Page 19 of Better Together

“I’ll have Colt do it,” Ava said.

Not Colt. He’d make a big fuss when he found out about her bloody nose, but beggars couldn’t be choosers. “Thanks.”

“Do you need new clothes?”

“I have an extra outfit in my truck.” She’d wised up after she fell in the puddle yesterday.

“Okay. I’ll head out to the barn to help Hadley and Jess with the kids.”

Remi pinched her nose and tilted her head back, hoping there weren’t any surprises on the trail. “Thanks. I’ll be there as soon as this nose stops bleeding.”

“Don’t rush. Just take care of yourself.”

“Thanks. See you soon.”

Remi hung up the call and checked the screen. Blood was smeared over the phone, and she wiped it on her jeans. Stupid nose didn’t know when to quit.

She made it to her truck just as the phone rang. She slipped into the cab and answered it.

“Hello.”

“Are you okay? What do you need?” Colt asked quickly.

Just as she’d suspected, Colt was going to overreact. She hated to cause a fuss, but it was nice to know someone cared enough to seek her out and make sure she was okay.

“I’m fine, and I just need you to get a shirt to Hadley at the barn. The kid wears a size ten. There are lots of options in the closet in the kids’ activities center.”

“I’m on it. What about you? Ice? Water?”

Remi smiled, and the expression caused a new wave of tears. These new tears weren’t the effect of the blow. They were the emotional kind that pulled in her chest and constricted her throat. “Ice would be great.”

“I’ll meet you in Jameson’s office as soon as I get back from the barn.”

Remi hung up without a good-bye. If she said one more word, the silent tears would turn into sobs. She rarely got emotional, but it was hard to act like the kindness of her friends wasn’t stitching up the heart that had been broken all her life.

* * *

Remi slid into the driver’s seat of the Bronco and sighed. “I’m exhausted.”

Colt fastened his belt in the passenger seat and tossed his hat onto the dash. “You’re exhausted? You have no idea how tiring it is worrying about you all day every day. You’re a walking recipe for disaster. I sit on pins and needles waiting to hear about the next way you’ll stub your toe.”

Remi scoffed and started the engine. “You gotta stop worrying about me, Walker. I’ve made it this far on my own.”

“Not a chance, princess. You’re stuck with me and my neurotic worrying. How’s the sniffer?”

Remi ran her fingertip over the bridge of her nose again. There was a little bump, but it might just be swelling from the hit. She still didn’t think it was truly broken. “It still works, so it’s all good.”

She backed out and headed toward the road leading out of the ranch. When Colt didn’t say anything, she glanced over to find him watching her.

“What? What’s wrong with you?”

Colt was never quiet, and his silence was a big red flag.

“Nothing.” He sat back against the seat and turned his attention to the road ahead. “Did you hear the news about Ava?”

Remi’s grip tightened on the wheel. They’d have a baby on the ranch soon, and while she was full of excitement for Jameson and Ava, the nagging reminder that other people her age were starting families hit a sore spot. “Yeah. That’s good news for them, but I hope the morning sickness wears off soon.”

“Me too. She looks miserable. It’s great that we’ll have a kid around the ranch soon. Mr. Chambers is excited to be a great-grandpa.”

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