Chapter Three #2
Her head snaps toward me, eyes sharp but not startled. A quick assessment: stranger, tall, capable, and then she nods once. “Hold her steady., If she tries to try to roll, keep her from shifting off her side.”
I take position without question, bracing against the mare’s shoulder while Delta works. It’s not easy; the mare’s fighting instinct kicks in and Delta mutters, “Come on sweetheart, push,” just as another contraction hits. She pulls, firm and sure, and a slick foal slides free onto the ground.
The mare nickers weakly and Delta moves fast, clearing the foal’s airway, rubbing life into its ribcage until it lets out a sharp, desperate cry. Relief hits me harder than it should.
“She’s good,” Delta murmurs, voice soft with pride. “And so are you, thank you.”
I stand there stupidly for a second because I didn’t expect her to talk to me like that, unbothered by the mess. She wipes her forehead with her sleeve and finally looks at me, really looks. “You’re Trace,” she says.
Hearing my name in her mouth does something I’m not prepared for. “Yeah. And you’re Delta.”
Up close, she’s even more striking than the picture, but it’s not her face that hits me hardest. It’s the command in her presence, the ease in her competence, the softness she doesn’t bother to hide when it comes to the animals in her care.
She stands and extends a hand, there’s mud on both of us and blood on her glove. I shake her hand anyway. Something in my chest reacts before I can stop it.
“Welcome to Copper Ridge, Trace,” she says.
“Thank you,”
“Well then,” she says, turning back toward the foal, “let’s get you settled in.”
Another side-by-side comes into view across the fence, and Paige jumps out.
Cash and Gabe pull up in the truck, the stock trailer rattling gently behind it.
Cash backs it into position with one smooth turn like he’s done it a thousand times.
Gabe is already dropping the ramp before the truck even settles, slow and quiet so nothing startles the mare.
No one seems surprised to see me here with Delta and the horses.
Paige gets the halter on her while Delta stays close to the foal, one steady hand behind his shoulder making sure he doesn’t wander or panic when his mom moves. The mare is tired and shaky, but she follows Paige with no fight, nudging her baby every few steps.
“Nice and slow,” Delta says, not raising her voice.
The foal wobbles halfway up the ramp, back legs slipping for a second. Delta catches him gently, not lifting, just giving him something to lean against so he can find his footing again, he straightens and walks into the trailer, just as Cash eases the back gate closed.
Paige hops back into the UTV. “To the foaling stall,” she calls before pulling away.
Gabe climbs into the passenger seat and they take off toward the barn slow enough not to jostle the mare.
When the headlights fade, it’s suddenly quiet again.
Just open land and evening settling in. Delta wipes her palms absently on her jeans and turns…
and that’s when she finally looks at me like she remembers I’m still standing here.
“I never get over it,” she says. “Birth. No matter how many times I see it… it still feels like a miracle.”
I nod. “Yeah. It does.”
“Thank you for jumping in. I know nobody told you you’d be delivering a foal on your first week.”
“Didn’t exactly expect it,” I say. “But it’s easy to follow your lead.”
“How are you settling in? I should’ve come to introduce myself before now. I only got back today. I was on my way to the south fence to find you when I saw her going into labor.”
“I’m doing alright,” I say. “Everyone’s been solid. Cash, Paige, Lena and Miss Evie, of course. ”
“My mom?”
“Yes I helped her carry groceries in the first day I got here and she fixed me breakfast. She let it be known that I am expected to be at her house for breakfast pretty much every morning. Not negotiable.”
“She makes a hell of a breakfast.” I tell her.
“That she does but she is not supposed to be carrying groceries in that’s why she has help. Why are parents so hard to raise these days? That woman never listens,” she says, shaking her head like she’s both grateful and tired of knowing it. “Well I’m glad you feel welcome.”
I look at her. “You’re running a good program out here.”
Her eyes soften, just barely. “Thank you.”
She exhales once, like she’s switching gears. “I should get up to the barn, make sure mom and the baby are settled.”
She takes a few steps toward her side-by-side, then pauses and turns back to me.
“Since you were here when he was born,” she says, “you should be the one to name him.”
“Me?”
“Why not?” She gives a small shrug. “You showed up and helped and I don’t believe in coincidences.”
I don’t know what to say to that, so she saves me from trying.
“Think about it,” she says. “Let me know what you come up with. Just don’t take too long, I’d hate to call him John Doe until you figure it out.”
I huff a laugh. “I’ll have something for you by tomorrow.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
We walk to our separate side-by-sides. She climbs in start the engine and takes off with a wave goodbye. She drives ahead toward the barn, dust trailing behind her.
