Page 85 of Puppy Kisses

“You know I’ve never questioned your life choices, Sunshine, but this whole rancher thing is just plain weird. And considering your past, that’s saying a lot.” That seemed to be all her dad had to say on the subject, because he shook his head and offered his wife an arm.

Dawn waited until he was out of earshot before releasing the laughter welling up in her throat. Lila and Sophie chimed in, holding up their paper cups in a mock toast.

They were also the only ones who’d thought to bring celebratory drinks to a cow auction. Sophie and Dawn were sipping from a very cheap bottle of champagne, but Lila was on a strict sparkling cider diet. The gentle swell of her stomach, now halfway into her first pregnancy, had turned her into a teetotaler.

“Poor Dad,” Sophie said with a giggle. “We broke him. At this point, I think we could all shave our heads and start a zombie-training boot camp, and all he’d do is say that he supports our dreams.”

“Mom, too,” Dawn said and gave Lila’s stomach a gentle pat. “As long as Lil here promises to pop out grandchildren on a regular basis, she’ll let us get away with anything.”

“One, you guys,” Lila warned. “I’m giving her one grandchild. Two, if you count Emily, which she most definitely does. Someone else can take the next round.”

Sophie and Dawn shot each other accusing glances, which only made them laugh harder. They probably should have laid off the champagne alittle, but Dawn needed the fortification. She was going to miss that silly old cow.

As if sensing how emotional she was getting over an animal that had thus far eaten two dozen of the rosebushes she’d planted, Adam appeared at her side. The arm he dropped around her shoulder was playful and casual, but she knew how anxious he was that everything went well today. And not just because his entire year’s income depended on the outcome of the auction. He was weirdly worried about making sure her family had a good time. Never mind that Emily was gleefully running around and naming each cow, every title a little more ridiculous than the last. Or that Ford and Harrison were running after her, anxious lest she or her service dog get trampled underfoot. Or that Harrison, equally anxious abouthisservice dog, was wearing a Pomeranian strapped to his chest in a baby sling. Add in Uncle trotting faithfully at Adam’s side and Gigi, who refused to be left alone in the truck, and it was a veritable zoo.

Needless to say, the old cowboys who filled up the rest of the place were giving their party averywide berth.

“It’s going okay, right?” Adam asked. “I left Phoebe in charge of the rest of the herd, but Dawn is going up on the auction block now.”

“It’s going fine,” Dawn promised, giving his waist a squeeze. To be perfectly honest, she had no idea if any of this was going according to plan, but that was half the fun of it. Anyone who said that to live on a ranch was to live a life of monotony had clearly never spent time at one. She had cows to chase and puppies to train, neighbors to visit and town hall meetings to attend, sisters to plan dinners with, and a gorgeous, hardworking, faithful man to come home to every night. It was a wonder they had any time for sex, really.

They always managed to find time, though. In fact, there had been a promising little storage shed she and Adam had passed on their way out of the parking lot…

“I think they just called her number,” he said, forcing any and all thoughts of the storage shed out of her mind. Well,mostlyout of her mind. That arm around her shoulders moved to her waist, Adam’s fingers trailing awfully near… “Yep, that’s her. It’s time.”

Dawn held her breath as her fellow Dawn ambled down the chute to where the rest of the cows were being held. The animal’s statistics were rattled off by the very loud and efficient auctioneer before the bids were opened. It started much as the other auctions had so far, with low numbers being tossed around as interest heated up.

“I think I changed my mind,” Adam said suddenly. “Dawn—quick. Get up there and tell them the sale is off. I don’t want to get rid of her. She’s a pain, yes, but she’smypain.”

“Relax.” Dawn slipped a hand in Adam’s back pocket. “It’ll be fine.”

“I’m serious,” Adam said. “I know it sounds stupid, but I already tried this twice. First with Gigi and then with you. It never works. I started missing both of you before you even left. We’ll find room for her. We’ll build her a barn of her own. We’ll—”

“And that’s an unheard of bid for three thousand!” the auctioneer called. “Does anyone dare to step up and offer more?”

Adam groaned. “Quick, Dawn. Place a bid before I change my mind. Offer them four thousand. No—offer them five.”

“No way. I amnotpaying five thousand dollars for that cow.”

“Going once—”

“Please, Dawn. She’s part of the family.”

“Going twice—”

“They’re going to murder her. You know that, right? None of these cows are making it out alive.”

“And sold!” The auctioneer was barely audible among the sudden burst of applause that sounded all around them. “To the gentleman in the oversized gray shirt. Oh. Nope. I’m sorry. To thewomanin the oversized gray shirt. My apologies, ma’am. My vision isn’t what it used to be.”

“Oh, shove off,” an irascible voice said. “You’ve known me these thirty years and more.”

As soon as Adam heard it, he turned his head toward Dawn. “Dawn. That’s not… It can’t be…”

“And you’d better take that damn heifer around back. She looks innocent now, but give her ten minutes, and she’ll have the entire lot of you running for your lives.”

“Bea!” Adam dropped his arm from around Dawn’s waist. “That sounds exactly like Bea.”

Bea’s signature cackle rose through the air, dispelling any and all illusions Adam might have had that he was hearing things. “She’s going to be worth every goddamned penny. Just you wait and see. We’re kindred spirits, Dawn and I. The next time one of my neighbors tries to kick me off my own land…”

Adam could only chuckle as Bea’s voice trailed off. It was followed by an audible groan a few feet away.

“Well, fuck,” Charlie Smithwood said. “There goes the neighborhood.Again.”