Counting on Love (Contemporary Cowboy Romance) (Carson Hill Ranch series: Book 3) by Amelia Rose Page B
Authors: Amelia Rose
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and coyotes in. It had to be done.
“Why are we the only two jackasses dumb enough to be up at this hour doing this?” Carey asked, without really expecting an answer.
“Because we’re the only two smart ones on the place,” Casey replied, not missing a beat with his hammer. “When the other guys finally wake up and get to work, we’ll be heading in to put our feet up for the rest of the day.”
“Speaking of putting his feet up…” Carey left the rest of his sentence hanging in the cold air between them, opening up the conversation but never quite acknowledging it.
“Yeah? What about it?” Casey demanded, knowing where this was going and not liking it one bit. He stopped his hammer blows and stood with the head of his sledgehammer propped on the toe of his boot, other hand on his hip, breathing hard. “What are you talking about?”
“You know full well what I’m talking about,” Carey replied, matching his brother in both his stance and his attitude.
“Joseph,” they said in unison, rolling their eyes at the coincidence and resuming the hammering.
“What are we supposed to do about him?” Carey asked.
“There’s nothing to do. We’re doing it. We’re taking him to the doctor, end of story.”
“That’s not the end of the story, Casey, and you know it. What good does it do him to haul him off to the city when you and Dad are convinced he’s just a drugged out faker?”
“Hey! That’s not fair! I never once called him a faker!” Casey shot back angrily, still matching Carey blow for blow on the fence post.
“But you’re thinking it.”
“It doesn’t matter what I’m thinking, does it? I’m doing what you wanted. I’m taking him to Dallas to get checked out. When we finally have word once and for all that he’s healed, then I won’t mind kicking his ass a little and making him get himself together.”
“If you’re so convinced he’s healed, why haven’t you kicked his ass already? Huh?”
“What are you running your mouth about? What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I mean, if you think he’s faking and this whole trip is just about getting some doctor to confirm what you think you already know, why even pretend? Go ahead and kick his ass, as you put it.” Casey didn’t answer, and he didn’t lift his hammer to swing again. “See what I’m saying?” Carey asked. “You don’t know for sure that he’s not in a lot of pain. You want so badly for him to just be faking, you’re taking him to this doctor hoping there’s nothing wrong, but you don’t entirely believe that. If you did, you’d have already laid into him for getting slobbering drunk the other night.”
“That’s not…I mean…”
“You don’t have to explain it to me, Casey. I get it. I want all of this to be okay, too. But you’re the one who’s taking him to Dallas, you and Dad. The least you two can do is give him the benefit of the doubt and be willing to listen when the doctor tells us what’s wrong. You can’t drag him up there and have the outcome already worked out in your mind.”
The two brothers resumed their work without another word, the cracking of their hammers against the fencepost the only other sound out on the ranch.
****
“Do you need anything else to eat?” Joseph asked attentively, looking up from his own breakfast and noticing that Emma had finished eating. She shook her head nervously, prompting Joseph to wave Gracie over. “Grab her some more juice and another biscuit, okay, kiddo?”
“Sure thing, Joseph! Anything else to go with it, Emma?” Emma shook her head, uncomfortable with all of the attention. She’d run away from one wonderful family so she couldn’t bring shame and humiliation on them, and now she found herself in an even more awkward situation. She wished she could just become invisible somehow, and the thought of stealing away to the small cabin was pushing itself forward in her mind.
Miranda and Casey grinned at each other while
“Why are we the only two jackasses dumb enough to be up at this hour doing this?” Carey asked, without really expecting an answer.
“Because we’re the only two smart ones on the place,” Casey replied, not missing a beat with his hammer. “When the other guys finally wake up and get to work, we’ll be heading in to put our feet up for the rest of the day.”
“Speaking of putting his feet up…” Carey left the rest of his sentence hanging in the cold air between them, opening up the conversation but never quite acknowledging it.
“Yeah? What about it?” Casey demanded, knowing where this was going and not liking it one bit. He stopped his hammer blows and stood with the head of his sledgehammer propped on the toe of his boot, other hand on his hip, breathing hard. “What are you talking about?”
“You know full well what I’m talking about,” Carey replied, matching his brother in both his stance and his attitude.
“Joseph,” they said in unison, rolling their eyes at the coincidence and resuming the hammering.
“What are we supposed to do about him?” Carey asked.
“There’s nothing to do. We’re doing it. We’re taking him to the doctor, end of story.”
“That’s not the end of the story, Casey, and you know it. What good does it do him to haul him off to the city when you and Dad are convinced he’s just a drugged out faker?”
“Hey! That’s not fair! I never once called him a faker!” Casey shot back angrily, still matching Carey blow for blow on the fence post.
“But you’re thinking it.”
“It doesn’t matter what I’m thinking, does it? I’m doing what you wanted. I’m taking him to Dallas to get checked out. When we finally have word once and for all that he’s healed, then I won’t mind kicking his ass a little and making him get himself together.”
“If you’re so convinced he’s healed, why haven’t you kicked his ass already? Huh?”
“What are you running your mouth about? What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I mean, if you think he’s faking and this whole trip is just about getting some doctor to confirm what you think you already know, why even pretend? Go ahead and kick his ass, as you put it.” Casey didn’t answer, and he didn’t lift his hammer to swing again. “See what I’m saying?” Carey asked. “You don’t know for sure that he’s not in a lot of pain. You want so badly for him to just be faking, you’re taking him to this doctor hoping there’s nothing wrong, but you don’t entirely believe that. If you did, you’d have already laid into him for getting slobbering drunk the other night.”
“That’s not…I mean…”
“You don’t have to explain it to me, Casey. I get it. I want all of this to be okay, too. But you’re the one who’s taking him to Dallas, you and Dad. The least you two can do is give him the benefit of the doubt and be willing to listen when the doctor tells us what’s wrong. You can’t drag him up there and have the outcome already worked out in your mind.”
The two brothers resumed their work without another word, the cracking of their hammers against the fencepost the only other sound out on the ranch.
****
“Do you need anything else to eat?” Joseph asked attentively, looking up from his own breakfast and noticing that Emma had finished eating. She shook her head nervously, prompting Joseph to wave Gracie over. “Grab her some more juice and another biscuit, okay, kiddo?”
“Sure thing, Joseph! Anything else to go with it, Emma?” Emma shook her head, uncomfortable with all of the attention. She’d run away from one wonderful family so she couldn’t bring shame and humiliation on them, and now she found herself in an even more awkward situation. She wished she could just become invisible somehow, and the thought of stealing away to the small cabin was pushing itself forward in her mind.
Miranda and Casey grinned at each other while
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