Page 80 of Huckleberry Hill
“That’s me. The thoughtful one.” I rubbed the side of my head.
“You okay?”
“Hmm? Oh. Yeah. Just tired. I only got a few hours of sleep.”
“You do look a little wrecked.”
“Thanks,” I said with a laugh. “Did you just come in here to tell me I look like a car ran over me?”
“No that’s not why I came up here. I’m heading out of town tomorrow for the livestock auction in Three Forks.”
“Oh.” I frowned. “I didn’t realize that was happening . . . but that makes sense. It’s that time of year isn’t it? So you want me to ride shotgun with you?”
“What?”
“Ride shotgun,” I repeated. “I always go with you to the stock shows, Daddy. Now that I’m home . . .”
“Actually, I’m taking Henry and Josiah. I’ll be gone for a week. I need you here to keep an eye on Muddy. Don’t tell her I told you this, but she’s slowing down a bit. If you can help around here—maybe pick up the slack—that would help a lot.”
“Sure, no problem,” I said.
“Thanks, Hadley. I know I can count on you.”
“You can, for sure.”
Muddy hadn’t slowed down in the least. But my father was trying to come up with a plausible reason for why he didn’t want me going to the stock show.
I wondered if he was taking his new secret lady friend, and he wanted some uninterrupted alone time with her.
If my father was gone for a week, that meant Declan and I . . .
My stomach rumbled.
Dad raised his brows. “You might want to do something about that.”
I laughed. “Yeah. That leftover shepherd’s pie is calling my name. I meant to ask about the bear. Any sign of it?”
Dad shook his head. “Nah, I think he moved along. Still, make sure you’re carrying if you go for a ride, yeah?”
“I will. Are you going to bring me home a present from the stock show?”
“What kind of present do you want?” he asked.
“Something cute and cuddly. How about a baby goat?”
“You gonna take the baby goat back to New York with you? I don’t think your roommates would appreciate the smell.”
My heart fell at the thought of going back to New York, but I didn’t want Dad to know how I truly felt. Not yet. It would invite questions I wasn’t ready to answer.
Chapter Seventeen
The Ranch
* * *
My phone buzzed in my jacket. I slowed Goldie to a walk and unzipped my pocket and extracted my cell.
I pressed a button and put the phone to my ear. “Hey.”
