at least four houses downstream a
ways that are, too,” Vin said, finally lifting his foot off the brake and
easing down the driveway. Thankfully, the buildings that made up
the main part of the ranch were on high ground, or they’d have much
bigger problems.
81
Lori King
“Should we go check on neighbors?” Lauren was imagining
families stranded in their homes by the high water.
“Probably a good idea to at least call them and warn them about
how high the water is. If we can’t get ahold of someone, one of us
can go check on them a bit later,” Vin agreed. Daniel was waiting for
Vin outside the garage when he parked the truck. Before he got out of
the vehicle, he reached for Marilyn’s hand, “Are you sure you’re
okay?”
“I’m fine, Vin. Lauren and I will go inside and start making
phone calls to check on neighbors. Bran will want to know we’re
dealing with this kind of flooding out here,” Marilyn assured him.
“Great, more phone calls,” Lauren groused with a laugh.
Meeting Vin’s eyes, she could see the concern for their ‘mama bear’,
and she gave him a reassuring smile. “I’ll take care of her, Vin.”
He nodded, and jumped out of the truck, hurrying to meet up
with Daniel and handle the ranch flooding. Lauren helped Marilyn
down and they hurried into the house, shaking rain from their jackets
once they were inside.
“I don’t remember it ever raining this much when I was a kid,”
Lauren commented.
Marilyn chuckled, “Oh we had a few gully washers back then,
but I must admit, I’ve never seen the pasture so waterlogged. I sure
hope it stops raining soon; otherwise, our high ground is going to be
under water.”
“You don’t think the flooding could really get that bad do you?”
Lauren was definitely worried now. The impact a serious flood
would have on the ranch as a whole would be monumental. Crawley
Creek was her North Star, the place she felt kept her grounded in life.
If it was gone…she shuddered at the thought.
“No, but that doesn’t mean I won’t take precautions. Why don’t
you check on Jeanette and Destiny, and I’ll give Bran a call.”
“Deal, but only if you promise to call the doctor, too.” Lauren
said firmly.
82
Claiming His Cowgirl
“Once we get all of this business handled, I’ll call Mark, and set
an appointment,” Marilyn agreed. “Good grief, you kids are like dogs
with a bone.”
“You guys keep saying Mark, do you mean Mark Gillian?”
Grinning Marilyn nodded. “Sure do. He grew up and went to
medical school. Turned into a damn fine doctor.”
“Wow. I never imagined Mark as a doctor. I always figured he’d
be a movie star,” Lauren said, laughing.
“Oh, I know. All of you girls had a crush on him, but I think it
was just because he was an older boy. He’s married with three little
ones of his own now.”
“What happened to Luke?” Lauren asked, wondering about the
younger sibling. Luke might not have had the clean-cut movie star
features his older brother did, but he was still damn good looking in
his younger years.
“You’ve met Ricky? The young kid working on the ranch this
summer?” Marilyn asked. When Lauren nodded she grinned. “That’s
Luke’s son. Luke is a single dad and a veterinarian. He takes care of
all of the local livestock.”
“Whoa. I can’t believe the Gillian boys are dads.”
Marilyn snorted. “I can’t believe the Crawley Creek boys aren’t!
If I’ve ever met a bunch of men more suited to raising kids of their
own…” Her voice faded off, and she stared off into space.
After a moment Lauren nudged her. “Marilyn?”
The older woman jumped and looked startled, “Yes dear?”
“You were saying about the guys?.
“What? Oh, dear, I’ve lost my train of thought.” She brushed off
the forgetfulness with an airy wave. “I call that a senior moment.
Sometimes I just forget the words that are coming out of my mouth.”
Lauren laughed on
ways that are, too,” Vin said, finally lifting his foot off the brake and
easing down the driveway. Thankfully, the buildings that made up
the main part of the ranch were on high ground, or they’d have much
bigger problems.
81
Lori King
“Should we go check on neighbors?” Lauren was imagining
families stranded in their homes by the high water.
“Probably a good idea to at least call them and warn them about
how high the water is. If we can’t get ahold of someone, one of us
can go check on them a bit later,” Vin agreed. Daniel was waiting for
Vin outside the garage when he parked the truck. Before he got out of
the vehicle, he reached for Marilyn’s hand, “Are you sure you’re
okay?”
“I’m fine, Vin. Lauren and I will go inside and start making
phone calls to check on neighbors. Bran will want to know we’re
dealing with this kind of flooding out here,” Marilyn assured him.
“Great, more phone calls,” Lauren groused with a laugh.
Meeting Vin’s eyes, she could see the concern for their ‘mama bear’,
and she gave him a reassuring smile. “I’ll take care of her, Vin.”
He nodded, and jumped out of the truck, hurrying to meet up
with Daniel and handle the ranch flooding. Lauren helped Marilyn
down and they hurried into the house, shaking rain from their jackets
once they were inside.
“I don’t remember it ever raining this much when I was a kid,”
Lauren commented.
Marilyn chuckled, “Oh we had a few gully washers back then,
but I must admit, I’ve never seen the pasture so waterlogged. I sure
hope it stops raining soon; otherwise, our high ground is going to be
under water.”
“You don’t think the flooding could really get that bad do you?”
Lauren was definitely worried now. The impact a serious flood
would have on the ranch as a whole would be monumental. Crawley
Creek was her North Star, the place she felt kept her grounded in life.
If it was gone…she shuddered at the thought.
“No, but that doesn’t mean I won’t take precautions. Why don’t
you check on Jeanette and Destiny, and I’ll give Bran a call.”
“Deal, but only if you promise to call the doctor, too.” Lauren
said firmly.
82
Claiming His Cowgirl
“Once we get all of this business handled, I’ll call Mark, and set
an appointment,” Marilyn agreed. “Good grief, you kids are like dogs
with a bone.”
“You guys keep saying Mark, do you mean Mark Gillian?”
Grinning Marilyn nodded. “Sure do. He grew up and went to
medical school. Turned into a damn fine doctor.”
“Wow. I never imagined Mark as a doctor. I always figured he’d
be a movie star,” Lauren said, laughing.
“Oh, I know. All of you girls had a crush on him, but I think it
was just because he was an older boy. He’s married with three little
ones of his own now.”
“What happened to Luke?” Lauren asked, wondering about the
younger sibling. Luke might not have had the clean-cut movie star
features his older brother did, but he was still damn good looking in
his younger years.
“You’ve met Ricky? The young kid working on the ranch this
summer?” Marilyn asked. When Lauren nodded she grinned. “That’s
Luke’s son. Luke is a single dad and a veterinarian. He takes care of
all of the local livestock.”
“Whoa. I can’t believe the Gillian boys are dads.”
Marilyn snorted. “I can’t believe the Crawley Creek boys aren’t!
If I’ve ever met a bunch of men more suited to raising kids of their
own…” Her voice faded off, and she stared off into space.
After a moment Lauren nudged her. “Marilyn?”
The older woman jumped and looked startled, “Yes dear?”
“You were saying about the guys?.
“What? Oh, dear, I’ve lost my train of thought.” She brushed off
the forgetfulness with an airy wave. “I call that a senior moment.
Sometimes I just forget the words that are coming out of my mouth.”
Lauren laughed on
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