Total pages in book: 98
Estimated words: 95712 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 479(@200wpm)___ 383(@250wpm)___ 319(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95712 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 479(@200wpm)___ 383(@250wpm)___ 319(@300wpm)
“You and Rhett?” she asked quietly.
I nodded. “Caroline and I are divorcing.”
She blinked a few times, opened her mouth to speak, then quickly shut it. When she didn’t say anything, Caden cleared his throat. That seemed to snap her out of her shock.
“Wow, I…I’m so sorry to hear that.”
Shrugging, I replied, “Don’t be. It’s harder on Rhett than it is on me. It’s been a long time coming.”
Emeline looked at her brother, then back to me. “I just can’t imagine how difficult this is on poor Rhett. Will you share custody?”
“That conversation would require more time, plus I wanted to talk to you about camp for Rhett. Are you free for lunch?”
“Um,” she glanced at her watch, “I’ve got a few things to do, but I could join you guys.”
Caden quickly piped up. “It’ll be just the two of you. I’ve got a meeting at one.”
Her head snapped back to look at me, and for a moment, I thought for sure she was going to decline the lunch entirely. Instead, after a pause, she nodded. “Are you going to be around here for a bit longer, or should we meet somewhere in town?”
“Caden asked me to come and take a look at a horse; so how about if I give you thirty minutes? Is that enough time?”
“Which horse?” she asked her brother.
Caden laughed and held up his hands once again. “Just want him to take a look at Aurora.” Before she could say anything else, he added, “Nothing’s wrong. Just with it being her first foal, I wanted to make sure all was okay.”
“Caden, you do realize I’m in charge of this area of the ranch?”
He grinned. “I do believe I’m still your boss.”
Emeline rolled her eyes, and I had to look away before I laughed. Same stubborn Emeline…and Caden. They were two peas in a pod.
She finally looked back at me.
“Thirty minutes?” I asked again.
“Yes,” she said with a smile. “Just come by and get me. This is my office.”
She pointed to a room that used to be the tack room.
“You’re not sharing your office space with the tack, are you?”
Emeline let out a laugh, and it made my chest flutter. What in the hell was that about?
“No, we moved the tack room. It’s just an office now.”
I nodded and replied, “Then I’ll see you in a few.”
“See you then.”
Turning, she quickly headed into her office, shutting the door with a soft click.
I pulled my eyes from the door and turned to Caden, who motioned for me to follow him. We went through the barn and turned a corner, and I heard a horse nickering.
“That’s our Aurora. She’s the most vocal horse I’ve ever met.”
I smiled. When we approached a stall, the horse looked up. One ear was forward, the other back, indicating her attention was divided at the moment.
“Who’s in the next stall?” I asked.
Caden looked at me. “How’d you know there was a horse in there?”
“Well, there wasn’t one in the stall we passed, and Aurora here has her attention divided between us and something else. I’m guessing another horse next to her.”
“There’s a mare in there with her three-day-old foal.”
Pointing to the door, I asked, “May I?”
“Yep,” Caden replied. “Please do.”
Walking into the stall, I spoke in a soft voice. It didn’t take long for Aurora to give me her full attention. She was a sweet horse, and she nickered a few more times.
“She is vocal.”
“Told you.”
“She’s eaten today?”
“Yes.”
I moved around her and took a good look from all sides. “She’s dropped, and her sides are sinking in a bit.” I moved to the back and attempted to lift her tail, to which she protested slightly. “Her tendons are getting looser, that’s a good sign.”
Glancing under the horse, I took a look at her udders. I glanced at Caden and asked, “Do you have cameras in the stalls?”
He frowned. “No, I honestly haven’t thought about adding any. I’ll have to talk to Emeline about it. She runs the equine part of the ranch, as she mentioned, so she knows the budget best, along with my mother.”
“How many months have you known she’s been pregnant?”
“Eleven months.”
I nodded. “I know you know this, but once her water breaks, if she doesn’t birth the foal within twenty minutes, you need to give me a call. First-time moms may not exhibit any signs of labor, so I highly recommend using a camera. Also, I suggest getting the horse and foal in the next stall out. If Aurora is agitated by the noise from next door, she’ll hold off on her labor.”
About two minutes later, Emeline walked up with Marshall. “Sorry to interrupt. We’re going to take Kamaria and Lynx out to give Aurora some privacy. She’s easily distracted, and I don’t want their presence to hinder her labor.”
Caden smirked. “There’s a reason she’s in charge over here.”