Page 67 of Roping Her In

Colt shifted as the silence continued, and then Elaine said, “It doesn’t matter. You’ve still got two months to work it out.”

Thankfully, Faris returned with a tray of their drinks, and he started passing them out. They put in their orders next, and by the time the waiter left, the conversation had moved to something else.

Hailey and Jake both participated in what Colt would classify as a normal amount, but he knew Elaine would have plenty to say as she dissected the triple-date with him later. He didn’t much care what she wanted to talk about, because he liked listening to her thoughts and seeing things through her eyes, especially when he got to hold her in the hammock in his backyard while the sunshine filtered through the branches of the apple trees while he did.

Colt couldn’t wait to be her husband, and he smiled down the table at her. When her rolled pork loin came, and she exclaimed over it as if it were a five-star meal from a Michelin-star restaurant, he only fell in love with her a little bit more.

Yeah, he really couldn’t wait to be her husband.

26

Mitchell Glover tapped the ramp for Magnolia, then gave her the sign for up, something she already knew, as she’d previously been able to jump up on the bed, the training platform, and the deck. She still didn’t like the ramp much, though, and it took Mitch three commands and showing her the piece of cheese in his hand before she would scamper up the ramp and onto their bed.

Mitch sighed and then moved the blanket, so he’d be able to get his feet underneath it without having to move forty pounds of dog. After Jake had examined her, Mitch had taken Magnolia out of his training lineup. He’d gotten in with Doctor Carver, and Boone had said the same thing as the younger veterinarian.

The x-rays did not show any injuries or arthritis, and she was either being belligerent and ultra-needy, or she couldn’t really judge depth. Boone had said she had some retinal degeneration in the right eye, and a cataract developing in the left. While it hurt Mitch’s heart to lose her as a hearing dog, she couldn’t continue in the program if she couldn’t see.

That had left him a dog short. Even if he got a new one, it would be months behind his other canines, but that didn’t stop him from looking online every evening for a new dog to adopt and train. He knew he wouldn’t get one until his next round began, and that wouldn’t be for at least another year.

He came out of the bathroom after brushing his teeth and met his wife’s eyes. She’d been in bed for an hour or so while Mitch had finished up some work in his office and then put their son to bed. He loved his nighttime routine with Shep, and he often stayed in the boy’s bedroom until he fell asleep.

Lacy was due with their daughter in another two weeks, and he climbed onto their bed though she started to talk to him. Instead of watching her hands to hear what she had to say, Mitch put both of his hands on her belly, and then rested his cheek and ear against it as well. He couldn’t hear his baby girl’s heartbeat, but he could feel it.

The soft, rapid sha-bump, sha-bump of his infant’s heartbeat made him happier than anything in the world. He’d worried over his son’s hearing, but for some reason, God had alleviated that care for this baby. Mitch simply knew now that he wouldn’t break a baby, and that he and Lacy would make it through a pregnancy and delivery just fine, even though he couldn’t hear.

He pressed tenderly on the bottom side of her belly, and the baby moved. Mitch loved that too, and he just wanted to stay in this safe space instead of deciding what to do with Magnolia.

His wife said something, as he felt the vibrations in her body when she threaded her fingers through his hair. She wanted to talk, and Mitch tried not to be grumpy as he sat up and looked at her. She gave him a soft smile, and Mitch appreciated her tender heart as much as he appreciated the stern way she spoke to him.

“What are you going to do about Magnolia?” she asked, her hands dropping to the dog, who’d laid her head on Lacy’s thigh.

Look at her, he said. She’ll make a great nursemaid.

Lacy gave him a soft smile. “So you want to keep her?”

Yes, Mitch said. Maybe we can just have a dog who’s a pet. Then I won’t have to get after Shep all the time that they’re working dogs and he can’t hug them. Is that okay?

“Anything’s okay, but I just want to point out that we have a family dog. Have you forgotten about Sunshine?” Lacy gestured for him to come closer. “Will you fix my pillows?”

She couldn’t sleep lying flat anymore, and Mitch got off the bed and went around to her side to pull her pillows up and help her scoot back against them. I haven’t forgotten about Sunshine, he said. Every dog needs a dog.

Lacy grinned and shook her head, then pushed herself back as far as she could.

All good? he asked, and she nodded.

He started to pull away, but she grabbed onto his hand, and she didn’t have to speak or sign for him to know what she wanted. She edged over a little bit, and Mitch climbed into bed on her side, pressing in close to her and laying his head against her heartbeat now.

She stroked her fingers through his hair and played with the longer ends of it. Her voice rumbled in her chest, and Mitch knew what she’d said. He did need to get his hair cut, and if he slowed down for even ten minutes, she could do it for him.

She’d hired a full-time administrator to take over her duties at Signs for Success, and she would start her maternity leave after work on Friday. Mitch didn’t want to add more to her to-do list, and he figured he could wait another week for a haircut.

He dozed, though his lamp was still on. He’d definitely fallen asleep at some point, because he woke with Lacy’s hand clenching around his forearm like a vice. The lamp still burned, and he still lay on the edge of the bed on her side.

He lifted his head and found her face contorted in pain. Panic ripped through him, because he knew this look. He quickly rolled out of bed and pulled the covers back so Lacy’s legs could get free. On the bed, Magnolia barked, and at his side, his long-time hearing dog, Champ, did the same, the watch on his wrist vibrating to alert him of their voices.

He looked steadfastly at his wife. Do we need to go to the hospital?

She nodded and reached for him. She couldn’t sit up by herself anymore, her belly so big and in the way. He helped her out of bed, and that was when he noticed that it was wet.