Of course she would. He should have seen that coming. He liked his brother’s friend of the family phrase, though. Might come in handy if he needed to introduce her to anyone.
Monty rubbed his chin where a five-o’clock shadow was beginning to show. “Well, I can’t exactly stop you from doing that. We can always use it, but it’s really not necessary.”
“It is to me. So how long do you think he’ll sleep?”
“Quite a while. I’m guessing at least six hours or more now that he’s not in pain.”
She nodded. “Since he’s doing so well and will probably just sleep for a while, why don’t you and Luis drive back to town? I’ll stick around here.”
Monty frowned and sent him a quick what-the-hell glance. “As far as I’m concerned, we can all leave. No reason for you to miss out.”
“I’ll feel better staying. That way I can alert you in case something should change.”
“Ah. I must’ve forgotten to mention my spy system.”
“Yeah, me too.” Luis felt like a moron. Seemed to be a pattern with him today. His brother had been using security cameras for several months, now.
So much for the barn sex he’d fantasized. Monty moved those cameras all the time, depending on what he needed to monitor. They could be anywhere. Probably in this stall.
Sure enough, his brother pointed to a crossbeam above them. “While you two had lunch, I set up one of my nifty cameras.”
“Oh!” Jordan looked up in surprise.
“I’ll show you.” He dug out his phone. “I love these things. I can check on any horses under my care no matter where I am. Sometimes I have three or four going at once.” He tapped on the phone and turned it around so Jordan could see the screen.
“Whoa. That’s awesome. It takes in the entire stall — Fudge and the three of us.” Her eyes sparkled with amusement. “What a game-changer, huh, Luis?”
He gave her a tight smile. “Yes, ma’am.”
“For damn sure.” Monty raved on, so proud of his latest toy that he clearly didn’t notice that exchange. “Watch this. I can zoom in, get up close and personal with my patient.”
Joran studied the screen. “Amazing. The focus is so sharp you could count the hairs in Fudge’s tail.”
A slight tremble in her voice gave her away. She was working hard not to laugh since it would confuse the hell out of Monty.
“That sharpness is crucial. I can zoom in on sutures, dressings, you name it, and tell what’s going on.” Monty swiped the screen and the image disappeared. “This system delivers the goods. I’ll snap a picture before we go for reference. That way I’ll be able to tell if anything’s changed. If the situation looks at all dicey, I’ll head back.”
Jordan cleared her throat. “How often do you check it?”
“Every thirty minutes. I’ll set an alert so I don’t forget. I’m not telling you what to do, but I’d hate for you to miss out on all the fun in town tonight.”
“And her boots have never gone dancing.” He couldn’t resist throwing that in.
Monty tucked his phone away and looked down at Jordan’s feet. “Nice fringe! Get Luis to request Beat This Summer. It’s perfect for a fast two-stop and he’s the best dancer in the family.”
“Is that so?”
“He’s exaggerating.” Warmth crept up from his shirt collar. “We’re all good at it. Mom and Dad had us dancing from the get-go.”
“I didn’t say the rest of us are bad. We can all play a decent game of baseball, too. Then there’s you.” He turned to Jordan. “Have I convinced you to come into town with us?”
She smiled. “You have.”
“Then my work here is done.” He grabbed his med kit. “I’m gonna head to my house and clean up before we leave. I’ll meet you at the truck in ten.” He walked out of the barn singing I’m a Yankee Doodle Dandy.
Jordan grinned. “You really didn’t remember the place was bugged?”
“I did not. I don’t use those things so I forget they’re even there.”