I wait a few seconds before I start mine; long enough to admit to myself that I’m already thinking about the damn name… and about her.
Delta
It’s late when I finally sit down in the main house, and I am more than ready for it to finally be over. Lena comes in first a minute later, drops into the armchair across from me,
“Today was long,” she says.
Paige drops into the chair across from Lena,
“How are we, ladies?” she groans. “Because if y’all are anywhere near as happy as I am that this shit-show of a day is over, then we’re celebrating.”
Paige points her pen at both of us like she’s issuing a threat. “ I plan on sleeping in tomorrow. Nobody call me, nobody text me, not even if a damn cow starts speaking English. I’m off the clock.”
Lena lifts her hands in surrender, and I do the same. “Maybe I should get more help,” I say, half to them, half to myself. I open my mouth to elaborate when Paige perks up like I handed her an invitation. “Funny you say that. Speaking of help… Romeo’s back.”
Lena and I groan instantly.
“Oh God,” I say, already half-laughing. “What happened now? Did he finally wear the matching bra to go with those pink panties and she put him out again? Didn’t Cash say he wasn’t welcomed back?”
Lena snorts. “Or did she chase him through Walmart again with her Crocs in sport mode?”
Paige doesn’t laugh, which only makes us laugh harder because we think she’s winding up to something.
“He’s been saving…” she says.
“For bail?” I ask, cutting her off.
“For a getaway fund?” Lena adds.
“For a ring,” Paige says.
We freeze for a split second, then burst right back into laughter.
“Oh my God,” I wheeze, “they’re actually trying to make it legal.”
Lena nearly doubles over. “Can you imagine a Romeo wedding? The vows would turn into an argument before the officiant got to ‘with this ring.’”
“Oh, they’d need security instead of ushers,” I say.
“And emergency exits printed on the programs,” Lena adds.
Paige waits, then continues. “He decorated the whole house this morning. Confetti cannons, rose petals spelling ‘Marry Me,’ candles everywhere, and twelve live baby ducks walking around in tiny flower collars.”
I drop my head onto the back of my chair, laughing. “Only Romeo would involve livestock in a proposal.”
Paige takes a slow breath. “She came home early.”
We’re still smiling, breathless from laughing.
“With her new husband,” Paige finishes, and everything goes still.
Lena straightens in her chair. “Excuse me?”
I blink hard. “Did I hear you correctly?”
“You heard me,” Paige says. “She came home with a whole government-issued husband.”
The silence isn’t confused, it’s stunned.
“She told Romeo she still loved him,” Paige continues, “but in a different way now. And that she wanted him to stay… as long as he understood his role.”
My stomach drops. “What role?” I grit out through my clenched teeth, getting more and more pissed off by the second.
Paige looks between us. “To cook for them, clean the house, do their laundry, and rub both their feet every night. He has to wear her panties so he could ‘finally live in his truth.’ And sleep in a dog bed on the floor by their bed.”
Lena’s voice comes out low, shaking with fury. “She tried to make him into a servant.”
Paige nods once. “He did not yell, he did not argue, he just picked up the ring box and all twelve ducks and walked out of the house.”
I feel something hot coil in my chest. I am beyond enraged; I can’t even think straight.
“He walked until his phone was almost dead,” Paige says. “Then he called Cash. Cash found him sitting behind the gas station with twelve ducklings asleep in his lap.”
Paige softens her voice. “He is embarrassed, hurt, and back in the bunkhouse. Cash already gave him his job back, he didn’t even pretend he wouldn’t.”
Lena stares at the table, jaw tense. “If I ever see that woman, someone will have to pull me off her.”
My voice comes out steady but sharp. “She’s banned from this ranch. She steps foot on this land, and we will put her off of it in the most disrespectful manner possible.”
Paige nods. “That is exactly what Cash said.”
Romeo might be dramatic. He might be messy. He might make the worst decisions a grown man can make, but he is ours, and nobody humiliates one of ours and walks away clean.
I shake my head. “This is more tea than I was prepared for today,” I say under my breath, rubbing my temple. “I’m exhausted.”
A knock hits the open doorway causing all of us to look up. Trace stands there, hat in his hand, expression neutral but polite.
“Evening,” he says.
“Evening,” I answer.
“You offered earlier for me to name the foal since I helped deliver him.” His eyes meet mine. “I think I’ve got one.”
I nod once. “Let’s hear it.”
“CR Redemption,” he says. “Barn name Remi.”
Lena smiles immediately. “That’s a good name.”
Paige nods. “Fits him.”
