Page 6 of Taming the Billionaire Cowboy (The Billionaire’s Bidding #3)
CARLY
B y the time I pick Bradley up from my mom’s, head back to our small duplex, clean up the dishes I left in the sink this morning because I was in such a rush, make a quick dinner and get it on the table, I feel like I could collapse.
But I know I won’t. Hell, I probably won’t get one wink of sleep tonight with all the animals on my mind.
Bradley digs into his spaghetti as if he hasn’t eaten for weeks.
I admire his gusto, but it’s hard for me to stomach more than a few bites.
I keep thinking about what might be happening on the ranch…
or maybe not happening. There are so many animals there.
It seems likely that Oliver skipped over someone and forgot to feed them.
Bradley’s legs swing beneath the table, each forkful of food accompanied by stories and questions. “Guess what, Mom?” he asks in his squeaky, high-pitched voice.
I smile, twirling spaghetti on my fork. “What?”
“Grandma let me make an omelet. And I didn’t burn it.”
“You’re already a better cook than me,” I say, still forcing that smile. I want to be present with him, but it’s hard with so much on my mind.
“Yeah,” he agrees, his grin wide and goofy. “Can we have pancakes tomorrow? Like, a big stack of them?”
“Sure, as long as you don’t make fun of me for not being as good a cook as you.” I gently poke him in the side, and he laughs. “What kind do you want?”
“Ohhh…” He twists his lips as he thinks. “Blue! No! Chocolate chip!”
“Then chocolate chip it is.”
“When can I go—” He sucks in a quick breath. “When can I go to the ranch?”
“I’m not sure,” I say, forcing a lightness I don’t feel. “We have to figure out a new plan.”
“Because it selled?” His eyes are wide and searching, filled with hope.
“Yes, buddy. Mack already left. Now a man named Oliver owns it.”
“But you can’t work at it.”
“I’m looking for another job.” I hesitate, knowing that if Oliver offered me my old job, I’d take it in a heartbeat, mostly to be there for the animals.
He’s too stubborn, though. It seems he’d rather run that place into the ground than admit he needs a helping hand.
Bradley’s legs kick again; he can’t keep still when he has a burning question. “How surprised do you think Oliver was?”
“Surprised by what?”
“Everything on the ranch.”
“Probably pretty surprised,” I say. “I’m still not sure he even knows what a ranch is.”
“How many animals does he have?”
“Way too many,” I say. “Mack sold him all the animals except for the dogs. Mack took those with him. Taco and Maude are retiring too.”
Too late, I realize I’ve probably said too much and will worry Bradley. “Oliver can take care of them all, though,” I add. “Even though it is a lot of animals.”
But it’s too late. “He didn’t know anything about horses, did he?”
I try to shrug it off, for both our sakes. “I don’t think he knew the difference between a horse and a chicken,” I say, and Bradley laughs again. “I gave him instructions on feeding them all, though. Don’t worry. He can do it.”
“But Mom, what if he forgets a part?”
I sit on that for a moment. “Maybe he’ll pack up and head back to wherever he came from. Maybe all the animals will come live with us in our backyard. We can fit them all back there, right?”
That makes Bradley laugh again, but not as hard this time. He’s trying to figure out what it all means. So am I.
“Are you mad at him?” he asks. “At Oliver?”
“No, baby,” I say. “Not mad. Just surprised.”
“I bet Rusty misses me.”
I want to tell him not to worry about the old pony who always trots to the fence when he sees Bradley coming. But that’s what moms do — we worry.
“Me too,” I say. “I miss all of them already. But don’t worry, sweetie. They’re okay.” I don’t even believe it myself, but I can’t stand to see him so worried.
“I want to see Rusty.”
I bite my lip. “Bradley, I don’t know when you’ll be able to. I’m sorry.”
“You promised!” he says. “You said we’d see the animals again.”
The weight of his words settles heavily in my chest. “We will,” I tell him. “We’ll see them again. I just… don’t know when.”
“But how?” His face is small and serious, reminding me again that he’s growing up too fast.
“I need some time to figure it out,” I say, more to myself than to him.
“Okay,” he says. “But Mack already sold the ranch. You can’t make a new plan.”
I reach over and ruffle his hair. “Sure, I can. Making new plans is what moms do best.”
“But we will see the animals again?”
