“Do we? The clock’s ticking. Some of your mares will be ready soon. I’d think you’d be worried about that.”
“And I’d think you’d be worried about where we’re going to live after the baby’s born.” I’d kept my voice low, but she glanced around anyway.
“What’s there to worry about? I have a perfectly nice home in which to raise a child,” she said.
“I’m not arguing that. The problem is thatIdon’t live at your home, and I thought we’d be raising the baby together. Also, when are we going to tell people about the baby? I’m tired of keeping it a secret.”
“Soon, okay? I’m just…” Her focus went to the windows that overlooked the back porch. The shower guests were all clustered around us. “What’s going on?”
“Does it matter? We’re having a conversation.” I hadn’t intended to get into this with her right now, but it was too late to draw back.
“We are, but ourconversationsdon’t lead to decisions, and I’m getting tired of that,” she said.
“I don’t like to fight with you.” I felt the collar of my shirt chafing against my skin. “It makes me feel like I’m losing control of my emotions. Why can’t you simply let me take care of everything?”
Her eyes narrowed. “What do you mean byeverything?”
“You, the baby, the ranch. That’s what I was raised to do. It was what my father instilled in me and my brothers. We take care of our responsibilities. Why don’t you get that?”
She glared at me, her voice dropping low enough that I had to strain to hear her. “And I was raised to value my independence. I won’t be controlled by you or anyone else.” Her face was turning red, which I knew wasn’t good for her, so I tried to dial it back.
“I’m not trying to control you,” I said. “I’m trying to steer you to what’s right about Twister and the baby.”
“That’s the very definition of controlling,” she argued.
At that moment, my mother threw the door open, and I caught a glimpse of Brian with his arms around Caitlin. Shit, something had happened.
“I think they got engaged,” Julia said from next to me, picking up on the situation before I could make sense of it. “You better go congratulate your brother.”
“Come with me,” I said, reaching for her hand. She kept it at her side for a second before putting it in mine.
“We’re going to iron this out later. I mean that.” She had a fixed smile on her face as we crossed the room, but her words were serious.
TWENTY-SIX
JAKE
Two hours later, I was sure that I’d never fake-smiled so much in my life. I was genuinely happy for Brian and Caitlin, but trying to keep up a front that Julia and I hadn’t just had a fight made my cheeks hurt. When the party seemed like it was winding down, I ducked outside and headed for the barn. I needed some time to myself to sort out what we’d both said.
I stepped into Queenie’s stall. The mare was close to foaling, and I had been keeping a close watch on her. I grabbed a brush and began stroking it down her sides, crooning to her softly.
“You’d never argue with me, would you, girl? Because you know I’ll always do what’s best for you.” With the exception of giving her a bad choice of feed, which was remedied as soon as I found out it was the problem. Queenie tossed her head instead of nickering the way she normally did.
“Thought you might need this.” Brian handed a beer over the stall door.
“Thanks.” I opened it, took a drink, and then put it on a ledge in the stall.
“What’s wrong with you? You’re tense.”
“Nothing.” I returned to my work. “Just wanted to get out of the house.” I wasn’t going to unload on my brother in the middle of his baby shower, especially when Brian had just gotten engaged. “Shouldn’t you be with your fiancée?”
“Cut the crap, Jake, and talk to me.”
“Caitlin’s probably looking for you,” I said, knowing it was a last-ditch effort. My brother wasn’t going away. He could be an absolute mule when it came to waiting folks out. Worked great when he was on the job. Annoyed me to no end when he did it to me.
“Last I saw her, she was sitting on the sofa, looking at baby clothes and talking with her friends. She’s fine for the moment. Besides, I’ll be with her the rest of my life.”
Brian had a blissful, sappy expression on his face for a second before leveling his gaze on me. “Spill, and don’t try to tell me it’s some ranch drainage issue because I know it’s bigger than that. My guess is that it has something to do with a certain veterinarian that you’ve been spending a lot of time with.”
