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Avery didn’t even hesitate, clearly happy to no longer have to keep a secret. “Three weeks or so? Not every day, but when he can. Mostly on his days off but some evenings too.”
I blinked. Why in the world would Weston Wolfe spend his days off repairing things around my ranch and not tell me? Did he believe it a danger to his kids? Or more unlikely, was it a sort of apology for bringing up my brother?
I had no damn idea, but I was going to find out. Keeping my voice calm, I asked, “Can you take me to him? I want to surprise him.”
“Sure!” Avery looked at her brother, who was staring at the pictures he’d taken today on the phone. “Come on, Wyatt.”
With a sigh, he got up and put his hands in his pockets. “He’s just going to tell me I can’t help again.”
I had been about to walk to the door, but something made me stop and go over to the little boy. “Did you ask to help him?” Wyatt nodded but remained silent. So I continued. “Why did he say no?”
He shrugged. “It’s too dangerous, or something.”
The twins would be eleven in the fall, and I’d seen Zach and Zane helping Beck and Nolan when they’d been that age, learning how to repair things around their property. “Are you interested in learning how to fix stuff?”
“Yeah.” He looked to the side. “Dad doesn’t like soccer, but I thought maybe he could teach me how to repair fences, or lights, or something.”
Wyatt loved soccer—I’d found that out early on when he’d asked about my brother, who was a famous striker in England—but the boy didn’t really have anyone to share his passion for it. To have found something he liked and wanted to share with his dad but couldn’t, well, it probably made him sad and feel a little rejected.
It’s not your place, Millie. Leave it.
And yet, seeing Wyatt’s little dejected face, I couldn’t leave it alone.
I placed a hand on Wyatt’s shoulder and gently pushed him toward the door. Avery followed us. “All right, well, let’s go find your dad and see what he says.”
The twins chatted a bit—mostly Avery, although Wyatt liked animals in general, horses specifically—and I tried to keep track of what they said, replying when necessary.
But in truth, my heart rate kicked up as we headed toward the farthest edges of my land, where the calving barn was located.
Memories of helping to soothe the breeding cows when their labor went long, or running to fetch supplies to help my parents, or waiting to see if the lucky cow had twins again came rushing back. My mother had never balked at helping my dad at that time of year, and seeing my parents together, helping to save a struggling cow and calf, had always brought tears to my eyes.
And now I’d be going back there for the first time since they’d died, and I wasn’t sure if I could handle it.
But then Avery slipped her hand into mine and said, “Why are you sad, Millie?”
I blinked, doing my best to compose myself. “When I was little, I used to come out here with my mom and dad. But they’re gone now, so it brings up memories. Good ones, but it can still hurt.”
Avery fell quiet, which was unusual for her, and I wondered if she was thinking about her own mother.
However, I most definitely didn’t feel comfortable opening that wound for her—who knew what kind of damage I’d do?—and I wanted to make her smile again. “Did you know we had a lucky cow when I was growing up?”
Avery’s head popped up. “Why was it lucky?”
“Well, she always had twins—which isn’t the norm. And if that wasn’t special enough, she had a knack for finding lost cows or calves. I used to tease she was part bloodhound.”
Avery shook her head. “We never had lucky cows back at my grandparents’ place. But maybe one day I can one too. Then she can always find the lost ones and make sure they come back home.”
Wyatt scoffed. “Why would you want any cows when you can have horses? They’re so much smarter.”
“Every animal has its place and role, Wyatt.”
He looked at me like I was crazy, but while chatting to the kids, I hadn’t noticed the calving barn in the distance. I stopped and sucked in a breath as I took it in.
Just like when I was a kid, it was painted a bright red with white trim, but the paint was definitely new. And since I couldn’t see any sign of neglect or disrepair, it meant West had repaired it before painting it, which must’ve taken hours and hours.
Why?echoed repeatedly inside my head.
Avery tugged my hand. “Come on. The inside isn’t finished yet, but Daddy’s been working on it.”