God, he’s not letting this one go. His anxiety, so like my own, is getting under my skin, and I have to hold my tongue so I don’t snap at him.
“I already answered your question,” I say. “It’s bath time now.”
He pouts a little bit, but by the time he’s bathed and is in his twin bed listening to a story podcast for kids, he seems to be distracted enough. Smoothing his hair, I give him a kiss on the forehead.
“Goodnight, baby,” I whisper. “See you in the morning.”
“And don’t forget about pancakes,” he says, voice almost lost in a yawn.
“I won’t. I promise.”
I switch off the light and linger in the doorway, watching him as he settles into dreams. When I’m sure he’s finally out, I head back to the kitchen.
Gripping the edge of the sink, I gaze at the dark window, where my reflection looks depleted. Even if Bradley weren’t so worried, I would still be freaking out. There’s no way I can let Oliver handle the animals alone. No way at all.
An idea forms in my mind, and I grab my phone, knowing I need to take action before I have the chance to talk myself out of it.
“Hey,” Ferris answers.
“Hey. Sorry to call so late.”
“No, it’s okay. What’s up? Everything okay?”
“Yes, yes. It’s fine.” I sit at the table, trying to figure out where to start explaining the current situation to my cousin. “Can you come over here for a while? Bradley is asleep, but I need to run out, and…”
“Totally…” she hesitates. “Are you sure everything is fine?”
“We’re okay. The ranch, though, I’m not sure.
This new owner is completely clueless. He’s some rich guy who wants to play cowboy, and he thinks he can do it himself without any help, but he’s never even seen a red chicken before — didn’t even know they could be that color.
And the way he smirks all the time… I dunno, it doesn’t matter, but I’m not sure he even fed the animals right and?—”
“Hey, Carly, it’s all good. I got you. I can be over there in ten.”
I suck in a long breath. If she hadn’t cut me off when she did, I might have passed out. “Thank you. See you soon.”
I hang up and sit in the dark, the house too quiet without Bradley’s running commentary. Ferris will be here soon, and then what will I do? Go to the ranch and ask Oliver to run through the feeding checklist with me like he’s some kind of toddler who needs to have his hand held?
I’ll probably look crazy.
My thumb is back on my phone screen, ready to call it off, but the animals’ faces fill my mind again. Rusty. Lou Lou. The brown and white baby goats. Even the grumpy old barn cat Mack calls Chester. Oliver has no idea what he’s gotten himself into, and if I don’t step up, then no one else will.
I don’t know what I’ll say when I get to the ranch, how I’ll explain my appearance without sounding patronizing. All I know is that I need to get there ASAP.
By the time Ferris arrives, I’ve slipped on my sneakers, grabbed my purse, and moved on to pacing the living room.
She lets herself in through the front door, our ease in each other’s homes an extension of the open door policy we basically lived by as kids.
Growing up, we were down the street from each other, and now she’s only a few blocks away from my place.
“That’s…” I say, checking the time on my phone, “ten minutes on the dot.”
She laughs and shakes her head. “Did you think I was gonna leave you hanging?”
I give her a quick hug. “Thanks,” I say. “I won’t be gone long.”
She raises an eyebrow. “We’ll see about that.”
“I feel so bad leaving Bradley,” I tell her. “Especially at night like this.”
“He won’t even know you’re gone,” she says. “Seriously, Carly. Don’t worry. I’ll be quiet as a church mouse. Scout’s honor.”
“Okay,” I say. “I just need to make sure Oliver didn’t leave the animals with empty bowls or something.”
“Sure it’s not an excuse to go see him again?”
“Wh- what?” I trip over my words. “Why would you say that?”
“I looked him up. He’s really hot.”
“I’m not interested in him. That’s not… This isn’t…” God, I can’t even form a coherent sentence. “I’m worried about the animals.”
“I know. I’m just giving you a hard time.”
I look away, ashamed by how undone her little joke made me. “Thanks again.”
“Better get going,” she says. “I’ll hold down the fort here.”
I nod, already reaching for the doorknob. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
I’m out of the house and into my car before I can change my mind again. The engine turns over with a familiar rumble, and I back out of the driveway with the same feeling I have every morning. A mom’s gotta do what a mom’s gotta do. Not just for her human babies, but the animal ones as well.