Patty's Homecoming, page 11
part #1 of Montana Wranglers Series
“Nothing yet,” he said shooting her a quick look. The horse was shuffling her feet, restless and grunting. “Once she lies down you can come in, but until then, stay out there.” His words were punctuated by Matilda shooting out a leg. Her hoof slammed into the side of the stall again. “Shit, can you move Pepper down a couple of stalls? Don’t need her getting pissed at all the noise.”
“Sure.” Patty moved to the stall where Blake had put Pepper and walked in calmly. “Hey girl,” she called to the horse and lifted her hand to pet her gently. Calming the large horse, she led her from her stall and bedded her down before walking back to the stall where the horse in labor was neighing even more. “Okay, now what?”
He didn’t answer right away, as he seemed to be avoiding Matilda as she went to her knees and finally settled in the hay. “Now you can come in,” he said, rubbing a hand over the mare’s side. “Just remember, once she’s given birth she’s going to get up fast, you don’t want to be in her way. Unless she decides to stay down, but don’t bet on it. Once the foal is out, back to the wall and make your way to the door. Until then, come around to her head and talk to her. The less she realizes where I’m at, the better it is for my health and the wellbeing of my body.”
She moved to the head of the horse and settled into the hay with Matilda. Reaching out, she began to stroke the horse’s head and talk to her. She didn’t talk to Blake again because she wanted to keep the horse focused on her and only her.
Corbin came to lean on the stall door, but he just gave her a wink. His eyes were on the horse and Blake mainly.
“All right, we’re about to be in business here,” Blake said to her as he pulled on gloves. “You good up there, babe?” he asked, his tone soothing and so very gentle. At her nod, he smiled. “Keep doing what you’re doing, Tish. Keep your eyes on her during all of this but be ready to move.”
“We are good. Don’t you worry about me. You boys just worry about you and that foal.” She continued to stroke the horse. “Isn’t that right, Matilda. You and me are perfectly fine here right now, right?” She continued to stroke the horse, content just to simply keep her as calm as possible.
“Watch her, babe,” Corbin said from his spot at the door. “She’s getting ready to push, keep well in front of her and away from the hooves.”
“She’s got it, Corbin,” Blake said from his crouched position. He looked ready to move in an instant. Probably a good plan, given the large animal in the stall with them. “She is about to push though,” he said quietly. Shooting her a look, he smiled and winked.
“She’s not my first foal and you boys know it,” she told him with a laugh. “It’s okay, girl, they just worry about me because they love me so much. They forget that I was born and raised on this ranch right along with them. The big goobers,” she teased.
Chuckling, Corbin gave a snort. “No, we know just where you were raised all right. What we also know is that you’ve been livin’ in the big city for a while now and God only knows what you remember and don’t about a birthing. Besides, we do the same with anyone else that helps with one, it’s just standard procedure to run through all the what-ifs.”
Patty rolled her eyes. “Silly men,” she muttered. “They don’t even come close to realizing that I am a woman. If anyone could understand what you are going through, it’s me.” Granted she had never had a child, but still. She had heard many stories. “You boys just focus on getting her babe out and I will worry about everything else.”
“I’m not getting anywhere near her unless it’s absolutely necessary,” Corbin said, holding up his hands. “She hates me on the best of days and today is definitely not her best day. So, unless it’s a fucking emergency, I’m not getting any closer to her.”
“Well then you stay out there and I will stay in here with her.” Patty leaned down and smiled at the horse. “You are doing marvelously, Matilda. You just keep doing what you are doing and know that Blake will ensure that you are taken care of. He won’t let anything happen to you, I promise, girl.”
“Not in this lifetime,” Blake said quietly with a chuckle. “And she likes me, so obviously the lady has some taste,” he teased Corbin. He gave another muffled laugh, stifling it against his arm so obviously Corbin’s reply hadn’t been verbal.
Looking up at Corbin, Patty winked. “I happen to adore you,” she said with a smile. “Even if she doesn’t, I love you like crazy. Now then, you just step back and watch what’s gonna happen. Hopefully, if we are all lucky, one day you boys will be with me like this. A long time off,” she added.
