This is the first of two short chapters. I'm sorry to keep you all waiting for the R rated stuff, but rest assured, it is coming! The next chapter should be up in a couple of days. hugs to all my readers, and to my wonderful beta, nyroswelllostgirl(jnyju)
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Two evenings later, Kate leaned against the side of the loose box, watching as Hi-Jinks circled around inside. By now, she'd been around expectant horses enough to recognize the early signs of labor that the mare was showing. In preparation, she'd bandaged the mare's tail and changed the bedding in her box to thick, clean straw. All she could do now was watch and wait for things to start happening.
She'd dimmed the lights around her, so as not to distress the mare, and now she could relax in the barn's peaceful, warm atmosphere. She hadn't slept well over the last couple of nights because she'd had too much on her mind to worry about. Since her mother had informed her of her intentions to sell Highgrove, she'd done her best to avoid all contact with her. Last night, she'd even slept in the stables so as not to have to enter the house at all. When her mother and Wayne had gone out during the day, she'd sneaked back inside for a quick shower and a change of clothes. Now, she'd secured enough food and blankets to get her through a second night in the stables.
She was relieved to find that Jack hadn't tried to contact her since their conversation that day in the front room. He'd told her to call him when she was ready to talk and right now, she really didn't feel like doing so. The possibility that he'd already known about Highgrove's sale - and kept the information from her - was not something that she took lightly. Maybe she owed him the chance to defend himself - but at this stage, she just wasn't up to hearing anything he might have to say. Also, if she called him, she'd be required to give him an answer to his proposal - and that was an idea she didn't particularly relish either.
Surprisingly, the one thing that had kept her sane over the last few days had been Sawyer. After an initial morning of awkwardness, their confrontation in the feed shed had all but been pushed aside and they'd begun to work together again as before. If anything, now that the air had been cleared between them, their former bond had become stronger. She hadn't asked him anything more about Anthony Cooper, feeling that if there was anything he wanted her to know, then he'd most likely tell her in his own time. If that time turned out to be never, then so be it - she had things that she didn't want to confide to him, either.
As if hearing her thoughts, he suddenly appeared beside her in the barn. "How's she doin'?"
"Fine so far. We won't really know until the placental sac breaks, though."
"Got everythin' you'll need?" He asked, looking at her pile of towels and jug of boiled water.
"I think so. Hopefully, all I'll need to do is watch anyway."
He nodded and turned his attention back to the mare. She'd begun to sweat lightly and her neck and flanks were damp. "Tidy lookin' horse, who's she in foal to?"
Kate kept her eyes focused straight ahead, trying not to let her anxiousness show. "Dylan," she replied.
Sawyer raised an eyebrow in surprise. Suddenly, he saw the importance of this particular foal. Sucking air through his teeth, he asked, "That why you've been sleeping out here these last few nights, then?"
It was Kate's turn to show surprise. "I didn't realize..." she trailed off for a moment, and then tried again, "...How did you know?"
Her frame was suddenly tense, telling Sawyer that he'd hit upon a nerve. He chuckled, lightening the mood, "Thought I told you before - Never met a woman who snores like you do, Freckles."
She rolled her eyes, teasing, "Or so you say." Not wanting to have to explain her real reasons for sleeping in the barn, she latched onto his observation. "I'll just be happier once the foal's been delivered safely," she said, realizing that it was partly the truth anyway.
Before Sawyer could reply, Hi-Jinks lay down in the straw and let out a soft groan. A rush of fluid was quickly released from inside her, signaling the start of her foaling. "Looks like we're underway," he said, glancing at Kate.
She clutched the railing, watching closely as the mare began to strain and push. To her trained eye, everything appeared to be fairly normal at this stage, but she felt her stomach tie in knots nonetheless. This was to be Dylan's last foal ever and she desperately wanted everything to go right with its delivery.
Sawyer leaned over the rail beside her, watching the mare with interest. "Never had much to do with the breedin' side of things," he offered by way of conversation.
"Breeding's great fun," Kate enthused. "You get to pick the best traits of stallion and mare, then mix them together to produce a foal that's hopefully even better than them both."
"And worth a lot more, too, I assume," he said, listening as she continued to elaborate. When it came to breeding, she apparently knew her stuff, he quickly discovered. Twenty minutes later, he checked his watch and glanced back to Hi-Jinks. "How long does this kind of thing usually take?"
His question highlighted the concern that Kate had just begun to feel. She frowned as she looked at the mare, "We should have been seeing some kind of action by now."
Hi-Jinks was sweating excessively after nearly thirty minutes of contractions and her groans of pain were becoming more frequent. "I think I'd better call Jack - just to be safe," she said. Drawing her cell phone from her pocket, she dialed Jack's home phone number, knowing that the clinic would be closed for the evening by now.
