She glanced down at her phone lying on the console. The last time she had come out to this area, she hadn’t been able to get a bit of service, but today she could see one bar up there at the top of her screen.

“This is damn sure not what I expected when I made up my mind to move back to Texas,” she grumbled.

Up ahead, she saw the shape of the barn and tapped her brakes, but that put her van into a long, greasy slide that ended when she slammed into the big, sheet metal barn doors.

Stevie picked up her phone and tried to call Sonny but got a busy signal. So she sent a text: Had a flat tire. Am at Max Hilton’s old barn. I’m fine. Cria is fine. Send help when this blows over please.

Sure enough, when she opened the van door and glanced down at the phone to see if she’d gotten a response, she had a NO SERVICE message.

“Hope it went through,” she said as she grabbed the handle of the big sliding door and gave it a shove with all the strength she had, but nothing happened. Then a force from the other side slid the door wide open, and there was Cody Ryan standing right in front of her.

“What the hell are you doing here?” she gasped.

Cody folded his arms over his chest. “I might ask you the same question, except that I figure with those two flat tires, you got as far as you could and then tried to plow through the doors and into the barn.”

“I just need to get my van inside so my supplies don’t freeze, and I’ve got a baby cria to take care of.” Stevie pushed past him. “Don’t just stand there letting the snow blow all over you. Help me get the van inside.”

“Give me your keys. The tack room is heated up. Take the baby in there, and I’ll take care of the vehicle. Tires are ruined anyway so it won’t matter if I drive it on the rims,” Cody said.

Stevie shook snow from her red hair and slid the van’s side panel door open.

“Come on, pretty little girl. Let’s get you to a warm place and fix you a bottle. You don’t get to join a new herd tonight. You’ll just have to make do with me.” She crooned as she picked up the cria still snuggled down in an old plush blanket and carried it inside. “I’m sorry your mama didn’t make it, but when we get you to Sonny’s place, there will be lots of alpacas ready to adopt you.”