We move around the shop for hours like we’re running out of time, and if we want these to be postmarked today, we are. With about fifty orders left to fulfill, I climb up the ladder to grab the rest of the soaps off the top shelf when I hear screaming over my sound-canceling headphones.
I take an earbud out and look at Harper. “Everything okay?”
“Not sure.” She sets down a handful of thank-you cards, and I place the bars of soap on the table, then we go to the door.
Fifty goats are roaming around the property.
“Oh no,” Harper whispers. “They shouldn’t be outside of the fence.”
Seconds later, Kane, Ethan, and Payton round the barn as one jumps on top of my car.
“Get off there,” I say as it prances over the hood, roof, then plops down.
Harper shakes her head at Ethan. “What the hell happened?”
“Someone left the gate open, and they all followed Cupcake out. I got a call on the radio from Payton. We were just heading back from the B&B.”
Kane’s chasing a few, waving his arms in the air, but the goats aren’t paying him any attention. All they do is baa at him as they sprint past.
“How are we going to catch them all?” Payton huffs, repositioning his hat.
It’s hot, and just standing here for these few minutes has me sweating.
“Maybe you two can help? We kinda need all hands on deck to round up what we can. Then we’re gonna have to take a head count to make sure we don’t have any wanderers,” Ethan explains to Harper. She hesitates before answering, and I can tell she wants to say no. We have personal deadlines that she wanted to make. But with one look, Harper caves and gives me the go-ahead.
Sweat drips off Kane’s forehead as he tries to keep several goats from moving past him.
I walk toward him. “We need some rope so we can lasso them. Isn’t that what real cowboys do?”
“That’s not a bad idea. If you don't watch out, these little bastards will use you as a springboard. It’s worse than herding cats.” He gives me a smirk, and butterflies flutter in my tummy.
“What can I do to help?”
He laughs. “Put me outta my misery?”
“I don’t think so. We’re gonna have to suffer together. Oh look. Where are they going?” I ask, pointing behind him. At least a handful of goats are walking down the road in a straight line and others are joining in.
“Shit,” he whisper-hisses.
“Ethan,” Kane yells and points. “You need a side by side to stop them.”
“Y’all need a sheepdog to help guide them around and keep them in line,” I tease.
Kane's face breaks into a huge smile. “You’re right. That’d be a great idea. I’m gonna tell Ethan that.”
I shrug nonchalantly. “Might be life-changing.”
“You sure you weren’t a ranch hand in another life?”
I snort because I know I would’ve never survived doing ranch chores.
Kane leads me to the barn. Grabbing a handful of lead ropes, he gives me half. “We’ll catch them eventually.”
“I’m going to apologize in advance for sucking at this. Not really experienced with physical activity or dealing with any sorta livestock,” I admit. Everyone knows I grew up in town and busied myself in books.
Kane places his hand on my shoulder and laughs. “Experience won’t help you with these little assholes, so it’s not a big deal.”
When he removes his hand, I feel the instant loss of his touch. Being this close to him is intoxicating in all the wrong ways. If I had to chase animals just to spend more time with him, sign me up every day of the week.
We walk down the road next to the fence line, and he starts catching them one at a time. Unfortunately, it’s nothing like walking a dog, and I understand why Kane called them bastards.
One of them starts screaming and tugging against me. I nearly drop the rope, and Kane comes over and grabs it from me.
“This is a feisty one.” He wraps the rope around his gloved hand and guides the little booger back to the barn. Then we do it all over again. We pass Harper and Payton, who each have one too.
“Did you expect to be chasing goats today?” he asks me.
I snicker. “No, but I’m actually having fun.”
He smirks. “Only ’cause of the company.”
“Yeah. But it’s kind of like an adventure. I expected my day to go a certain way, and it’s always a pleasant surprise when it changes, and I run into you.”
“That’s a good way to look at it,” he admits. “I like that.”
He meets my eyes with such intensity that I have to look away. As I stare at the number of goats in front of us, Ethan blocks them in with a side by side. Since they can’t easily continue any farther, they turn around and head toward us.