Harlequin Special Edition May 2023--Box Set 1 of 2 by Judy Duarte

Author:Judy Duarte
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2023-10-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWELVE

“I think we’re finally caught up. Let’s get out of here for a while,” Nathan suggested from across the stables as morning faded into afternoon. He wandered over nonchalantly, hands in his pockets, giving her a little shrug. He acted as if the idea had been spontaneous, but Kate knew he’d been watching her all morning, silently hovering. Silently worrying.

“Nathan, I can’t.” She put down the body brush that she’d been using to comb through Shade’s coat and gave the horse a pat. “There’s too much to do here.” As Kate glanced around her, everything appeared to be in order, but the stress thrumming through her told her something must be amiss.

“What?” he said, looking around.

“The water pails—”

“You know full well I’ve already dragged the hose through here and filled the water pails.”

“Then the horse feed could be inventoried.”

He pulled the gate of Shade’s stall open, beckoning her out with a flick of his head. “Oh, you mean the feed that you inventoried and ordered more of two days ago?”

Kate rolled her eyes and picked the body brush back up on her way out of the stall, but Nathan threw his arm out, catching her around the waist as she attempted to get to Tully.

“If you brush the horses anymore they’re going to end up hairless,” he said with a twisted smile. She looked up at him, so close she could see every neatly trimmed hair along his jaw. Shade made a chuffing sound and Nathan lifted his hand as if to say, Thank you.

“That’s not funny.”

“It’s a little funny.” He plucked the brush from her hand and hung it back on the hook where she’d taken it from. “You’ve been working nonstop since we got back from the hospital the other day. Your mom talked to the doctor this morning. Things are looking good. Running yourself ragged here isn’t going to help your dad. Or your mom,” he added.

Kate squinted at him. “Did she put you up to this?”

“I’m not at liberty to discuss,” he said, flashing her a grin that revealed exactly what he wasn’t saying.

Kate pushed his shoulder, knocking him out of her way, but he caught her arm, his hand sliding down to hers. It sent electricity humming beneath her skin.

“C’mon,” he said. “Take an hour.”

She waited for him to tack on something else, like this was what friends did for each other, but he didn’t; he just continued to look at her with that hopeful grin. When she sighed, he squeezed her hand, and there it was again—the comfort she so desperately craved. Much like the other night in the hospital, she could feel that Nathan was quickly becoming someone she wanted to trust.

That idea terrified and exhilarated her in equal measure.

“Fine. One hour,” she said. “That’s all you get. But I get to pick the place.”

“Can Rusty and Tara come to said place?”

“Yes,” Kate said quickly. After what had almost happened in the hospital parking lot, perhaps it was better not to leave them alone completely.

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