Page 59 of Cowboy Seeks Husband

WEEK THREE

Snake Bites and Horseback Rides

Chapter 10

With the stupidgroup date of the day out of the way—an excursion out to a lesser field for a haying lesson—the producers seemed happy with the footage they’d gathered and Walker planned on making an easy escape to get some actual farm work done. He gathered his cell phone from the crew member who claimed it during filming and headed off toward the sun, eager for an afternoon getting sweaty and dirty. And for a few hours of thinking about anything other than Roan’s smile, listening for his laugh, and sweating bullets over his closeness with Ben. Whatwasgoing on between those two? Just friendship or something more?

He pushed his hat up and then tipped it low again when he saw John coming his way.Oh, no you don’t, buddy. I’m getting out of here.

“If you have some time I’d like to go over next week’s schedule,” John said, intercepting Walker before he could get away. “And we need to talk about the next horseshoe ceremony.”

Walker’s cell phone rang and he lifted it out of his back pocket, frowning, surprised but also relieved to see the name on the screen. “I have to take this.” He walked away toward his truck, leaving John standing there.

“Marlon, what’s up?” He knew it had to be bad because Marlon had agreed to only call Walker’s cell for the duration of the show in the case of a true emergency.

“You need to come to the East pasture, boss. We’ve got a snake bite.”

“Ah shit.” He pinched his nose. “On the muzzle?” He already knew because if it was just a leg bite, Marlon would’ve dealt with it himself.

“Yes. And…it’s Hannah. She’s got trouble breathing, too. And I’m here all by myself.”

Walker’s jaw clenched so hard his teeth ached. “Call the vet. I’m on my way.” He rang off, and sprinted toward his Ford. He kept various first aid kits in all the barns and within seconds he started the truck and pulled away, tires skidding.

His phone rang. Molly. Walker gritted his teeth again.

“What?”

“Where are you going? You can’t just drive off set without our go ahead! It’s in the contract!”

“One of my cows got bitten by a snake. Cottonmouth, most likely. Usually they manage pretty well, but she got bit on the muzzle, and she’s got trouble breathing, which means there’s swelling and she might suffocate.”

“Wait until I get a camera crew—”

“No.” Walker hung up and glared at the mounted cameras on the dashboard as he raced to the East pasture where Marlon’s battered old pickup waited. Walker grabbed the first aid kit and an old blanket off the backseat and was out of the truck in a heartbeat.

He found Marlon and Hannah a little way from the rest of the herd, in a patch of shade under an old oak tree. Marlon must’ve coaxed her there, and Walker sent him a silent word of thanks.

“How is she doing?”

“She’s stressing.” Marlon ran his hand over her neck. “Aren’t you, cher? The Serpent Congo got her good.”

Walker looked into her sweet, long-lashed eyes and felt a twinge of fear. “It’s okay, Hannah,” he crooned gently as he stroked her nose. He could see the swelling around her left nostril. Yellow pus oozed from a puncture wound. “Must’ve happened a few days ago.”

“Yep. She’d have been fine if it hadn’t gotten infected.”

Hannah stood calmly but her flanks were heaving and the air whistled through her nose.

“Everything will swell shut,” Marlon said.

“I know. The faster we can help her, the better. Vet’s on the way?”

“Will be here in twenty,” Marlon said. “But I don’t think we got that kind of time.”

“No,” Walker said grimly. “Marlon, you’ll have to keep her still while I intubate her.”

“Won’t be my first time, boss. And won’t be the last. You sure you’re up for it, though?”

Walker didn’t say anything, he just bent down and opened the first aid kit, pulling out a huge jar of Vaseline and an eight inch piece of hose.