The coffee can slid from Abby’s numb fingers and clattered to the floor.
Both of them spun to stare at her and she heard a low curse escape from Tate’s lips.
Buddy glared at him. “I hope you’re happy,” he hissed at his brother. “I’m going to the house. Right now I don’t want to even look at you.”
Abby took a deep breath and picked up the coffee just as Buddy paused on his way out. “I’m sorry you had to hear that, Abby.”
His voice was pitched for her ears alone and she gave him a wan smile. “It’s okay. Really.” She continued into the barn, put the coffeemaker on a barrel and plugged it in, refusing to look at Tate while she set the mugs out. “It’ll be ready in a few minutes.”
Silence reigned in the barn while she got the water and prepared the coffee. When it started brewing, she sat down on a bale of hay, her gaze fixed on the mare. “How is she?”
Tate finally moved. “The same.” He took off his hat and hung it on a nail at the end of the stall before sitting down next to her. With his elbows propped on his knees, he ran a hand through his hair.
“Abby, I’m sorry.”
“Why? I would have heard about it sooner or later.”
“I know that. It’s just that I didn’t want you to—”
“You didn’t want me to know it upset you?” she interrupted. Abby shrugged one shoulder. “It’s okay, Tate. You have every reason to be upset.” And she had no reason at all for the crushing pain in her chest. Even after the last wonderful week, how had she dared let herself forget for even one minute that he’d married her because he thought he had to?
Tate was rubbing his face tiredly. “I just wish I knew what the hell I was upset about,” he muttered in answer to her last statement. He dropped his hands. “I admit, finding out about Diane was a shock. But Buddy was right. What she does is none of my business anymore. Even if I’d known what she was planning, I wouldn’t have tried to stop her.”
Abby forced herself not to flinch when he reached for her hand.
“Abby,” he shook his head and started again. “I think we’ve managed to get a good start on making this marriage work during the last week. Don’t let this ruin it for us.”
Abby opened her hand and turned it to grip his. “I won’t, Tate. Will you?” For a moment the silence deepened again and her heart almost stopped beating.
“No.” His answer was so quiet she had to strain to hear it. “I won’t.”
Blessed relief flowed through her. She still had time and, maybe with Diane safely married she wouldn’t have to leave at all. Her life had changed so drastically in the last few weeks that most of the time she was sure it was all a dream. She kept expecting to wake up and find herself back in that tiny shack, alone and broke and scared half to death. And it would be so much worse now than it had before. Now, she would know exactly what she was missing.
She glanced sideways at Tate. He was staring at their joined hands intently, almost as if it were the first time he’d ever seen them. His hair, rumpled from the hat he’d removed, tumbled down onto his forehead, obscuring his eyebrows. His chin and jaw were covered with dark stubble, his mouth set in a tight line. He looked worried, Abby decided. About Diane?
She couldn’t stop the tiny sigh that escaped her lips. It had been foolish to let her guard down, but she couldn’t seem to help it. The closer they got, the more she seemed to lose control of her feelings. It was getting harder every day to hide her love for him. But somehow, she had to.
Abby suddenly realized that he’d looked up, was studying her face almost as intently as he had their hands.
“I invited Joe to dinner Sunday.”
She nodded, still involved with her own thoughts.
“You don’t mind, do you?”
Her gaze met his, puzzled. “Why would I mind? I’ll be cooking anyway. One more doesn’t matter.” She pulled her hand away from his and went to the coffeemaker. Pouring a cup, she brought it back and handed it to him.
He took it, then sat it on the bale next to him. To Abby’s surprise, he tugged her down onto his lap, his arms around her waist. For a split second she fought the urge to lean into him, then gave up and rested her head on his chest.
“Do you like Joe?”
“Of course. He’s very nice.” Was Tate afraid she wouldn’t like his friends? “Everyone I’ve met since I’ve been here has been nice.” She put her hand on Tate’s arm, loving the feel of the hard muscles under her fingers. A smile curved her lips when those muscles flexed in reaction.
