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I look at my watch again, seeing it is now early in the evening. I told her I would come back over today, and I hate not being a man of my word. I have sustained on some text messages, and while she didn’t mention it, I already know she has been into town because Rochelle told me when she came out today to deliver lunch to all the staff.
“So our financial projections are solid for the next eighteen months. We have had year-on-year growth since you started Whiteman’s, Dad, and it is only getting better,” Connor says with a wide but tired smile on his face.
“We work hard. We deserve it. Whispers deserves it,” Itell him, sitting back, exhausted. Numbers fly through my mind, legal contracts that I need to sign, the new Van Cleef deal that needs distributing dates finalized. My team has also started farming the barley so I can get started on making the next batch. But none of that has the same amount of brain space as Victoria.
“Want to go to the bar for dinner?” Connor asks, looking at me. We need to eat and relax and stop talking about business.
“We should, it is Lacy’s last week there. Come next week, she will have her own office here and be working on the marketing plans for the next twelve months,” I mention, watching him for his reaction.
“Her mom is pretty sick, right?” Connor asks with a frown, and I nod.
“Cancer,” I tell him, and he sighs. It is a shit disease; I’ve lost too many people to it already. “I’m going to start building the ranch,” I tell my son, changing the subject, and he looks at me with surprise.
“Why? You have had that piece of land for decades. You love living here on-site at the distillery.” A mix of concern and confusion takes over his face.
“It’s time. I will still live here, but I want to start thinking of the future, and having some space away from it all will be good. Griffin already made the plans and I have approved them. He has started on the block already.” It is down the back roads, not far from Huxley and Hudson’s family estate, just outside of town. Secluded, but not too far away.
Billionaire Boulevard is what the locals call it. The land sizes are huge, the trees tall, thick, and old, offeringcomplete privacy. People who own ranches or land in that area spent millions sealing the roads, erecting privacy fencing, and putting in all the necessities, such as satellites and cables to run their corporations from there if they wish. Connor himself purchased a piece of land there a few years ago as well.
“From what I hear, you know a good interior designer. Maybe she can help you.” Connor has the very same thought I have had on my mind as well. I need to talk to Griffin and get the plan fully in action before anything else, though. Just as I’m about to respond, my cell phone vibrates on the table and Victoria’s name appears.
“Hey, baby girl,” I croon to her automatically, the warmth spreading across my chest at seeing her calling me. I watch Connor smirk, and I ignore his stare.
“Tanner!” she screams, and I stand up so fast my chair hits the wall behind me.
“What's wrong?” I ask, Connor already jumping up and out the door, and I run to follow him. “Are you okay? Are you hurt? Is it your foot?” We run outside, straight into the truck, my heart lurching.
“Victoria?” I yell through the phone as Connor takes off down the road, because she hasn’t answered me. Deep despair crawls up my neck like I haven’t felt in decades. She is breathing heavily, panicked.
“It’s Garry!” she wails, just as we pull up at her place and I jump out. I have never moved so fast in my life.
“It's the damn goat,” I say to Connor, who visibly relaxes, but I’m still on high alert. I spot a large smile coming to Connor’s face as he follows me out of thetruck, the two of us running to the backyard where I see all the lights on in the shed.
“I’m here,” I tell Victoria on the phone before I pocket my cell and Connor and I run toward the shed. He looks at me, the two of us a little less stressed as we jog around to the back of her house. I spot the rosebushes flattened at the front, and I frown. She obviously ran them over when she went to town yesterday, probably didn’t hit the brake properly or something.
“What the hell is she doing out here at night on her own? Fucking coyotes. I haven’t seen any bears around Whispers for years, but that is a possibility as well. Bobcats too,” I growl to Connor.
“Calm down. You literally just spoke to her. She is alive.” Connor chuckles, finding my panic over her hilarious.
“Tanner!” Victoria yells for me from the front of the shed, her eyes wide, her hands shaking. The nights here are cool and she is wearing a bright-pink beanie on her head. In all the darkness, she at least stands out.
“I’m here. What’s going on?” I ask her, scooping her into my arms and against my chest. She is trembling a little, and I pull back, running my eyes up and down her to make sure she is okay and all intact.
“Garry… something is wrong,” she says, worry written all over her face, and I follow Connor inside the shed and hear him laughing. Walking up to where he stands, I spot the goat lying on the ground in its pen and pull up short.
“Did you know it was pregnant?” Connor asks me as he tries not to laugh some more. I had a pretty good idea,but with everything going on, I had forgotten to talk to Victoria about it.
“Pregnant!” Victoria shrills from beside us, and we both look at her. She is pale, full-blown shock taking over.
“I thought it was a possibility,” I murmur, moving slowly into the pen to check on the goat.
“Wait? What?” Victoria asks, looking between the two of us. Her expression of horror is almost laughable since it’s spring and new babies are born every minute around here. I try to breathe through the immense fear I just felt. My heart rate lowers, my shoulders relaxing at the sight of her. Even though she is stressed, she looks amazing. Her hair is down, her skin is glowing, and she is wearing a cute pair of Daisy Dukes and the boots I got her. The farming lifestyle suits her.
“Hi, I'm Connor. I’ve heard a lot about you.” My son's smart-ass smirk is on full display as Victoria looks at him, not understanding what in the world is going on.
“How can a male goat have babies? What kind of town have I moved to?” she says in disbelief, her head shaking.
“The goat is a female.Sheis currently in labor.” I squat down next to the goat and run my hand over its belly, feeling the contractions. She still has a while to go. Hell, she will probably be in labor most of the night.