“A damn long time off and hopefully not in a barn.” Blake shot her a look. “Nothing against the whole symbolism there, but yeah, not really a good thing.” He shifted slightly on his feet, one hand rubbing Matilda’s flank. “Here we go, folks.” He gave her the warning even though his attention didn’t shift.
“Thank God.” She teased him and then her full concentration was on the horse once more. “You are doing great, girl.” She praised the horse as she began to do something so very difficult, giving birth.
Twenty minutes later, they were outside the stall looking in on the newest addition to the ranch. “Well,” Corbin said from where he leaned on the stall door, chin on hands. “You do know that it’s tradition for you to name it, right, Tisha?” Both men looked her way expectantly.
Patty looked at the dappled new foal and smiled. “Dot. I think that her name is Dot. With the spots all over her and the one over her eyes. Yep. Dot. Totally.” She leaned against Corbin and smiled. “I have forgotten just how exciting that is, how amazing it is to watch life coming into the world. She’s beautiful.” She felt Blake’s arm surrounding her and she sighed. “Life is good isn’t it?”
“A little better every time one of these comes into the world,” Blake said softly. They all fell silent as they watched the foal stumble around. Blake had a small smile curling his lips but it didn’t go any further. Something was on his mind and he was thinking hard. “Come on, let’s give Mom and babe some quiet time. Tomorrow they’ll be getting a lot of attention so let’s let them get some rest.”
“Sounds good.” Patty hesitated and then asked, “Will they be okay? No one will come in and bother them, right? They will be protected from any wild animals that might try to come in and hurt them, right?”
“They will be fine,” he told her, hugging her close. “We have a couple of the guys on watch the first night just in case there are any issues. Plus, with the new horses we have, we need them to keep watch anyway. That’s why there’re always a couple of guys out with the herd as well. You can never be too careful in this business.”
“Sounds good to me,” she said with a grin. “As long as they are protected,” she murmured and then moved in closer. “All right. Let’s go. We will head to our new home and our bed then, how does that sound?” She liked that idea, a lot.
“Do we need to stop at the house and collect your stuff?” Corbin asked.
“Since she didn’t unpack, it shouldn’t take long. ’Course she’ll have to get past her old man,” Blake said with a grin. Chuckling at her low groan, he gave her a squeeze. “Come on, Tish, let’s go and get your bags and we’ll head to the house.”
“Oh, honey, I will make sure to tell Daddy just exactly where we are going. I will also make sure to add that we will be back for breakfast in the morning so that he ensures that enough is made. Don’t worry, Daddy will just be so happy that I have finally come to my senses that nothing else will matter. Believe me.”
“Or we’ll be in for the grilling of the century,” Corbin said. He collected his jacket and hat. “Which, considering that man wants grandbabies, it is much more likely of what will occur. He’ll want to know when the wedding is, when the first grandbaby is coming, and I’m sure a bunch of other stuff.”
“Well I’m sure that we will get a good grilling, but that will be later. For now, however, I think that he will be far too excited about the idea of having grandbabies that it’s not even funny. We all know that. I love that man like crazy, but he does want grandchildren. Sadly I think he will want them before we are all ready to have them.”
“Who are you kidding? He wanted them three or so years ago and was very annoyed when you went back to New York.” Corbin snorted out a laugh. “Hell, he was pissed at us for letting you go back. We had shit duties for a long, long time after that until he realized it wasn’t our fault. Or maybe he just realized that you’re as stubborn as he is.”
Patty grinned. “Now that is just too freaking funny. I love it,” she teased. “Well I’m back now for good, so he can start thinking of grandbabies. Now he will likely want to turn my room into a nursery for the grandbabies when they come over to visit and you know he will want them to come over often.” Later, much, much later. “Later though. That’s what he has to realize. Much later.”
