked at her.

She blushed under the nickname Lady Doc. They called her dad Doc, so it was a compliment to them. And the fact that Caleb cared enough to make a good impression was nice. Sometimes on these farm calls, she was treated like the hired help. Comparatively, she was treated like royalty on the reindeer ranch.

The first animal trotted into the chute and eyed Caleb and his dad. Mr. Nichollas held out a hand. “Hey, Chestnut.” The reindeer moved closer and sniffed his hand. Mr. Nichollas used his body to encourage Chestnut closer to the fence. The reindeer didn’t seem at all concerned about Faith until she caught a whiff of her scent. Then she whipped her head around and stared at her with wide eyes.

“It helps if you talk to them, let them know you’re not here to hurt them,” Caleb offered.

“This is highly unusual.” Faith stared back at the reindeer, not wanting to make any sudden moves and spook her. So far, the old girl was cautious but calm. “You guys could use one of those spare panels to push her over here and hold her in place.”

Mr. Nichollas shook his head. “I’d rather not. This lady trusts me, and I don’t want to break that trust.” To prove his point, he came over and wrapped both arms around the reindeer’s neck. She nuzzled his back.

Caleb placed himself in front of Chestnut, right in the way of danger, so he could talk low to Faith. “Just try talking to her.”

Faith huffed. “They’re reindeer.” She said it like she was pointing out the most obvious thing in the world. “They don’t understand us.” Except for Dunder, who had spent enough time with humans to pick up on things. These were herd animals, not barn pets.

Caleb’s lips disappeared inside his beard as he pressed them together in frustration.

Faith glanced up to find the whole family watching her. A growing sense of disappointment filled the air. She puffed out in exasperation. “Fine.” Moving up to the fence, she wiped on a fake smile. “Hello, Chestnut. It’s nice to meet you. I’m here to give you medicine that will keep you from getting sick this winter.”

Chestnut didn’t move her face, but her eyes darted to Caleb as if asking if this was real.

Caleb smiled. “It’s no worse than bumping into a tree branch.”

Chestnut looked at Faith again and then slowly lowered her head a fraction.

“I’m taking that as a go for it. You might want to get out of the way in case she bolts,” she warned Caleb.

Caleb put his hands on Chestnut’s cheeks. “She wouldn’t hurt me—would you, beautiful?”

Faith could have sworn the reindeer batted her eyelashes. “Sheesh, a reindeer with a crush,” she mumbled as she reached through the fence and administered the shot. To her utter amazement, Chestnut only flinched her ear back. Other animals had bucked, reared up, and shuddered dramatically when stuck with a needle. She threw the used syringe into an empty bucket she assumed was there for that very purpose.

“You did good,” Mr. Nichollas told Faith as Chestnut sauntered out of the chute and into the next pen.

Faith’s cheeks warmed under the praise. “It was just a shot.”

Caleb was busy getting the next reindeer brought in, and she couldn’t help but watch him. He moved like a man who could take on the world, unafraid of the unknown. But darn it all, he should be on the front of a romance novel with that swagger.

“It was much more than that.” Abner pulled her attention

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