Page 70 of Wilder Heart

“Anyone would be lucky to have you,” Lain said.

“Oh, please.”

“It’s true! You’re a good man, and you’re like family to us. Mary-Beth keeps trying to talk me into letting her set you up with someone.” He chuckled.

Cash tried to laugh, turning away to hide his wince. That was the last thing he wanted. He’d have to come clean about seeing someone if she tried to do that, and then they’d no doubt want to know who.

“I can find my own dates,” he finally said. “You tell her not to worry about me.”

“I’ve been trying,” Lain said easily, then shot Cash a curious look. “Ithasbeen a while since I’ve heard you mention anyone, though.”

“I’ve—been busy.” God, he needed to find a new subject. He didn’t like lying to Lain. “So, about this auction.”

Lain chuckled. “All right, I hear you. Just know we want you to be happy, and if you ever decide you’re interested in a nice Roselake girl, Mary-Beth knows a few who think you’re real handsome.”

Cash snorted. “Thanks.”

CHAPTER 23

WILDER

After a dinner that consisted of hearty stew and crisp rolls, Wilder donned a jacket and wandered out to the horse field. Fat snowflakes lazily floated through the air. Blaze trotted his direction when he was halfway over the fence, and Wilder wondered at how far they’d come since the beginning, when he’d had to stand stock still for twenty minutes just for the horse to build up the courage to approach him.

He’d ridden Blaze a handful of times since their fall. The relief he’d felt after that first time was immense. Feeling Blaze’s confident gait under his body was the final proof he needed that Blaze was really and truly okay. He’d take a hundred more injured legs if it meant Blaze was healthy. Better him than an innocent animal, always.

Absently, he checked his watch as he stroked Blaze’s golden neck. Cash and Lain should be in Bozeman by now. He wasn’t expecting Cash’s call for a couple more hours, so he fetched a lead from the barn and guided Blaze inside to saddle him and take him out for a run.

Nothing cleared his head like the rush of wind and the pounding of hooves. He guided Blaze along the fence-line, partly checking for breaks but mostly just for the sake of running. Thedying sunlight streaked the cloudy sky in hues of every color from orange to violet. Out in the fields, the cattle raised their heads to watch him pass with idle interest.

By the time he made it back to the barn, the light in the sky was mostly gone, and the cold winter air sucked the heat from his jacket. The ground was steadily disappearing under the snow, but the barn was warm. He took his time with Blaze, hanging up his tack and gear and giving Blaze a long and thorough brushing before he finally sent him back out into the field with the other horses, who were romping in the fresh powder.

With a sigh, he turned toward the bunkhouse. It had been four days since he’d slept alone in his bed, and he didn’t look forward to it tonight. Cash’s apartment key was on his bedside table, and he steadfastly told himself he wouldn’t use it. He wasn’t so far gone on Cash that he would sneak into his room to sleep in his bed, no matter how much he missed the scent of him. He wouldn’t bury his face in his pillow and pretend he was there with him. He could handle one night apart, surely.

In his eerily quiet room, he took a long, hot shower, his thoughts on the phone charging by his bed. Cash would call soon. That would alleviate this strange feeling, like a piece of him had been hollowed out.

He felt ridiculous.

He’d barely pulled his shirt and pajama bottoms on when he heard a frantic knocking on his door. Rushing from the bathroom, he crossed to the door and yanked it open, surprised when he had to lower his gaze, because it was Annalise bouncing from foot to foot at his door at almost nine PM.

“Annalise?” He looked around for an adult, but there was no one else around.

“We need your help! Momma says she’s hurting and her ‘tractions are getting closer together and we need to go to the hospital but she can’t drive herself!”

Every thought in his head spilled out like a water balloon with a hole poked in the side. He took a breath to speak, but nothing came out.

Shit, he thought generously.

“Are you kidding?” His voice sounded high-pitched to his own ears.

The girl had springs attached to her feet, little pigtails bobbing against her shoulders as she bounced fretfully up and down. “No! Please, can you drive her, Uncle Wilder? You’re family.”

“Oh my God.” Before he could decide how to very nicely tell this little girl that her daddy would absolutelynotwant Wilder anywhere near his wife while she was in labor, the ranch house’s front door banged open, and Mary-Beth waddled out onto the front porch, slinging a bag over her shoulder and holding a goddamn towel between her legs.

“Annalise! Go to the truck!”

Annalise spun away from him. “Uncle Wilder’s gonna drive us, Momma!”

“Oh my God,” he said again, but he wheeled around and grabbed his boots, shoving his feet into them and barely remembering to grab his coat before he shut the door behind him. “I’m coming!”

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