The Stars in the Sky (Giving You ... #2) by Leslie McAdam Read Free Book Online Page B

calmly and confidently than I felt. "I think it's a rattlesnake." I also had no idea what I meant by "take care of it," not remembering the protocol I’d read previously, but I had no choice. I couldn't have anyone, let alone a blind child, get hurt.
    Just then, Will's truck pulled into the compound.
    "There's a rattlesnake in the bushes by the corral," I burst out, and I pointed to where I saw it.
    He nodded, said, "I'll handle it," and ran to one of the barns. The caretakers gathered the kids and walked them to safety. Will came back, holding a shovel, with a ranch hand holding a bucket, and Janine holding a rake. My heart clenched. I didn't want them to kill the rattlesnake. It hadn't done anything wrong. But rattlesnake venom could be fatal. This was the part where wanting to save all of the animals in the world was really difficult. I didn't eat animal products, wear any leather, or do anything that would involve animal testing. But here, on the ranch, there was just no avoiding wildlife, and as much as I hated, absolutely fucking hated, what they were going to do—or at least what I thought they were going to do—I couldn't, and wouldn't, stop it. But I also couldn’t let them do it either.
    When I got near the corral, Will's head whipped around and he yelled, "Get away, Marie. Go in the tack house."
    "No," I yelled back. "I want to know what you’re doing to it."
    He looked at me, anger flashing on his face, mixed with something else. Concern? "Stay away, it's dangerous. Right now we have it under control. I'll come talk to you in the tack house when we're done."
    I felt so torn. “No.”
    I followed him. I knew that some people would say that it's just a snake, but to me, it was important. I didn't want to be responsible for killing any animal, even one that was not cuddly and cute. I didn't even buy tequila with worms in it.
    Will turned, deadly serious, and spoke, looking me right in the eyes, and while it was authoritative, he also said it with kindness. “Get in the tack house, Marie. Don’t distract us.”
    Okay, fine. I went in and sat on a sawhorse, pissed, scared, and hurt.
    After about ten minutes, Will walked in the tack house, and came right over to me, standing over me, panting. He paused and looked down at me sitting. "You're upset."
    "Yeah, Captain obvious.”
    "Can't have rattlers around here. Not with the Headlands Program. Had to kill it," he said firmly.
    I knew he was right, but I didn't like it. "You couldn't have taken it to another part of the ranch?"
    He looked at me, his tone kind even if his words weren't. "I'm not driving around with a rattlesnake in my truck. Can't take them somewhere else on the ranch ‘cause they might come back. It’s too far for animal control to come."
    I sighed and kicked at the floor. "I know you think I'm crazy, all sad about the life of one snake, but that's just how I'm made."
    He smiled and shuffled his feet. "I know. That's part of the reason why I think I like you."
    That made my pulse run. Hearing it come out of his mouth was different than me guessing about it. "You think you like me?" I stuttered out.
    He gave me his half smile. "The part that cares about everyone and everything? Yeah."
    Oh great gobs of gooey goodness. Will Thrash likes me. I felt like I was in seventh grade and he had just asked me to a chaperoned dance. But I was still upset. "Will you tell me what you did to it?"
    He looked at me, probing and serious, and reached a finger under my chin. "Do you really want to know?"
    I nodded.
    He spoke in his slow drawl, gently and clinically. "Janine pinned its head with the rake while I sliced it off with the shovel. We put it in the bucket and buried it out back."
    To me, that sounded gruesome, but I suppose it could have been worse. I shuddered.
    "That upset you more," he said, still standing over me.
    "Yeah." I went to get up, but he put his hand on my shoulder, gently, pushing me down. He gave me a sexy chin lift and narrowed his