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I snort. “Go figure.”
“So, tell me more about thisfriend. Emma said something about a Ruby? We don’t know a Ruby…”
I roll my eyes and run a hand down my face while Delphine butts her head into my thigh.
“Pierre’s niece—”
“Oh, so that’s Ruby. Okay. I just thought you’d help her with her car and she’d be on her way. Is she hot?” He laughs and puts his hand over the phone, but I can still hear himthrough his muffled hand telling Marlow that I have a newfriendnamed Ruby.
I shake my head and forge ahead, actually glad he called so I can get his advice. “She burned herself pretty bad. I didn’t see the burns to know for sure how bad, but it was really hot cocoa and she had this dress on that seemed like it just kept pressing that heat into her skin.”
“It’s no joke, man. People come through the hospital all the time with burns from that kind of thing. Sometimes it can take weeks to heal…months even, depending on how bad the burn is. Why didn’t you mention it last night? You should tell her to come in.”
“I’d talked to Emma and I tried to get her to go in, but I don’t think she’s going to. Her RV broke down and she’s got an emu here—”
“She’s got…anemu. Are you serious?” His voice is incredulous and like he’s barely withholding his laugh.
I’m already kicking myself for saying as much as I have.
“Wait, is she—did she stay at your place? Her and heremu?” Now he does laugh.
I lift my head to the sky and count to ten. I clear my throat to speak and he keeps going.
“This is too good. I’ll bring some stuff over for her, man. We’ll take care of her.”
“I’ve got it—”
“See you in a bit.”
The line goes dead and I stare at my phone, cursing under my breath. I should’ve never answered the call, but I thought Wyatt would be too high on his engagement fucking bliss to show his nosy-ass self. It’s a good thing it wasn’t Sutton or Scarlett. I would never hear the end of this. Theo and Wyatt are usually good for a little more subtlety than my oldest and youngest sibs, but from the sound of that…
“I think Dolly’s ready for an introduction whenever your girls are,” Ruby calls.
I look up and she’s leaning out of the doorway, her cheeks rosy from the cold. My teeth grind together in an attempt to not react to how beautiful she is.
I lead Delphine and Irene just outside Dolly’s stall and Ruby’s grin widens as we come closer. She leads Dolly carefully outside and for a second, they all stand frozen. When Dolly takes another step out the door and into the yard, Delphine runs over and sniffs her and then runs back to report to me, her bleats snapping in rapid fire.
“Slow down, Delphine.” I pet Irene standing solemnly next to me. “What do you think, Irene? Think you can let her pass?”
Irene lets out a long moo and I lift a shoulder to Ruby.
“I wouldn’t leave them alone together just yet, but it seems like she’s all in.”
Ruby’s eyes widen. “That was easy.”
She laughs when Dolly leans down toward Delphine and they touch beak to nose. Delphine blinks and her floppy ears sway when she tilts her head, while Dolly’s eyes stare fixedly on Delphine. All of a sudden, Dolly takes off and does this limp-noodle run around Ruby, never going far from her, but like she can’t contain herself a second longer. Delphine follows as best she can, looking to me for assurance that this character isn’t getting out of hand, and before I know it, I’m cracking up at these crazy-ass fools.
Ruby starts laughing too and it makes Dolly circle her faster.
“I’m not dancing with you today, Dolly,” she says, waving her away. “Run your little heart out.” She glances at me. “How do your cows and goats feel about music?”
My eyebrows lift. “They’re for it.”
She grins and pulls her phone out. “Don’t judge. Dolly’s partial to Cory Wong.”
She waits for a reaction for me.
I shrug. “She knows what she likes.”
