Total pages in book: 142
Estimated words: 133849 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 669(@200wpm)___ 535(@250wpm)___ 446(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 133849 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 669(@200wpm)___ 535(@250wpm)___ 446(@300wpm)
Grim put the truck in reverse as a tall blonde stepped out of the door next to Nicole’s. She glanced up and down the street and then started for the office. “Don’t you want to get her out of here? Although the new guest looks like she doesn’t belong here either.”
Maybe the clientele was changing. Or the blonde hadn’t realized what a dump the place was when she booked it online. If this motel even had a website. “Damn straight. I’m planning on getting her out of here as soon as possible, but we have to be tricky about it. We need a game plan, brother.”
“Well, we’re pretty good at coming up with one of those.” Grim started down the highway that would take them to the ranch. “You’ll come back and hang with her while I deal with the problem. And I’ll talk to Abby and ask her to curb her enthusiasm. But I don’t think feeding Nicole is going to scare her off.”
No. She’d eaten everything they’d put in front of her the night before, and she’d done it with relish. Like food had been nothing but a necessity for a while now. Like she hadn’t indulged in a long time.
They talked about how to gently ease her into the relationship as they drove to the ranch. When they pulled in, the first thing Josh saw was his pops stepping out of the big barn, a concerned look on his face. Sam Fleetwood was a sunny man who smiled most of the time, so his expression had Josh sitting up.
“Damn it.” Grim parked the truck, obviously getting the same vibes he was.
Josh followed him, slamming the door behind him. Olivia was walking out from the main house, carrying two bottles of water. Grim jogged across the lawn toward the barn, but Josh caught his sister.
“What’s going on?”
Olivia kept walking. “I don’t know. Dad’s been cussing up a storm, and Pops is worried. They were going to call Grim in, but I told them you were already on the way. They didn’t want to disturb you.”
“I’m supposed to be disturbed,” Grim called out. “I’m a damn doctor. I did not go to seven years of school for fun.”
Grim took that shit seriously, as his father was about to be reminded.
Pops nodded as Grim ran inside then turned to Josh. “It’s not good. She won’t stop vomiting. I have no idea what the hell is going on. I’m heading out to the pasture she’s been in to see if she could have gotten into something she shouldn’t have.”
“I’ll go with you. I’ll grab the ATV,” Olivia offered. “Mom told me to make sure you’re hydrated.” She pressed one bottle into Pop’s hand and gave the other to Josh. “Make sure Dad gets this, and I’ve got my cell if you need me. Mom’s inside. She could not handle the smell.”
Josh stepped inside the barn and could understand his mother’s hesitation. The acrid smell of vomit reached his nose, and he had zero idea how his father and Grim were standing there like it didn’t affect them.
“I need to take some samples, but she’s been ingesting something toxic,” Grim said, dropping to one knee. The heifer was lying on her side, her swollen belly obvious. “I don’t know if we’re going to lose the calf or not. It depends on what she’s been eating.”
“Sam’s going out to investigate,” his father said. He looked up as Josh walked in. “Hey. I’m sorry to call you. I know you were on a date.”
“It’s fine.” He wondered how long his father had been up. Likely since dawn. His fathers still rose early, the cowboy in them so deeply ingrained it was hard for them to take time off. “I’m going to help out here and then go back and pick her up. I thought she could come to Sunday dinner, if Mom can refrain from embroidering her name on the family quilt.”
The words brought a smile to his father’s eyes. “You know she only wants you to be happy.”
“I think sometimes she’s pointing out I’m not getting any younger and she already had Lexi by my age. Well, Lexi was already in grade school by my age.” He put a hand over his nose. “She does not understand how hard it is for two men to find a wife. She had it easy.”
His father put a hand on his shoulder and led him back out. “Don’t you say that around her. You know she’s had it hard, and it’s never stopped. And you need to think about your momma’s experience when it comes to dating this young lady. What do we know about her?”
“I know I care about her,” Josh admitted. “I know I felt an instant connection to her.”
A brow rose over his dad’s eyes. “And after a single night you want to bring her to meet your family?”