AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“My shoes are back there,” she says, pointing over my shoulder toward the room we just left.
“Later,” I reply. “You can wear them for me later. Right now, I just want you.”
She sighs as I undress her, and when we’re both naked and sweaty, panting and humming from an intense orgasm, I pull her to me and kiss her long and deep.
I’m in love with her. I feel it in every fiber of my being. And I want to tell her exactly how I feel.
But before I can, my phone rings, and it’s Jake’s ringtone.
“Sorry, babe.”
“It’s okay. Talk to him.”
I kiss her nose and then roll over to get my phone. “Hey, buddy.”
“Dad?” I immediately sit up, every muscle on high alert.
“Are you hurt? What’s wrong?”
“I’m okay.” He sniffs on the other end of the line. “Dad, we lost Blossom. I had to call Dr. Randolph, and she came right away, but she couldn’t save Blossom.”
“Whoa, take a deep breath, buddy. I’m right here. Deep breath. What happened?”
“She—” He sniffs again as I pull a T-shirt over my head and push the button for FaceTime, and Jake accepts it. “Hi.”
“Hey. It’s going to be okay. I’m not mad at you. You didn’t do anything wrong.”
Jake starts to cry again, and it tears at my heart.
“She had colic,” he says when he can catch his breath. “When I went out there this morning, she was in pain. I could tell, so I called Dr. Randolph, and she came. Mac was here, and I called him, too, and he came to help me. I wasn’t by myself.”
“Good.” I nod, feeling so fucking guilty that I’m not there. “That’s good.”
“She was in pain, and there wasn’t anything we could do for her, Dad. So, I held her head and kissed her and stuff while Dr. Randolph put her down. Dad, she was in pain all night, by herself. I wasn’t there to help her.”
“You didn’t know.” I shake my head and wish I could hug him to calm him down. “You couldn’t have known, buddy. It’s not your fault, and you were with her in the end, when she was hurting and scared. That’s important.”
“We should go back,” Polly says, and I glance up to see that she’s dressed and has tears of her own. “You should be there with him.”
“No,” Jake says and wipes his eyes. “Don’t come home. I’m okay. The other horses are okay, too. Dr. Randolph checked everyone to make sure. It was just a freak thing, that’s all. Mac’s here, and Aunt Millie’s coming out, too. She said Grandma and Grandpa might come with her. I have lots of people.”
“Can I please have the phone?” Polly asks, holding her hand out for it.
I oblige her, and she stares down at Jake.
“You are more important than this trip,” she tells him, leaving no room for argument. “If you want your dad home, you just say the word, and we’ll be on the plane. Be honest, Jake.”
“Really,” he insists. “I’m doing better now. I’m just sad, but coming home doesn’t bring Blossom back. I just wanted to talk to you guys, you know?”
“Of course, I know, and that’s why I’m telling you that we’ll come home if you need us.”
“No.” I can see him shake his head adamantly. “I’ll call Dad if I change my mind, but I’ll be okay.”
Polly narrows her eyes on him, and it seems she’s satisfied with what she sees because she nods.
“Okay, then. I’m sorry, Jake. I really am. Here’s your dad.”
“Polly’s kind of bossy,” Jake says with a half smile when I come back into view. “It’s kind of scary.”
