The horse nickered. Other than a flicking tail and a curled lip, Daisy seemed perfectly fine. But Charlotte knew this horse. She stroked her neck. “Everything’ll be fine. Better than fine.” Charlotte couldn’t keep the smile from her lips. She wasn’t the least bit sleepy now that the foaling was imminent. As far as she was concerned, this was the best part of owning a horse ranch.
“She’s still in stage one,” Gunner said.
Mama was handling the contractions well, but this stage could last for hours. Stage two would begin with the rupturing membrane. The foal would start moving through the pelvic canal and culminate with the birth within minutes of the rupture.
“We should move her tail out of the way,” Charlotte said.
“I’ll get the wrap.”
Gunner exited the stall while Charlotte spoke to the mare in a soothing voice. “You’re doing great, girl. You’ve got this. Soon you’ll have your baby after all these months of waiting.”
Gunner returned and held the mare’s tail while Charlotte wound the nude bandage around it to keep it clean and out of the way during the birth.
She was halfway finished when she realized that Gunner was too quiet. She flicked a glance his way.
His face was set under the harsh light, focused on the task.
He must be worried about Daisy. “How did you know to come out here?” He’d left just after seven, right before Kyle arrived.
“Just had a feeling.”
“Those Spidey senses are working well for you.” She glanced at him again with a ready smile, but he didn’t even look her way. Something wasn’t right. “Is something wrong with Daisy? Something you’re not telling me?”
“No, she’s doing well.” His words were clipped.
“Areyouokay?”
“I’m fine.”
He wasn’t fine. His face was stone, his eye contact nonexistent. They’d become closer the past month—how could they not with all the time he’d spent training her? They’d become... friends. After all, they talked about much more than just work. He shared stories about Mr.Dixon and told her things Gavin and Wes said while they were hiking and the funny pranks they played on each other at work.
Charlotte shared her conversations with her father and her struggles with Emerson’s lack of focus and her inability to accept Charlotte’s relationship with Craig. She shared her hope that her brothers would ultimately accept her, and that Emerson would eventually come around. She was so eager to have those bumps behind her.
Charlotte frowned at the bandage. She couldn’t imagine why Gunner would be upset with her. He’d been fine when he left. Teasing that he could gauge the humidity level by the condition of her hair. True, unfortunately.
Maybe she was misinterpreting his signals. Maybe he was just tired—it was the middle of the night after all—or nervous about the foaling. This was their first. “How long have you been here?”
“Not long. Awhile.”
When she finished wrapping the horse’s tail, he stepped away immediately.
Her gaze sharpened on his features: eyes tight at the corners, jaw hard, brow furrowed. “Did I do something to upset you?”
He ran his hand over Daisy’s quivering belly. “Of course not.”
“Then why are you...? You’re angry. Something’s wrong.”
“Nothing’s wrong.” His hard tone belied his words.
She huffed. “Gunner, come on. Tell me what I did.”
“You didn’t do anything.”
“Then why won’t you even look at me?”
His gaze shot to hers. His eyes narrowed. Lips pressed together.
“See, you are mad. You have a mad tone and a mad face.”
