Cabe nods. “You got it.”
The two of them unload the bull.
Thankfully, the animal cooperates this time, and within minutes, he’s secured safely in his own pen.
The crisis is officially over.
I climb out of the truck and watch them finish securing the gates.
Once everything is locked down, Axle tosses the keys to Cabe.
“We’ll leave the trailer here and walk back.”
Cabe catches them. “I’ll move it up closer to the house.”
Then Axle turns toward the academy. “Come on, Doc.”
We start walking.
The afternoon sun hangs low overhead.
Everything feels normal again except for the giant knot of concern currently lodged in my chest.
I keep staring at the back of his head. “Let me look at it.”
“I’m fine.”
“You got hit by a steel gate.”
“And I’m fine. No double vision. No blurry vision. No dizziness or ringing in my ears.”
I stop walking. “Axle.”
He comes to a halt and inhales deeply as he lifts his face to the sky, clearly losing his patience with me. Finally, he turns. “What?”
“I don’t know what concerns me more. The fact that you refuse to pause for thirty seconds and let me check the back of your head, or the fact that you can recite all the major concussion symptoms off the top of your head.”
He chuckles. “Occupational hazard.”
“That’s not reassuring.”
His eyes sparkle. “Maybe I’ve gotten hit in the head a few times.”
“Really? I’d have never guessed.”
That earns a full laugh.
I pinch the bridge of my nose.
He’s impossible.
His gaze slides over me, and he begins to walk slowly toward me. No, stalk toward me is more accurate.
“You know something? You’re sexy when you get all doctor bossy.”
Heat rushes into my cheeks. “Oh my God.”
I point toward the clinic. “Come with me so Dr. Seth can check you out.”
