Page 42 of Sweet Surprise

Mason looked up, his eyes serious. “Does it hurt a lot?”

“Not too bad,” Carson lied smoothly. “Your mom’s worried about nothing.”

“I saw blood.” Mason’s tone was low, hints of fear from the earlier incident still laced his words.

“Just a scratch,” Carson reassured him, he and Jess having decided earlier to leave the lecture on ranch safety till the boy’s emotions were a little less raw. “And look—I got a cool bandage out of it.” He flexed his arm slightly, immediately regretting the movement when pain shot through his shoulder.

Forehead folded, Mason didn’t seem convinced, but Brady nudged his hand, demanding more attention.

Alice bustled in from the kitchen, carrying a loaf of fresh bread. “When grandmother’s have nothing but time to worry, they bake. There are four more loaves where this came from.”

“Good. Apparently getting kicked by a horse makes a man hungry.” Carson flashed his mother a smile, doing his best to make today seem like no big deal.

“You’re not the only one,” Preston spoke up.

“Hear hear,” multiple voices echoed.

“All right.” Alice glared at every adult in the room. “Point taken. Everyone to the dining room.”

Slowly, they all filed into the dining room, shuffling around, taking their seats, comments back and forth about the wild horses. Garret teasing that Carson probably scared the mare more than the mare scared him.

“Who said the mare scared me?” Carson eased into his chair, Jess at his side.

Garret raised one brow at him, calling his brother’s bluff. “You’re just lucky none of the other horses came after you. The last thing anyone wants to do is tangle with a miffed stallion.”

“Amen to that.” Preston poured a glass of water for his wife, then himself.

“The important thing,” his mom placed a tray of lasagna on the table, “is that no one was seriously hurt.”

Nodding at his mother, Carson noticed Mason seemed awfully quiet, his movements slow, hesitant. Once the adrenaline had dissipated, even he had been left a bit on edge; he couldn’t imagine Mason was any different. What he didn’t know, was how to help his son put the incident behind him without repercussions.

As he considered options and the situation, Mason chuckled and Carson took a second look. Brady had settled under the table at Mason’s feet, licking his fingers, and sneakily begging for scraps. Carson should have known that Brady would be the best therapist, he’d done so much to help Samson adjust, and even though Mason wasn’t a K-9, Brady was doing what Brady did best.

Seated beside Carson, Jess’s knee briefly touched his under the table. Her cheeks pinkened a moment and he couldn’t help but smile. There wasn’t anything about this woman, anything she did, that he didn’t love.

His mother’s voice, saying grace, thanking God for keeping them safe and bringing them all home together, interrupted his thoughts. Carson found himself adding his own silent thanks. Not just for the safe outcome, but for all the blessings bestowed on him recently—two in particular.

“Was it me,” Carson sank into the recliner, “or was that the best lasagna you’ve ever made?”

A smile split his mom’s face. “Charmer.”

Jess couldn’t help but chuckle at the family dynamic. After a miserably harrowing and nerve-wracking day, here they all were, relaxed, calm, and teasing each other, no less. Love filled the room from floor to ceiling.

Cards fanned out in front of his face, his eyes narrowed in concentration, even Mason seemed to have lost his nervous jitters. Since dinner began he’d settled considerably, the tension gradually leaving his small shoulders as the meal progressed. Now, locked in an intense game of Go Fish with Garret, he seemed almost back to his normal self. “Got any threes?” Mason eyed his uncle suspiciously.

“Go fish.” Garret winked.

When Mason reached for the deck, Jess checked her watch. “Getting late, sweetie. Better wrap this up soon.”

“But Mom…” Mason whined as only a nine year old could.

“Not till after our game,” Garret countered, ruffling his nephew’s hair. “Can’t leave a man hanging when he’s on a winning streak.”

From across the room, Alice smiled over her coffee cup. “I’ll take him up when they’re done, Jess. You’ve had a long day.”

Wasn’t that the understatement of the year? What must have been only minutes out by the canyon had felt like hours at the time. She truly was drained.

Balancing a mug of coffee with his good arm, Carson slipped through the back door. Without a word, she followed him out onto the porch.

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