Page 439 of Conveniently Wed
Spring 1866
“Why, you little cheater,” Colby smacked Katie’s arm as she laid down her winning hand.
Josiah looked up and laughed. “You’re a sore loser, partner.”
“I’m sure your wife looked at my cards when I got up to get a drink.”
“Rule one, never drink and play at the same time.” Josiah loved it when he and Kat ganged up on poor Colby. Every other time, Colby effortlessly took over the conversations, winning Katherine’s attention with his quirky humor—all so very irritating. But game night, Josiah was solidly on Kat’s side—and she his.
“Drat.” Colby threw down the cards.
Kat smirked and winked at Josiah.
“I saw that wink. This time I did for sure.” Colby popped from his chair and pointed at her.
“We’ve been pulling you along all winter.” She laughed. “Do you realize how many times you get up in a game, go to theouthouse, get a drink, get something to eat. It’s been so easy to look at your hand. Or Josiah will feign tiredness, get up to stretch, and stand behind you.” She held up her fingers mimicking the sign language they shared.
Josiah leaned back in his chair. “Ahhh. Why did you tell him, Kat? This is the best part of my week.”
“Because spring is around the corner and games will be no more when the mares begin foaling. I think it was time to put him out of his misery, don’t you?”
He wished someone would put him out of his misery. He adored her fun-loving ways, how kind and attentive she was, their ever-deepening friendship, but still he waited for the words he wanted to hear more than life itself. And they never came. And the way those two teased back and forth was a constant source of irritation. Why did they have to hit it off so well?
“You owe me one game, Katie,” Colby said. “Without the two of you working together. I need to know if I can whip you. I know I can beat this old man here”—he nudged Josiah’s arm—“because I did it many times before you came into the picture, but you owe me.”
“You’re on.”
Josiah cringed at Colby’s term. Old man. He wanted to deck him one and show him just how old he wasn’t.
Katie dealt the cards. Her brow bunched together, and she chewed her lower lip. Oh, how he loved that girl.
“You show him, Kat?—”
“Boss. Boss.” Hank barreled in. “One of the mares has gone into labor too soon. We have ourselves a problem.”
Josiah jumped to his feet, his pulse thudding. Colby beat him to the door, and Katie was right on his heels. Josiah fell in behind them all as they headed to the barn.
The mare, Gloria, moaned and lowered her large head to the hay. Katie smoothed her hand down the mare’s mane. “Come on, girl, you can do this.”
Josiah worked in tandem with Colby like they always did. They’d done this enough, words weren’t necessary.
“That’s it, Gloria, you’re almost done,” Josiah coaxed.
“Got him.” Colby positioned the tiny foal in the hay. “We have ourselves a colt.”
Katie moved in with blankets, ready to dry off the tiny foal.
As she dried the colt, Josiah rubbed the weary mare’s head. “We’ll stay with them to see if he can stand. We need to keep a small one like this real warm.”
They watched the colt for hours, but the tiny animal never did learn to stand. Or feed. More than three hours had passed before Josiah shook his head. “Looks like we’ll lose this one.”
“Please let me take him into the kitchen and feed him.” Katherine turned to him, her large blue eyes spilling with tears. “I’ll do the work. I’ll stay up. I believe this little guy can make it.”
He didn’t want to tell her what he’d seen too many times before. Even if the foal lived, the premature ones often grew with crooked legs because of their underdeveloped system. “Sorry, but there’s little hope. Even if he survives, he most likely won’t develop as he should.”
“Please, Josiah.”
Colby laid a hand on his shoulder. “I know I shouldn’t say anything, but let her try.”
