Page 17 of My Apocalypse Cowboy
"She looks more than fine. She looks perfect."
Rebecca's right. Sunshine is gleaming with health, tossing her head and prancing in place like she's showing off. If I didn't know better, I'd think she was proud of all the attention she got during her illness.
"You saved her life," I tell Rebecca for probably the tenth time since the crisis ended.
"We saved her life."
"I just held the rope. You did the medical miracle."
"Joseph." She turns from checking Sunshine's legs for any signs of stiffness. "Without your help, your trust, your willingness to let me try things that could have made her worse—I couldn't have done any of it alone."
"Still. What you did..." I shake my head, still amazed. "I knew you had veterinary training, but seeing it in action like that. You were incredible."
She blushes, which makes her even prettier. "I was terrified the whole time. What if I'd been wrong? What if the tube had gone into her lungs instead of her stomach? What if—"
"But you weren't wrong. And it didn't. And she's fine." I pull her into my arms, breathing in the scent of her hair. "You took the risk because she needed you to. That's what makes you incredible."
"She's special to us."
"Very special."
We stand there holding each other, watching Sunshine graze peacefully in the paddock. It strikes me how far we've all come from that first day when Rebecca tried to steal her. If someone had told me then that I'd fall in love with the horse thief and she'd end up saving Sunshine's life, I'd have laughed them off the mountain.
Now I can't imagine any other life.
"Joseph?"
"Mmm?"
"I've been thinking."
"About?"
"Sunshine's getting older. Maybe it's time to think about breeding her. Before she's too old to carry a foal safely."
The suggestion catches me off guard. "You want to breed her?"
"I want to continue her line. She's got good conformation, excellent temperament, proven hardiness." Rebecca pulls backto look at me. "Plus, having horses to trade would be valuable for the ranch. And..."
"And?"
"And I'd like our children to grow up with horses. Learn to ride on Sunshine's foals."
Our children.She says it so casually, like it's a given, and my heart does something complicated in my chest.
"You want children?"
"Don't you?"
I think about it. A year ago, the idea of bringing children into this dangerous world would have seemed insane. But looking at what Rebecca and I have built together, the safe haven we've created, the life we're planning...
"Yeah," I say, surprised by how much I mean it. "I do."
"Good." She grins and kisses me softly. "Because I think Sunshine would make an excellent babysitter."
"You're going to trust our hypothetical children to a horse who nearly died from eating too much?"
"She had colic, not a character flaw."
