Page 23 of Make Her Mine
“Won’t a doctor have to examine me?” I didn’t want that.
“If you get pregnant, more than one doctor will have to treat you,” she said. “Think about it. I’ll make an appointment first thing in the morning. Get your ass up nice and early, and I’ll take you.”
“I don’t know.” I started feeling sick about the arrangement. “I think I’ll decline. For now,, Darleen.”
“Look, you think you’ve got time, but you don’t,” she warned me. “I’ve seen how you look at him, Ella. You’ve never looked at anyone the way you look at him.”
“Who?” I had no idea who she was talking about!
“Brandon, chickey-poo!” she exclaimed. “He looks at you that way, too. Better to be safe than sorry. I’m making that appointment, so be ready. You’re getting on birth control tomorrow. I’m not taking no for an answer.”
“Fine.” I left her room, my feet feeling heavy, and stumbling to my room. “Being a grown-up kind of sucks.”
Chapter Eleven
Brandon
I spent the night before fantasizing about Ella again. She had gotten under my skin even more after spending time with her the day before. I’d begun to think that trying to forget about her was pretty damn useless. And she’ll teach me how to work the rope the next day, so I had high hopes we’d end up spending the whole day together again.
As I got to the breakfast nook, my brothers and Mrs. Finely were there, but no one else. “Good morning.” I went to get a cup of coffee and tried to smother my disappointment at not seeing Ella.
Clayton lifted his cup of coffee in a greeting. “Good morning, Brandon. Dyllan and I are going with Mr. Finley after breakfast to the feed store. Care to join us?”
“As fun as that sounds, I better pass.” I took the coffee and went to sit at the table.
Mrs. Finley frowned at me, her hand on her hip. That was something her youngest daughter did a lot, too. “Boy, aren’t you going to eat something?”
I’d thought to see if Ella showed up before making a plate. “Um, not yet.”
With a sigh, she pulled the lids down on the silver chafing platters. “Don’t wait too long. Eggs don’t set well for more than an hour in these things.”
Dyllan picked up a piece of bacon and waved it at me. “You better get some of the bacon before I eat it all up! Bacon is never this good! How come you don’t want to go to the feed store with us this morning?”
Come up with something! Or they’ll bother me until I came with them or told them the truth. “The horses are appealing to me. I’d like to make them my special interest.”
“That’s a good idea, Brandon,” Mrs. Finley said with a nod. “Youshouldfind things that interest you here.”
Fidgeting in my seat, what’s keeping Ella so long? Even her sister… Or had they already come? “Where are the girls this morning, Mrs. Finley?”
“Oh, they went into town this morning. They left together, which is a bit unusual.” She walked toward the door, then looked back at me. “You eat now, Brandon. If you’re waiting for anyone, you’ll be waiting for nothing.”
I got up and made myself a plate, then took a seat as my brothers stared at me. Clayton asked, “You were waiting for Ella?”
“Not really.” I took a bite of the eggs.
Dyllan didn’t seem to believe me. “Then why’d you make a plate only after you found out she’d already gone?”
“No reason.” They were getting into my business too much! “When are you guys leaving to the feed store?”
“After we’re done eating.” Clayton arched one eyebrow. “Why, do you want to go now that you know Ella isn’t around?”
“Nope.” I had no idea when she’d be coming back and didn’t want to be gone when she did. She might get the wrong idea about me and think I didn’t want to spend time with her if I wasn’t here waiting for her.
How out of character is that? I never waited around for anyone! But I couldn’t make myself go with my brothers.
“So, what are you going to do at the horse stable all alone?” Clayton teased.
“Check it all out. Get to know the horses.” That’s what I’ll do. I had an idea of how today would go, and it wasn’t going that way at all.
