“I’m done!” CJ called out. “Not saying a word until you go along the path, Iz. It’s all yours.” He strode toward them, his color high, his gray eyes lit with excitement. “What a great project, Jake. I can’t wait to see it in operation.”
But would he? The visitor center was only a few stakes in the ground. The path and the enclosures were in the early planning stage. At best, the sanctuary wouldn’t open until fall. If CJ got his way, he’d be in Seattle by then.
“Your turn, Iz.” His smile was relaxed and carefree. The wide-open spaces of Montana had that effect on him. Who would he be in an urban setting? Would he still be CJ?
Chapter Twenty-Three
CJ gave Izzy a quick kiss at her door and promised to be in the cabin waiting for her when she came home from the baby shower. Then he loped back to the truck, climbed in and glanced at Jake, who’d moved up front. “Give it to me straight, bro.”
“She’s in love with you.”
“Yes.” He slapped the steering wheel and gave Jake a big smile. “That’s such good news.” He started the engine and pulled away.
“Not necessarily.”
“What do you mean? If she loves me, I’m in! She’ll want me in her life, both as a father for our baby and as her loving husband. Which I will be, because I’m in—”
“Hold your horses, CJ. That’s not always how love works. That’s something I had to learn the hard way.”
“Hey, I know you and Millie had a rough time, but your issues aren’t my issues. Izzy and I will get along fine living together. I don’t see big obstacles there.”
“I don’t either, if you ever get to that point. But your chances of a happily-ever-after are slim to none. She—”
“How can you say that? She’s in love with me. That’s all I need to know. Full steam a—”
“Listen for a minute, damn it. And slow down. You’re kicking up a rooster tail.”
“Okay.” He eased off the gas pedal. “I’m listening.”
“It’s because she’s in love with you that this relationship will go down in flames.”
He pulled up to the barn and shut off the engine. “That makes no sense.”
“She wants whatever is best for you and she’s firmly convinced that what’s best is working at the Buckskin and living in Apple Grove.”
“I know. She’s said that to me, too. If she’s going to reject me out of love, I just have to overcome that argument with one of my own.”
“Which is?”
“My love for her and our baby is stronger than my love for this place and the folks who live here.” He gazed at Jake. “I don’t mean that to be hurtful, but—”
“No need to explain, bro. That’s the way it should be if you intend to spend your life with her. If I had to choose between the Brotherhood and Millie, I’d take Millie every time. Luckily I don’t have to make that choice.”
“And I don’t, either. Not really. Living in Seattle won’t change how I feel about everybody. It just changes my location.”
“She doesn’t see it that way. She views it as ripping you out by the roots and sticking you in a pot that’s too small.”
“She said that?”
“Not in so many words, but it’s the impression she gave me.”
“I could use that idea. What if I tell her I’m looking forward to transplanting my roots into her fertile soil? That’s poetic, right?”
Jake snorted. “No, that’s a bad pickup line. I wouldn’t try to get fancy. Tell her you can’t imagine life without her and the baby.”
“It’s true. I can’t.”
“Going out to the sanctuary site didn’t help. You were way too enthusiastic about the project.”
“But I am enthusiastic about it. What’s wrong with that?”
“I’ll wager she sees it as one more thing you’d be giving up. Same with chuck wagon stew night. Watching you goof around with us will help convince her that this is where you belong.”
“Are you saying I should take her out for pizza instead? Because I—”
“Not an option. You’ve already set it up that you two are having dinner with the gang.”
“The exact point I was about to make. I can’t start acting like my life at the Buckskin doesn’t matter anymore. She’d see right through that. I just need to show her that the Buckskin and Apple Grove are important, but she and the baby are more important.”
“There you go. Forget roots and fertile soil. Just speak from your heart.” Jake heaved a sigh and opened his door. “We’d better get cracking. Those stalls won’t muck themselves.”
“I predict they will someday.” He climbed down and followed Jake into the barn. “They have self-cleaning litter boxes for cats.”
“And you know this how?”
“My mom and I had a cat. Mom bought this motorized contraption that automatically scooped the box.”
“Did it work?”
“Not with Caesar. He—”
“Of course she named him Caesar. Did you have a dog named Marc Anthony, too?”
“We did.”
“You go, Cleopatra! I wish I’d known your mom, Cornelius, even if she did spoil you rotten. She must have been fun.”
“She was.”
“What happened with the self-cleaning litter box?”
“Caesar heard the motor and turned into the Tasmanian Devil. What a mess.”
Jake nodded. “That’s about what I’d expect. Picture a robotic stall mucker near a high-strung stallion like Thunderbolt. He’d reduce it to rubble. Nice idea but totally impractical.”
“Wait and see. It’ll happen.”
“But not today. Grab a wheelbarrow, bro.”
* * *
Two sweaty hours later, CJ and Jake each snagged a jug of water and headed outside for a ten-minute break. CJ leaned against the hitching post and gulped down at least a third of the gallon jug without pausing. Then he took off his hat and poured a little over his head, letting it dribble over his face and down his bare chest where his shirt hung open.
Jake did the same. Taking a bandana from his back pocket, he wiped his face. “Bet this is the hottest day so far this year.”
“Let’s check
