“I’ll bet.” Brant was glad to see Cade looking so good—tanned, fit and happy.
“Yeah, I haven’t seen that trick in ages.” Lexi, one of the main reasons for Cade’s happiness, moved in for her hug. A bundle of energy with a curly mop of brown hair, she was the daughter of Rosie and Herb’s closest friends and had been part of Thunder Mountain life for years. “Every ranch needs a resident magician.”
Aria’s frown had reappeared. “Can you really lift that foal in the air? I thought you were making that up.”
“I was.” He’d never come across a more serious woman than Aria Danes.
Her smile was faint, but at least she knew how to create one. “Just wanted to make sure. I don’t want this foal floating anywhere.”
“No floating, I promise.” He felt a tug of sympathy for her. Everyone else knew him well. They could separate jokes from fact.
Lexi stepped into the breach. “You have to take everything Brant says with a grain of salt, but on the plus side, you don’t have to worry that he’ll ever get mad at you. You can’t rile this cowboy. Believe me, I’ve tried.”
Cade laughed. “We’ve all tried. My specialty was rubber snakes tucked into a guy’s bunk. I got a rise out of everyone but Brant. He named that rubber snake Elmer and treated it like a beloved pet. Then he—”
“Hate to interrupt.” Herb’s gentle voice from the depths of the stall brought them all back to the matter at hand. “But it’s show time.” His comment was punctuated with a loud groan from the mare.
Brant walked to the stall door and looked in. Lucy, a golden palomino the color of the setting sun, lay on her side with her flanks heaving. Herb moved with the brisk efficiency of a man twenty years younger as he crouched behind the mare. He’d put on his glasses, always a sign the birth was imminent.
Opening the unlatched stall door, Brant slipped inside. “Hey, Dad.”
He glanced up. “Good to see you, son.”
“You’re looking chipper. Teaching must agree with you.”
“I had no idea I’d love it so much.” He smiled at Brant. “Like old times being together like this, huh?”
“Sure is. Nice feeling.”
“Yep.” Herb held his gaze for a moment before clearing his throat. “All righty, then. You take her head and I’ll handle the business end, just like we’ve always done.”
“Got it.” Nudging his hat back, Brant dropped to his knees in the straw and began stroking Lucy’s sweaty neck. “Easy does it, sweetheart,” he crooned. “Just relax and let nature take its course.”
Lucy snuffled in response.
He laid his hand against the vein pulsing in her neck and held it there. “You’ll be fine,” he murmured, “and your baby will be fine. Just go with it. No worries, Lucy.”
She groaned again and quieted.
“Good,” Herb said. “I just felt her relax. Keep talking.”
Brant settled into the rhythm he’d developed over the years. Moving his hand in slow circles, he congratulated Lucy on the beautiful baby she was about to bring into the world. He praised her bravery and talked about what a good mother she would be.
What joy he felt during these moments. Every time he watched a birth, he felt like a kid on Christmas morning. Or rather, the way he imagined a kid who’d had a typical childhood might feel. His type-A dad had always been on the phone or his computer, even on Christmas morning. Probably why he’d died so young.
With luck and good care, the foal would live thirty or even forty years. It would bring happiness to many people and would be trustworthy because he would teach it not to be afraid. He couldn’t guarantee that every foal’s life would be perfect, but he only accepted jobs when he knew the people in charge were kind.
If Rosie approved of Aria, that was good enough for him. The brother was an unknown, but Rosie must have faith that Aria could handle that situation, too. He believed horses could work miracles with people, so he’d do his part to help this plan along.
“I see the forelegs.” Herb’s voice vibrated with excitement.
Love for his foster father gripped him in a warm embrace. The guy had been delivering foals for many years, yet he still felt the thrill. Herb and Rosie Padgett had been wonderful role models for all their foster boys.
Lucy shifted beneath his hand and her flanks heaved. “Doing great, Lucy,” he said softly. “A few more minutes and we’ll meet your little one.”
“There’s the nose.” Herb nearly chortled with glee.
