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Then she stopped abruptly and sucked in a breath. He entered and closed the door behind him, asking, “What is it?” Beau eased right in behind her, easily sliding his hands along her waist as he looked over her shoulder.
In front of him, the white ceramic bowl that usually held apples and oranges lay on the floor, one big piece broken off and leaving a macabre smile left in the dish. Not a single piece of fruit could be seen, but Beau scanned the floor in all directions, searching.
He glanced over to the couch, where Pepper and Ruby usually lay while he was out. Not a dog in sight.
“Told you,” he said as he stepped past her. He whistled through his teeth as he bent to pick up the bowl. “Come on out, guys.” He retrieved the broken piece of the fruit bowl and looked down the hall as nails clicked against the wood.
“Mm hm.” He put everything on the counter and cocked his hip as Ruby led the way toward him, clutching a bright green apple in her mouth.
“She just texted to say she’s on her way,” Beau said as he brushed this hand along Tilly’s flank. He loved her spotted complexion, and he’d just finished giving the white donkey with gray patterns running along her sides a bath. “You’re all ready to meet her.”
He’d put off bringing Charlotte over to the paddock where he kept his minis, only because they’d been busy on the ranch. And spending time together every evening. She was really good with horses, and Beau really liked that. Not all of his previous girlfriends had been able to saddle two horses and bring one to him while he finished up his day’s work, and he’d super enjoyed that.
They’d ridden out to the stream and eaten sandwiches, and the next night, he’d made breakfast burritos for the two of them and they’d sat on the back deck and watched the full moon rise over the gorgeous Texas landscape.
Because they lived together, Beau didn’t have to try very hard to see her. She hadn’t asked to come with him in the mornings for his sunrise live-stream, and he hadn’t invited her along.
Just because they lived together didn’t mean he needed to rush into having her in every part of his life. Heck, it had taken another week since their first date—and their first kiss—for him to suggest she come meet the donkeys.
“So here we are.” He grinned at his gray donkey with the black face—Jasper—as he trotted away from the gate and toward Pepper. Sometimes Jasper liked to play pretend and act like he could smell the same things the canines could. No matter what, he liked them best, and he palled around with them whenever Beau came to the paddock.
He chuckled at the sight of Jasper’s little kick—his indication of excitement—the warmth of the summer evening sun casting long shadows across the paddock. “You’re quite the character, Jasper,” Beau said with a shake of his head. Tilly looked over to Jasper and the dogs, and Sprout ambled over to see what the fuss was about, her gentle eyes filled with curiosity.
“Yeah, he’s off with the dogs. You wanna go? Charlotte’s gonna be here soon.” Sprout didn’t seem to care about becoming a dog, and she wandered a few paces away and bent her head to get more to eat. Of course. Out of the trio of mini donkeys, she ate the most.
A soft hum of an engine announced Charlotte’s arrival before she even stepped into view. Beau straightened, his heart finding a new, strange rhythm at the thought of her meeting his cherished donkeys. It wasn’t just an introduction; it was sharing a part of his soul that he kept hidden from most.
“You invited her,” he reminded himself. “You can’t hide them forever.” Like the video games and the sunrise live-streams, if he really wanted to be with someone long-term, they’d have to learn everything about him. Even his semi-fascination with miniature donkeys.
A vehicle door closed with a thud, and moments later, Charlotte’s figure came into sight. She had changed from her work clothes of men’s shirts and jeans and into something more relaxed—a simple summer dress in lavender that would make her eyes shine like amethysts in full sunlight.
Her hair was still pulled back in a loose ponytail, strands framing her sun-kissed face, as she ducked her head shyly and came toward him.
“There’s a gate right there,” he said. “It’s unlocked.”
“Do you ever lock it?” she called, reaching up to unlatch the gate.
“Absolutely, I do,” he said. “These guys are cute, but Sprout thinks she should have free range of the Texas Panhandle.”
“Sorry, I’m late,” she said, her smile reaching her eyes when she turned after closing the gate behind her. “Had to make sure the new foal was settled for the night.”
“How’s Peanut?” he asked. The mare had been an anxious mother in the past forty-eight hours, and Charlotte hadn’t come in until ten o’clock last night, as she’d been out in the barn, trying to get Peanut to settle enough to leave her with her foal for the night.
“She’s great,” Charlotte said. “First-time moms are always a little jumpy.” She looked down at Tilly. “How are you, princess?”
“That there’s Tilly,” he said as she started to stroke the donkey’s neck. “She loves bath day.” He indicated Sprout, who looked up somewhat lazily. “That’s Sprout. Come on, girl. Come say hello.”
“She’ll come say hello for this.” Charlotte reached into her pocket and pulled out a banana. Beau shouldn’t have been surprised, but he sort of was. They hadn’t talked about mini donkeys or what they liked, but most of them went nuts for a banana.
In fact, Sprout loved them so much, she made a high-pitched bray that almost sounded like a cry. Like she was in pain.
Charlotte laughed as she peeled the banana. Tilly crowded in close, and Ruby and Pepper, sensing the excitement, darted back to Charlotte in a welcoming frenzy. Of course.
“Guys,” Beau said, moving to stand in front of Charlotte. “Mind your manners. It’s a banana, for crying out loud.”
Charlotte giggled as she patted the dogs, and then she broke off a chunk of banana. “Heya, Tilly.” She spoke with a natural ease in her voice that soothed him as well as the donkeys. “You’re so pretty.”
Tilly extended her muzzle toward Charlotte’s hand while Sprout expressed her displeasure at not being fed first with another braying cry.
