Total pages in book: 111
Estimated words: 104448 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 522(@200wpm)___ 418(@250wpm)___ 348(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 104448 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 522(@200wpm)___ 418(@250wpm)___ 348(@300wpm)
“I met so many people that night, it’s hard to remember. I, ah, might have been distracted by one person in particular, and it definitely wasn’t Renata.”
My face heated under his gaze. “Right, well… she’s younger. A grad student at UT Dallas. It’s actually her parents who live next door to Katie, but she and Katie were closer in age. I would have suggested her as a potential parent for Lellie, but she’s dating a guy Katie and I really don’t like. And she’s just… too young, honestly. She’s a wonderful nanny, but I’m not sure she’s mature enough to be a full-time parent yet.”
“Are any of us?” Dev teased.
“What about your parents?” I asked.
His emotional reaction to discovering Katie held the deed to their house indicated that there was a story there. The way he tensed up at the mention of them confirmed it.
“What about them?” he asked.
“Would they want her?”
He hunched his shoulders a bit and looked back down at his boots. “Probably.”
Sometimes getting information out of this man was like trying to get a cat to come when called—impossible and infuriating. “And that wouldn’t be a good thing?”
He straightened back up but didn’t look at me. “They’d be better than the Scotts, but not by much.”
“Is that why you didn’t move back to Texas? Katie never said.”
Before he could answer, two things happened at once. A tech came out of the building to call Dev inside, and my phone buzzed with a message.
As Dev began walking toward the building, I glanced down at the text.
My assistant had forwarded me a demand for one Eleanor Kathryn Scott to appear at a specific lab in Dallas for lab testing by the end of the following week. Attached was the subpoena for the paternity test from the Scotts’ attorney… signed by a judge I knew was a member of the Scotts’ congregation.
My heart dropped into my stomach.
Dev’s staunch declaration that he’d never return to Texas had lasted all of a handful of minutes. Even if Dev’s attorneys wanted to fight the ridiculous demand to travel a thousand miles to go to a specific lab, they would lose.
Dev may not have realized what he was up against in the Scotts’ legal custody challenge, but I sure did. And it would take a limitless well of money to fight it. I could only hope Dev’s mysterious “business deal” had netted him enough wealth to go up against a system clearly biased against him.
Regardless, I wasn’t going to tell him about the subpoena now.
Because the vet clearly had news about Trigger.
SIXTEEN
DEV
When I returned to the waiting room, Pete was waiting.
“Okay. The tube seemed to provide quite a bit of relief, and I’m cautiously optimistic we can treat Trigger without surgery.” He went on to explain his diagnosis and treatment plan. “And, of course, if anything unexpected happens, I’ll call and discuss it with you. But I think you caught it early. Best-case scenario, he can go home tomorrow under close supervision.”
“Supervision.” My stomach dropped. “I’ve got roundup in two days.”
Tully opened his mouth but then closed it.
“What?” I prompted. “Say what you’re thinking.”
“You can still bring Trigger home, and I can watch him. Or I can help with roundup and let you watch him. Or we can take turns.”
Pete looked back and forth between us. “Either way. You know he’s in good hands here if you need to leave him longer. We have someone keeping an eye on everyone around the clock anyway since we have high-risk breeding animals on-site.” He patted me on the shoulder. “We’ll take good care of him, and I promise to call. Go on home and get some rest. If you need more help with roundup, let me know. I have a high schooler who works part-time as a tech. She’d love to help and has experience loading trailers. She’s been doing hunter-jumper shows for years. Runs our supply closet like a drill sergeant.”
My brain was sluggish. I was overwhelmed with relief at the news Trigger wouldn’t need surgery.
Tully stepped forward. “He’d love that. Would you mind sharing her contact information? I can give it to Way.”
Pete nodded. “Will do. I promise to take care of your baby, Dev. Go get some sleep.”
I shook his hand and thanked him before turning back to Tully and tilting my head toward the door. It wasn’t easy leaving Trigger, but I also knew I didn’t want to see him sedated. It would agitate both of us if I went back there to say good night.
We left the ranch truck and trailer in the lot and loaded up in my SUV. The silence on the drive was comfortable. Trigger’s prognosis was a relief, and I took a few minutes to allow it to sink in. Darkness had finally settled, with only the barest slim band of faded copper outlining the triple peaks of Three Daughters in the distance. Warm night air came in through the open truck windows, and the scent of sage carried hints of cattle grazing nearby.