“You’re keeping Persephone close?” Annabelle asked, not seeing the very pregnant goat outside.
“I brought her in a few days ago. Rafe teases me about how much I worry, but she’s one of my girls. I can’t help it.”
“You’re a good goat mom.”
“I hope so. Oh, did you see the pig?” Heidi pointed toward Priscilla’s enclosure. “Wilbur showed up a couple of days ago. He’s smaller than we thought, but seems nice. Priscilla likes him and he and Reno are getting along fine.”
Annabelle turned and saw Priscilla the elephant walking in a group with a pony and a pig next to her. “Somewhere in the tree in the corner is a cat with kittens,” she murmured. “That’s got to be the weirdest thing in the world. I love it.”
“Me, too.”
* * *
“AM I TOO LATE?” MAY asked, flinging herself out of her car.
Shane shook his head. “Seriously, Mom? You came home from your honeymoon because one of Heidi’s goats is giving birth?”
Glen got out and gave him a pitying look.
May glared at Shane. “I care about those goats. They’re practically family. And based on how you and your brothers have been doing so far, probably the only thing close to a grandchild I’m ever going to get. So yes, I’m here for the birth.”
She flounced past him.
Glen followed, pausing long enough to murmur, “You really need to figure out women, son,” before following his new wife into the goat house.
“What did I do?” Shane demanded.
Rafe patted him on the shoulder. “You look so bright, too.”
Shane swore. “This isn’t fair.”
“So little is, bro.”
Shane shook off his hand. “It’s a goat.”
“Come on. I’ll buy you a drink.”
Shane followed his brother back to the house. Rafe pulled two bottles from the refrigerator and popped the top on both of them. They took their drinks into the living room.
“It’s a goat,” Shane repeated.
“You know that and I know that, but what Heidi or Annabelle or Mom would say is that you’re showing you don’t care about the goat.”
“No, I’m saying it’s a goat. She was born knowing how to give birth, just like the horses and nearly every other animal. Sure, you want to check in because there can be a problem, but they’re gathering like it’s some kind of miracle.”
“Uh-huh. Glen’s right. You really need to figure out women.”
Shane wanted to protest that he did, but he had a failed marriage and his most recent fling proved otherwise.
“You know what happens once there’s a birth,” he said instead.
“I know.”
“Heidi’s going to want to get pregnant.”
“We’ve already talked about it.”
Shane eyed his brother. “You’re calm.”
“We both want kids.”
“Right away?”
“We’re going to wait until after the honeymoon to start trying, but yeah. We’ll get going soon.”
“You’re good with that?”
Rafe grinned. “I love Heidi and I’m damned lucky to have her. Of course I want kids. As many as she wants.”
“At least that will get Mom off the rest of us.”
“Yup. I’ll be the hero. Again.” Rafe sighed loudly. “It gets old.”
Shane chuckled. “You’ve got quite the ego.”
“Is that what we’re calling it?”
Shane glanced out the window and saw Charlie arriving. Apparently word had gone out about Persephone.
“You realize this is going to happen every time one of the goats gives birth,” he said.
Rafe nodded. “Worth it at twice the price.”
Because his brother loved Heidi. Goats and whatever else his bride wanted would be fine with him.
He wanted to feel pity for Rafe. The once-powerful businessman was a slave to his heart. But he didn’t exactly look unhappy. And when he saw Rafe and Heidi together, the love was palpable. There was nothing there to mock. If anything, Shane was the odd man out.
“You got lucky,” Shane told him.
“That I did. With Heidi, I’m always sure I’m right where I belong.”
Something Shane had never been able to say in his first marriage. He hadn’t been sure of anything. Not if Rachel was coming home that night, or how long it would be until he saw her again. She’d lived life on the edge and because he’d wanted to be with her, he’d accepted that.
For him, love and pain were intertwined. Now, with time and distance, he realized what he’d had before hadn’t been love at all. Which meant what? That with the right person he could have a sure thing? That passion could also be a haven? He didn’t know the answers to those questions—and he wasn’t convinced that finding out was a risk he was willing to take.
CHAPTER TEN
“I’M WALKING,” ANNABELLE said with a grin. She’d already had one margarita. Going for a second was definitely going to give her a buzz, but this was a party.
“Rafe is driving back into town to get me,” Heidi said with a sigh, holding up her empty glass. “So I’m good.”
“I’m walking,” Charlie grumbled. “Although I’m insulted you’d even ask.”
“I didn’t,” Jo said, standing by their table, obviously amused. “I simply said the special tonight was the mini tacos you all like and that I could bring another round of margaritas. Not even a hint of a question.”
“You’re so smug now that you’re in love,” Charlie said with a scowl.
Jo leaned close. “The sex is amazing. You should try it some time.”
Charlie quickly turned away, but not before Annabelle saw the flash of pain in her friend’s eyes. Jo had no way of knowing about Charlie’s difficult past—the date rape and the ridicule that had followed.
Heidi also caught the look and smiled brightly at Jo. “We know you’re always looking out for us and we appreciate it. Another round please, and yes to those delicious mini tacos. I think two plates will be enough.”“Sure thing.” Jo scribbled on a pad. “Still toasting the goat?”
Heidi winced. “I assume you mean that in a ‘raising a glass to’ kind of way.”
“Yes. I know you don’t roast your precious animals.”
“Did you know goat is actually the most popular source of animal protein in the world?” Annabelle asked.
Heidi’s eyes widened in horror. “You didn’t just say that.”
“It’s true, but heartbreakingly sad,” Annabelle said quickly. “I’m sorry. It’s one of those weird factoids I carry in my head. I think I learned it on Oprah.”