Someone sucked in a breath. Brant glanced up to see Aria white-knuckling the stall door as she stared at the emerging foal with wide eyes. Rosie, Lexi and Cade had given her the front-row view.
“It’s going well, Aria,” Brant said quietly. He willed her to bring it down a notch.
She nodded without taking her attention from the foal. Then she took a deep breath and her shoulders relaxed a little. She was trying.
“And there you go,” Herb said. “Just like that. All done. Lucy, you have a beautiful little colt.” He reached for a bucket and began cleaning the glistening membrane away.
Brant glanced up at Aria and smiled. “Congratulations.”
“Thanks.” Her response was shaky and she blinked away tears as she continued to hold on to the stall door for support. Behind her the others kept up a happy little buzz of conversation. Their camera phones clicked many times, but Aria didn’t move.
“Yep, he looks great,” said Herb. “Brant, ready to switch with me while I check Lucy’s vitals?”
“You bet.” Brant traded places with Herb and sank to his knees next to the peach-colored colt. This little guy might turn out to be a palomino like his mom. “Pleased to meet you, buddy.” He picked up a clean towel from the stack Herb had brought in and began slowly wiping the colt’s damp coat while he murmured every compliment he could think of.
When the foal was reasonably dry, he discarded the towel and used his bare hands to massage the tiny body. Then he raised his voice enough that Aria would be able to hear him. “Does this fellow have a name?”
“Linus,” came the whispered reply.
That made him smile. Linus had been his favorite Peanuts character.
“Can I...can I come in?”
He mentally crossed his fingers. “Sure.” He kept his focus on the baby, who seemed relaxed. “Just do it slowly. No quick movements.”
Her flowery perfume was subtle, but he registered it as she knelt in the straw beside him. The straw must be rough on her bare knees, but she didn’t seem to notice. Her breathing was steady and he didn’t feel tension coming from her. For a moment she didn’t say anything.
He wasn’t surprised. Miracles had a tendency to rob people of speech. He would have been disappointed if she’d started chattering away, oblivious to the wonder of watching a life begin.
At last she spoke, awe in her voice. “He has a blaze.”
“Yep.”
“And blue eyes.”
“For now. They’ll darken later.”
“He’s...perfect.”
“Yes, he is.” The emotion in her voice matched what he felt every time he attended a birth. He didn’t know much about her, but judging from her reaction to this foal, he would get along with her. If she could manage to relax a little more, they’d get along even better.
2
AS THEY ALL headed back to the house for a celebratory dinner, Aria was still puzzling over this exceedingly tall and muscular cowboy with the gentle voice. Her high school memories of him were vague, although she’d recognized him the minute he’d walked into the barn. But she hadn’t spent any time with him before today and hadn’t been prepared for his laid-back attitude.
When it came to this foal, she wanted a trainer who had laser-like focus. Rosie had said Brant was the best, but Rosie was prejudiced. She thought all her foster boys were the best.
Aria couldn’t deny that Brant had concentrated on the task during Linus’s birth. He’d been calmer than Herb. Although she didn’t fully
trust his relaxed manner, she’d felt it settle over her like a soft blanket when she’d dropped to her knees to pet the foal.
Slowly her agitation had been replaced by awareness of Brant, the man. How unnecessary. How inappropriate. In spite of that, she’d noticed the ripple of muscles in his tanned forearms. She’d glanced at his profile and admired his strong nose and well-defined chin.
As if he’d felt her gaze on him, he’d looked her way. The warmth in his hazel eyes had stolen her breath. He loved animals. She could trust him with Linus. That might be all she needed to know.
On the way to the house, Cade, Lexi and Brant walked ahead with Cade’s gray cat, Ringo, trotting behind them. At one point Brant stopped, scooped up the cat and carried him. Ringo wore a blissed-out expression as he perched on Brant’s wide shoulder.
She couldn’t hear the cat purring at this distance, but with Brant stroking him, he must be. Brant made some remark about being a certified cat whisperer. Then he started whispering to Ringo and whatever he said sent Lexi and Cade into hysterics.
What a happy soul, this Brant Ellison. She wondered what it felt like to be that relaxed. She wouldn’t know.
