Me: OK
I had no idea what else to put. I wanted to type in so many things. “So?” or “Fuck you.” or “Deal.”
He responded right away.
Dax: You better B bringing the other batch with U. Or else.
Tears filled my eyes instantly. There was no escape. He wanted the ketamine however I could get it. I was too far into this now. I should’ve gone to the police from the start. Shoulda, woulda, coulda.
“Charlie!” Clint shouted.
I wiped my eyes and dropped my cell back into my bag. “In here!” I called back, then stuck my head out Seraphina’s stall.
He was coming my way at a fast clip, but there was a smile on his face, cutting through my instant worry. “I think you’re about to be a momma.”
I instantly thought of Levi and the condoms we’d used. They’d worked, as far as I knew, and I was on the pill.
“Shadow seems to be in labor.” He opened the stall door for me. “Come on.”
We walked together to the bunk house, our steps quick. From Levi’s bedroom, we’d moved Shadow to a comfortable corner in the main room where others could come in and check on her. We’d shifted the couches so she was enclosed with the wall on one side, the backs of the couches on two others so she felt like she had a pseudo-nest. She had the old blankets beneath her, so she was comfortable. By the time we got to her, two puppies had slid out already.
I put my finger to my lips so Clint stayed quiet. Shadow knew what to do, and I would only mess with the process. I’d only help if needed. After another was delivered and Shadow was licking off the membrane, I looked to Clint who watched the process leaning over the back of the couch.
“Got a heating pad around?” I whispered.
He nodded, then went to retrieve it, and I tucked it beneath the blankets so the babies would stay warm. Clint took the cord and plugged it in.
All in all, there were eight pups total. Some were all black, the others black and white. They were tiny and perfect and nursing from a proud Shadow.
By dinnertime, news had spread of the new ranch babies, and everyone had stopped by to visit.
“I agreed to board one extra horse not nine dogs,” a large cowboy teased, adjusting his hat on his head. A beautiful redhead scooted around from behind him and dropped to her knees in front of the puppies.
“Oh. So cute!” she gasped.
I scrambled to my feet and brushed off my jeans.
“I’m Rob Wolf, owner of this ranch.” He gave me a small smile and held out his hand. “Sorry I haven’t come by to introduce myself before now.”
“Charlie Banbrook.”
“You’re not a man,” he said with a wink.
“That’s what everyone tells me,” I countered. “Nice to meet you. Thanks for having me and Seraphina. The dogs I didn’t bring, but surprise!” I opened my fingers in jazz hands and shook them.
He chuckled then tipped his chin toward the redhead. “This is my wife, Willow.”
Willow. Right. The DEA agent.
I started sweating, as if she might somehow sniff me out just being in close proximity. She looked at me and grinned. “This is so much better than picking out fencing.”
I remembered that Marina had said they’d gone to Billings to man shop.
“Nice to meet you.” I joined Willow on the floor by the pups.
“We’re keeping one.” Willow stroked Shadow’s ears. It wasn’t a question, it was a firm statement, like she dared Rob to disagree.
I looked over my shoulder at her husband when she didn’t.
He shrugged. “Happy mate, happy fate.”
It was a strange variation of the “happy wife, happy life,” and both Clint and Willow looked askance at him.
“What?” He lifted his shoulder again. “It’s true. You went fencing shopping which made me happy,” he said to Willow. “Now you get to pick a puppy which makes you happy.”
Willow smiled at him and shook her head as if he were an idiot. But I didn’t think she’d argue since he agreed to the puppy.
“I checked Shadow for a microchip, but she doesn’t have one,” I said aloud, figuring everyone would want to know. “I also called the local animal shelter to tell them we had her, but they hadn’t had a dog matching her description reported missing.”
“Well, we’ll keep Shadow, for sure,” Willow said. “But I definitely want one of her puppies as well.”
“Becky wants one, too,” Clint said.
“So do I,” Marina piped in. “I know Boyd will want one, too. For Lizzie.
“Somehow I have a feeling this place is going to overrun with dogs before this is all over,” Rob said ruefully, but he wore an indulgent smile.
“Sorry,” I said, mock cringing.
“No, we’re so grateful you found Shadow and fixed her broken leg. Another day out in that canyon, and she could’ve died,” Clint said.