Page 31 of A Rancher's Vow
“No.” He grimaced. “She was hurt. Badly. I called the vet, but I already knew it would take a miracle.”
“Well, you saved her.”
He made a soft sound. “The vet did. Back home, I’m pretty sure Caleb would have given her mercy, and I’d have accepted it. When Frank showed up with his shotgun, though, I threw a fucking fit. Mostly because it was him,” he confessed. “I was thinking less about the animal’s needs than how much I hated to agree with my uncle. I’m pretty ashamed of that part.”
“Oh.” Charity caught his fingers in hers and squeezed.
Dustin nodded. “The part that makes this an Uncle Frank story is that after the vet saved her and she clearly wanted to be with me, he insisted that since he’d paid the bills, she was staying here.” He tugged Charity with him toward the double-wide doors ahead of them. “I said she was my dog now and I’d pay the fucking bills.”
Charity waited. “That can’t be it.”
“No. He sent the bill for the vet to Caleb. Plus a bill for the top price going for a pure-blooded, fully trained border collie, along with a contract saying he got half the pups when I bred her from now to eternity. Or I could pay three times the buyer’s fee amount and be done with him.”
“Ouch. I have no idea what kind of money we’re talking here, but that’s cold-blooded.”
“Consider the payments on the truck I’m driving the only thing I can currently afford on my salary, even after Annie’s first litter.” He rolled his eyes. “Billionaire bachelor, my ass.”
“That makes me sad. That your uncle wasn’t simply content Annie had survived and was happy with you.”
“There’s been a lot of back and forth between my uncle and me over the years. Nothing much is simple anymore. Except this—” He tugged the doors open and gestured her into a place that smelled heavenly. “Welcome to the best place at Crooked Creek. The chow line.”
Dustin hadn’t meantto complain or tell tales while they were here. In fact, he’d planned to keep his mouth shut as much as possible—not his typical behavior, by any means.
Charity had blown his mind by snarking at his uncle.
She’d also loosened something inside him where he sometimes wondered if hedidoverreact when it came to his uncle. Proof that the man could piss off even-keeled Charity was an affirmation Dustin had badly needed.
Still, it was time to change both the subject and the mood, and the food at Crooked Creek was the best solution to that.
“Dustin.”
Food and thegoodpeople who worked the ranch. He turned at the sound of his name to discover a few of the hands rushing forward. “Amy. Lazing about tonight, I see?”
“Just finished a shift full of hard labour. Unlike someone, who I bet sat on his ass for a few hours coasting down the highway while stuffing his face.” The cowgirl threw herself into his arms and squeezed like an anaconda. “Welcome back. We’ve missed your ugly mug around here.”
“We didn’t miss you winning all the roping challenges.” Coralee held up a hand for him to high five once he’d untangled himself from Amy. Coralee looked past him then and raised a brow. “And who’s this?”
Dustin was about to introduce Charity when she slipped into his personal space, hand around his waist.
Right. The girlfriend plan started now. “Ladies. Gents.” Dustin lifted his chin at the couple of guys standing beside the table they’d been sharing with the cowgirls. “I’d like you to meet my girlfriend, Charity.”
Charity held out a hand and greeted them all in turn as conversation whirled around them.
“See?” Coralee declared. “I told you that article was off the mark.”
“Well, theSilver Stone studwasn’t seeing anyone the last time he showed up.” The young man with a raspberry mark on his cheek smiled far too intently at Charity. He spoke with a thick French Canadian accent. “Bonjour, darling. If you’re looking to trade up, the name’s Lionel.”
“How is a second-rate cowhand a trade up from a billionaire bachelor?” Amy demanded.
“I’m sure he’s more than second-rate.” Charity winked at Lionel even as she slid her fingers into Dustin’s belt loop. “Thanks, but I’m happy with Dustin.”
“It must be his conversational skills,” the final cowboy of the group, Keith, mumbled.
“He does have a talented tongue.” Charity kept a straight face, which sent the group into howls of laughter. It also earned them a sour look from a couple of the old-timers playing cards in the corner.
Dustin lifted a hand to them in apology then pointed to the table. “Let’s keep it down. Room for two more?”
Keith hauled a chair over, and Coralee grabbed another.
