That Holiday Feeling (Virgin River #8)(83)

A few minutes later Beau joined them, clipping off the tip of a cigar. Then Brad, then Jim. Nate leaned close to Beau’s ear. “How’d you know he was done with me?” Nate asked.

“If he wasn’t done, you weren’t going to work out,” Beau said with a shrug.

“Just out of curiosity,” Nate asked, “has he had many of these talks?”

“I think you’re the first.”

“What about that loser, Ed?”

“Ah, Ed. I don’t think Annie brought him around all that much. From what we heard, he was very busy. I met him once, I think, and not on a holiday. He did sell a couple of things to my dad, though. Farm things. Before he and Annie hooked up. Dad? We didn’t like Ed much, did we?”

Hank just snorted and said something derisive under his breath.

“Just out of curiosity, why didn’t you like him?” Nate asked.

“He swindled me on a hay baler,” Hank said. “Said he had the best price in the county. Took me about a month to find all kinds of better deals.”

“So, it didn’t have anything to do with how he treated her?” Nate asked.

“Son, you really think if a man will swindle you on a hay baler, you can trust him with your kin?”

“I hadn’t ever thought about it that way.”

“I can’t imagine another way to think about it,” Hank said.

“Wow,” Nate said, feeling more than a little privileged. Yeah, he thought. I’m picking out my daughter’s guy and giving him a talking-to.

When the cigars were finished, the men wandered back inside where the women were sitting in the kitchen with coffee. Nate paused in the doorway and signaled Annie. “Got a second?” he asked her. When she stood before him, he said, “I’m going to get a head start. Spend as much time as you want with the family. I’ll go home and make sure the puppies are fed and watered and their bedding is dry.”

“I can come now.”

“No, stay. I’ll get the puppy chores done and when you get there, I’ll have more time with you. By the way, are we all set on their care while I’m gone? We talked about it a little….”

“Not to worry, Nate. Virginia and I worked out the details. We’re going to share the load and they’ll be looked after. And if it’s okay with you, I’ll make sure the adopted ones are delivered on Christmas Eve. I think Pam from the shop is going to take one, which brings us down to three left to place. I’ll make sure they’re okay.”

“Tell anyone you take a pup to that if they bring ’em by in a couple of weeks, I’ll check them over and give them shots, free of charge.”

“That’s nice, Nathaniel.”

“Then I’ll see you in a little while,” he said, giving her a platonic peck on the cheek. “Thank you, Mrs. McKenzie,” he said to Rose. “Nice meeting you all.”

“Have a great trip, Nate,” someone said.

“Good meeting you.”

“Travel safe.”

He shook the men’s hands and was on his way.

Two thoughts occupied him as he drove home. He couldn’t wait to get his arms around Annie. And he didn’t want to be away from her for ten days. He didn’t think a beach full of na**d women could make him more inclined to leave right now. But he had packed his bags earlier, not leaving it to the last minute, and he would get this over with. Then, as far as he was concerned, it was full steam ahead with her. And she’d better not give him the slip, either. He was thirty-two and had had plenty of girlfriends, but he couldn’t remember ever wanting a woman like he wanted this one. Heck, he wanted her whole family. He wanted to bring her into his. He wanted them to merge and grow.

He’d even been engaged without wanting all that. It was eerie.

He was barely home, the puppies slopping up their dinner, when the pager on his belt vibrated. He recognized the phone number of a horse breeder whose animals he took care of. His favorite patients, Thoroughbreds. This family was not nearby—they were over the county line in Mendocino.

He answered the call. One of their valuable broodmares was miscarrying, and she was all freaked out, kicking at the stable walls.

He disconnected the line, but he held the phone. He took a deep, disappointed breath before he dialed the McKenzie farm and asked for Annie.

“Nate? What’s up?” she asked when she came on the line.

“You don’t know how much I hate to do this. I have to go out on an emergency. There’s a mare miscarrying, and the stable is in the next county. It could be complicated. It could be late.”

“Don’t worry about the time, Nate. See about the horse,” she said.

“Honey, you shouldn’t wait here for me. I might be tied up until very late. There’s a chance I’ll be out all night with just enough time to come home, clean up, get ready to leave. But, Annie, I won’t leave without seeing you—worst case, I’ll stop by your shop on my way out of town tomorrow.”

“You don’t have to do that, Nate. If you find yourself pressed for time, just give me a call.”

“But I do have to,” he said softly. “I can’t leave without holding you, without kissing you goodbye.”

“That’s so sweet. But if it doesn’t work out that way, I understand. Drive carefully. I hope everything is all right with the mare.”