Page 41 of An Endless Memory

I groaned and closed my eyes. Another vet emergency. Between colic, arthritis, and regular maintenance, the vet costs were hemorrhaging the ranch. Life had been a different story when Sutton had worked for Knight’s Arabians and Cattle Company full-time.

“Alexander took her in. I told him I could report to you.”

I took my animals’ injuries personally. So did a lot of the guys, which was why they didn’t like telling me when something bad happened. I’d get pissed, they’d think I was blaming them, and none of our emotions would treat the animal.

“Doc isn’t sure about nerve damage. Won’t know for sure until the healing starts. He patched her up real good, said it was a good thing she didn’t take out her eye, and of course, there’d be an emergency surgery charge.”

I stuffed a huge hunk of pie in my mouth. Our emergency surgery charge would be extra high. The vet in town had hated the Knights for years. Sutton’s time with us had been a nice reprieve.

At least the horse got the treatment she needed, and Alexander would stay on top of it. I’d check her out as soon as I finished eating. The horse and the handler could relax for a bit.

I opened the bag and dropped the two silicone rings on the table. Both were black. With my job and Lily’s, any other color would get disgusting after a week. “Figured we should have something.”

Chambers folded his hands on the countertop and stared at the rings. “Oh?”

I shrugged and shoved another piece of pie in my mouth. The idea came to me, and I’d done it. “People’ve been asking around town.” One thing spread faster than fire in a dry field and that was gossip. “Might as well make it look official.”

“It is very much official.”

I shrugged again. We’d be married almost a month before I met her family.

Nerves made a tight ball in my gut. Few relationships had gotten serious enough for me to meet the parents. If the girls were local, I already knew them. Technically, Lily’s dad knew my brother. He might’ve talked to Barns before, which didn’t make me feel better. “I’ll just do an overnight when I go down for the recital.”

“Take the weekend, Eliot. What are you going to miss? Putting up hay?”

“The new hire is starting next week.”

“The Baltimore guy? I can show him the ropes until you get back. Take the weekend. Meet the ’rents.”

“You’ve got your own family.”

“Roxie likes to hang out here. She enjoys the country without having to do the work.” He took a slow drink of his coffee. “You talk to her lately?”

He meant Lily. He was being nosy again. “Not really, why?”

“Just thought you might be checking in on her.”

“I do.”

“Don’t you call her?”

“It’s not that type of deal. We don’t text every day.”

He made a noncommittal sound. “What’s she look like again?”

I put my dishes by the sink. “She’s a little shorter than Aggie. Her hair’s dark and curly. I’m sure she cut it short after Kellan was born. That kid’ll take a fistful of anything he can. She’s got these really cool eyes. They’re like so blue they’re purple.” Nice tits. Round ass. Cheeks that turned pink in a heartbeat. Made a guy think about what else would get her to flush. I gazed out the window over the sink. It faced toward the drive. “She’s stubborn. Hates people treating her like she can’t do anything. You can see it in her face. Won’t ask for help.” Wait. Why’d he care what she looked like? I glanced over my shoulder.

He took a slow drink from his mug, wearing a message in his gaze I didn’t care to interpret.

The pie sat like lead in my gut. “I’ll go check on the horse.”

Before I walked out the door, I changed out my ball cap for the old tan cowboy hat I wore for work. Outside, I tugged the brim down to block the wind and pulled out my phone.

I tapped out a message to Lily. How’s it going?

Fucking Chambers.

Nine

---