Sawyer listened as she spoke to the veterinarian, hearing only her side of the conversation and filling in the blanks for himself.
"Hi, it's me... Yes, I've been meaning to call you, too..."
There was a long pause before she continued. "I know, but I didn't actually call about that I'm afraid..." Another pause. "...Hi-Jinks is in foal. She's been in labor for almost thirty minutes now and nothing's happening..."
Sawyer heard the worry in her voice and for the first time he felt himself begin to get a little anxious as well.
"...That would be great, thanks. See you soon." Kate hung up the phone and said to Sawyer, "He's on his way."
"Might be just as well," he shot an uneasy glance towards the mare.
In the fifteen minutes it took for Jack to arrive, there was still no sign of the foal appearing. Kate looked up in relief as he entered the stable and was surprised to find that Juliet was with him. She was dressed in khaki trousers and a white shirt, which looked a lot more stylish than Kate's sweat pants and sneakers.
The blonde woman gave her a small nod and a tight smile before greeting Sawyer with only a little more warmth. With her chin held high, she took up position next to Jack.
Kate looked away, too concerned over Hi-Jinks to worry about Juliet's aloofness. Two surgeons were better than one, she guessed, filling them both in on the mare's details.
Without wasting any time, Jack rolled up his sleeves and got into the stable with Hi-Jinks. Juliet assisted him in fitting a protective rubber glove so that he could check the mare internally. "I can feel the legs," he said after a moment, patting the mare on the rump with his free hand. "It all seems pretty normal...she might just need a little help," he closed his hand around one leg and gave a gentle pull. Immediately, the foal's body began to budge and the bystanders suddenly found themselves looking at a pair of dainty forelegs. A small head quickly followed and Jack cut the white sack that encased it, freeing a set of tiny nostrils to take in their first breath of air.
Kate balled her hands into fists and raised them to her mouth in anxious excitement.
"Come on girl, one more effort," Jack encouraged while asking Juliet to pass him a towel.
She moved quickly to follow his orders and then crouched down beside him again. All of her attention was given to the man and horse and she ignored the others in the stable.
From across the distance, Sawyer watched her closely. He wondered if the veterinarian was even aware that his partner was coming on to him. All of the signs of interest were there; the lingering eyes, the mimicking body language, the close proximity. The woman was basically throwing herself at him and he appeared barely to notice. Damn him. Maybe he was hooked on Kate as much as he claimed to be after all. Resentfully, he adverted his eyes, wondering where exactly Kate stood on the matter. Catching himself mid-thought, he then berated himself for even thinking about it in the first place.
In front of everyone, the mare gave one last push and the foal finally slipped safely out onto the soft straw. A collective sigh of relief was audible as everyone enjoyed the successful delivery. Both Hi-Jinks and the new foal now lay still, resting for a few minutes after the stress they'd just been through.
Jack kept a respectful distance, getting just close enough to check out their well-being. "Looks like a colt," he said referring to the foal's sex.
Hearing the news, Kate felt tiny tears prickle the backs of her eyes. A colt could carry on Dylan's line, securing Highgrove's breeding future indefinitely. She swiped a stray tear from her cheek with the back of her hand, hoping that nobody had noticed its presence.
"Pretty little thing. Should fetch a nice price at auction when he's older," Jack added.
Kate blinked rapidly, trying to find her voice to explain that this foal wouldn't ever be for sale - not for any price.
Unexpectedly, Sawyer came to her aide. "I don't think this little guy's gonna be goin' anywhere near a sale yard," he said.
Kate met his eyes and gave him a grateful smile. It was nice to be understood without having to explain for once.
Sawyer looked away, aware that his comment had drawn the attention of Jack and Juliet, and that they were now both looking at him oddly.
Jack lowered his eyes first and set about packing up his supplies. He realized that he was beginning to like the con-man less and less every time he saw him. At least Kate was aware of his criminal tendencies, he thought, reaching for a bar of soap to wash his hands with. Juliet was still looking at Sawyer, unable to hide the small smile that played upon her lips. She shifted her gaze towards Kate and then moved it onto Jack. She got the feeling that he wasn't going to like Kate's answer to his proposal - when she finally got around to giving it to him, that was. Brushing the stable dust from her trousers, she followed Jack out of the stable.
"Things should be okay from here," Jack addressed Kate again. "You know the drill, he should be standing and feeding within the hour. Make sure the mare passes the placenta before four hours are up. Otherwise, give me a call and let me know so that I can come back." He looked towards the door, not quite meeting her eyes as he continued, "I'll drop back to check up tomorrow, anyway," he said. "And Kate, we need to talk, then."
