Page 44 of Home Hearts Hooves

“Right, you have Thursday dinners.”

“She’s a good little eater. Though I shouldn’t expect any less. You were always finishing off your plate no matter what I put in front of you. She’s got your hair, too, and when she smiles, she looks like…” Mom trails off, then turns and busies herself putting another waiting tray of what appear to be chocolate chip cookies in the oven. I can guess what she was going to say. It’s the same thought I had. When she smiles, she looks like Dad.

I come around and hug Mom tight around her shoulders from behind and rest my chin on her shoulder.

“I’m happy you’re finally a grandmother,” I say, and she leans her head toward mine.

“And you’re a father now. How are you liking being a dad?” she asks, and I let go, pull out a seat and flop down.

“It’s amazing, exhausting, but amazing. She has so many questions, most of which I have no idea how to answer.”

“You were like that, too. Always following your father around, asking all sorts of questions about the animals he was caring for.”

“She loves animals, too, and I know it’s silly to think she gets that from me, because, well, most kids love animals. But I like to think maybe my genetics had a little to do with it.”

“I’m sure they had a lot to do with it. She’s something special, that’s for sure,” Mom says, ruffling my hair with one hand. “Just like her daddy.”

“She is special, and that’s why I need to get her the most special birthday present ever, so what do I buy a ten-year-old girl?”

“She’ll be eleven.”

“Right, an eleven-year-old girl.”

“Hasn’t she shown you her wish list yet? I saw it a week ago.”

“I saw the list, she wrote it one afternoon at the clinic, but Isabel said she’s got most of it handled, and she said you were getting her the cow sparkle lamp in at Easton’s so that leaves me with the only thing on the list I can’t get her. A cow.”

“You could get her a stuffed one. They had some at Easton’s when I picked up the lamp. Though I think she probably already has all of those. The only reason she doesn’t already have the lamp is that they only just got it the day I went in.”

“Exactly. Dean offered up a lifetime pass for her at the cuddle cove.”

“That’s sweet of him. How is Dean?”

“They’ve had a few more births on the ranch today, and the horse, Loki, he’s starting to let Skye come close enough to pet him now, so that’s progress.”

“That’s nice honey, but I asked how Dean was, not the ranch animals, and peculiar farm hand,” she says, shaking her head. “You and your daddy, always talking about pets before people.”

“They’re dairy cows, so hardly pets, but I see your point.”

“So, I’ll ask again. How is Dean?”

“He looked tired, and I kind of feel like that’s a little my fault,” I say, and she raises one brow with a small smile on her lips.

“And why’s that now?”

“Because I gave him a pygmy goat that is obsessed with him and won’t leave his side unless tricked into it.”

“Is that the only reason?” she asks, and I roll my eyes and grab a cookie from a container on my right. It’s raspberry white chocolate and is perfectly chewy.

“I don’t know what you’re getting at,” I say, taking a bite. My heart is racing. Does she know something? She couldn’t. I didn’t tell anyone about the mini barn, and I’m fairly sure Dean didn’t either. Did one of the guys poke their head in to check on us and we didn’t see them? Fuck. My mother has the loosest lips in three counties. If she knows about Dean and me then the whole town will in a matter of days. Not that there is a Dean and me. We’re friends. We decided that was best. Actually, I decided that was best because I just found out about Poppy and wanted my focus to be on her. But I’d be lying if I said I didn’t think about him all the time. Think about that kiss. About how his calloused hand wrapped around my cock, those perfect lips following.

“You didn’t go dropping off those bunnies you had left over from your adoption thing, did you? I know Sally-May isn’t keen on having them around. And for good reason, you let one of those things loose in the garden and there’d be nothing left by dawn,” she says, and I laugh.

I can relax. She doesn’t know about me and Dean. Again, not that there is a me and Dean. Except I really kind of wish there was a me and Dean. Maybe I was too quick to decide we shouldn’t be something, like we can start slow. Coffee maybe. Does he drink coffee?

“You did, didn’t you?” She sighs, shaking her head and dropping the spatula to the table to wave a finger my way instead. “Not everyone is happiest surrounded by animals, love, and maybe it’s time you stepped out of your comfort zone a little. I hear the new librarian is gay, you could ask him out for dinner.”

“Mom, please, no,” I say, waving my hands in front of me like they will magically stop this conversation from happening. It won’t.

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