Page 32 of Savage

BECKY

“Oh my God,aren’t you beautiful?” I dropped to my knees in the warm stable in front of the baby foal, just three days old. I was sure it was the hormones—or maybe just coming from the warmth of Clint’s parents’ kitchen and all their joy over our baby—but tears filled my eyes at the sweetness in front of me.

The tiny horse stood on spindly legs, his black coat sleek. He had a white star-shaped marking on his nose, just like his gorgeous mama, Angelwing. She stood behind him and chuffed softly, proud to show her little black beauty off to us.

I thought of Clint’s parents, of how they were proud of him, even though he’d gotten a stranger pregnant. They’d embraced me with open arms. Literally. When my parents had found out I was leaving Todd, they’d been stunned. I’d found adoctor,and I should be thankful for the marriage I had.

As if. When I’d told my mother the list of reasons, like Todd hitting me, she’d asked what I’d done to make him mad.

They’d put their foot down, ashamed to have a divorced daughter, and said if I didn’t stay in my marriage, they’d cast me out. As if they were the example of a perfect marriage themselves.

Cast me outwere the actual words they’d used.

Janet and Tom wouldn’t do that to their kids, no matter what they’d done. They didn’t say that, but I knew. They were a family. A real family, and it had felt special to be included.

Extra special, it seemed, when Janet had pulled out the big guns for dessert, brownies with homemade hot fudge. Rand had whined and asked why I got the hot fudge when he never did.

We’d all laughed at his fake pout, and Janet had told him if he made her a grandbaby, then she’d make him hot fudge.

We stayed an hour after that before Clint drove me down the hill to show me where he worked. And this gorgeous four-legged baby.

“Do you want to name him?” Clint asked. He stood beside me, a hand in his jeans pocket.

I glanced up at him. I’d been to the ranch before but never in the stable. This was where Clint spent his time. I delivered human babies, and he delivered foals. We had more in common than I thought.

I set my hand on my chest. “Me? Is that allowed?”

Clint chuckled, tipped his hat back. “Sure, it’s allowed. This is Rob’s ranch, but the horse breeding project is mine.” He crouched beside me and rubbed the little foal’s forehead.

“So his mama is Angelwing,” I said thoughtfully, considering. I reached out to stroke the star on his forehead, too. “Maybe he should be Starshine.”

“Starshine.” Clint stroked the foal’s neck. “What do you think of that, little fella?”

The sweet baby leaned forward and nuzzled my neck. I giggled at the softness.

“I think that means he likes it.”

The sweet scent of hay and the tang of animals filled the air, but it was cozy in here. Warm and safe. “What will you do with him when he grows up? Sell him? Or breed him?” I was suddenly overcome by the desire to beg to keep the animal, even though I’d only ridden a horse twice in my life. I might have grown up about fifty miles from here, but I wasn’t a true cowgirl, not like I would have been if I’d grown up here on Wolf Ranch. Visions of Clint lifting our daughter onto Starshine’s back filled my mind.She’dbe a cowgirl. He’d see to it. A rush of longing for just that filled me, but they were only foolish thoughts.

I barely knew Clint. And while yes, he seemed like a stand-up guy and our attraction was off the charts, that didn’t mean we had a happily ever after in our future. I couldn’t let myself believe that, not even with a baby between us. I’d tried to talk myself into that scenario with Todd for years. I’d pretended he would change or could become the perfect father to a family. I’d tried to force my fate to happen for me, and it hadn’t gotten me anywhere except in a pile of dog poop.

So, no. I wasn’t going to sign on with the next guy who came along, even if he was a mountain of handsome goodness who also happened to father my unborn child. I just didn’t believe in that happily ever after thing anymore. Not for me.

Maybe for others, like Audrey had with Boyd. They were having a baby, too. Sure, she’d gotten pregnant before getting married, but they’d known each other, fallen in love.

I wasn’t doing that with Clint… was I?

“I don’t know yet,” he commented, breaking me from my thoughts. “I might keep him for breeding. Depends on how big he ends up growing. But his sire was almost seventeen hands, so he could be a big one.” Clint pinned me with a look. “Why? You want him?”

My lips parted in surprise. Was it really that easy? My face grew warm. “Offering a Montana girl a pony? Yes. God, yes, but that’s stupid. I don’t know anything about horses. I’m sure it’s my hormones, but I feel like I’m in love with this little guy already.”

I rubbed his little nose some more.

Clint shook his head. “No, that happens. Horses seem to pick their person just like wolves pick their life mate.”

Something about his words made goosebumps race across my arms and a wing flap in my belly. “What do you know about wolves?” I asked carefully.

Clint’s gaze locked onto mine. “Quite a bit, actually.” He stood and swept me into his arms, as was becoming his habit.