Which sent Missy into another tirade, and Tammy joined in to defend Edie.
Carolyn wanted to crawl under a rock. These women considered themselves friends?
“Enough. Get your dresses on,” Missy commanded.
Both Edie and Tammy dressed in the small church nursery. First Carolyn checked the hems. Good to go. Then she checked the lace panel on the bodice.
Edie snatched her hand. “What’s this?”
Tammy leaned over to look. “Is that an engagement ring?”
“Yes. Carson and I are getting married.”
“When?”
“In three weeks.” Carolyn yanked her hand back.
“Are you pregnant?” Edie demanded.
“Are you always this rude?” Carolyn said. “That is none of your business.”
“Ooh. Testy.” Tammy and Edie exchanged a knowing look.
“Since the dresses fit, I’ll be going.”
Carolyn exited the room and stopped when she saw Carson leaning against the wall. Looking like a million bucks in his dark jeans, a blue plaid shirt that brought out his eyes, and his dress cowboy hat. “Carson? What are you doing here?”
He ambled forward, his eyes never leaving her face. When he reached her he slanted his mouth over hers for a lingering kiss. “I knew my beautiful bride-to-be had an appointment in town so I thought I’d swing by and take you to lunch.” He pushed a section of hair behind her ear and caressed her jaw—a gesture more intimate than his kiss. “I was just missin’ you, Caro.”
No, the sweet man just wanted to show these doubters that he was entirely hers.
“That’s a great idea. Let’s go.” She didn’t turn around and see if Edie and Tammy were watching; frankly, for the first time she didn’t care.
Seemed Carson’s attitude was rubbing off on her.
Chapter Sixteen
Carson
Carson’s job today was chasing after stray calves that broke away from the herd as they moved cattle to a different grazing area. Casper led the herd, Charlie handled keeping the first third in line, Cal the second third and Carson the back third. They’d had a good go of it so far, but he didn’t like the way the clouds were forming. A spooked herd was a scattered herd, and since they still had one road to cross, that could be problematic.
Jed usually waited on the road for them with the horse trailer. He’d open the gate to the next pasture and warn the few souls who used that road there’d be a delay.
But today the man was being a jackass and left them to deal with it on their own.
Fine. They’d show him they didn’t need his help.
They moved down the bottom slope that led to the rise where the road bisected their land. From here Carson could see the whole herd.
Casper kicked his horse to a gallop so he could get the gates open. They’d decided he’d position himself on one side of the road once the first few head of cattle passed through the gate and the herd mentality would keep the flow going. Then Charlie would flank the opposite side while Cal drove the main part of the herd forward.
It went like clockwork—until that first boom of thunder. Then the last twenty cow and calf pairs bolted. Half went to the left. Half went to the right. Running right down the middle of the damn road in opposite directions.
Carson whistled at Cal and pointed left, while he reined his horse right, kicking it into a gallop. He didn’t get the runaways stopped for a quarter of a mile. After he’d gotten them turned around, he half-hoped for another boom of thunder to get them back to the gate quickly.
No thunder, but it started to rain. Which didn’t bother the cattle; in fact, it got rid of the flies for a while. They didn’t have much farther to go. Once they settled the herd near the small stock dam they could ride back to Cal’s place. After all this shit had started with his dad, Carson had moved his horse and his tack to his brother’s barn.
The rain didn’t let up. It became a torrential downpour. Good for the land so he wasn’t complaining. But the temp had hovered near eighty-five and the rain cooled him down right quick. Since the ground was slippery, they’d slowed the horses.
At least the wind wasn’t blowing.
Yet.
Cal yelled at him, “Ain’t this ridin’ horseback in the rain shit romantic? You and Carolyn oughta try it.”
“Piss off, Cal.” Then he smiled for the first time in an hour, remembering that hot, wet night he and Caro had spent in the rain.
It took two hours to get back to Cal’s. Carson tried to put it out of his mind that it would’ve taken them ten minutes to load the horses and fifteen minutes of driving time if their dad had helped out today.
After feeding the horses and hanging up the wet tack, they trooped into Cal’s house.
The place was big and it needed a lot of work. They’d fixed what they could until the rest of their building supplies arrived.
Once inside the main living area, Carson noticed Cal had placed buckets everywhere. “At least we’ll know where to patch the roof when it dries out.”
“I’m thinkin’ the whole thing needs replaced.”
“It’s pretty flat, probably won’t take that long. Order the shingles next time you’re in town and I’ll help you roof it before summer’s end.”
“Won’t you have to ask the little wifey if you can hang out with your brother first?” Casper asked with a sneer.
“Nah. I’m hopin’ maybe she’ll help.”