Page 19 of Need Me
An athletic woman, Kate wasn’t going to let pregnancy get in the way of keeping fit. His stomach churned at the idea of Kate having a child. Would she expect him to babysit? His world began to spin out of control at thatidea.
Robert shook his head. “Raincheck? I’ll probably have to run to the store for whatever I need to make dinner and I have some other errands,too.”
Kate poked his arm. “Okay, but your ass is mine tomorrow morning. Make sure your phone is charged. Plus, I want to hear all about your datetonight.”
Robert scooped up Sketch and laughed as they walked out to Kate’s truck. “You’re sonosy.”
“And you weren’t when I started dating Ric?” Katechallenged.
“Touché.” Robert opened her door. “I’m glad that he’s cool with us being best friendsnow.”
Kate got in the truck and shut the door. “You really pissed him off that first day,” she said through the open window. “He wasfurious.”
Robert couldn’t resist a smile. “It was fun messing with him.” Ric was Tyler’s partner in the investment firm, and when he’d first come sniffing around Kate, Robert wondered if the playboy millionaire was simply bored. He didn’t want to see his best friend Kate hurt again. She’d lost her fiancé a few years back and she didn’t need to fall for a guy who wasn’t going to hang around. But Ric proved he was the stay in Coopers Creek kind of guy, and showed he was head over heels in love withKate.
“I could’ve killed you,” Kate said. “Seventomorrow?”
“Yes, milady,” Robertconfirmed.
“Bye, Robbie,” Katesaid.
“Seeya.”
He watched her pull out onto the main road and hoped that Chase would come through forhim.
* * *
“Idon’t believe it,”Robert said an hour later. “Kate wasright.”
He’d just finished grooming Precious and exited the barn to see Chase’s new Lexus RX 400h SUV turning onto his lane. Waving, he walked towards the house as Chase stopped the fuel-efficient car and gotout.
“Hey,Chase.”
Chase smiled and opened the hatch. “Hey,yourself.”
“What’s going on?” Robertasked.
“I’m here to save your bacon is what’s goingon.”
Robert grinned. “Is thatso?”
“Yep. C’mon and help me carry this stuff in,” Chasesaid.
Going over to the SUV, Robert looked at all the grocery bags in the back. There were also a few boxes with pictures of pots and pans onthem.
“What the heck did you do?” Robertasked.
Chase hefted a few bags. “Well, it’s like Granddaddy always said; you can’t teach someone something without the righttools.”
Robert met Chase’s dark gaze. “What do youmean?”
Chase turned towards the house. A second later a very unmanly scream erupted from him and he dropped a couple of bags when he jumped back, banging into thecar.
“Damn it, Robert! Don’t you ever put Sketch in a crate orsomething?”
The skunk grunted as he attempted to climb Chase’s jean-cladleg.
“Chase, I keep telling you that he’s not going to hurt you. He can’t spray you. He’s de-scented.”