“I miss Oprah,” Heidi said.
“She’s already drunk.” Jo sounded disgusted. “One margarita. I’m never getting rich off you guys.”
“I’m not drunk. I’m buzzed. There’s a difference.”
Jo shook her head and left for the bar. When the three of them were alone, Heidi turned to Charlie.
“She didn’t mean anything by the sex comment,” she said in a low voice.
“I know.” Charlie picked up her glass and swallowed the last of her margarita. “I usually don’t react to people talking about stuff like that. Tonight’s different. I guess I’m in a mood or something.”
“It’s Persephone,” Heidi told her. “The baby thing.”
“I love your goat, but she’s not affecting my life.”
“Montana’s baby could be,” Annabelle offered. “I know I’m hearing a faint ticking sound.”
“Me, too,” Heidi said.
“Yes, but you have a man,” Annabelle reminded her. “A man who loves you and wants to marry you. I’m guessing you’ve already discussed starting a family.”
“We have.” Heidi looked blissful. “I don’t know what I did to get so lucky, but I’m really grateful. And you have Shane.”
If Annabelle had been drinking, she would have spit. “Shane and I aren’t an item. We’re friends.”
Charlie rolled her eyes. “Say that all you want. No one is fooled.”
“He’s teaching me to ride.”
“Sure he is.”
Annabelle knew she couldn’t deny the sex part. Not after telling her friends what had happened when he’d left. From there, word had gotten spread around, creating trouble for Shane. At the time, she’d been angry and hurt, so she hadn’t minded getting a little back at him. Now she realized there were consequences.
“That was a one-time thing,” she said primly. “We won’t be ha**g s*x again. We’ve come to an understanding. We’re friends.”
“Keep saying it,” Charlie told her. “One day it might be true.”
Annabelle glanced around to make sure no one was sitting too close, then leaned toward her friends and lowered her voice. “I have to admit, I do like him a lot. Maybe more than a lot. We want different things though and he doesn’t trust me.”
“Why doesn’t he trust you?” Charlie asked. “You didn’t do anything wrong.”
“It’s his ex,” Heidi explained. “I never met her, but I heard stories from Rafe. Apparently she’s a real byotch.”
Charlie snorted. “You did not just say that. Seriously?”
“I’m hip,” Heidi said with a sniff. “Is that the right word?”
Annabelle grinned. “If you have to ask, then the answer is probably no.”
They were still laughing when Jo returned with another round of margaritas and more chips.
“Change in topic,” Annabelle said when she’d left. “How are things going with the wedding planning? Shouldn’t we have another meeting soon?”
“Maybe next week.” Heidi grabbed a chip. “I’m still pulling together my guest list. Our friends from the carnival are coming. Did I tell you that? We got confirmation a couple of days ago.”
Heidi had grown up on the carnival circuit. Her parents had been killed when she’d been little and she’d gone to live with her grandfather. Heidi had always been surrounded by people who adored her. Now they would come to see her happily married, making an already special day even more so.
“That’s great,” Annabelle said. “With the wedding being held at the ranch, the size isn’t much of an issue.”
“That’s true,” Charlie said with a grin. “A couple hundred extra hamburgers won’t matter much.”
Heidi rolled her eyes. “We’re not having hamburgers.”
“Too bad. Nearly everyone likes them and they’re fun food. Weddings are too serious, if you ask me.”
“Then serve burgers at your wedding.”
“Maybe I will. Not that I have any great plans to get married.”
“You could start dating,” Heidi told her. “Go slow. Pick someone you don’t really care about.”
Annabelle raised her eyebrows. “Yes, because you want a relationship with a man who doesn’t matter.”
Charlie picked up her refilled margarita. “She’s saying that way when it goes badly, I won’t be hurt.”
Heidi winced. “I didn’t say that. I just meant then you could practice without worrying about your heart.”
Charlie smiled. “I know you meant it with love. It’s okay. Maybe I should find some guy to take me through the steps I missed before. Get a skill set to use on someone I do care about.”
“I love it when a plan comes together,” Heidi said with a sigh. She turned to Annabelle. “What about you? I say you give Shane a chance to see you’re nothing like his ex.”
Annabelle reached for a chip. “No, thanks,” she admitted.
“Why not?” Charlie asked. “According to you, he’s all things good. Handsome. Sexy. A god in bed.”
“I didn’t say that, and no. We’re just friends.”
“Uh-oh. It’s trouble when you start lying to yourself,” Charlie told her.
“No. I’m keeping my heart firmly out of play this time.” Maybe it was the margarita kicking in, or the fact that she trusted her friends. Either way, she drew in a breath and spoke a painful truth. “My parents were never in love. My mom got pregnant while they were dating, so they got married. They were never happy and they made it clear I was a complication for them. I tried to be the perfect child, but neither of them was interested in having a kid.”
She glanced at Heidi. “I envy you growing up the way you did.”
Heidi looked surprised. “Moving around all the time? Never having a home without wheels?”
“No, being in the middle of a group that really loved you and looked out for you. I wanted that so much. But I couldn’t find it. I had friends, of course, but not a place to feel safe. My boyfriends were a series of disasters. When I finally met Lewis, I thought he was the one.”
“The ex-husband?” Charlie asked.
Annabelle nodded. “He’s a writer, so I thought wow, creative. He’s a little older, which I took to mean stable. But it turned out he was never actually interested in me as a person. It was more about what I represented. He liked to control me. Emotionally, I mean. He didn’t hit me or anything.”
“Sometimes fists are easier to understand,” Charlie said quietly. “Mind games can be damaging, too.”