He lowered his chin to the top of her head. “You know, I’ve always wondered what women see in Joe. Seems like there’s about a dozen chasing him all the time.”
Abby shrugged lightly, concentrating on letting her fingers slid up and down his arm. “He’s good-looking, funny, charming. I guess Joe has a lot to offer a woman.”
Tate stood up so fast he almost dumped her in the floor and she would have sworn she heard his teeth grinding together.
“I need to check on Sugar again,” he mumbled.
Her attention was immediately diverted to the mare and she leaned on the stall door as Tate ran his hands down the restless horse’s side. Sugar tried to shift away from him, but he held her bridle, murmuring in that low voice.
“How is she?”
Tate kept his hand on the mare’s side. “Looks like it’s going faster than I thought it would. Contractions are coming one right after the other.”
“She’s having it now?”
He glanced at Abby over his shoulder. “Soon, anyway. Probably in the next thirty minutes.”
“How do you know so much about this? Just from experience?”
“Partially.” He left the mare and moved closer to Abby. “My undergraduate degree was in pre-veterinarian medicine. I managed to get in a year of veterinary school before I quit.”
Abby gaped at him. “You were going to be a vet?”
Tate kept his gaze on the mare. “That was the plan.”
“Why did you quit?”
“Lots of reasons.” He suddenly seemed almost as uncomfortable as the mare. “Mom died about that time and Dad needed me back here. So did Buddy.”
She could almost hear what he wasn’t saying. Diane hadn’t wanted him that far away. After all, how could she manipulate him if he weren’t around to let her? A spark of anger lit inside Abby. How could he love that woman so much when she treated him the way she did?
She stared at Tate’s profile. The man might be exceptionally smart about most things, but she was beginning to wonder if he didn’t have a purely stupid side to him, too. Either that, or he had deliberately blinded himself to what Diane was really like.
Suddenly, the mare turned in a circle and clumsily folded her front legs, lowering her body to the floor. Her neck stiffened and her whole body tensed as she pushed.
Tate moved away from the stall door, then knelt behind her.
“Is there anything I can do?”
“Yeah.” He sounded preoccupied. “Talk to her. Keep her calm.”
Abby hesitated only an instant before slipping into the stall and dropping by Sugar’s head. She stroked the satiny, sweat-covered neck softly, murmuring quiet encouragement to the mare.
“Here come its feet. The front ones, thank God.”
She twisted around to get a better view then sucked in a breath of air, awe sending chills over her. Two tiny little feet protruded from Sugar’s backside. Even as she watched, Sugar pushed again and a delicate nose appeared, followed rapidly by the rest of the head. Then, in a rush of fluid, the foal plopped wetly onto the straw, Tate supporting him.
Abby didn’t realize tears were pouring down her cheeks, was so involved watching the birth that Sugar knocked her over when the horse lurched to her feet. As the mare turned and lowered her head to the new baby, nudging it with her nose, Tate glanced at Abby.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes,” she sniffed, wiping her cheeks.
He smiled at her
. “No matter how many times you see it, it never gets old.”
“She’s so beautiful.”
“He. It’s a colt.” Tate stood and assisted the wobbly-legged baby to its feet, helping Sugar guide him to his first meal. As soon as the colt latched on, Tate moved to Abby’s side, his gaze on the tiny tail that was twitching enthusiastically. “He looks more like Cody than he does his mama, except for that white blaze down his nose.”
“Cody’s black?” Abby had yet to see the stud since Tate kept him away from the mares most of the year.
“Solid black.” He extended his hand and helped Abby rise. “I think we’ll keep this one. By the time our baby’s old enough to ride, I’ll have him trained and ready.”
Abby felt tears welling up again but forced them back. “What are you going to name him?”
He looked down at her, his blue eyes filled with a smile. “Why don’t you name him?”
“Me?” Her mind went blank.
Tate wrapped his arms around her, tugging her tightly to his body. “There’s no rush. Think about it for a while.” His lips brushed her hair. “What do you say we go to the house and let these two have some time to get acquainted?”
