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Sittingastride Stormy on a hot and duty summer afternoon, Drew watched as Hannah worked with one of the horses she’d been training.
“That’s it, Hannah.” Drew encouraged, smiling a little at the perfectly executed figures that were the mark of a great cow horse.
“It’s like you two were born to be around animals,” Maisie said, standing with her feet firmly on the ground, way off to the side.
“I see you still haven’t overcome your hesitancy around horses,” Drew commented. “Maybe we should saddle up Tarzan and take a little ride around the property.”
“Later perhaps.”
Maisie flashed a silly grin, most likely because they both knew what Drew really meant by the suggestion. Not that they’d been out to the hunting cabin as much recently as in the past few weeks. Ever since the night they’d come home from their date and Maisie had first shared Drew’s bed, the arrangement had become part of the routine. They’d yet to be caught by any of the family, but Drew suspected that was less because no one knew and more because the others were willing to keep up the pretense.
“I’ll hold you to that.” Drew dismounted, ready to bring Stormy back to his stall, when she caught Hannah and Maisie exchanging what could only be described as a conspiratorial look. Drew fought the urge to flinch. It’d been hard enough overcoming Hannah’s alliance with Cord. Had she joined forces with Maisie as well? That could only mean trouble as far as Drew was concerned.
Getting off her horse, Hannah kept ahold of the reins, waiting for Drew to make eye contact before she spoke. “Do you have a minute?”
“I was going to check on that section of fence in the east pasture.” Whatever her sister wanted to talk about, Drew had the distinct impression she didn’t want to hear it. But Hannah’s shoulders fell, and Drew instantly felt like the world’s shittiest big sister. “It can wait, though. What’s up?”
“No, it’s okay.” Hannah’s eyes shifted to the ground. “We’ll talk later.”
At this point, Maisie gave Drew a pointed stare, the type that saiddon’t you dare walk away without talking to her.That confirmed it. She was officially outnumbered on her own ranch.
“No, Hannah,” Drew urged. “Let’s talk now.”
Her baby sister seemed to shrink into herself at this, which might as well have been a kick to Drew’s gut. Whatever the kid wanted to say, it was clear she was convinced Drew would react badly. Drew wasn’t sure whether to feel terrible or terrified.
“It’s just… I-I’ve been thinking about college,” Hannah began falteringly.
“Now, here’s a subject I like.” Drew relaxed a little. Maybe this wasn’t going to be as bad as she’d feared. “What about college?”
Hannah squared her shoulders, holding her chin up, and for the first time, Drew became aware that they were the same height. Her sister was fully grown. A sense of dread hardened in Drew’s belly at the realization. How could Hannah have grown up so fast?
“I know Dad has his heart set on me studying engineering, but that’s not what I want.”
“Okay, well…” Drew removed her hat, smoothing a hand over her hair as she tried to figure out how to navigate a conversation on a subject she knew nothing about. Hell, finishing high school had been a gift. She’d never so much as darkened the doorway of a college. “What do you want to study?”
“I’d like to be a veterinarian,” Hannah declared, her confidence gaining by the second so that her voice no longer shook but was loud and clear. It annoyed Drew to no end and made her feel proud as hell at the same time.
“Okay.” Drew paused to think about it. Sure, she could picture that happening. Hannah surrounded by puppies and kittens. It made sense. “I think you’d make a great vet, Hannah.”
“You do?” Hannah glanced toward Maisie, whom Drew caught sneaking Hannah a thumbs-up and acting like there was more to it. Drew braced herself as Hannah continued. “Okay. So. I’ve been looking at some vet programs, and there’s one in Texas—”
There it was. Drew sucked in a breath, ready to put an end to the conversation with a big fatno waybecause she hated change more than almost anything on earth, but Maisie gave her the stink eye, so Drew held it in, her lungs starting to burn.
“It’s a really good program. And when I’m done, I can help out more here. I’d be the one pulling those stubborn calves from their mommas in the spring, and I won’t even bill you for it.”
“Hold on. Hold on.” That mental picture of Hannah with the puppies and kittens dissolved like the fantasy it was. “Are you telling me you want to be a large animal vet?”
“I know what you’re going to say. Women don’t become large animal vets. Dylan teases me about that all the time, too.” Hannah’s jaw tightened, and there was fire in her eyes. “I don’t like it when he says it, and I’ll like it even less coming from you. Aren’t you the one who always says I can do anything a man can, backward and in high heels?”
Well, fuck.
That effectively put Drew in her place, and she suspected Maisie had done a fair bit of coaching before this chat, which was feeling more and more like an ambush. As if to prove it, Drew caught Maisie making a hand motion.
Taking the cue, Hannah cleared her throat. “And, about Dylan…”
Drew’s fingers pressed against her temples. “If you’re pregnant, I’m going to kill him.”
“What? No!” Hannah looked mortified. “What I was going to say is I don’t want to stay there next school year. I want to be here on the ranch. I like Dylan, and his folks are kind, but this is my home, and it’s where I belong.”
