Page 57 of Nine Month Contract
As we stand facing each other inside the barn, my eyes wander down to her thirteen-week belly. She’s dressed in her Carhartt overalls, and I think I can see a bump starting to form, though if you didn’t see her on a regular basis, you might not notice it.
Either way, she looks perfect.
And the baby growing inside her is perfect too. I’ve been on a high since our appointment last week. The baby wiggled and danced all over the screen, and I’m not ashamed to admit I showed my whole damn family the photos from that day.
And Trista and I seem to be getting along better than ever too. Her morning sickness has subsided, and she hasn’t complained about the snacks I leave around the barn to help keep her comfortable. Life has been good here on the mountain…until this fucking Avery guy showed up.
“Wyatt, you’re being crazy rude to my friend.” She seethes, tucking back some curly strands that have fallen out of her topknot.
“Friend,” I scoff and shake my head. “You could have mentioned it was a dude.”
“What difference does it make?”
I jut my head toward her, my eyes dancing over the freckles on her face. “Just feels like you kept it from me on purpose. Why would you do that?”
“I kept nothing from you on purpose,” she exclaims, hugging her thumbs onto her overalls. God, have her breasts gotten even bigger since last week? “You probably just didn’t listen.”
“All I do is listen,” I retort, feeling the veins in my neck bulge as I tower over her. I listened very intently when she told me she has a roster of men she can call to fuck anytime. That little sentence has played on repeat in my mind ever since, haunting my every waking moment. My voice is low when I add, “You never mentioned Avery was a guy. Is that because he’s a part of your bullpen?”
Her eyes are lasers as she stares up at me. “And what if he is?”
My nostrils flare as my eyes drop to her lips. “Then he’s taking advantage of you in more ways than one.”
“Here we go.” Trista rolls her eyes to the heavens. “You thought my boss, Earl, was taking advantage of me too. Do you want to know if he’s in my bullpen too?”
“Well,” I snap back, my hands flexing at my sides as I fight the urge to touch her. “These men occupy a lot of your time.”
“What do you think you’re doing?” She gestures to her belly to confirm her point, and I sag back, feeling wounded, but she steps into my space, her finger sharp as she pops it into my chest. “People like me have to work a lot to get anywhere in life, Wyatt. Stuff isn’t just handed to me. I didn’t inherit a job under my father’s business that allowed me to buy a big mountain and pay someone to have my baby and shower her with gifts and cleaning ladies and food deliveries. I may be your lucky number, but I’m still waiting for my own lotto numbers to be drawn because when this is all over, I have a life to get back to that I’m still figuring out.”
“Trista, I—”
“No,” she bites. “I’m not going to have you mansplain my situation to me. I know exactly what I’m doing and who I’m spending my time with.”
“Fine,” I grind out through clenched teeth, not liking her on-point assessment of me.
“Fine,” she volleys back, not missing a beat. “Then let’s get back to the real issue here. Avery rescued Handsome from a meat truck that was headed up to Canada. The previous owners kept him at a youth camp, but once he started having his neurological issues, they wanted to dump him because he began to frighten the kids.”
My throat rumbles because a rabbit upstairs tells me exactly where this is going.
She sighs heavily before she continues. “Can Handsome stay here while I look for a new home for him? Avery doesn’t have the facilities to board him, and I’m certain I can find someone who will love him. But I just need a little time. I’ll do all the chores myself. I’ll even feed Millie for you.”
“I don’t need you to feed my goat,” I bark, my hands finding my hips as my body tenses with irritation. I feel out of control right now, and I’ll be damned if she takes away my goat responsibilities on top of everything else.
My eyes move to the pasture entrance, where Millie and Reginald are standing, staring at us like they know they’re about to get a new fucking playmate. Jesus Christ, my brothers will think I’m letting this woman turn Fletcher Mountain into Old McDonald’s farm. But after the dickish things I just said to this fucking vet, I don’t really have a leg to stand on.
“What if Millie doesn’t like the horse?” I grumble under my breath, feeling pouty and annoyed that everything on my property is changing way too fast these days.
“I will take my time introducing them,” she replies swiftly. “Millie adjusted great to Reggie. I’m sure she’ll be the same for Handsome in there. And Handsome will be fine with her because he was around a lot of other animals at the camp. Even chickens.”
“No fucking chickens, Trista,” I beg, my hands forming tight fists at my sides.
“No chickens.” She holds her hands up, her eyes softening now that she’s got me right where she wants me. “Does that mean Handsome can stay?”
I close my eyes and shake my head while congruently saying yes out loud because, truth be told, I don’t know if I’m capable of saying no to this woman. Ever.
Her entire face lights up, and she wraps her arms around my neck without warning. The scent of roses envelops me as her hand cups the back of my head, her fingers teasing the short strands of my hair. I can’t help but wrap my arms around her waist and squeeze her body to mine. The pressure of her hug feels like a balm I need after the tongue-lashing I just endured. And rightfully so.
It’s becoming clearer and clearer to me that Trista and I grew up in two very different situations, and while I might not like this vet douche, it doesn’t mean I don’t respect the hell out of her hustle. Truthbe told, I think she’s incredible. And every time I touch her, my body aches for more. It’s becoming a bit of a problem.