Whether due to nature or nurture, both she and her brother had been high-energy kids who’d thrived on competition. She’d always known she’d run her own business someday and Josh had expected to ride his way to fame and fortune. Although fate had knocked him down, she was determined he’d get back up.
Brant must have been knocked down, too, or he wouldn’t have landed in foster care as a teenager. But if he’d been emotionally traumatized, he hid the damage well.
Rosie and Herb walked on either side of her on the way back to the house. “I’m sorry Josh wasn’t here.” Rosie’s voice was filled with compassion. “I know how much you wanted him to be a part of it.”
“He’d said he would come, but then he changed his mind. He must have had a bad day.”
“I’m sure it’s tough.” Herb took off his glasses and tucked them in his shirt pocket. “I’ve never had to use a wheelchair, thank God. Is he making any progress with his physical therapy?”
This was a recent development Aria hated talking about. “He’s stopped going. Says it’s no use.”
“Huh.” Herb tugged on the brim of his hat, a gesture that usually meant a cowboy was buying some thinking time. “He’d have an easier time working with Linus if he could get out of that chair.”
“I know. I thought he’d be motivated by Lucy’s impending due date. Instead he seemed to get more depressed.”
Rosie put her arm around Aria’s shoulders and gave her a quick hug of support. “Linus is a handsome colt. Wait’ll Josh gets a look at him. He won’t be able to resist that sweet baby.”
“He is handsome.” Aria’s throat tightened with gratitude. “Thank you both for making this possible. I didn’t have a clue what I was getting into.”
Rosie chuckled. “I could tell. I’m glad you went for the idea of boarding Lucy here.”
“So am I,” Herb said. “I haven’t delivered a foal since I retired. That was a blast.”
“You did a fabulous job, Herb. So did Brant.”
“He has the touch,” Herb said. “I knew that the first time I took him along on a call and watched him with a pregnant mare. Then he went nuts over the foal and he’s been in love with the process ever since.”
“So why didn’t he become a vet like you?”
“I can’t say for sure, but he never expressed any interest in the other parts of the job. He only wanted to come with me when a mare was foaling. Besides, he doesn’t like being tied down, and a vet needs to live in one place and establish a practice.”
“Yeah, that wouldn’t fit Brant,” Rosie said. “He likes to stay loose, take life as it comes.”
The exact opposite of her, Aria thought. She required routine, stability and concrete goals. Her brother’s uncertain future coupled with his lack of focus had worn her to a frazzle. “Thank goodness he was available today.”
“It was meant to be.” Rosie looked pleased with herself. “Did you get pictures? I didn’t see you taking any.”
“I didn’t have my phone. I left my purse and my phone in the van and didn’t even think about pictures until it was too late.” And that was unlike her. She was usually a details person, but having Lucy go into labor early had thrown her off her game.
“That’s okay. We all took some. We’ll text them to you. That will light a fire under that Gloomy Gus of yours.”
Aria smiled as she followed Rosie up the porch steps. Rosie’s confidence boosted her own. “I’m sure you’re right. By the way, are you going to let me cook tonight? I really want to, after all you’ve done today.”
She’d discovered her passion for cooking through sharing meals with her best friend Camille’s large Italian family. Her bank job allowed her to save money toward her goal of opening a cooking school. In the meantime she made deliveries for Camille’s restaurant in exchange for using the kitchen to give classes on Monday nights. She lived for those classes.
Rosie paused before going inside. “You sure don’t have to. I thawed some chicken and planned to bread and fry it like usual.”
“Do you have mushrooms?”
“I think so. Yes, I’m pretty sure I do.”
“I saw a package of mushrooms in the fridge,” Herb said as he joined them on the porch.
“Okay, good. How about bacon and pearl onions?”
“I always have bacon, and I still have some pearl onions left over from the last time you cooked for us. What are you leading up to?”
“Coq au vin! It’s one of my new specialties. I taught the recipe to my cooking students last Monday night and everyone loved it.”
“Coq au vin?” Herb’s eyes widened. “Really?”
