Page 24 of His Eighth Ride

He didn’t wait for her to answer, because he’d already lost so much time today, and he’d lose even more taking Boots to the vet. But he couldn’t wait to see Opal again in a more boyfriend-like capacity.

eight

Opal came running out of the farmhouse, her coat flapping behind her as she’d only put in one arm. She tried unsuccessfully to get the other one as she hurried down the steps, but in the end, she abandoned the quest. Tag’s truck would be warm anyhow.

She didn’t believe for a moment he’d put Boots in the bed, and sure enough, she found the crate on the floor in the back of the king cab. “Hey,” she said breathlessly. “Wow, I’ve done more running for you in the past twelve hours than I have in twelve months.” She gave him a smile as she finally got her right arm into its sleeve and reached for her seatbelt.

“You ready?”

“Yes,” she said. “Sorry I was late. I was just…sorry I was late.”

“No, finish that,” he said with plenty of teasing in his voice. “Why were you late?”

“Because.” She held her head up high. “I don’t have to feel bad because I love West.”

“Yeah, that baby has you wrapped around all of his chubby fingers.” Tag chuckled. “He’s a cute baby, so I guess I can’t blame you.”

“He was answering the phone,” Opal said with such joy running through her. “He’d call, and I’d make this ringing noise with my mouth, right? And then he’d pick up the phone and go, ‘Eh-o,’ and it’s just the cutest thing in the world.”

Opal sighed with such love, and West wasn’t even her baby. She looked over to Tag. “Do you want kids, Tag?”

“Yeah, I wouldn’t mind havin’ kids,” he said.

“You don’t talk about your family much.”

He gave her a look out of the corner of his eye. “I was—am—sort of this outsider in my family.”

“What does that mean?” Opal truly hadn’t heard him say much about his twin brothers, other than he had them, or his parents, other than they’d moved to Louisville after their sons had grown up and left home.

“I don’t know,” Tag said. “The twins always had each other, right? And I was quite a bit older than them, and I just always feel like I’m on the outside of whatever they’re doing.”

“And your parents?” Opal spoke in a soft, soothing voice, because she sometimes had to in order to get patients to talk. “They’re still together?”

“Actually, no,” he said. “Mama wanted to go back to Alabama after they moved to Louisville. Daddy didn’t. They split up.” He looked over to her. “They’re in their mid-sixties. Doing good enough. I talk to my mama the most, but Daddy texts every now and then.”

Opal looked out her window, her thoughts blurring by the same way the landscape did. Tag drove toward Ivory Peaks this time, as the vet was in another town just north of there. “I sometimes feel outside of my family too,” she said. “The only girl, youngest child, all of that.”

“Mm.”

“I’m looking to buy somewhere around here,” she said next, not sure why she’d brought this up with him.

“You are?”

“Well, I can’t live with my brother and his family forever,” she said wistfully. “Even if I want to.”

“Around here?”

“Yes.” She looked over to him. “Does that make you happy?” She gave a light laugh and took his hand in hers. “I don’t want to go too far. Gerty still needs help with West, and now that Jane’s—” She cut herself off, but the damage had been done.

Tag wasn’t a dumb cowboy, and he met her eyes. “She’s gonna have a baby?”

“It’s a secret,” Opal said. “I’m sworn to secrecy.”

“I’ll be sure Boots doesn’t tell anyone,” he said dryly.

Opal laughed then, glad things between them could happen so easily. So carefree. “I haven’t told anyone but Jane about buying someplace of my own,” she said. “So it’s another secret I need you to carry for me.”

“At this rate, I won’t be able to talk to anyone.” He chuckled and brought her knuckles to his lips. “Thanks for coming with me.”

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