A Cowboy's Heart Read Online Free Page B

did you build this barn?” He leaned against the side of her truck, his baseball cap pushed back, giving her full view of his eyes. Eyes that flashed with a smile that for a moment put her at ease.
    â€œI had the barn built two years ago. The fences—” white vinyl that always looked clean “—we put up last year.”
    â€œIt looks good.” He was smiling, and then he laughed a little. “Just seems like an odd choice.”
    â€œWhite vinyl fences?” She smiled, because she knew what he meant. Some men had a problem, a hang-up, with a woman raising bucking bulls.
    â€œNo, you, here, raising bulls. I seem to remember that you grew up in Europe.”
    That was part of the story. She didn’t feel the need to tell him everything. She closed the door to the feed room and turned to face him.
    â€œI did, other than a few summer visits to see Janie, but I love living in the country. And I love raising these bulls.”
    â€œI can help you feed before you run me over to my place.”
    â€œIf you want, you can help.” She walked to the driver’s side of the truck. When she got in, he was opening the door on the passenger’s side. “Did one of those guys drive your truck home this morning?”
    â€œMy neighbor, Jason Bradshaw’s sister, drove it home.”
    She nodded, her gaze settling on his shoulder. “Do you need to see a doctor?”
    â€œNo, I know the drill. It’ll be sore a few days, and then it won’t.”
    She shifted into first gear and eased away from the barn. Her bulls were in the field behind the building. She had smaller pens for her “problem children” and a pen for calves that were being weaned. The cows that were expecting she kept in the main pasture with her horses.
    Brad had done one thing for her in their divorce that she hadn’t had in their marriage. He’d given her freedom in the form of a hefty divorce settlement. For the first time in her life she was her own person. Other than Janie’s motherly advice, no one told her what to do. Not anymore. No one made decisions for her.
    There was no one to walk out on her.
    â€œI’m impressed with what you’ve done here, but I guess I still don’t get it. You could have raised horses.”
    â€œI could have done something safe?” She smiled at the hint of red coloring his cheeks. “Years ago I went to a bull ride with Aunt Janie. I’ve been hooked ever since. It just seemed like the right choice.”
    It made her feel strong.
    â€œIt seems to fit you.”
    She smiled at the compliment.
    â€œThank you.” She eased the truck through the gate of the first pen and stopped. “I’ll get in the back of the truck and feed, if you can drive? Just ease down this lane next to the fence and stop at the feeders.”
    â€œI can do that.”
    As she slid out of the truck, he moved across the seat behind the wheel. She climbed into the back of the truck and used a pocketknife to slit the top of a bag of grain. As the truck slowed and pulled close to the feeder, she dumped the grain and the cows trotted forward, ready for breakfast.
    The rain started to fall just as they were finishing. Willow jumped down from the back of the truck and climbed into the passenger side. Rain dripped from her hat and she rubbed her arms to chase away the chill. Clint reached for the heater and turned it up a few degrees.
    â€œWow, this is going to be bad.” She looked up at the dark clouds rolling across the Oklahoma sky. “And you have a leaky roof.”
    â€œI do at that.”
    So softly spoken, she barely caught the words. For the past few months she’d been telling herself it was her imagination. But now she needed to face the truth. Words were fuzzy, and there were times that she couldn’t hear a conversation on her cell phone, or even a person at her side.
    Progressive hearing loss, the doctor had told them so