He looked at her as he finished speaking, holding her gaze steadfastly while making his meaning clear. Tomorrow he expected an answer.
Kate blinked, suddenly feeling guilty for avoiding him over the last few days. She nodded, resisting the overwhelming urge she had to apologize. "Okay. Tomorrow, then."
He gave her a nod, as if sealing the deal, and then turned to follow Juliet out of the building.
Kate's eyes followed his back as she wondered if the choice she was thinking of making was the right one. Neither decision came without its complications. Could she live with herself if she accepted his proposal? Could she live with herself if she didn't? The barn door swung shut as she silently pondered.
Sawyer frowned at the man's high-handedness, deciding that the guy truly gave new meaning to the term 'Jackass'. Glancing back at Kate, he quickly picked up on her concern. "Don't beat yourself up over it, Freckles," he said, his stomach suddenly in knots. What he really wanted to do right then was to pull her into his arms and wipe all thoughts of anyone other than himself from her mind. He might have actually done so, too - if her worry hadn't been so evident on her face. Obviously, she was giving his proposal serious consideration then, he realized. Knowing that his attentions would be unwanted, he held his impulses in check and began to retreat.
"Don't go..." Her words halted him. "He's about to try and stand," she indicated towards the colt.
Feeling his resolve fading fast, Sawyer risked a glance into the stable. The foal had his long legs stretched out in front of him and was trying to push himself upwards from behind. He wobbled unsteadily for a moment before falling back into the straw, looking bewildered by his failed attempt to rise. Sawyer smiled in amusement. A couple of minutes later, the foal tried again, this time with more success. After swaying a little to get his balance, he finally stood on all fours for the first time and looked around at his mother.
"He looks just like Dylan," Kate said wistfully.
Sawyer turned his head a little to look at her, noticing the moistness around her eyes. He frowned, feeling suddenly awkward and wishing that he'd stuck to his decision to leave after all.
Kate carried on, seemingly unaware of his dilemma. "Which just makes everything that much worse..."
He frowned, not understanding where she was going. Was she talking to him, or was she just thinking aloud? When she didn't elaborate, he finally prompted, "What are you sayin'?"
She swallowed, and let her eyes fall shut. "Mother and Wayne have decided to sell Highgrove."
Her words hung in the air for a moment as Sawyer silently took them in. At length, he turned to face her. "You gonna stop them?"
"I...I don't think I can."
He was shocked to hear so much resignation in her voice. Her usual confidence seemed to have deserted her, and for the first time, he noticed that her shoulders were hunched in defeat. Against his better judgement, he reached out and drew her towards him. Her body was soft and compliant and she molded herself to him as he wrapped his arms around her shoulders and held her against his chest. He let his eyes fall shut as his heart beat loudly in his chest. Oh, but he was treading on dangerous ground!
Cradled snugly in his arms, Kate closed her eyes as well. Other than the first stray tear that she'd shed, she didn't feel inclined to cry. He felt strong and solid against her and she willingly embraced the comfort that he freely gave. It felt nice to let someone else finally share her burden - even if only for even a short time.
Sawyer raised his palm to the back of her head, their bodies gently swaying together. Her faith in him was totally disarming. She knew about him - about his past and what kind of a man he was, and yet still she trusted him with her fears. He knew at that moment that he'd all but lost the fight with himself to keep her at a distance. He'd fallen for her in a way that he'd never let himself fall for a woman before. He looked down at the top of her head, wishing belatedly that he'd never come to Highgrove.
Kate let him hold her right up until the moment that their embrace began to feel a little awkward. Reluctantly, her arms loosened their grip from around his waist, causing his to follow suit so that she could step back a little. Turning away from him, she lifted her arms to rest her body weight upon the stables wooden railing. "There has to be something that I can do."
A lop-sided smile tugged at the corner of Sawyer's mouth. "That sounds more like it," he drawled, pleased by her change in demeanor. He stretched his arms lazily, "Reckon I'm gonna turn in now," he searched for a quick excuse to leave the barn. "I'll leave you to your plannin'.
Kate turned to watch him go. She wanted to say something - anything that would show her appreciation for his being there - but the words wouldn't come. Somehow she knew that he didn't want or expect her gratitude, and that if she was to show it, it would only diminish the meaning of his gesture. Instead, she finally settled for, "Goodnight."
He paused before leaving the barn, not quite turning to face her fully. "See ya."
The door swung shut behind him and Kate was left alone in the barn. She turned back towards the mare and foal, noticing that the colt was having his first suckle. Resting her chin upon her hands, she finally began to smile.