Summer Nights (Fool's Gold #8)(44)

“You’re keeping Persephone close?” Annabelle asked, not seeing the very pregnant goat outside.

“I brought her in a few days ago. Rafe teases me about how much I worry, but she’s one of my girls. I can’t help it.”

“You’re a good goat mom.”

“I hope so. Oh, did you see the pig?” Heidi pointed toward Priscilla’s enclosure. “Wilbur showed up a couple of days ago. He’s smaller than we thought, but seems nice. Priscilla likes him and he and Reno are getting along fine.”

Annabelle turned and saw Priscilla the elephant walking in a group with a pony and a pig next to her. “Somewhere in the tree in the corner is a cat with kittens,” she murmured. “That’s got to be the weirdest thing in the world. I love it.”

“Me, too.”

* * *

“AM I TOO LATE?” MAY asked, flinging herself out of her car.

Shane shook his head. “Seriously, Mom? You came home from your honeymoon because one of Heidi’s goats is giving birth?”

Glen got out and gave him a pitying look.

May glared at Shane. “I care about those goats. They’re practically family. And based on how you and your brothers have been doing so far, probably the only thing close to a grandchild I’m ever going to get. So yes, I’m here for the birth.”

She flounced past him.

Glen followed, pausing long enough to murmur, “You really need to figure out women, son,” before following his new wife into the goat house.

“What did I do?” Shane demanded.

Rafe patted him on the shoulder. “You look so bright, too.”

Shane swore. “This isn’t fair.”

“So little is, bro.”

Shane shook off his hand. “It’s a goat.”

“Come on. I’ll buy you a drink.”

Shane followed his brother back to the house. Rafe pulled two bottles from the refrigerator and popped the top on both of them. They took their drinks into the living room.

“It’s a goat,” Shane repeated.

“You know that and I know that, but what Heidi or Annabelle or Mom would say is that you’re showing you don’t care about the goat.”

“No, I’m saying it’s a goat. She was born knowing how to give birth, just like the horses and nearly every other animal. Sure, you want to check in because there can be a problem, but they’re gathering like it’s some kind of miracle.”

“Uh-huh. Glen’s right. You really need to figure out women.”

Shane wanted to protest that he did, but he had a failed marriage and his most recent fling proved otherwise.

“You know what happens once there’s a birth,” he said instead.

“I know.”

“Heidi’s going to want to get pregnant.”

“We’ve already talked about it.”

Shane eyed his brother. “You’re calm.”

“We both want kids.”

“Right away?”

“We’re going to wait until after the honeymoon to start trying, but yeah. We’ll get going soon.”

“You’re good with that?”

Rafe grinned. “I love Heidi and I’m damned lucky to have her. Of course I want kids. As many as she wants.”

“At least that will get Mom off the rest of us.”

“Yup. I’ll be the hero. Again.” Rafe sighed loudly. “It gets old.”

Shane chuckled. “You’ve got quite the ego.”

“Is that what we’re calling it?”

Shane glanced out the window and saw Charlie arriving. Apparently word had gone out about Persephone.

“You realize this is going to happen every time one of the goats gives birth,” he said.

Rafe nodded. “Worth it at twice the price.”

Because his brother loved Heidi. Goats and whatever else his bride wanted would be fine with him.

He wanted to feel pity for Rafe. The once-powerful businessman was a slave to his heart. But he didn’t exactly look unhappy. And when he saw Rafe and Heidi together, the love was palpable. There was nothing there to mock. If anything, Shane was the odd man out.

“You got lucky,” Shane told him.

“That I did. With Heidi, I’m always sure I’m right where I belong.”

Something Shane had never been able to say in his first marriage. He hadn’t been sure of anything. Not if Rachel was coming home that night, or how long it would be until he saw her again. She’d lived life on the edge and because he’d wanted to be with her, he’d accepted that.

For him, love and pain were intertwined. Now, with time and distance, he realized what he’d had before hadn’t been love at all. Which meant what? That with the right person he could have a sure thing? That passion could also be a haven? He didn’t know the answers to those questions—and he wasn’t convinced that finding out was a risk he was willing to take.

CHAPTER TEN

“I’M WALKING,” ANNABELLE said with a grin. She’d already had one margarita. Going for a second was definitely going to give her a buzz, but this was a party.

“Rafe is driving back into town to get me,” Heidi said with a sigh, holding up her empty glass. “So I’m good.”