Page 173 of Huckleberry Hill
“Why has it been crazy there? It’s Huckleberry Hill. Nothing ever happens there.”
“Not true,” I said. “Sweet Teeth went viral on social media and Gracie had a line out of the door for several days. So Muddy and I and a few others pitched in to help. And then a late spring storm came through and we had a flash flood and now I’m in the hospital.”
“What?” she nearly yelled.
“I’m okay,” I hastened to say. “Just a little bruising.”
“Holy hell,” she muttered. “You are terrible at giving news, you know that? You’re in the hospital right now?”
“Yes.”
“Oh hang on. Poet and Wyn just got home. Let me call you back and we can video chat and you can tell us everything.”
She hung up on me. A moment later, my phone rang again. I pressed the button, and the screen filled with their three faces.
“Hey,” Wyn said. “What’s this about you being in the hospital?”
“There was a late spring storm and we had to move the cattle to higher ground on the ranch so they didn’t get trapped. It was pouring rain and Goldie got caught on an old fence post covered in barbed wire under the waterline. I cut her free, and when I did she bolted toward Merlin and knocked me into the water. I fell on the fence post and bruised my side really bad and the water washed me away.”
The three of them were silent, their eyes wide.
“And you say nothing happens here,” I said, directing my statement to Salem.
“So then what happened?” Poet asked.
“Declan was right there. It was so fast,” I explained. “He saw me go under, but the current swept me away before he could get to me, so he got on Merlin and came after me. He roped me and dragged me up onto the bank like I was a cow.” I was trying to give them the headlines because I knew any moment Declan would return with the cookies, and I wanted to tell them the most important news.
“He took me to the hospital to get me checked out. No broken ribs or anything, just a lot of bruising,” I said.
“So you’re okay then?” Salem asked. “When do they release you?”
I took a deep breath. “Well, the doctor wanted to keep an eye on me for a few hours due to my . . . extenuating circumstances.”
“Extenuating circumstances?” Wyn’s blonde brows slashed together in confusion. “What does that mean?”
“It means I’m pregnant.”
Silence reigned across the screen.
“Pregnant?” Salem asked. “But how?”
“I think we know how,” Poet teased. “It’s Declan’s, right?”
“It’s Declan’s,” I assured her. “I had my period in New York last month before I came home. And Gianni and I hadn’t been . . . not since the news about my infertility.”
“Infertility, you say,” Wyn said. “Nature clearly called bullshit. That cowboy has some powerful ding-a-ling juice.”
“Ew.” Poet wrinkled her nose. “Can you not?”
“I’m just saying,” Wyn said.
“Hold on a second,” Salem stated. “Are you telling me you and Declan have been raw-doggin’ it this whole time? Because I know you. You’re captain safety.”
I felt my cheeks heat and then cleared my throat. “I didn’t think I needed protection.”
“You put the ho in Idaho.” Salem suddenly smiled. “I’m going to be an aunt!”
“Aunties!” Wyn hollered.