“Sounds like a good idea to me.” She smiled up at him.
Chapter Sixteen
Abby paused, a heaping platter of fried chicken in her hands, and surveyed the table. This was the first time they’d had company over to eat since she and Tate had married and she wanted everything to be perfect.
She’d found a white linen tablecloth in the cedar chest in their room and it was now spread over the table. Sparkling dishes were arranged with military precision in front of each seat. She only wished there had been fresh flowers to use as a centerpiece. She’d planted some in the garden, but they were just starting to come up.
Placing the chicken next to the other bowls, she did a rapid inventory of the food. Mashed potatoes, homemade biscuits, gravy, corn on the cob, baked beans and cole slaw. Would it be enough? She nibbled her bottom lip fretfully. She knew how much Tate and Buddy could put away and today there would be a third male at the table.
A low whistle sounded from behind her, and she glanced over her shoulder. Tate had just come through the back door, his smile slow and sexy as his gaze ran over her. Abby blushed furiously even as her heart flipped over at the sight of him. Did he really get handsomer every day, or was it just the way she was looking at him now? Handsomer, she decided. And sexier. “How’s the colt?”
He crossed the room and scooped her into his arms. “Not even half as pretty as you are.” He inhaled deeply. “You smell so damn good.”
She grinned up at him, sliding her arms around his neck. “That’s fried chicken you smell.”
“No, that’s you.” He nuzzled her ear. “New dress? I don’t remember seeing that one before.”
“Um.” Her eyes drifted closed. “I made it.”
His lips trailed down and around to her nape. “New hairdo, too.”
Abby’s eyes opened. He sounded altogether too casual for some reason. “You don’t like it?”
“I love it. As a matter of fact, you look fantastic.”
She relaxed, her lips curving up in a smile. “So do you.”
“Me?” He pulled back and gazed down at her. “I’m not the one that’s all dressed up. This is the way I look every day.”
“I know.” Abby leaned into his body. “You look fantastic every day.”
“Is that right?” He was smiling now, too, as his lips brushed hers. “Even when I’m not wearing clothes?”
His low voice sent shivers down her back. “Especially when you aren’t wearing clothes,” she murmured.
“Guess I’m going to have to start going naked more.”
Abby laughed at the image of Tate working around the ranch buck-naked. “That could be dangerous.”
“That’s me. I’ll do whatever it takes to keep my woman happy. Walk through fire. Fight tigers. Face heavy machinery bare-assed naked.”
Abby went still, all traces of laughter fading from her face. His woman? He couldn’t have meant that the way it sounded. He was just teasing her.
“Hey,” he lifted her chin and ran his thumb over her lips. “That was supposed to be funny.”
“I know.” She gave him a wan smile then slipped out of his arms. “Do you think that will be enough food or should I fix something else?”
His gaze lingered on her for a second then turned to the table. “I think it depends. Did you invite ten other people and forget to tell me about it? ‘Cause if you did, we may have a problem.”
“It’s just Joe.” She went to the oven and took the apple pies out, setting them on a trivet to cool.
“Then I think there’s probably enough.” His hand touched her arm. “Abby, did I say something wrong?”
“No, of course not.” She went to the table and straightened the silverware.
Tate hesitated. “Do you need help with anything?”
“No, it’s all ready.”
“Well, I guess I’ll go get washed up.”
“Okay.”
She didn’t even look up, Tate noted as he went into the bathroom. Something had upset her. One minute everything had been fine and dandy, and the next she wouldn’t even look at him.
His mind ran back over every word he’d said. She’d been laughing right up until he made that comment about heavy machinery. He replayed his own words and suddenly groaned.
His woman. Abby must have thought he was making fun of her, although he wasn’t sure how she’d reached that conclusion. Tate stared at his own reflection in the mirror.
Why had he said it? True, she was a woman and, technically speaking, she was his. But he’d never been the possessive type. It had sort of just slipped out all by itself. He certainly hadn’t meant anything by it.
