Page 259 of Things Left Unsaid

Zee: You’re not wrong…

Parker: But you don’t ranch sheep?

Zee: Cattle. And horses. One’s going into labor. She’s an old lady and Colt’s stallion broke into her stall and managed to put a bun in her oven. He’s scared she won’t make it through and thinks it’s his fault

Parker: So, what you’re telling me is that Colt’s horse is into non-con?

Zee: If you ever decide to leave your safe spaces and come visit us, I’ll intro you to Cole. He’s into romance too. In a big way.

Parker: You made him ten times hotter and I was already in love with his pink pants and skating skills.

Zee: *snorts* He didn’t wear them today

Parker: I can’t wait for tomorrow night’s game. The Stars are going to bust some balls. I’m surprised he managed to take any time off

Zee: Think it’s because he’s friendly with his GM and he’s cutting it close. He’ll attend Callan and the triplets’ graduation, then he and his fiancée are outta here.

Parker: You had a BBQ with Cole Korhonen…

Parker: *swoons*

Zee: ;)

Zee: We also had a showdown, got interrupted by the cops, and there was an arrest…

Parker: WHAT?

Zee: TTYL

Parker: You can’t leave me hanging like this!!!!!!

Zee: Sure I can. ;)

Colt

“Iswear today’s a punishment for the sins I committed in a past life,” I grumble as I run my hand over my head, wishing I could do something for Harriet when there’s nothing to be done during a healthy labor.

My fingers, knuckles, and wrists ache from the pounding I served Clyde earlier and my voice is nasal after my face met Cole’s fist, but it’sallworth it.

The sense of accomplishment in my chest is at odds with the gnawing anxiety for Harriet.

After the day we had, Callan can’t lose Harriet too.

Having canceled Cole’s birthday party, I forced Callan to go to bed because it’s his graduation tomorrow and he knows she’s in good hands. I don’t want to wake him up with the news that his father was charged with trespassing and fabricating evidence (no vehicular manslaughter charge yet) and that his horseandher foal died during labor.

“I’m surrounded by melodramatic people,” Zee grouches, but the arm she’s slung around my waist tightens in a half hug.

“She’s done this so many times, she’s an old pro,” Margot, our vet, chirps from my other side. “You need to take a chill pill, Colt.”

“Is that your official diagnosis?”

“Yup!”

Barely an hour ago, Harriet’s foal alert warned us she was going into labor and Margot bounded in fifteen minutes later. We were lucky she was at Theo’s ranch.

Bea’s sister Margot has been with us for years. Once the breeding program becomes more established, I intend to hire her full-time.

As used to this process as I am, it doesn’t stop me from wincing when Harriet drops to her forelegs and tumbles onto her side.

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