Page 151 of Dove
Even I cringed at how needy I sounded, but I couldn’t help eagerly pulling on my work boots and heading out of the mudroom to the porch to look for him. Judging by how long I’d been gone, he was likely starting on the horses.
I checked to make sure Omen had been fed and gave him a quick pat where he was having an after breakfast nap on the catbed in the shed. A quick glance at the coop revealed the girls pecking at the feed Josh had spread out, but I figured he’d fed them when I saw the fresh eggs he’d collected from them on the counter.
Making my way over to the stable, I heard him before I saw him.
“You still not feeling so good, pretty girl?” his low voice cajoled.
I frowned, stepping through the archway and into the dim horse stable. Josh was down farther, where we kept Clover. He was petting her head as it hung low over the stall door.
“Does she still seem off?” My voice carried across the breezeway, startling him.
“That was fast,” he commented, throwing a glance over his shoulder at me. But he knew I wasn’t one to dally in the mornings if I could help it, even if I wasn’t always the picture of a morning person. Living on a farm would do that to you, bred out of necessity. The worry I found etched into the furrow of his brow had my own concern twisting my stomach into knots. “She won’t take the sugar cubes I’m offering her.”
My frown matched his. Sheneverturned down treats. We affectionately called her Miss Piggy.
My boots ate up the distance between us until I was standing beside him. “Should we call Dr. Sterling?”
Josh pet between Clover’s eyes. “I’m thinking we should. You mentioned she seemed sick the other day. I don’t want her getting worse.”
My nod came easy in agreement. “Want me to call?”
“Go ahead. I’ll see if I can get her to a spare stall so I can clean hers while we wait for the vet. Try and get the soonest appointment she has.”
I walked backward, pulling my cell out of my pocket. “Once I’m done with this call, I can take over. Go grab a shower, there’ssome breakfast waiting for you in the microwave.”Which is probably cold by now, unfortunately.
“It’s fine, Dove.”
I pressed Dr. Sterling’s contact, which was one of the very few I had in my phone. As it starting ringing in my ear, I repeated firmly, “I’m taking over.”
Josh just shook his head at my stubbornness as I made my way out of the stable to take the call.
Coincidentally, Dr. Sterling was just up the road at a neighboring farm and promised to pop over as soon as she was done. I thanked her, knowing how hectic being the only vet in Haven could be, and told her just to come straight over, no need to call, we’d be here.
I had to practically shove Josh toward the house. For as easy as he’d made abandoning the farm seem, he still held a soft spot in his heart for the animals.
And for me, the annoying muscle beating in my chest added.
As the summer crept on, I was starting to believe Josh when he said it hadn’t been so easy for him to leave. It hadn’t been easy to let go of my anger for him, but with each day he remained by my side, I realized I didn’twantto be angry at Josh—didn’t want the past to linger like a bad scar between us. I wanted us to heal, to start over, to start fresh.
While Josh was up at the house, I finished Clover’s stall and was about to begin Shadow’s when Josh wandered back in, wearing clean clothes with his hair still damp.
Leaning against the pitchfork, I couldn’t help but point out, “That had to be the world’s quickest shower. Did you even eat the breakfast I made?” Not that I’d blame him if he hadn’t, coldeggs and soggy toast didn’t sound the least bit appetizing. I never claimed to be a good cook, that had all been my mom.
He strode over to me. “I did, and it was delicious.”
I snorted. “Now I know you’re lying.”
Josh shook his head in denial. “Am not. It was delicious becauseyoumade it for me.”
“Okay, now that was just cheesy,” I teased, smiling around the words, infected by whatever the hell was buzzing between us.
“Cheesy?” he repeated, eyes narrowed, prowling closer. “I’ll show you cheesy.”
“What does that even mean?” I laughed as I moved backward, matching his steps as he advanced on me. Spinning, I propped the pitchfork on the side of the stall and twirled out of his reach as he grabbed for me, but my foot slipped out from under me on a stray piece of hay. I braced myself for impact with the hard floor, but instead, the strong band of Josh’s arms locked around me from behind.
“Careful, little dove,” Josh warned in my ear, his voice a wicked purr.
He was warm along my back in a way that had my mind flashing back to yesterday, and all I wanted to do was feel him like that again. I pressed into him, and he groaned—a deep, throaty sound that made me bite my lip and wish we had all the time in the world to lie in bed.
