grabbing Ally’s arm and yanking her back. “You promise me! We’re getting the horses and bringing them out to you. Do you understand?”
Ally bit her lip and nodded. Jake grabbed her shoulders and pressed a kiss to her lips before moving toward the barn.
“You stay here, too,” James warned, glaring at Mandy. “I … you and I are going to fight like you wouldn’t believe when this is over with, wife.”
“What else is new?” Mandy was morose.
James knew better than letting his anger be in command of his brain, so he leaned over and gave Mandy a kiss. “I love you. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
“Don’t die on me, James.” Mandy’s voice trembled.
“Never,” James said. “It’s you and me forever, baby.”
THE barn was hazy when the men entered, the air breathable but harsh on their lungs.
“Let’s make this quick,” Ben said, his eyes already watering.
“Is there anything else in here that needs to be saved besides the animals?” James asked, moving with Jake toward one of the stalls where a nervous horse paced next to a small foal.
“It’s all insured,” Ben replied. “I only care about the animals.”
“You get the horse over there,” Jake said, gesturing across the way. “We’ll get these two. Hurry up. I don’t want to leave the women outside in the storm for too long. I don’t understand why they have to be such pains in the … .”
“They didn’t want you guys being heroes,” Ben said, unhooking the latch and stroking the horse’s snout to calm him. “They’re afraid. Can’t you see that?”
“We’re afraid, too,” James shot back. “That’s why we want them safe in the house.” He watched Jake move into the stall and try to coax the mare out. “I … have no idea what to do with a horse.”
Jake clenched his jaw as he slipped a bridle over the mare’s head. “Grab the foal.”
James eyed the small animal. It wasn’t nearly as big as the ones Jake and Ben were grappling with – which James was thankful for – and yet the tiny horse didn’t seem thrilled with his attention. “I … can I pick it up?”
“Yes,” Jake said, tugging on his limited patience. “Stop pussyfooting around,” he ordered. “Pick up the baby. We have to get out of here. It’s not an armadillo and you can’t hide on the counter this time.”
James scowled as he leaned over and hoisted the foal into his arms. “That was a legitimate thing to be scared about,” he complained as he followed Jake out of the stall. “If you had never seen something like that before and then found it just … running around … while your terrified wife curled herself into a ball you would’ve taken a moment to think out the situation, too.”
“Is that what we’re calling it?” Jake argued, urging the reluctant mare forward. She wanted to keep a constant eye on her foal as the smoke thickened. “It seems to me you were going to cede the cabin to the armadillo and live on the counter for the rest of your days.”
“I hadn’t ruled it out,” James admitted, readjusting so he didn’t drop the foal. “I … .” He broke off, tilting his head to the side as he sniffed the air. “Do you smell that?”
“What?” Ben asked, moving up beside the bickering men. “Do you guys smell something you want to argue about now?”
“It’s gasoline,” James said, glancing around. “I … we need to get out of here right now!”
“The back is quicker,” Ben ordered, the flames growing in intensity, ratcheting up the heat factor as the orange monster crawled along the walls and moved toward the hay bales. “Hurry!”
James and Jake followed Ben wordlessly, their argument forgotten as the fire intensified. They were almost at the back opening when the unthinkable happened … and the barn exploded.
“I’M sick of James telling me what to do,” Mandy grumbled, crossing her arms over her chest as the rain ruthlessly pelted her.
Mary, Ally, and Mandy stood away from
Ally bit her lip and nodded. Jake grabbed her shoulders and pressed a kiss to her lips before moving toward the barn.
“You stay here, too,” James warned, glaring at Mandy. “I … you and I are going to fight like you wouldn’t believe when this is over with, wife.”
“What else is new?” Mandy was morose.
James knew better than letting his anger be in command of his brain, so he leaned over and gave Mandy a kiss. “I love you. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
“Don’t die on me, James.” Mandy’s voice trembled.
“Never,” James said. “It’s you and me forever, baby.”
THE barn was hazy when the men entered, the air breathable but harsh on their lungs.
“Let’s make this quick,” Ben said, his eyes already watering.
“Is there anything else in here that needs to be saved besides the animals?” James asked, moving with Jake toward one of the stalls where a nervous horse paced next to a small foal.
“It’s all insured,” Ben replied. “I only care about the animals.”
“You get the horse over there,” Jake said, gesturing across the way. “We’ll get these two. Hurry up. I don’t want to leave the women outside in the storm for too long. I don’t understand why they have to be such pains in the … .”
“They didn’t want you guys being heroes,” Ben said, unhooking the latch and stroking the horse’s snout to calm him. “They’re afraid. Can’t you see that?”
“We’re afraid, too,” James shot back. “That’s why we want them safe in the house.” He watched Jake move into the stall and try to coax the mare out. “I … have no idea what to do with a horse.”
Jake clenched his jaw as he slipped a bridle over the mare’s head. “Grab the foal.”
James eyed the small animal. It wasn’t nearly as big as the ones Jake and Ben were grappling with – which James was thankful for – and yet the tiny horse didn’t seem thrilled with his attention. “I … can I pick it up?”
“Yes,” Jake said, tugging on his limited patience. “Stop pussyfooting around,” he ordered. “Pick up the baby. We have to get out of here. It’s not an armadillo and you can’t hide on the counter this time.”
James scowled as he leaned over and hoisted the foal into his arms. “That was a legitimate thing to be scared about,” he complained as he followed Jake out of the stall. “If you had never seen something like that before and then found it just … running around … while your terrified wife curled herself into a ball you would’ve taken a moment to think out the situation, too.”
“Is that what we’re calling it?” Jake argued, urging the reluctant mare forward. She wanted to keep a constant eye on her foal as the smoke thickened. “It seems to me you were going to cede the cabin to the armadillo and live on the counter for the rest of your days.”
“I hadn’t ruled it out,” James admitted, readjusting so he didn’t drop the foal. “I … .” He broke off, tilting his head to the side as he sniffed the air. “Do you smell that?”
“What?” Ben asked, moving up beside the bickering men. “Do you guys smell something you want to argue about now?”
“It’s gasoline,” James said, glancing around. “I … we need to get out of here right now!”
“The back is quicker,” Ben ordered, the flames growing in intensity, ratcheting up the heat factor as the orange monster crawled along the walls and moved toward the hay bales. “Hurry!”
James and Jake followed Ben wordlessly, their argument forgotten as the fire intensified. They were almost at the back opening when the unthinkable happened … and the barn exploded.
“I’M sick of James telling me what to do,” Mandy grumbled, crossing her arms over her chest as the rain ruthlessly pelted her.
Mary, Ally, and Mandy stood away from
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