Page 78 of Home Hearts Hooves

“Isabel was talking about Savannah,” I say, and Preston pauses.

“Did she say what she’s decided?” I want to tell him that she sounded like she was leaning towards letting Poppy stay, but then he’ll get his hopes up and if she changed her mind, he’d be even more crushed than he already will be if they leave.

I shake my head, and his smile falters.

“But she is seeing how much Poppy loves it here. Look, whatever she decides, we’ll make it work.”

“Even if it means road trips up to Savannah every other day?”

“I’ll get to see Gramps more often, and Alan and Kelly, I’m sure they’d love it. We can take Poppy to a Banana Ball game.”

“Thanks. Yeah, that would be fun. I guess I shouldn’t worry about anything yet. She’ll decide what she’s doing, and then we’ll deal.”

“Exactly. I go to reach for another carrot stick, but he pulls the tray away.

“Not for you.” He smirks, then leans forward and kisses me softly. “But you can have me later.”

“I can’t wait,” I reply and kiss him back, then we make our way down with the others.

Poppy’s friends will start arriving soon, and we thought it was probably better to give her the present from Preston right at the start, then she can tell all her guests about her new cow.

“Dad!” Poppy calls when she sees him, and he damn near drops the tray. “Come see what I taught Cuddles.”

“She just called me dad,” he whispers.

“I know. Do you need me to take the tray?”

“No. I’m good. I’m…I’m her dad.”

“Yeah,” I say, watching his smile grow, and his eyes begin to go glassy. “You are.”

He puts down the tray on one of the tables and then gives her his full attention.

“Okay, show me, and then I’ll give you your present.”

“Watch this,” she beams, holding her arms out in a circle at her side and kneeling on the soft hay. “Come on, Cuddles, jump.”

Cuddles hops around her and then leaps through her circled arms. Preston cheers, clapping as do Isabel and I, and then I hear the bell they put on Miss Milky.

“Okay, close your eyes,” Preston says, and she stands up and covers them with her hands. “On three, you can open.”

“Okay,” she yells, like covering her eyes somehow affected how well we can hear her. Kids are odd. Preston counts down as Connor and Skye open the gate to the cuddle cove and guide Miss Milky into a separate section set up for her. She lies down and her new calf, the yet-to-be-named beauty, snuggles up beside her, a pink bow tied around her neck.

“One, two, three,” Preston says, and Poppy throws down her hands and then looks around.

“Where is it?” she asks, and I laugh.

“Hey, kid, it’s the one with the pink bow on it.” Her eyes dart around and then she spots Miss Milky’s calf and squeals.

“Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god, are you for real? Is she mine? Is she really really mine?” Poppy asks, rushing over to the side and crawling between the rails to get into Miss Milky’s section.

“She’s all yours, and Dean’s offered for her to stay here on the ranch until you’re old enough to have your own place for her,” Preston says, and Poppy lightly pets the top of the calf’s head and then cuddles tightly around Miss Milky’s neck.

“Thank you. Your little baby is beautiful, Miss Milky. Good job.”

Her mother laughs.

“So what are you going to name her?” Isabel asks.

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