AS THEY ALL headed back to the house for a celebratory dinner, Aria was still puzzling over this exceedingly tall and muscular cowboy with the gentle voice. Her high school memories of him were vague, although she’d recognized him the minute he’d walked into the barn. But she hadn’t spent any time with him before today and hadn’t been prepared for his laid-back attitude.
When it came to this foal, she wanted a trainer who had laser-like focus. Rosie had said Brant was the best, but Rosie was prejudiced. She thought all her foster boys were the best.
Aria couldn’t deny that Brant had concentrated on the task during Linus’s birth. He’d been calmer than Herb. Although she didn’t fully trust his relaxed manner, she’d felt it settle over her like a soft blanket when she’d dropped to her knees to pet the foal.
Slowly her agitation had been replaced by awareness of Brant, the man. How unnecessary. How inappropriate. In spite of that, she’d noticed the ripple of muscles in his tanned forearms. She’d glanced at his profile and admired his strong nose and well-defined chin.
As if he’d felt her gaze on him, he’d looked her way. The warmth in his hazel eyes had stolen her breath. He loved animals. She could trust him with Linus. That might be all she needed to know.
On the way to the house, Cade, Lexi and Brant walked ahead with Cade’s gray cat, Ringo, trotting behind them. At one point Brant stopped, scooped up the cat and carried him. Ringo wore a blissed-out expression as he perched on Brant’s wide shoulder.
She couldn’t hear the cat purring at this distance, but with Brant stroking him, he must be. Brant made some remark about being a certified cat whisperer. Then he started whispering to Ringo and whatever he said sent Lexi and Cade into hysterics.
What a happy soul, this Brant Ellison. She wondered what it felt like to be that relaxed. She wouldn’t know.
Whether due to nature or nurture, both she and her brother had been high-energy kids who’d thrived on competition. She’d always known she’d run her own business someday and Josh had expected to ride his way to fame and fortune. Although fate had knocked him down, she was determined he’d get back up.
Brant must have been knocked down, too, or he wouldn’t have landed in foster care as a teenager. But if he’d been emotionally traumatized, he hid the damage well.
Rosie and Herb walked on either side of her on the way back to the house. “I’m sorry Josh wasn’t here.” Rosie’s voice was filled with compassion. “I know how much you wanted him to be a part of it.”
“He’d said he would come, but then he changed his mind. He must have had a bad day.”
“I’m sure it’s tough.” Herb took off his glasses and tucked them in his shirt pocket. “I’ve never had to use a wheelchair, thank God. Is he making any progress with his physical therapy?”
This was a recent development Aria hated talking about. “He’s stopped going. Says it’s no use.”
“Huh.” Herb tugged on the brim of his hat, a gesture that usually meant a cowboy was buying some thinking time. “He’d have an easier time working with Linus if he could get out of that chair.”
“I know. I thought he’d be motivated by Lucy’s impending due date. Instead he seemed to get more depressed.”
Rosie put her arm around Aria’s shoulders and gave her a quick hug of support. “Linus is a handsome colt. Wait’ll Josh gets a look at him. He won’t be able to resist that sweet baby.”
“He is handsome.” Aria’s throat tightened with gratitude. “Thank you both for making this possible. I didn’t have a clue what I was getting into.”
Rosie chuckled. “I could tell. I’m glad you went for the idea of boarding Lucy here.”
“So am I,” Herb said. “I haven’t delivered a foal since I retired. That was a blast.”
“You did a fabulous job, Herb. So did Brant.”
“He has the touch,” Herb said. “I knew that the first time I took him along on a call and watched him with a pregnant mare. Then he went nuts over the foal and he’s been in love with the process ever since.”
“So why didn’t he become a vet like you?”
“I can’t say for sure, but he never expressed any interest in the other parts of the job. He only wanted to come with me when a mare was foaling. Besides, he doesn’t like being tied down, and a vet needs to live in one place and establish a practice.”
“Yeah, that wouldn’t fit Brant,” Rosie said. “He likes to stay loose, take life as it comes.”
The exact opposite of her, Aria thought. She required routine, stability and concrete goals. Her brother’s uncertain future coupled with his lack of focus had worn her to a frazzle. “Thank goodness he was available today.”
“It was meant to be.” Rosie looked pleased with herself. “Did you get pictures? I didn’t see you taking any.”
“I didn’t have my phone. I left my purse and my phone in the van and didn’t even think about pictures until it was too late.” And that was unlike her. She was usually a details person, but having Lucy go into labor early had thrown her off her game.
“That’s okay. We all took some. We’ll text them to you. That will light a fire under that Gloomy Gus of yours.”
Aria smiled as she followed Rosie up the porch steps. Rosie’s confidence boosted her own. “I’m sure you’re right. By the way, are you going to let me cook tonight? I really want to, after all you’ve done today.”
She’d discovered her passion for cooking through sharing meals with her best friend Camille’s large Italian family. Her bank job allowed her to save money toward her goal of opening a cooking school. In the meantime she made deliveries for Camille’s restaurant in exchange for using the kitchen to give classes on Monday nights. She lived for those classes.
Rosie paused before going inside. “You sure don’t have to. I thawed some chicken and planned to bread and fry it like usual.”
“Do you have mushrooms?”
“I think so. Yes, I’m pretty sure I do.”
“I saw a package of mushrooms in the fridge,” Herb said as he joined them on the porch.
“Okay, good. How about bacon and pearl onions?”
“I always have bacon, and I still have some pearl onions left over from the last time you cooked for us. What are you leading up to?”
“Coq au vin! It’s one of my new specialties. I taught the recipe to my cooking students last Monday night and everyone loved it.”
“Coq au vin?” Herb’s eyes widened. “Really?”
“Wait a minute,” Rosie said. “I just remembered it’s Friday night. What about your deliveries for Camille? Can you even stick around, let alone cook dinner?”
“Absolutely. I called her after I heard from you.
