“Hope you’re hungry,” Ginny announced as she zipped around the table pouring coffee for everyone seated.
“You know I am,” I said, placing my hand on my belly.
An instant later a mug of steaming coffee was in my hands. Before I could even think about taking a sip, I realized someone was missing from the table. “Where’s Wyatt?”
A few grins broke out here and there. There was no doubt Wyatt and me and whatever was happening between us had been a topic of gossip with the family. My face flushed as I tried to sip my coffee nonchalantly.
“He’s got some business on the ranch to attend to,” Silas answered, his voice calm and plain as always. “He’s up in his room now, said he might skip breakfast.”
Ginny shook her head as she leaned against one of the kitchen counters, her slender, wrinkled hands wrapped around her mug. “Kid’s stubborn as a damn mule. I keep telling him that a busy day means more meals, not skipping them.”
Before anyone could say another word the familiar heavy footfalls of Wyatt’s boots sounded behind me. I turned and there he was. The man looked hot as ever. He wore a black and white checkered cowboy shirt with pearl buttons, the sleeves rolled up along his toned forearms. He sported another pair of rugged jeans, tight enough to hug the crotch. Damn, that bulge was going to be the death of me, I knew it. It seemed like every time I closed my eyes, I pictured it. Stubble dusted his handsome face.
And his expression suggested he was in a serious mood. That was usually the case, but I could sense there was something important on his mind.
“There’s the missing man!” Ginny called to him. She pointed to his open spot at the table. “Park your butt at the table and eat up!”
He shook his head. “No time to eat today.”
“No time to eat?” Chance asked. “Why? What’s going on?”
His expression remained somber. “Juniper. Checked on her this morning and she’s in labor. Just came into the house long enough to change before gettin’ back out there.”
Emily’s eyes lit up. “Juniper’s ready to give birth?”
“Yep,” he said. “And I need to be there with her.”
I loved the way he talked about his animals. Wyatt was more caring and open when it came to his animals, but not so much the people in his life. I could tell he loved his family and was a caring person, but I found myself wondering if he ever shared that part of himself wholly.
“You can at least eat something,” Ginny said to him. “Juniper’s gonna need you to have all your wits about you, you know.”
Another head shake. “I’ll take some coffee to go, but no time for anything else.”
“Fine, fine,” Ginny acquiesced as she made her way to the cupboards. “But you better make up for it at lunch.” She poured him a thermos of coffee and handed it over.
Wyatt was focused on nothing but Juniper. He barely made eye contact with me or anyone else. The man could be single-minded when he wanted to be.
“I’ll see about it,” Wyatt said as he screwed the top onto the thermos. “But right now, I’ve got work to do.”
“I want to come with you!” The words flew out of my mouth in a quick blurt, catching the attention of everyone at the table.
“Nah,” Wyatt negated. “It’ll be a long day with not much going on until the very end. I’ll take care of it on my own.”
“I insist,” I said. “You said I was good with her yesterday, right? Maybe I can help calm her down while she’s in labor.”
Wyatt glanced to the side, appearing to think over what I’d said. “Alright, fine. But we need to move now.”
I jumped out of my seat. As soon as I was at Wyatt’s side, we were off, the two of us grabbing our jackets from near the door on our way out.
“You sure about this?” he asked, his eyes fixed forward as we left. “Not gonna be the prettiest sight in the world.”
“I’m sure. If you need help, that’s what I’m gonna do.”
“Don’t need help,” he said gruffly. “But we’ll see if I can find somethin’ for you to assist with.”
Wyatt was a go-it-alone man through and through, one of those guys who thought he could take on the world all by himself. But I’d prove I was useful.
The sky was overcast, and the air was still. The thick grey clouds above seemed to promise rain or sleet. The two of us silently made our way to the barn, my heart beating faster and faster with excitement. When we reached the barn, Wyatt pulled the door open. Juniper was in her usual spot in the center of the barn. But unlike before, she didn’t appear calm at all. She shifted from side to side, strange sounds coming from her that I could only guess were noises of pain.
“Damn,” Wyatt swore, hurrying to her side. “She’s in a bad way.”
“Oh no,” I said. “Is she gonna be alright?”
“She’ll be fine. She’s goin’ through the worst of it right now. Get over here and I’ll tell you to what you do.”
Wyatt was focused, his hand on Juniper’s face as he spoke to her in a low voice I couldn’t hear. I wasn’t sure what he was going to do next, but I could tell a million questions would break his concentration. Not knowing what else to do, I rushed over to the tool rack and grabbed the brush. Once that was in hand, I returned to Juniper’s side.
“Here’s the deal,” Wyatt said. “I’m gonna take care of all the birthing business. And while I’m doing that, you’re gonna do your best to calm her.”
“Got it.”
“Horse births aren’t as painful as human ones, but that doesn’t mean she’s having a good time. She’s gonna need to stay nice and calm through this. And don’t go behind her – she’s stressed and might kick without thinking.”
I nodded in affirmation, overwhelmed by everything. But Wyatt didn’t have anything else to say. He went behind Juniper and began doing whatever he needed to do. Juniper’s dark eyes were wide, snorts and whines coming from her. My hands shaking slightly, I placed the brush in her mane and began stroking. My other hand went to the top of her head and I patted her.
