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“Let me help you carry that down to the corral.” I was shocked to find Tripp standing behind me when I assumed he’d have accompanied Mallory.
His voice was starting to physically cause me pain. My chest ached and my head spun.
“I don’t need your help.”
“Come on. You’re being ridiculous over a stupid comment.”
Looking up into his beautiful blue eyes, I took in a sharp breath. His cowboy hat was back on and he looked so handsome I wanted to cry.
“You insulted me, Tripp. This is all I have. Being a vet is my life and the only thing I’ve ever gotten right. I’m sorry that doesn’t mean anything to you, or if you think it’s a stupid career. We all can’t dress to the nines and own cute little boutiques and look the part of the perfect woman for the town’s mayor, now can we?”
“What?” He looked like I’d slapped him.
“Hey, what’s going on out here?”
I turned to see Mitchell and Corina walking up.
“Oh my gosh! A puppy!” Corina screamed as she took Hemi from my arms.
“Sorry we’re late. Corina wasn’t feeling very good.” Mitchell looked from Tripp to me. “Is everything okay?”
With a nod, I replied. “Everything is fine. Mitchell, can you help me carry this stuff down to the corral so I can get it all set up?”
“Of course,” he answered. He looked at Tripp and frowned.
“Where did she come from?” Corina asked.
“Chloe snuck him into the house last night after she saw Hank selling them in town last night.”
“She stole it?” Mitchell asked.
“No. Hank told her to take the last puppy. I’m going to take care of her…I guess.”
“Harley—” Tripp started to say but I cut him off.
“I really need to get down there. Thanks, Mitchell.”
Corina handed Hemi back to me. “She’s so cute. I wish we could take her, but a new dog and a new baby? I don’t think so.”
“Plus, Milo would be pissed,” Mitchell added with a chuckle.
Laughing, I shook my head. “Yes. Milo would not be too thrilled with the idea of a dog.”
I ignored Tripp as I walked away. “Corina, I believe Melanie and everyone else are in the kitchen still preparing the food.”
She gave me a sweet smile. “Great. I’ll see you down there soon.” Turning, she gave Mitchell a kiss and they exchanged I love yous. When Mitchell bent over and kissed her stomach, my eyes burned with the threat of tears. It was the sweetest thing I’d ever seen—and yet it was cutting me to the quick.
“Don’t do too much, Corina!” he warned.
“I’m pregnant, Mitchell, not dying. I can very well help out in the kitchen.”
“Make sure you drink lots of water, Corina! You threw up earlier. It’s supposed to get up to the low eighties today.”
She tossed me a wink. “Yes, doctor.”
Mitchell started to head around the house and down to the corral. Tripp grabbed my arm and pulled me to a stop.
“Harley, please let me talk to you.”
I jerked my arm free. I could see Mallory standing on the porch waiting for him. Her little girl had followed Corina inside the house, and she was watching our interaction, as if she was waiting to see one of us show all our cards.
“There’s nothing to say, Tripp. Mallory is waiting for you.”
“I don’t give a damn about her right now,” he whispered.
I sucked in a breath at his admission. Does he even realize what he just said?
“Do you really think I don’t care about what you do, Lee?”
My eyes bounced around his face. I couldn’t form any words. All I heard on repeat was….
I don’t give a damn about her right now.
Breaking the tension that surrounded us like a blanket, we turned as Mallory called out, “Tripp? Are you heading down to the corral? Should I go in with your mom or come with you?”
Lifting my gaze back to Mallory, I smirked. “Your girlfriend needs you.”
Spinning around, I walked away as fast as I could. Hemi let out a few puppy barks at Tripp, and I pretended she was telling him to fuck off.
I snuggled my face into her and whispered, “Good girl.”
Riding up on my horse, I looked at the cattle. Yesterday, Wade, Jonathon, Steed, Trevor, and a few other local cowboys rode out in the pastures and gathered up the cattle. We were getting off to a late start this year. We normally started at six AM, but it was already eight.
“About damn time you showed up,” Steed said with a huge grin. He lived for this shit. So did my other brothers.
“Yeah, well, I’m here for the best part.”
Trevor walked up and shoved a bag in my chest. “Throw this feed into the pasture to entice them, then we’ll get them into the sorting corrals.”
I took the back of feed and headed over to the holding pasture.
