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“Good, everyone is here,”I say, opening the door and taking in my parents sitting at the table. Dad is eating his usual meal for breakfast of four eggs over easy, bacon, and toast. Mom is sitting beside him, hands wrapped around a hot cup of hot coffee. Lawson is eating standing up per usual, and his eyes are locked on Juniper, who is sitting across from Mom. Too bad Juniper is pretending my big brother doesn’t exist. Lane is sitting on a stool at the bar, Birdie between his legs. They’re in their own little world judging by the lack of eye contact. Ryland is feeding Case, who can barely contain his excitement in the terms of food. Little rascal is still on a bottle, but when he starts eating whole food, we’re going to be in for a surprise. JW is reading a magazine while shoveling in his breakfast, andTrey is cooking something on the cast iron griddle on the stove. I’m willing to bet it’s more bacon with the crowd of this size here.
“Hey, honey. Where’s Tully?” Mom asks first.
“She’s asleep. I’m going to get down to brass tacks. Brian at the auction called me.” I look at JW. He already knows what I’m going to say before I have to.
“You’re shitting me. More animals?” he grunts.
“One. A mini-Shetland heifer.” Mom claps her hands. Fuck.
“Tallulah would literally die for one. She loves the horse you gave her, but ever since I told her about the Johnson ranch, Tully said one day, she’s going to get married, have children, and her backyard would be filled with Shetlands.” Birdie pulls away from Lane, but not for long before I see him bring her back into him.
“Good, your mom is cut off,” Dad says like he’s got a chance in hell staying firm on that decision.
“Russell Johnson, you’ll do no such thing. I’d like to see you try to tell me what I can and cannot have.” She swats at his arm with the back of her hand. Dad catches it and brings it to his mouth to kiss. God bless, please don’t have this start with our parents getting frisky. I’d like to be able to eat at some point today. “Besides, you heard Birdie. Tully would love one, and she is myfuture daughter-in-law. I’ll keep my eye open for another animal.” She winks at me.
“You ever call Fletch?” Lawson cuts in.
“Yep, only just now. I should have called him the same week we talked, but I’ve been kinda busy. He’s doing some legwork now.” I move toward the coffee pot, grabbing a mug and filling it up.
“I take it you’re leaving and heading to the auction house in a few minutes?” Trey asks. He’s usually the jokester of us all. Except in the mornings, when he barely functions and doesn’t talk until he’s been awake for a few hours. A light switch turns on, and then Trey is a whole different person.
“Yep. JW, you wanna ride with me again?”
“Can’t.” He shakes his head in disgust. “We’ve got feed and fuel delivery.”
“Alright.” I take a sip of my coffee. Looks like I’m going to run home, wake up Tallulah, and hit the road. I’ll grab something to eat once I get back.
“You’re not going by yourself. Those knuckleheads catch wind of your bleeding heart as well as the Johnson ranch, and they’ll suck you dry,” Dad says, pushing his plate away. He’s not wrong, and damn if it doesn’t sting to be called out in front of everyone. “I’m going with you. I’ve got nothing that can’t wait.”
“Make you and Tully a plate. Go back home. Dad will meet you there, and you two can takeone of the old farm trucks instead of the trailer.” Mom is scheming something. What it is, I don’t have the foggiest idea, but it’s something.
I shrug my shoulders. There’s no right answer to this. Dad looks at Mom out of the corner of his eye seemingly asking what the hell she is smoking. Instead of trying to figure out their silent communication, I walk toward Ryland and Case. While I’m here, I may as well steal my nephew for a few minutes. Between all of us, he’s always surrounded by family.
Ryland already knows what I’m after, so he takes the burp rag off his shoulder, throws it over mine, and places Case in my outstretched arms.
“I suppose you want me to make you and Tully a plate, too?” Ry throws out.
“I wouldn’t be opposed.” One day a couple of years from now when life is settled and Tully’s not working for that bag of dicks Herbert, this will be our child I’m holding. Hopefully, we’ll have a girl, and she’ll look just like her mom. Until then, I’m going to soak in the baby fever that is now unlocked since Tallulah and I finally settled into our relationship.
“I bet you wouldn’t. You’re lucky my arms were about ready to drop. He’s back to sleeping at night. During the day is taking a toll now. Your nephew wants to be held nonstop. The pediatrician says he’s teething, but I’m not sure I’m buying that anymore. I told Mom one more week, then I’m going to take him to the newer doctor intown.” Ryland is kicking ass at being a single dad to a newborn. A lot of other men would flounder. Sure, he has his family to back and support him, but it’s still a lot.
“Not a bad idea. You ever need me to take over for the day, I can. I’ll strap little bud here to my chest, and he can help me with the horses. Might do him some good, too.” The fresh air, the sun, and the animals. It’s not like Case isn’t out and about as it is, but for the most part, it’s Ry and Mom. The rest happens whenever we get a free minute, and now that I see the dark circles beneath my brother’s eyes, I’m going to make it a point to take Case for a few hours a day.
“I appreciate that, a fuck of a lot.” Case finishes his bottle, and I go about placing him on my shoulder and patting his back until he lets out a burp that could rival a grown man’s.
“Anytime, plus I miss seeing the little man daily.” Ry nods, and when he finishes platting a pile of food into containers, I reluctantly give Case back. I’ve got to get home to Tully, get on the road, and then get back home to take care of some things around here.
17
TULLY
“What doyou mean you’re writing me up?” I ask Doctor Herbert. When I walked into the clinic today, Maureen warned me he was in a mood as well as him wanting to see me in his office. His face goes from stern to as ripe as a tomato. Something is not adding up. As I’m about to stand up and walk out, I think to myself about what my parents would do in this situation. I’ve grown up in my parents’ clinic, watched how they handled the good and the bad. They’d tell me to ask questions, to see the report, and I’m going to do exactly that. I already know it’s going to put another nail in my proverbial coffin with the old miser, but there’s no way I’m going to take this sitting down.
“Exactly what I said. Would you like me to go down the list of complaints?” He’s reaching. He has to be. Besides the one rancher I’ve comein contact with who made lewd remarks about a woman being unable to do her job, there’s been no one else, and believe me, in this small town, people have no qualms about putting you in your place, or you hear them talk about you like a bunch of damn gossip mongers. Thankfully, like I said, I’ve had one and only one.
“As a matter of fact, I would.” Damn it, I should have turned on the record option on my phone before coming in here. I can usually handle myself, remain as cool as a cucumber. Doctor Herbert is the exception to the rule. He pisses me off and gets under my skin like no other.
“I’ve had a few phone calls saying you’re using your relationship with the Johnsons as well as Birdie Robertson to get ahead as a vet in my office. Then there’s Mr. Boyd. He said you couldn’t handle being at his ranch and had to make a call back to the clinic to have another vet come out to help.” Okay, that’s a stretch on both accounts. It’s clear Herbert here has it out for female doctors in the veterinarian field. He probably does in a primary care physician setting, too. He’s grasping at straws to make me quit. This clinic has quite the little name for itself, and it’s all because of this bastard behind the desk.
