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“Six of seven isn’t too bad for just two days.”
His siblings were curious. No one could blame them for that when they might have been meeting Payne Colton’s real firstborn with his late first wife, Tessa, for the first time.
“But Ace’s situation is a little different,” Jace continued.
“He’s been busy, too.”
If lying low back at his loft condo in the city’s industrial zone—or at the Dales Inn in town—counted for busy anyway. In Ace’s defense, he had to stay put while the media trucks lingered at the hospital and just outside the ranch’s main gate.
“Is he still considered a suspect in your dad’s attempted murder?”
Asher bit back the temptation to tell Jace to mind his own damn business. Depending on the results of the test they’d scheduled, Colton family matters just might be his business.
“He’s been questioned and told not to leave town. Now you know everything I do.”
“What about Payne? Any updates on him?”
“Nothing beyond what Ainsley told you two nights ago.”
“That’s what I figured.”
If Jace noticed the edge to Asher’s voice, he didn’t show it. Anyway, there was no more to say. His dad was still in a coma, and there was no guarantee when, or even if, he would ever awaken.
“He’ll wake up.”
Asher stiffened, the other man rightly guessing his thoughts again.
“Hope so.”
“When did you say Ainsley would pick me up for the test?”
“About twelve thirty. Appointment’s at one.” Not soon enough for Asher. At least then it would be her turn to play Twenty Questions with Jace.
“I knew that. I’m just nervous, I guess.”
Asher shifted his feet. The Coltons weren’t the only ones whose lives were in flux. Still, that didn’t make him want to talk about it. Or think about it. Good thing they’d finally reached the near side of the calving pasture, where several cows were nibbling grass and nursing their young.
“These are some of our newest arrivals.”
He leaned forward to rest his forearms on the six-inch-wide fence cap, and the other man followed his example.
“Wow, the calves are amazing.”
That was something they could agree on. If nothing else on the Triple R made sense to Asher lately, this land and the cattle were things he understood.
“See that calf closest to the fence?” He pointed to an animal with distinctive markings on its head and legs. It was pulling voraciously on its mother’s teat. “He just showed up last night. Thought he was never going to get up on his legs.”
“Looks like he made it.”
“Yeah.” His lips lifted. After a rocky start, the little guy was doing just fine. Asher had secretly been calling the calf “Lucky Boy,” but he couldn’t let it get out that the foreman was nicknaming new arrivals.
“What was wrong with him?” Jace asked.
“A healthy calf usually stands up and nurses in the first two hours. Those from difficult births, like him, sometimes take longer. It’s critical that calves nurse within the first four hours to benefit from the antibodies in colostrum. If they don’t, we’re forced to tube feed them.”
Jace made a sad face as he watched the animal several seconds longer.
“Poor little guy. What did you end up doing?”