“Easy, girl,” I murmured. “Everything’s gonna be alright. Wyatt’s got you, and you’re about to be a mama. Aren’t you excited to meet your little one? I bet you are.”
Juniper still seemed stressed, and I worried I wasn’t doing her any good. But I kept on brushing and petting and murmuring, hoping I was helping a least a little.
“I know it’s scary. But you don’t need to worry. That guy back there’s the best vet in the city and he’s gonna take good care of you. And I’m here, too. We’re friends now, right? Yeah, we are.”
I couldn’t believe it, but Juniper actually seemed to be calming down. Her snorts became less frequent, and her eyes appeared less panicked.
“Right,” I continued. “We’re good buds. And when you’re a mama I’m gonna come out here and check on you all the time, make sure you’ve got everything you need.”
I had no idea how true that was. Sure, I wanted to, but for all I knew I’d be leaving the ranch in the next day or two. But I had more important things to worry about at that moment.
“Alright!” Wyatt announced. “Any second now!”
My hands continued to pet the scared horse, soothingly. As I did, I glanced at Wyatt behind her. He was wearing a big pair of rubber gloves, an expression of total focus and concentration on his face.
“We’ve almost got the foal,” he grunted. “Just keep doin’ what you’re doin’.”
I nodded, my hand never ceasing. Juniper looked to be in pain, and it killed me. “Almost there, girl,” I said. “Stay strong, alright? Stay strong for the baby.”
It felt strange to be talking like that. I didn’t have my complete memory, but I knew I didn’t have any kids. But talking about babies seemed so…I couldn’t say. Natural? I put all that out of my head, focusing on Juniper. Minutes passed, and I hoped everything was ok with Wyatt.
“She’s coming!” he called out.
I hurried to Wyatt to offer help. The birthi
ng was happening, Wyatt guiding the foal out of Juniper, the tiny, helpless creature emerging from its mother. The horse was fire-red, small and delicate.
“Atta girl!” Wyatt called out. “Almost there!”
I placed my hand on Juniper and petted her, my eyes fixed on the foal, who was completely birthed quickly. The animal’s fur was sheened with fluid, and though it was kind of disgusting, it was also beautiful. Part of me wanted to turn away, but more than that, I wanted to watch. It was fascinating to me, and I couldn’t take my eyes away even for a second.
Juniper let out a snort and turned immediately to tend to her baby. She licked and cleaned the newborn and helped nudge it to its feet so it could start to nurse. Wyatt made soothing sounds to both mother and baby throughout the process, and his behavior moved something inside me.
Tears formed in my eyes, and I quickly sniffled before wiping them away. Wyatt’s eyes flicked up to mine, and he appeared confused.
“You alright there?”
“I’m…alright. That was just…amazing.”
He smiled slightly, and I wondered what he was thinking. “Healthy little foal,” he said, looking down at the baby. “And look at that red coat.”
Juniper nuzzled the foal and made soft chuffing sounds as it stood and began to nurse. Mother and child –like nothing else in the world.
Wyatt pulled off the gloves and set them aside. I watched as Juniper got to know her new baby. The two of us stood together, neither saying a word. After ten minutes or so, I looked at Wyatt.
“Boy or girl?”
“Healthy baby boy,” he replied happily. “He’ll be walking and running on his own in an hour or so.”
“He’s beautiful.” My eyes tried to fill with tears again, but I blinked them away.
“You’re right about that. Got a name already too.”
I turned to him. “Is that right?”
He nodded. “Got the same color hair as you – that gorgeous auburn. Thinking ‘Red’ fits him nicely.”
I didn’t know what to say. Wyatt wrapped his arm around me and pulled me close.
I couldn’t have been happier.
Chapter 11
WYATT
“Can I touch him?”
“Go right ahead. But be careful – he’s still new to this whole ‘being in the world’ thing.”
I lifted my arm off Jess’s shoulders. She stepped closer to Juniper and Red, kneeling and placing her hand on the foal’s side.
“Look at you,” she gushed quietly so as not to spook the foal. “You’re so beautiful. You’re gonna make your mom so proud.”
The adrenaline from the birth process faded, and I wiped my forehead with the back of my hand. Now that it was all over, I could appreciate what had happened and what I was seeing.
Jess was a natural. No doubt in my mind about it. She’d shown before that she knew how to handle the animals, how to be gentle and calming with them. But this was something else. She had the right touch with Red, knew just how to comfort the foal without startling him. And Juniper seemed to feel the same way. She didn’t seem bothered by Jess being close to her newborn. The two of them doted on Red, and the way Jess handled him was almost motherly.
Damn, it was a strange thought. I’d been falling for Jess. And it wasn’t only because of her beauty. She was tough but gentle, hard-headed but kind. She was the exact sort of woman needed to live a life like mine.
The thoughts were hard to wrap my mind around. Understanding a woman to be gorgeous was one thing; getting to know her more and more and realizing that she was exactly what I’d been looking for was a whole other thing.
Jess turned to me, beaming. “What happens now?”
