My tongue poked into my cheek. “Sure, Gran.”
She sighed, and I couldn’t help but think my answer had disappointed her. But why? Had she wanted Malachi to leave the cattle yard for some reason?
“That will be all right then,” she said. “I’ll see y’all at supper.” She turned and headed back into the house.
“What do you want to do first?” I asked. “Look around or get settled in at the wagon?”
Sierra wrinkled her nose and kicked at a loose rock. “It stinks here.”
The cow patties did leave a certain aroma, but nothing like driving past the dairy farms of Central Valley. Woowee!
“That’s the smell of greenhouse gases eating away at the ozone layer in the stratosphere.” Nicole’s wrinkled nose matched her daughter’s.
Drew shook his head with a chuckle. “Do you ever stop?”
The woman who should have been a member of Captain Planet’s superhero team glared back. “There is an environmental state of emergency, and it is important my daughter grows up to know how to fight to save the earth.”
Drew squared off with her. “Not everything is a crusade, you know.”
“And not everything is a joke.” Nicole mirrored his stance.
Amanda placed her pinkies in her mouth and shrilled a high, piercing whistle. “Gloves off, lightweights.”
“Did I miss something?” My gaze swung from Nicole to Drew.
“Yeah. You don’t want to be stuck in the car with those two for any length of time,” Betsy quipped.
Molly practically vibrated like she had a secret she could barely contain. “Two words: Toe. Pick,” she sing-songed.
Say what now? I shook my head. How’d we go from boxing metaphors to ice-skating? I loved my friends, but sometimes they didn’t make any sense at all.
Sierra looked up from petting Scout. Knowing Nicole, Sierra was probably used to her mom toeing off with people about one cause or another. The tension radiating off her mom didn’t seem to faze her one bit. “Can we see some of the other animals?”
I smiled at her. “Sure thing. Who do you want to meet first? A newborn calf named Gus, or my favorite horse on the ranch, Domino?”
Her mouth pushed to the side as she considered.
“Well, hello there.” Nate sauntered up from the direction of the cattle yard. His hair and skin glistened in the sun as sweat beaded along his brow. His faded jeans and denim shirt were streaked with dirt and other unidentifiable grunge. “I’d shake y’all’s hands and give you a proper welcome, but as you can see, I’m in need of a shower.”
“This is Nate Thomas,” I introduced.
He nodded to everyone before turning to me. “There’s a new addition in the calving pen. Pretty sure I overheard Mal say the little tyke needs a name.”
A new baby? My heart gave a little kick against my ribs even as I elbowed Nate. “I’m pretty sure you didn’t.”
An impish smirk turned his lips. “That’s not going to stop you though, is it?”
I worried my inside cheek between my molars. I didn’t want to get in Malachi’s way. On the other hand, I really wanted to see the newborn calf.
Sierra looked up at me with wide eyes. I scanned the group. Everyone waited to take their cue from me, but I could see the curiosity and quelled excitement in their expressions.
As long as we didn’t get too close and gave everyone plenty of space, what could the harm be? I unleashed my own anticipation and grinned. “Let’s go see what the stork brought up.”
“Hold up one sec.” Nate ran into the house and came out half a minute later with a bottle of blue Gatorade. “For Mal.”
The cold drink cooled my palm as I led everyone past the stables to cattle yard. I turned on my heel and walked backwards, sweeping my gaze to encompass the seven people who’d driven all the way up here because of me. I may have been struggling with remembering my place in the city versus the country, but I’d never forget the friends I belonged to.
“How’d the award show go, Bets?” Her kinky curls were piled on top of her head in a messy bun, the prospect of a couple of days on a farm not swaying her daily wardrobe of canvas chucks, ripped jeans, and snarky tees.
