“How many times do I have to insist you call me Walter?”
“At least once more,” Brianna banters back.
Everleigh’s blue eyes sparkle as she glances away, and I highly suspect she’s planning Birdie’s first official visit. I just hope we can make it happen. But first, I need to find out who her current owner is and how much it might cost to make a change in ownership for three alpacas. Not to mention the cost to keep them at Stone Ranch indefinitely. Ryder’s warned me how tight the budget is.
“Actually, we’re here about Birdie,” I say, taking a seat across from Walter on a floral patterned loveseat. I pretend not to notice Everleigh glance at the open spot beside me before she chooses to join Walter instead. Let the woman act as though there’s nothing between us after what happened this morning. I’m a patient man. Sooner or later, she’s going to break. I just have to wait her out. Hell, I’ve been doing it for months. What’s a few more days?
“Birdie?” Walter’s expression falls. “Did something…happen to her?”
“Birdie’s alive and well,” Everleigh reassures him, patting his hand with her own.
“What about Karen and Penelope?”
“We don’t know,” I admit.
“I don’t understand,” Walter says, glancing between Everleigh and me.
I let her tell the story of discovering an alpaca in a blue unicorn hat in her garage. Walter seems relieved that she’s theone who bought his old house. He laughs so hard his eyes well with unshed tears when she gets to the part about Birdie trying to invite her inside Everleigh’s kitchen.
“Where did she come from?” Walter asks once Everleigh reassures him Birdie is currently safe at Stone Ranch. “Bart refused to tell me where he sent them. Said it was better if I didn’t know so I couldn’t try to find them.” Walter rolls his eyes. “As though I was going to break out of this joint and drive a getaway car to whatever farm he sold them to.” He nods to his left arm. “This limb doesn’t work anymore, so tell me how I was going to pull off an alpaca heist with only one functioning arm?”
“I’m not a Bart fan,” Everleigh grumbles, grabbing Walter’s right hand again.
There’s a fierce, protective flare in those blue eyes that makes my dick twitch.Not now, fucker.
“Do you have any ideas where they might have been sold?” I ask, fighting to keep my expression neutral despite the twisting knot forming in my stomach. “Places we can check?”
“I was afraid he sent them halfway across the country,” Walter admits. “But if Birdie made it back to Emerald Creek, I have to assume it was somewhere local. No way an alpaca in a blue unicorn hat would’ve made it hundreds of miles without someone catching her. Or…worse.”
“She’s safe,” Everleigh says, her smile bright and comforting. Walter’s grim expression livens slightly. God, I love the easy way she tugs people from the edge of despair. It’s a secret super power I don’t think she’s aware she even has. It makes me want to scoop her up into my arms and kiss her until her knees buckle.
“There’s a dozen or more ranches in the area that’d take alpacas,” Walter says. “Karen and Penelope could be at any of them. I’m surprised they didn’t follow Birdie when she ran off. They’re never apart. Not by choice.”
“Bart didn’t give you any hints?” Everleigh asks.
“No. Just a photo of the three of them in their new home.”
“Do you have that photo?” I ask.
Walter pulls it out from his shirt pocket and hands it to Everleigh. “It doesn’t show much more than a generic barn in the background. I don’t recognize the place.”
I make a mental note to research ranches within a fifty-mile radius of Emerald Creek as soon as we get back to town. It’d be impossible to visit them all myself, but I bet Paps might be able to help narrow it down. Maybe the Stone brothers and Macy could help us visit the most likely candidates if that’s what it takes to figure this out.
“Walter, do you mind if we borrow this photo for a couple of days? I promise to return it.”
“If you’ll think it’ll help, keep it.”
“Thank you.” Everleigh tucks the photo into her purse then squeezes Walter’s hand. “I’ll keep it safe.”
Now I’m jealous of an old man. Fuck, I hope she comes to her senses before I go full caveman on her. My dick twitches against my zipper, liking the sound of that.Down fucker.
“I hope you find my girls,” Walter says.
“We’ll do our best,” I reassure him.
“Hey Walter,” Everleigh says, brightening her tone, likely for the old man’s sake. “Would you like to see some pictures I took of Birdie this morning?”
“I’d love that.”
