Page 23 of Texas Daze (Texas Montgomery Mavericks)

Chuckling, Marti said, “I don’t know. We always have. They are invaluable for keeping the pests undercontrol.”

“You’ll keep all thesekittens?”

“Doubtful. Most will go to homes where their main job is loving humans. We’ll probably keep a couple. But I’ve got a couple of months to decide on that.” She lightly stroked a finger along one the kittens. “Isn’t shebeautiful?”

“You can tell boys from girls thisearly?”

She laughed. “Nope. I’m right about fifty percent ofthetime.”

Callie’s birthing box had been layered with towels and blankets. Marti removed the bloodiest one from the birth, leaving Callie and her kittens resting on a cleantowel.

With both births over, the evening’s adrenaline surge sagged. A weariness draped over her like a wet blanket, but she wasn’t ready to leave Princess and Duchess. The more she thought about the name Duchess, the more she really loved it. Soperfect.

“I’m having an energy slump,” sheconfessed.

“You readytogo?”

“Oh no. I want to watch Princess and Duchess for a while, make sure everything is okay. But you don’t have to stay.Really.”

“You trying to get rid of me?” he asked withawink.

“Nope. Just giving you permission to head out. I’m used to early mornings or latenights.”

“Me, too.” He put an arm around her. “Let’s find our bales and watch for a while.Soundgood?”

They settled back on the hay, his arm snuggly about her shoulders. She leaned against him. It’d been a long time since she’d done that, rested against a man’s chest. His warmth heated the side of her head. A strong, slow heartbeat lulled her eyes closed. Just for a moment, she toldherself.

“How long she been asleep?” She recognized Grisham’svoice.

“About forty-five minutes, give or take,” Eli said. “It was a longnight.”

“She’s awake,” Marti said, struggling to separate herself from Eli’s comfortable chest. He shook his arm and shechuckled. “Dead?”

“Maybe alittle.”

“What timeisit?”

“A little after five,” Grisham said. He leaned on the open stall door’s frame. “She’s abeauty.”

Marti smiled and pushed her hair back out of her eyes. “Iknow.”

“Thought ofaname?”

“Duchess,” she said. “Duchess ofBoone.”

“We didn’t get a chance to meet last night,” Eli said. “EliBoone.”

The older man held out his hand. “JamesGrisham.”

“Sorry. I should have done that.” Sheyawned.

Eli stood. “I’d better getgoing.”

“How about some coffee? Breakfastmaybe?”

He shook his head. “Got a meeting at the hospital later today. I need to go home andchange.”

“I’ll walkyouout.”

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