Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 87067 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 435(@200wpm)___ 348(@250wpm)___ 290(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87067 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 435(@200wpm)___ 348(@250wpm)___ 290(@300wpm)
“Yes, Master.”
A snicker slipped through the phone. “I’m telling Rowe you called me ‘Master.’ ”
JB snickered too, feeling a hundred times lighter than he had before the call. He still had shit to figure out and then had to get the nerve up to ask Cole out on a date.
“You’re an idiot. I better get off here. Some of us have real work to get done.”
“Yeah, I better get in the store so these assholes in the parking lot stop giving me looks,” Noah muttered.
JB’s brow furrowed. He’d assumed that Noah was at the office or on a job. “Where the hell are you?”
“You caught me in my truck about to head into a store. Quinn was running around the office in a panic because we were getting really low on coffee and creamer. I ran out to get some to hold us until the next office shipment arrives. You remember Quinn, right?”
“Thin, twitchy guy? Glasses?”
“Yup.”
“That boy needs to switch to decaf.”
Noah made a sound that was like a horrified shudder. “We tried that once. Once. The fallout was epic and scary. Never again.”
JB winced. He couldn’t imagine what Noah would consider epic and scary when he was dating a guy who liked to play with C-4 and collected weapons like little old grandmothers collected ceramic thimbles.
“Thanks again, Noah.”
“No problem. I’ll put this session on your tab. Call me anytime.”
JB ended the call and sat, staring at the herd for a moment. The peace of the day sank into him, and his mind started the dangerous task of trying to figure out what kind of date Cole might agree to. He definitely wanted to figure out what they could possibly have together. Was it just some fun? Or could it be so much more?
Chapter Seventeen
Cole rinsed off his plate and dropped it into the open slot in the dishwasher before grabbing JB’s. The man hadn’t eaten much and was quiet through most of the meal, which was more than a little unnerving. He hadn’t known JB long, but he didn’t strike Cole as the silent type. He was playful and teasing, always a funny comment poised on the tip of his tongue.
Not that the guy didn’t have plenty to worry about. There hadn’t been any new attempts on his life, and there had been no signs of tampering with the animals or fences on the ranch, but that didn’t mean JB wasn’t still worrying about who might be trying to harm the Alexander ranch.
As he started the dishwasher, Cole turned and pulled down a couple of mugs. He poured them both some coffee and carried them to the dining room table where JB was still seated, staring at the bare tabletop.
“Well, either I don’t have a future as a cook or you’ve got something on your mind,” Cole started as he slid the mug in front of JB.
JB’s head snapped up and he looked like he was waking up from a dream. “What? No. Sorry. Dinner was fine. Great. Thanks a lot for cooking.”
“No problem.” Cole dropped into the seat next to him and held his mug between his hands but didn’t take a drink. “You wanna talk about it? Something new happen on the ranch?”
“Nothing new. Well, nothing related to the problems we’ve been having. It’s just…it’s stupid.”
“I doubt it. What’s wrong?”
“Bandit is sick.”
“What?” He clearly remembered that horse. It had been the one JB had taken on their ride out on the ranch. It was JB’s horse. The one he rode every time Cole saw him on a horse. “What happened? Have you called the vet out?”
A ghost of a smile tugged at JB’s lips as he looked over at him as if Cole’s barrage of questions warmed him. “Yeah, doc’s been out. It’s colic.”
Cole straightened and blinked at him. “Colic? Horses get colic?”
This time he chuckled lightly, but it was nowhere near the usual warm and free laugh he heard from the man. “Yeah, horses can get colic. It’s a digestive issue where their bowels can get blocked up. Some cases can be bad enough to require surgery.”
“Can it be fatal?” he asked hesitantly.
“Yeah, in some cases.”
“Bandit?”
JB shook his head. “No, the boys in the stable caught it quick enough. The doc checked Bandit over, gave him fluids, laxatives, and pain meds before I came to dinner. He should be good in a few days. It’s just a matter of getting what’s locked up in his system to pass. We’ve got some shifts set up for people to watch over him through the night and take turns walking him to help the obstruction pass.”
Cole tilted his head, trying to get a good look at JB’s face as he stared at his untouched coffee again. “But you’re worried.”
“Seems stupid. We’ve got hundreds of horses and cattle on the ranch. I’ve seen plenty of death here, and the doc expects Bandit to make a full recovery.”