“Exactly, much later. We have a bunch of romancing and loving to do first,” he said. Grinning, he threw her a wink. Shoving his hat on, he pulled the door open and waved her out. Blake was right on her heels as they left the stable.
When they walked into the house, the scents of the food hit them all and her belly growled. “Goodness, I forgot just how much this open air and such makes you hungry. I seem to be hungry all the flipping time,” she murmured.
“Well, there should still be leftovers from dinner. Go and grab something,” Blake said, giving her a nudge. He and Corbin both paused to pull off their jackets and hang up their hats. Her dad’s only rule in the house was no hats. Other than that, anything was pretty much fair game.
Patty walked into the kitchen and, seeing her dad there, she smiled. “Hiya, Daddy,” she said and gave him a hug before moving to the fridge. “I’m starving.” She was waiting for something. For him to ask her about the new foal, for him to ask about anything. She was just simply waiting.
He eyed her up and down as she turned toward him and he grinned, big. Then his eyes moved past her and his grin only got bigger. “So,” he said, sticking his hands into his pockets. Rocking back on his heels, he shot her a look and then shot one at the boys, who’d stopped dead. “When can I expect me some grandbabies?”
Patty laughed. “Well, you have a new foal to spoil for right now.” She leaned against the counter and then with another smile added happily, “And no more grandbabies for a while yet, Daddy. It’s time for the boys and me to have our us time. Later, later we will have some grandbabies but that’s not for a while yet. For now I am happy just being able to have time with them.”
He huffed out a breath and shot a look at the men. “You’d better treat her right or what happened the last time you let her go will be nothing in comparison to what I come up with this time around.”
“Yes, sir,” both of them said softly with sharp nods.
“Don’t worry, Daddy, I know exactly how to keep them in line,” she said quietly. “You and I both know that.” She turned then and grinned. “Now, however, I want food. It is grueling work to help bring a foal into the world so how about you feed me, Daddy?”
“There’s three plates under the warmer. Miranda made them up before she put the leftovers away. So you’ll just need to pull them out and dig in,” he said, still eyeing up Corbin and Blake. Moving to her, he bent in and kissed her cheek. “You keep them in line, Patty-cake, or I will.” With that, he said his good-nights and headed for the door.
That had her smiling and she nodded. “Oh trust me, I know,” she teased. “This is something that I can and will do.” She watched her father walking away and smiled. Shaking her head, she smirked. “See, I told you that Daddy wouldn’t mind at all that I am keeping you both,” she teased them.
“Uh-huh,” Corbin grunted, moving to the stove. Flipping off the power, he pulled open the door and dug out the plates.
“So, what exactly was that part about you keeping us in line?” Blake asked, moving toward her. He had a brow up and his arms crossed over his chest as he moved. His focus on her was laser precise and unblinking.
“You know, ensuring that you boys make me happy, ensuring that you always keep me in the things that I want and I need. Yep, that’s what he meant.” Well at least to her that was what he meant. To her, her father had given them his blessing and, in the end, that was honestly all that mattered to her.
Snorting, he shook his head and reached around her. Pulling open the fridge, he blocked her in against the counter, an arm around her waist. “I don’t think that’s quite what he meant,” he said in her ear. A clink of glass bottles sounded as he shut the door. “And I don’t think that’s what you meant either, but that’s just my two cents.”
“What I meant was that I get to have you men in my life. From now until we all kick up our heels. I get to have you both coming home to me every night, and I get to sleep in your arms every night as well. When I wake, it will be with at least one of you with me. Never again will I be alone. You have no idea how much that makes me happy.”
“This is very true.” He nodded and drew back a little. “Though the waking part might be a stretch.” He grinned. “We tend to be up before the crack of dawn. But we will wake you before we go, just so you know we didn’t sneak off into the sunrise without you.”
“Good point.” She wrinkled her nose. “It’s been years since I have been up at the crack of dawn, so I really think that either I need to learn to wake earlier or you need to wake me and then let me fall back to sleep after you leave.” Or something like that hopefully.
