Page 22 of A Reckless Memory

“The cat at the trailer, living under the steps...with the kittens.”

Forgetting my hair, I leaned on the bathroom counter, staring into the phone like I was facing a boardroom. “I don’t have cats.”

He chuckled, and my belly clenched. “I’m all up in the pussy here, Aggie.”

A pulse between my thighs reminded me it liked when he was all up in the pussy. “Kittens?”

“Over a month old, I’d guess. Six of ’em. Mama cat’s in good shape. Friendly but skinny. I assumed they were dumped, and you let them stay.”

Damn. I should’ve expected that living in the country. I was still close enough to town to make my property a prime dumping ground. Which was why I hadn’t stressed about getting barn cats. They would find me.

But I wasn’t ready for them. “The trailer is right off the highway. Those kittens will get smacked in no time once they start moving around.”

“I can try to relocate them to the barn. Mama cat might stay if that’s where the food is.”

“Yeah, that’s fine.” As long as I didn’t imagine a cuddle puddle of kittens tucked in his strong arms. Swoon. “I gotta get to work, but I can bring some cat food home.”

“Don’t worry about it. I got it.”

Because he worked for me. “Um, thanks.”

“You got it, boss. Or should I call you Christie?”

I bit the inside of my cheek. I was alone in the bathroom. No one would see me smile. “I like the ring of ‘boss.’ Listen, I forgot to mention the vet’s coming tonight when I get done with work. He works late one night of the week.”

“Got it, boss.”

My traitorous mouth wanted to tip up again. “Text if you need anything. I’m in meetings all day.”

“Sounds amazing,” he said dryly. “I’m going to study the horses and come up with a plan.”

The spear of jealousy was sharper than expected, and I punched the button to hang up. I stared at myself in the mirror. I looked the same as my first day working a job in my career after college—work that didn’t include manure or dirt.

“Health insurance. Dental. Retirement.” I smoothed a hand over my bound hair. “Freedom.”

Freedom was hiring my lying ex to work my horse rescue, but from where I stood at this moment, it looked a lot like footing the bill for someone else to live my dream.

Which was ironically what he would’ve done for me with Daddy’s money had we gotten married.

Five

Ansen

Aggie could’ve let me deal with the vet, but that wouldn’t be her. She liked to be in the thick of it. But when Dr. Jake Burrows hopped out of his red Dodge pickup, I got suspicious. She had told me she hadn’t met him before, just talked to him on the phone.

After seeing him, I didn’t think there was anyone with hormones who’d want to miss Dr. Jake’s visits.

The guy was a couple inches shorter than me but still six feet tall, with a stocky build that lent well to western-cut jeans and cowboy boots. His grin wasn’t dental-ad ready, with a slight chip on one front tooth and the type of mildly uneven teeth that wasn’t bad enough for braces. He wore a red-and-gray-plaid shirt with a deep-green, puffy vest and managed not to look like he was celebrating Christmas early.

I’d worked with a ton of Dr. Jakes in my time and most of them hadn’t been veterinarians. Many of them had been players, but I hadn’t cared. They were country guys with ready smiles and casual attitudes that put everyone at ease. I hadn’t given them a second thought other than how I worked with them.

I fucking hated Dr. Jake on sight.

Same with the way Aggie smiled and laughed with him as they talked about the rescues. He’d been through all the horses—two geldings and three mares. I’d stood back to watch how the animals dealt with him and how the animals communicated with each other when someone was working with them.

My mental list was long.

“They’re filling out real nice and their winter coats are looking better than when Tanya had them.”

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