Or maybe he had. Maybe somewhere down inside he was starting to think of Abby as his property. Hell, no wonder she’d gotten upset. He’d be mad too if someone started acting like they owned him. He’d do better, he vowed. No chest pounding, no dragging her off to bed at the drop of a hat. Tate grinned. Well, at least not more than twice a day.
He heard Abby’s laughter as soon as he stepped out of the bathroom. Good. She was back to normal again. He glanced at the clock, wondering if Joe was going to make it on time. The wondering lasted just long enough for him to reach the kitchen door.
His best friend was standing hip-shot, one hand braced on the countertop while he grinned at Abby. She had her whole face buried in a gigantic bouquet of flowers and her delighted laughter still rang through the kitchen.
“Thank you. They’re beautiful, Joe.”
“Nowhere near as pretty as you are, Abby. You’re looking mighty fine today.”
Tate’s jaw clenched when she blushed.
Obviously flustered, Abby turned to the cabinet. “I’ll just put these in a vase— Tate!” She smiled at him. “Look what Joe brought. Aren’t they lovely?”
“I suppose.” He stepped farther into the kitchen. “Joe.” He gave him a curt nod then glanced at Abby. “I didn’t know you liked roses. You should have said something. We could have picked some up in town the other day.”
She filled a vase with water and added the flowers, adjusting them carefully. “I don’t think I knew. At least it never occurred to me.” She touched one of the petals with a gentle finger.
“No need to go buy any. Mama’s flower bed hasn’t been cleaned out since she moved in with my sister. I’ll bring you some starts tomorrow. She planted every kind of rose bush she could get her hands on.”
“Are you sure?” Abby was looking at Joe doubtfully. “I’d hate for you to ruin her flowers.”
“Won’t hurt them at all. In fact, it’ll do them good to thin the bed out some.”
“In that case, I’d love to have them.”
Tate watched as she carried the flowers to the table and put them in the middle. When the hell had her walk gotten so damn sexy? The extra pounds s
he’d put on in the past few weeks had filled out her curves, softened the lines of her body. And the outfit she had on emphasized every one of them.
He took a fast peek at Joe to see if he’d noticed. He’d noticed all right. His gaze appeared to be glued to Abby’s bottom. Reflexively, Tate’s hands clenched at his sides and he moved to block Joe’s line of sight.
Abby straightened, looking surprised when she almost ran into Tate’s chest. She gave him a slightly puzzled smile, her gaze running over his face. “Everything is ready. Why don’t you two sit down and I’ll get Buddy.”
Silence fell as the men took their places at the table. Joe cleared his throat.
“Sorry I came down on you so hard Friday, Hoss. Guess I need to learn when to keep my mouth shut.”
“No problem.” Tate suddenly became interested in the silverware.
“Hell, I can tell you’re still mad at me.”
“I’m not mad.”
“Okay.” Joe was staring at him speculatively, a half-smile playing on his lips. “Hear you got a new colt.”
Tate’s head came up. “Where did you hear about that?”
“Abby told me when I called yesterday.”
And just why hadn’t she mentioned to him that Joe had called? He was still worrying about that when Abby and Buddy came in. He’d barely registered their presence when Joe was out of his chair like he’d been sitting on springs.
As Buddy claimed the chair on one side of the table, Joe pulled the other one out and held it for Abby. She hesitated, like she wasn’t quite sure what to do, then sat down, smiling her thanks as Joe scooted her up to the table.
Tate glared at him. “Since when did you develop manners?”
“When the lady deserves them,” Joe shot back.
Buddy was looking back and forth between the two men. Apparently he decided not to comment for once, and started helping himself to the food, passing each item on as he got done with it.
“How’s that truck running, Squirt?”
“Fantastic!” Buddy beamed at Joe. “I got the insurance on it yesterday and I’m driving it to school Monday so I can get the tags after classes.” He dived into the food on his plate. “I’m thinking about getting it painted at the end of the summer. I should have enough money saved up by then. But I can’t decide what color to put on it.”