Cory said with a hint of accusation. “When I didn’t find you there, I got really scared. I thought maybe you were off to someone’s ranch because of an emergency. You know. To doctor somebody else’s animals. Then I heard your voice in Meg’s room.” How much had the kid seen? And how much did he understand? Jake struggled to remember how much he’d known when he was seven. Not a whole lot, especially when it came to men and women. “Yeah. Sorry.” And he meant it. But not the way it sounded. Even now, racing toward the barn, Jake’s heart was still back there with Meg. He was damned sorry about the timing of this emergency. She’d been amazing.They’d come so close. A step away from paradise.He shook off his frustration. No sense mourning his loss now. Reality had reared its head, and he had no choice but to deal with it. “I think you’re wrong about Honey.” Cory’s legs were pumping as he sprinted toward the barn, with Jake lengthening his strides to keep up. “She was panting really, really hard.
