Summer Love by Piper Rayne

Chapter Three

Ifollowed behind and listened closely while Mason and the doc spoke about the cows who were ready to calf, a horse who needed to be reshoed, and a problem Mason had been having in the hen house.

I’d pulled out my phone and used the notes app to take everything down. I knew I’d have a hard time remembering everything they were talking about … I was too excited and too worried about everything I didn’t know. Luckily, they didn’t seem to think my aggressive note taking was weird.

In fact, it was almost like they’d forgotten I existed all together.

I hadn’t seen Mason so much as crack a smile since that first moment. He was extremely serious, a little gruff, and definitely all business.

“Well, you know it can be hard to pinpoint these things, but I’d guess Charming will need to be moved to the calving box in about six hours or so, and then you’ll have another six to twelve hours of labor before she delivers. I have to head back to town for a couple surgeries, but I’ll be back in plenty of time for the calving. I’d like to leave Rebecca here, just to keep an eye on things and be here in case you need anything, if that works for you.”

I glanced up at my name to find Mason watching me quietly.

I gave what I hoped was a smile of reassurance and tried not to flinch when he gave a small sigh in response.

Jeez, way to make a girl feel confident…

The morning was rapidly heating up and I wasn’t sure if it was the humidity or Mason’s gaze that had sweat beading up on my back and starting to trickle south.

“Of course, Doc, whatever you think is best,” Mason finally replied.

“Perfect. Becs, you have my number if you need anything,” she said as she started back toward her car.

I shuffled quickly behind her and whispered hurriedly, “Are you sure leaving me on my own is the best idea? What if something happens?”

“If anything happens, call me and I’ll be back here before you know it. We really just need a presence here to give Mason piece of mind and so that you can contact me if anything comes up. It’ll be fine, I promise. And Mason is one of our best clients, so it’s a good idea for you to get to know each other.”

I bit my lower lip and nodded, then glanced over my shoulder to see Mason had moved on and was no longer paying attention to us.

“I just don’t want to mess anything up,” I admitted, figuring it was best to be completely honest with my new boss.

“You won’t,” Dr. Garcia assured me with a grin before opening her door. “Explore the farm and get to know the animals. Have fun. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

I stood there and watched until she’d driven out of sight and then turned to walk back toward the barn.

I glanced inside to see one of the farm hands rubbing Charming’s side and speaking to her in hushed tones, but there was no sign of Mason. Unsure of where I should be and hopeful I didn’t get in anyone’s way, I walked back out of the barn and around the side to where the goats, alpacas, and sheep were grazing.

Propping my foot up on the fence, I leaned forward on my forearms and watched the animals with my lips curved up.

They were so peaceful. Just chewing happily and moving the occasional step as they enjoyed the fresh air and sun beaming down on them.

“You like animals…”

Not sure if it was a question or a statement, I glanced up to see Mason heading toward me, the cap on his head tilted back so he could get sun on his face.

“Yes, I do. Very much,” I replied, giving him an answer regardless. “I haven’t been around farm animals much though, mostly just domestic animals.”

He nodded and paused next to me.

“I’m Becs,” I said, probably unnecessarily since Dr. Garcia had introduced us, but it felt like something needed to be said.

“I know who you are.”

“You do?” I asked with surprise. I was one-thousand percent sure I would remember if we had ever met. “Did you go to Cherry Springs High?”

High school would be the only place I could think of where he could have known me without me knowing him. Not only was it years ago, but high school had been a miserable experience for me, and I’d worked hard to keep my head down and be as invisible as possible.

“No, I was homeschooled,” Mason said softly. “My parents needed me here to work.”

“That must have been hard … Were there other kids around?” I asked, thinking how lonely it would be to stay on the farm twenty-four seven with no one else around.

“No, but I played travel ball, so I made friends that way. That’s how I came to know Gabe Lewis and most of the guys I hang out with.”

“Oh, that makes sense. I don’t recall seeing you at the bar though,” I said, and I was pretty sure I would have remembered.

“I don’t get into town much,” Mason said, taking his hat off and running his hand through his hair. “I’ll go to the occasional barn burner and stuff like that. I saw you at a couple of the Lewis weddings. Gabe told me you worked at the bar.”

Shock and pleasure coursed through me over the fact that he’d asked about me. It made me wonder why he never introduced himself and what planet I’d been on that I hadn’t homed in on him right away.

“Oh,” I managed, unsure of what to say next.

“You’re pretty hard to miss,” he said with a light chuckle. “You’ve always got a smile on your face and are surrounded by people. That’s why I never worked up the nerve to go up to you at the weddings. You seemed to be having a good time and I didn’t want to make things awkward.”

I looked up at him, surprised to see an embarrassed expression on his face.

“You wanted to talk to me?” I asked, a lump forming in my throat.

He dipped his chin and put his hat back on his head.

“Wow … well, I wish you would have,” I said, thinking of the last wedding I’d been to. I’d hung out with my friends but had spent most of my time eating cake and wishing I had someone to dance with. “I bet you can two-step with the best of them.”

“You’d win that bet,” Mason said, gifting me with a grin just for me.

Boy, this man was potent. Like gasoline mixed with a flaming-hot match.