The next morning, she stood near the barn, watching the other cowboys saddle their horses.

Rex was saddling the black horse from yesterday. It was a monster of a horse and seemed just as ornery as its owner.

"Alright, we ride out in five." Rex called.

She waited a minute before rushing up to him. He was adjusting his saddle and didn't acknowledge her at first, then he spoke.

"What do you want, Daisy?"

"Uhm, it's Flora."

"What is?"

"My name."

"Whatever, what do you want?"

"Can I come? I can rope and ride, and I've helped with branding and doctoring, and I know a lot about cows."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"What do you know about horses?" He asked, turning towards her.

"Not as much, but I know some."

"Good, then you know they hate a shit filled pen so you can go ahead and clean all the stalls."

"Oh,"

He swung onto his horse with ease, the massive animal not even noticing him.

"The shovel, wheelbarrow, and rake are in the barn. You can dump it out back."

"Okay," she said softly, backing away from the horse.

The other cowboys began to ride past Colby, pausing long enough to give her a wink.

As Rex led his horse away, he stopped and called back to her.

"And Daisy?"

"Yes?" She asked hope blooming in her chest.

"Don't forget about dinner."

With a click of his tongue, his horse broke into a run, eating the distance between him and the other men. Soon enough, they were all galloping away, and she was alone again.

She found the rake, shovel, and wheelbarrow exactly where he said, and as she stepped into the first stall, she felt a sense of loneliness creep up.

She did the first three stalls and then decided to take a break. Walking around the barn, in the back stall, one she hadn't been near, she found a tiny baby cow.

"Oh, hello," she cooed softly, stepping into the stall.

The tiny brown cow lifted its head and batted its long lashes at her, its tongue instantly going up one side of its nostril.

"Oh, aren't you the cutest thing?" She dropped to her knees in the thick hay next to the baby and began stroking between its slightly too big ears.

"I'm so glad you're here, between you and me I get kind of lonely," she admitted.

After a long sniff, the baby began chewing on her long blonde hair, and with a small laugh, she pulled it free.

"Where's your mama?" She asked.

The calf lay her head on her lap without a reply, and she sighed heavily.

"I bet she's gone, huh? So is mine."

When the calf drifted to sleep, she ruffled between its ears and settled its head back on the hay.

"I have to finish the stalls, I'll be back."

She exited the stall, feeling better now that she had some company.

She did four more stalls before the sound of a hoofbeats alerted her that she wasn't alone. She set the rake aside just as Rex strode into the barn alone.

"Everything okay?" She asked, stepping out of the stall.

"Yes."

"This is the same time you came back yesterday," she pointed out.

"I know that."

He walked to a tall fridge and retrieved some things, then disappeared into the bunkhouse.

When he came back out, he was carrying a bottle. He walked to the stall where the baby calf was, and she followed.

He stepped inside, and the calf blinked up at him, its tail instantly beginning to swing happily as it pushed to its wobbly legs.

Flora watched as his facial features instantly softened, his shoulder losing their usual tension as he sank to his knees in the hay.

"There's my girl," He said softly.

The calf latched onto the bottle as he eased into a sitting position.

"You need something?" He asked, glancing up at Flora.

"No."

"Her mama was our best breeder,she birthed us a rodeo bull three years ago... she had a hard birth coyotes got her." He said.

"Oh."

"She's an investment in this farm. She could be the next top of the line breeder," he said.

Flora gave a nod as the happy calf sank to her own knees, her eyes growing heavy. Rex stroked her soft fur with his large hands.

"You come back every day to feed her?" Flora asked.

"Me or Roy."

"I could manage to do it. I have the time." she said.

He glanced around the stall and then back at the tiny calf.

"It just has to be done just right...she's important, you know. If something happens to her, then the ranch loses a lot of money."

She gave a small nod. He clearly wasn't giving her any tasks higher up than dinner and cleaning.

She turned and went back to the stalls she had left. His horse was now occupying a clean one.

She tossed some hay into the massive animals, and it shook its head in appreciation. After cleaning yet another stall, she returned to his horse, it's head was hanging over the door, and she smiled as she scratched its forehead.

"You're a beauty," she said with a smile.

"Don't spoil him. He's a working horse. Not a pet." Rex said stalking close and pulling on his riding gloves.

She fell silent and gave the horse a kiss on the nose before backing as far away as she could in the aisle.

"Did you get all the stalls cleaned?" He asked.

"I have a few left."

"We shouldn't be gone more than three or four more hours, I want them done by then."

She gave a small nod, dropping her head and refusing to look at him. Despite trying to be tough and prove she was valuable, he frightened her.

He opened the door to lead out his horse, and the animal walked directly to her, nudging her with its head for attention. With a small smile, she gave it a pat on the neck as Rex closed the door.

One look from him was enough to send her scurrying a few feet away from him and the horse. He hauled himself onto the animal and glanced down at her once.

Again, his belt buckle caught her eye his black shirt was tucked in, and silver only stood out more against the dark shirt. She shifted uncomfortable, her shoulder aching.

"Everything okay?" He demanded.

She gave a quick nod but didn't speak as he rode slowly by her, the horse sticking out its head. This time, she ignored it as it passed her.

As they exited the barn, she breathed a sigh of relief, taking a minute to watch him ride away.

She heard him call the horse a traitor before it broke into a run across the large yard and disappeared.

She didn't know why Rex didn't like her. She did everything that was asked and didn't complain. He didn't even hide the fact that he did not want her here. She hated the feeling of not being wanted. It was one she grew up with, and the feeling of not belonging was starting to weigh heavy on her shoulders.

After cleaning his horse stall again and two more, she peaked in at the calf. She was sleeping peacefully on some hay.

She watched the calf sleep awhile her mind wandering. He was a terrifying man. His voice, his size, his very presence scared her, but she couldn't deny he had a soft spot for the animal and had been gentle with her.
The calf had been completely at ease in his capable hands and not shown any fear.
If the small cow could be brave, maybe so could she.