I feel myself smile too. “I like it. A lot.”
Trace gives one small nod back. “Didn’t mean to interrupt. Just wanted to tell you before you named him John Doe.” He says making me laugh at the joke. He looks at all three of us. “Y’all have a good night.”
He’s turning to leave when I speak. “Trace.”
He stops, looks over his shoulder.
“Come to the barn before lunch tomorrow,” I say. “You should see the name go up on the stall, since you named him.”
A beat. Then he nods once. “I’ll be there.”
“Good night,” I say.
“Good night,” he replies, and walks out.
Trace is barely out the door and Paige doesn’t wait a full second.
“Ma’am.”
Lena shakes her head, grinning. “Delta. That man looks good.”
Paige points at me like she’s issuing a citation. “He walked in here, dropped a perfect foal name and just left. Meanwhile you’re over here smiling like he handed you flowers.”
I roll my eyes, even though my cheeks are warm. “Y’all are embarrassing.”
Paige rests her chin on her fist with a dreamy sigh. “That man fills out a pair of Levi’s like they were engineered in his honor.”
Lena nods. “Tall, nice body, hair to his shoulders—that should not look good on anyone but somehow looks very good on him—and those eyes…”
“Amber,” Paige breathes. “They had to be hand-poured from honey.”
I look between them. “Are you two okay?”
“Yes! Are you?,” Lena says.
“Besides you asked what we thought,” Paige adds.
“I did not ask,” I counter.
“You implied curiosity with that eyebrow raise,” Lena says.
“I raised an eyebrow because you two were lusting after this man.”
“That was not lust,” Paige says. “It’s called observation.”
“Faith-based observation,” Lena corrects. “Because the Lord took His time.”
I put up my hands. “Enough. I get it. He’s a nice-looking man.”
Paige shakes her head. “No, Delta. He is a very nice-looking man.”
Lena points at her. “A criminally nice-looking man.”
Paige raises her mug like a toast. “Possibly illegal in several states.”
Before I can respond, Paige leans in with zero shame. “You know I wasn’t going to say anything but… I noticed that man the first day he got here.”
Lena snaps her fingers. “Girl, I noticed too! I kept my observation to myself, but since you brought it up…”
They high-five like clowns, laughing so loud I almost throw a pen at them.
I shake my head. “You two are hopeless.”
Paige fans herself dramatically. “Hopeless and observant.”
“It’s funny just a few seconds ago you two were so tired you were just about sleep in your chairs and now you got nothing but energy.” I tell them.
“A fine man will do that to you. Hell your mama came out of retirement to cook full breakfasts for that man. Even she isn’t immune.” Paige tells me.
Lena whistles. “Miss Evie hasn’t voluntarily touched a skillet in months, and now she’s running a whole bed-and-breakfast for Mr. Levi’s and Honey Eyes.”
I keep my expression neutral, but they smell blood.
Paige grins. “So… what time are you ‘accidentally’ showing up at your mama’s house tomorrow?”
I don’t look up. “I always go check on her.”
“Mmhmm,” Lena says. “But normally around ten. I’m guessing you’ll roll up at, what…7:45? Maybe 8:02 if you want to look casual?”
“I am not timing my visit around a man,” I say, absolutely lying through my teeth.
Paige gasps dramatically. “Oh, she’s lying and she knows she’s lying.”
Lena taps the desk. “I put five dollars on Delta magically appearing on Miss Evie’s porch before the coffee even finishes brewing.”
Paige raises her hand. “I’ll match that bet.”
I start gathering my stuff to get the hell out of there. “You two are a hot mess.”
Paige smiles wide. “Maybe. But you’ll still be there bright and early.”
Lena winks. “And we want the full report.”
I stand up to leave before they can say anything else, but the grin I’m fighting gives me away. “Before I get out of here, is there anything else we need to talk about?”
Paige straightens a little. “Yes. We are officially starting Trace in equine therapy this week. We wanted to give him time to settle in, but he is good with the horses, and he actually seems to enjoy the work. Since we finally have an opening in the program, Cash and I agreed it is time.”
I nod once, absorbing that.
“And,” Lena adds, flipping through her notebook, “there will be an extra expense this month because we have to dig a pond for those damn baby ducks.”
I close my eyes for one long, steady breath that probably says everything without me saying a word.
“Great, well I am still tired, I am heading home so I can eat, shower, and go to bed. Good night ladies,”
Paige and Lena calling after me with a shouted, ‘Coward’ and laughter. I smile ’cause I love them and because they are right. I might just be a coward because, God help me I agreed with everything they said but they couldn’t have waterboarded that out of me.