Page 36 of Hooking Up

They ordered breakfasts and a pot of coffee, but a few minutes later when the platter of ham and eggs was placed before him, Quint couldn’t remember having ordered it.

He picked up his fork tines down and stabbed the ham with enough force to kill it a second time.

Carter’s rough fingers on his wrist stopped him. Their gazes met, and Quint’s chest walls flexed around his thudding heart.

“I know. You’re right. I can’t take it personally that she runs from us.”

“If we give her enough rope, she won’t feel tethered. The last thing we want to do is tie down a woman like Bella.” Carter was annoyingly calm about all of this.And right.

Quint sliced off a chunk of ham and stuffed it into his mouth. All of the hours spent with her were the best of his life, and he didn’t want to live through the hours when they weren’t together.

“I’ve fallen for her.”

Carter gave him a crooked grin. “Me too. Feels good, doesn’t it?”

He found himself smiling back, his heart more buoyant than it had been minutes before. “Yeah, it does.”

The door opened with a tinkle, and he glanced up automatically. The ham stuck in his throat and he choked as he saw the expression on their cowgirl’s beautiful face.

He got to his feet, coughing. Carter whipped around and jumped up too when he spotted Bella. Carter reached her first. “What happened?”

Her features were twisted in pain and her cheeks tracked with tears. Quint placed a hand on her waist and felt a slight tremor within her. “What’s going on?” he asked.

With a wild look around, she said, “Outside.”

They started out the door, but the waitress hollered, “Hey, you haven’t paid!”

Quint swung back and tossed a bill on the counter and then followed his lovers out of the diner. The sunny morning didn’t reflect the devastation on Bella’s face. He caught her bythe shoulders and forced her to meet his gaze. “Tell us what’s wrong.”

“It’s Josey. When we came out of that last turn at the race, I felt her shift. I knew something was wrong and sure enough, she’s favoring that leg. The tendons were hot and swollen almost immediately.”

“Oh shit.” Carter wrapped an arm around her middle.

“What can we do? Where is she?”

“I took her out right away and tracked down the first vet I could find. He looked at her and said it’s beyond him. So he sent me to another guy. But they need to do surgery, and I don’t know.” Her voice broke and fresh tears splashed down her face. “I didn’t know what to do and I had to find you guys.”

“Take us to her,” he said.

She nodded and led them to her truck. When Quint got behind the wheel, she started to protest, but he said, “You’re in no condition to drive safely. You came after us for a reason. Let us help you.”

With supreme effort, she sucked back her tears and Carter put her into the passenger seat before he jumped into the back seat. She gave them directions to the next town over. As Quint drove, he realized what it really meant that she’d tracked them down at the diner. It showed just how deep she was entwined in their unorthodox relationship too.

Reaching across the console, he rested his hand over hers. She blinked back more tears, but the love shining in her eyes was enough for him even if she was never able to voice it without a hell of a lot of attitude and a smart comeback or two.

He squeezed her fingers. “You trust this vet?”

“I-I don’t know what to think. I have to admit I’m not good at this sort of thing and I’m sort of…emotional.” She gulped asob. “If they fuck up her leg, she’s done racing. I don’t want to put her out to pasture and find another horse.”

“We get it,” Carter said. In the rearview mirror, he met Quint’s gaze. Understanding snapped between them. They were in this for the long haul—all of them. Quint wasn’t letting either of them go.

“We won’t let that happen. I have some experience with vets. Let me talk to him?” he asked her.

She nodded and gave a sniffle. Carter gave her his clean hanky, and she mopped her face. Half an hour later they were pulling into a clean-looking animal hospital. Quint parked her truck and trailer and each of them took one of Bella’s hands and together they went to see what could be done for her horse.

“Whatever happens, you have us, all right?” he whispered against her ear.

She nodded. “I know.”