Page 21 of Sweet Surprise

“Wild?” Jess knew her eyes were probably threatening to fall out of their sockets.

“Mustangs?” Mason’s enthusiasm seemed to be spiking.

“Unlikely, but you never know.”

“Can we go down and get a closer look?”

Carson shook his head. “It’s never a good idea to get too close to any wild animal, whether it’s a horse, a buffalo, or a feral cat or dog. Animal instinct for self preservation can be a problem.”

“Don’t touch the fluffy cows,” Mason deadpanned.

A loud roar of laughter burst out as Carson kicked his head back. “Something like that.”

“I’m sorry,” Jess interrupted. “Fluffy cows?”

Carson nodded. “You see that everywhere up near Yellowstone and other places with large herds of bison or buffalo.”

Jess turned to her son. “Where did you learn that?”

“At school. Mary Margaret O’Hanlon wore a t-shirt with that slogan on it after her family went on a Spring break vacation to Mount Rushmore.”

“Is the canyon your land?” Jess asked.

Carson shook his head. “Our property ends at the cliffs edge, the actual canyon and water belongs to the state of Texas, the other side is the Callahan spread.”

“So the horses belong to the state?” Jess asked.

“At the moment,” Carson squinted in the direction of the herd mulling about, “I’m not sure who they belong to.”

“They’re beautiful.” His gaze glued to the horses below, Mason hadn’t moved an inch. “Sure wish I could sketch them.”

“We have work horses on the ranch, you’re welcome to sketch those if you like.” Carson’s gaze was focused on the equines, just like his son.

As a matter of fact, from where Jess stood, the resemblance between the two was suddenly quite startling. Their stance, their focus, their profile. Good Lord, how could she not find a way to keep these two together?

Chapter Nine

Hanging out all afternoon and evening with Mason and Jess had been the best day Carson Sweet had spent in a hell of a long time. Exhausted, Mason had fallen asleep in the Jeep just before they’d reached home. The kid slept like a proverbial log. Carson lifted him out of the vehicle, carried him into the house and up the stairs to his room and he didn’t move a muscle. Jess stripped him of his shoes and pants and Mason didn’t even blink. Carson would kill to sleep that soundly.

The plan for the morning was to introduce his son to the horses. Even though a few of the horses would be out working with his siblings and Clint, there would be enough left for Mason to meet and sketch.

At the sink, his mom hummed softly as she poured hot water into a pitcher of tea bags. Thinking back, he was pretty sure this was the first time he’d heard his mother humming since they’d found his father slumped at the kitchen table over a year ago. Standing at her side, scrolling through her phone, his sister Rachel frowned.

“Bad news?” he asked.

Rachel shook her head. “Just work.”

With a nod his head turned to see the woman sitting at the table, her dark hair clipped into a bun with loose strands caressing her shoulders, a little messy but somehow perfect. Cradling a mug of hot coffee, her gaze remained on their son, sitting across from her, scribbling furiously in his sketchpad. Their son. Would he ever tire of those words?

Carson tried not to stare, but it was impossible not to feel the tug in his chest every time he looked at the boy. Nine years old, wiry, with his mom’s brilliant green eyes and determined jawline. Shaking away the growing nostalgia, he inched closer to Mason.

“May I see?”

Nodding, Mason sat back so Carson take a look. It took a moment but he realized Mason had not just sketched a horse, but their pen as well.

“Do you like it?” The little boy’s voice sounded smaller than usual.

“Very much.”

---