“Wait a minute,” Rosie said. “I just remembered it’s Friday night. What about your deliveries for Camille? Can you even stick around, let alone cook dinner?”
“Absolutely. I called her after I heard from you. For all I knew Lucy could have been in labor all night and I wasn’t going to leave to make deliveries. Camille asked her sister to fill in for me.” She let out a breath. “So I actually have the night off.”
“What a concept,” Herb said. “Nobody works harder than you.”
“I don’t mind. I like staying busy.” Especially when going back to her apartment meant dealing with her brother. She’d optimistically encouraged him to move into a first-floor apartment in her complex so she’d be available for anything he needed during his recovery.
But instead of helping him get better, she was forced to watch him giving up. He’d found an IT job that allowed him to work from home and set his own hours, so theoretically he didn’t need to learn to walk again.
“There’s such a thing as being too busy,” Rosie said. “Why not let us fix you dinner while you relax on the porch with a glass of something refreshing?”
“That’s very sweet, but cooking is fun for me, and doing it for people I care about is even more fun. Your kitchen is one of my favorite places in the world, especially when everybody hangs out while I’m fixing the meal.”
Herb looked at Rosie. “Then it looks like we’ll be feasting on coq au vin tonight.”
Aria saw a subtle message pass between them. “Is that a problem? I didn’t think to ask if you hated it. I can make something else with the chicken. I don’t have to—”
“We both love it,” Rosie said. “We had it on our honeymoon in Jackson Hole at the fanciest restaurant we’ve been in before or since. I briefly considered trying to make it, but one look at the complicated recipe took care of that.”
Aria began having misgivings. “Was it a five-star restaurant?”
“Probably.” Herb chuckled. “There were no prices on the menu, so the bill was a bit of a shocker, but...” He shrugged and gave Rosie a fond glance. “It was worth it.”
“Hey, slowpokes!” Brant opened the front door and came out holding two frosty champagne
bottles with vapor coming from the uncorked necks. “We fed the cat and then I found these hiding in the rec room fridge with a bunch of their buddies. Looks like we’re all champagned up for this occasion.”
“I knew we’d be celebrating,” Rosie said, “so I stocked in plenty.”
“Excellent.” Brant nodded in satisfaction. “So are we going to toast Linus or stand around gabbing all night?”
“I’m ready to toast.” Lexi walked out on the porch, clutching four champagne flutes by the stems. Cade followed with two more.
Aria was charmed by their enthusiasm. Although she wished Josh had come with her, she couldn’t predict his moods anymore and he might have been a sourpuss. Maybe it was just as well he’d stayed home. She took the flute Lexi handed her.
After everyone had glasses, Lexi turned to Brant. “Okay, do your thing.” She moved over next to Aria. “Hold your flute next to mine and be amazed by the two-fisted pourer.”
“Aw, shucks, Lexi.” Brant ducked his head. “You’ll make me blush.”
Lexi snorted. “As if. You’re too cool to blush.”
“When you’re right, you’re right.” Grinning, Brant lifted both bottles and filled their glasses without spilling a drop.
Cade rolled his eyes. “You are such a show-off, Ellison.”
“Just honoring the lady’s request for a demonstration of my unique skill.” He turned the bottles upright with a flourish and glanced at Aria. “You’re in charge of the toast, so make it good.”
Aha. A challenge. Anticipation fizzed within her like the champagne bubbles in her glass. “Oh, I see. No pressure.”
“None at all.” He used the same dramatic pouring routine for Rosie and Herb. “Just be aware that some excellent toasts have been made on this porch, so the bar’s pretty high.” He winked at her before continuing over to Cade.
“Way to go, Ellison,” Cade said. “Intimidate our special guest.”
“I’m not intimidated.” A task she could handle got her blood pumping, but Cade and Brant might not know that. She waited until everyone had champagne before raising her glass. “To everyone who’s a part of Thunder Mountain Academy. Today a handsome colt named Linus became linked with its history and I thank you all for giving him that honor.”
Cowboy All Night (Thunder Mountain Brotherhood, Book 5) Page 2