LITTLE BIT STRONGER | A COUNTRY ROMANCE

Chapter Fourteen

The weeks without Caleb were hard but Kate received an unexpected moment of complete silliness every morning when Josh texted her good morning with an image of yet another of his cows.

He was happy when she told him so.

As he'd walked her to her car after the barbecue, she explained, "Josh, I work a lot during the week - especially the weeks I don't have Caleb over the last year."

"I spent sixteen hours a day in the field when my ex left. You have to numb your brain or it'll drive you crazy."

She gave him a slow smile, grateful someone understood. "Yeah. Exactly."

He held her shoulders and stared deep into her eyes. "I don't want you to worry. I'm a grown man. I can work around your schedule. There will be times I have a cow delivering or some weird emergency. It's life, Kate. I roll with what comes."

"Really?"

"Really. I'll make up for lost time when I get you in my clutches." He followed this with a cartoon villain laugh.

She reached up and placed her palm on his cheek. "You're very...calm. I like that about you. A lot."

"I like everything about you. A lot."

Josh held her, kissed her, made her laugh, settled her in her car, and watched while she drove away.

It hadn't been easy to leave but she believed - no matter how badly she wanted him - that she should take it slow.

Good things were worth waiting for...and she couldn't bear to make another mistake when it came to a man.

She would never survive the humiliation a second time.

* * *

After a hellish sixteen-hour day at the hospital, Kate was wiped out. She managed the drive home and barely managed to avoid collapsing on the couch the second she entered her apartment.

"Eat. Soak. Sleep."

Every member of her immediate family texted her while she was searching for the energy to prepare a simple salad. They'd heard about the semi that flipped on I-75 causing multiple injuries and two deaths.

She assured everyone that she was fine but exhausted.

When the phone rang, she was surprised to see Josh calling. He never called.

"Hello?"

"Hi. I don't want to bother you, Kate. I heard about the accident today and can't imagine how exhausted you must be. I'm picking up steak for dinner at Tumbleweeds. I want to drop you off a care package. I won't even come inside."

The kindness of the gesture, as tired as she was, almost brought her to tears.

"Normally, I'd tell you I'm fine but I didn't get a chance to eat today. I would be ridiculously grateful for a steak and a loaded baked potato right now."

"Consider it done. Text me your address. I'll be there in about half an hour."

They disconnected and Kate meant to freshen up and change out of her scrubs. Instead, she dozed off on the couch and startled awake when there was a knock on the door.

Shuffling across the room, she opened it to Josh standing on the other side. The smile fell off his face.

"I wasn't going to come inside but..." Inclining his head into her sanctuary, she nodded. Josh walked in and nudged the door closed with his foot. "You need food and rest. Let me help and I'll get out of your hair."