Tail of Two Hearts. Charlotte Carter
cows lumbered out onto the road again.
Her heart in her throat, Vivian jumped back in the SUV, rolling down her window.
Chase, instead of getting into the truck and driving away, like any rational person would do, walked toward the farmer, his hands held out to his sides in a sign of peace.
“Be careful,” she whispered, appalled that he’d approach a man with a gun.
“I’d like to help you,” Chase told the farmer. “I live over in Bygones. I own the pet store. I know what it’s like to work hard and not have much to show for it.”
Slowly, the farmer lowered his shotgun an inch or two. “Kids are always messing with my cows. When hunting season started, one of ’em painted a red target on Marshmallow.”
“I’m sorry. I really am. Kids can do stupid things.”
Her heart in her throat, Vivian watched as Chase kept moving closer to the farmer. If the farmer lifted that shotgun again and pulled the trigger, Chase could be dead in minutes.
Please, God. Don’t let anything bad happen to him. She pulled out her cell phone, ready to call for help.
“How about I try to bring Marshmallow back where she belongs? Then you and I can brace that fence back up. What do you say, Mr....?”
“Mahnken. Amos Mahnken.”
“Good to meet you, Amos.” He extended his hand. “Chase Rollins.”
Switching the shotgun to his left hand, Amos took Chase’s hand. “You’ll need a switch. Marshmallow needs a little flick now and again to get her moving. Brownie usually follows along all right.”
Vivian exhaled the breath she’d been holding. Chase was either crazy or extremely brave. Maybe both, she thought, hysteria threatening.
“I’ll get her.” Reaching for a dry weed stalk, Chase broke it off. “You go find us some wood and a hammer and nails. This shouldn’t take long.”
Shaking, Vivian waited in the truck while Chase rounded up the cows, then helped Amos restore the fence to some order.
Finally, Chase told Amos goodbye. They shook hands like old friends, and Chase returned to the SUV.
“Sorry for the delay,” he said, climbing behind the wheel.
“Sorry?” She nearly choked. “You could’ve been killed!”
“Naw. Old Amos didn’t want to kill anybody. Just wanted to scare me off.”
“Well, he certainly scared me. Right out of ten years of my life.”
Looking at her, he cocked his head. A little smile played around his lips. “Thanks for worrying about me.”
He tucked a wayward strand of hair behind her ear, then he shifted the SUV into gear and pulled back onto the road.
Her cheek tingled with the residual warmth of his fingertip. Her heart beating hard, all Vivian could do was gape at the man. Maybe she was the one who was crazy.
Because she was thinking about crazy, exciting possibilities and dreams that could come true.
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