I put my hand on my hip and leaned against one of the barn support beams. “Big difference between humans and other animals. We come out early, you know.”
“That right?”
“Yep. Human babies are helpless when they’re born – can’t do a thing without their mamas. That’s because even though babies ought to stay in the womb for a few months longer, if they did, they’d get too big to come out. Evolutionary tradeoff.”
“Interesting,” she commented, still petting Red.
“But other animals, like horses, aren’t like that at all. You see how Red’s already got his head up?”
“I do.”
“With foals, a lot happens over a couple of hours. Red’ll be walking around without any of his mama’s help.”
“Wow,” Jess said. “So he’ll be on his own soon?”
“Not quite on his own – Mama will still need to be there for him. But he’ll be a hell of a lot more independent than a human baby.”
“That’s incredible.” She grinned. “So how long before we can take him for a ride?”
I chuckled at her joke. “Still a while yet. But man, I can’t wait. Red’s looking healthy as hell, and I’ve got no doubts he’ll be one of the finest animals Rainbow Canyon’s ever seen.”
She smiled brilliantly at me before turning her attention back to Red and Juniper. As she tended to the foal, something came to mind, a memory, and not a good one, of when I’d brought Amy to the ranch for the first time.
I’d still been under the impression that she wanted to be a part of the veterinary world and figured she’d be a help around the ranch. So I put her to work as my unofficial assistant. The first day we made the rounds, checking on the animals and making sure all was good.
At first, everything had been fine. Amy was willing to help, though I remember her being more interested by the prospect of drinks in front of the fire rather than tending to the animals. I’d figured she was exhausted, still getting used to her new home. But when it had come time to help one of the cows give birth, I realized something else. Birthing’s tricky, but it happens all the time – should be one of those things any vet can handle. I assumed Amy would know her way around the situation.
But that wasn’t the case at all. I’d asked for her help, but she didn’t want any part of it. She’d acted squeamish, put off by the messiness of birth. And more than that, she seemed not to have any idea of how to help or what to do.
I could forgive that, but it was how she reacted to the whole process, like she couldn’t have been any more disgusted, annoyed even, that I couldn’t quite get over. She had been a total contrast to Jess, who appeared to love it. That day with Amy, my opinion of her changed for good. Same thing was happening with Jess at that moment, but in a better way.
Jess would’ve been satisfied to spend all day in the barn with Juniper and Red. But we needed to get moving.
“Alright,” I announced. “It’s time for mama and baby to have some privacy.”
Jess turned to me. “Is there anything else we can do for them?”
“Nah,” I said, waving a hand at the pair, who were doing exactly what Mother Nature expected them to. “Red’s healthy, and Juniper handled it like a champ. They need bonding time. We can come check on them later during the day, make sure everything’s good.”
Jess gave Red one more pat before getting up. “Thanks for letting me be a part of that.”
I nodded at her, my eyes trapped in hers. “You were a help. Happy you were here to pitch in.” My stomach growled, my meal skipping catching up with me. She giggled at the loud, angry sound, and I smirked. “Let’s go back to the house and get some chow.”
“Sounds good,” she said with a smile.
As we walked to the house, neither of us spoke. The beauty of the birth was still on my mind, and I was sure her mind was on the same thing. The kitchen was empty when we arrived, put Mama G had made sure to set aside a couple plates of eggs and hash browns for the two of us, along with some coffee. The two of us washed our hands at the sink before collecting our food.
I dropped into my seat and dug in. Jess did the same, and as always, I loved to see a woman who liked to eat. When I’d plowed through half my eggs and potatoes and washed them down with some delicious coffee, I sat back and folded my hands over my
stomach.
Jess was still into her meal, and the events of the last hour continued to play over and over in my mind. I knew there was something special about her, but it began to dawn on me how intense that specialness was. Seeing her with Juniper and Red made me realize there weren’t just things to like about Jess – there were things to love.
She glanced up, a small smile on her face. “Penny for your thoughts?”
That was another thing – she was sharp, observant. I wasn’t the lying sort, but if I were, she’d sure as shit be able to see through me every time.
“Thinking about you and Red. It was good to see. You’ve got a real touch with those animals. Ever think you’re in the wrong line of work?”
She took a sip of her coffee and smiled. “I’d have to know what line of work I’m in to answer that. Maybe I work with animals?”
“Could be.”
“Maybe I came here to study under the great Wyatt Walker, learn everything there is to know.” Another coy, sexy grin.
“Stranger things have happened,” I acknowledged with an egotistical nod, winking at her.
I continued eating and polished the rest of it off. Seconds sounded good, but I needed to wash up after the birth – a rinse of my hands under the kitchen sink wasn’t going to cut it.
“So,” she began, “what’s goin’ on for the rest of the day?”
“Still plannin’ that out,” I told her. “But for now, you and I need to wash up. Thinkin’ after that we can swing by the stables and make sure all’s good with the happy family.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
We finished and put our plates in the sink, then headed up to our rooms. Neither of us said a word, but it was clear something had changed between us after the birth. And it was something good.
When we reached her room, we stopped at her door. She turned to me and said, “Okay, I’ll…see you in a little bit?”
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