“Well, either way, we’ll need to get you a vehicle to use. Otherwise you’ll have to hike over here or hang out until we get back,” Corbin said as he collected utensils and set the table. Pulling out a chair, he looked to her and cocked his head. “And it’s a bit of a walk.”
“Yeah. I have my rental so that’s something at least,” she assured him with a smile. “However, you are right. I need to get a full-time vehicle. Something that will be able to handle the weather that we have here. Something that will handle the hills and so on. I also need to get my driver’s license moved to here as well.”
“We have a couple days off next week. We’ll go into Mission and see if we can’t get you a good four-wheel-drive vehicle,” Blake said, pushing off the counter. Tugging her along with him, he let her slide into her seat before he passed out the beers. “If we need to, we can head into Great Falls instead—may have to actually, since we’ll have to turn your rental in.”
“I think that would be best. I need to ensure that I am able to return it because if they have to come here and pick it up, then that is just even more money and that’s just plain shitty. I refuse to pay those asshats anymore than I already am.”
Both men stared at her for a long time before sharing a look. “I think we need to start washing her mouth out with soap again.” Corbin clicked his tongue.
“Such a shame, she was always such a sweet thing when she was growing up. Her father so proud that she refrained from such language even with being raised on a ranch,” Blake agreed, shaking his head slightly. He was grinning, which ruined the effect.
“Are you serious? Wash my mouth out with soap? Seriously? No way in hell.” She smiled, licked her lips and looked to her men. “However, I wouldn’t be opposed to you boys putting something else in my mouth. Especially after I am feeling better.”
“Oh?” Corbin leaned forward on an arm. “And just what might you be hoping to have us filling your sweet little mouth with?” he asked. His eyes were dancing with amusement as he played along with her. “Maybe some food, since you’re always just so darn hungry.”
“I’m hopeful that you will fill it with your nice, wonderfully hard, and amazing cocks.” She didn’t hesitate in the least. She couldn’t, because she wanted them and needed them to know just how much that she did.
Blake chuckled while Corbin sat blinking at her. “Told you she had a way with words,” Blake said softly. Lifting his beer, he tipped it her way before taking a drink. “And, just so you know, she also knows exactly what she wants, will demand it, and will even take matters into her own hands if you take too damned long to comply.”
“See, exactly. I am able to always put through what I am thinking and make it visible. I’m swift like that, babe,” Patty teased. God she loved being able to tease these men, with these men. She adored them more than they would likely ever in a million years know. “You make me happy, so very, very happy. Even with everything that’s happened I’m glad that I came home.”
Each reached out a hand to her and squeezed. “Eat up, darlin’,” Corbin said with a grin. “We need to get a move on if we’re going to get to the house sometime tonight. And since I know you’ll want to at least blast through each room, eat, eat.”
“Yes, sorry. Eating.” She began to eat, grinning from time to time as she did so. When she finally finished, she leaned back in her chair and watched her men. “Now then, darlings, are you boys finished? We will grab my suitcases and pillows, and then we will head over to our home. It does have water and power and such, right?”
“Yes, yes, yes, and yes,” Corbin nodded. Then he leaned into Blake, “That was enough yeses wasn’t it?”
Blake squinted briefly before nodding as he finished his beer.
“Excellent.” Corbin shot her a grin. “It’s mostly empty, not on death’s door, in real-estate terms. It just needs some things to fill it up, fill it out and make it feel homey. It’s completely habitable if sparse,” he said.
“Spartan might be a better term,” Blake said, getting to his feet and collecting the dishes.
“Well that will change once I am in there, so it really doesn’t matter how it is now.” She shrugged. “We all know that I will have the place up and running and have it into a pure home in no time at all. We all know that it will be perfect for us.” Somehow and someway, she would ensure it. Somehow and someway they would all be able to have an amazing home, together.
“You can do all the measuring and, when we go to Great Falls to return your rental, you can start the search for other things, too. Since we can get you a vehicle there as well, it only makes sense to do the shopping there. Unless you know of something in Mission that you’ll want of course,” Corbin said.
