“None of you knew what she was up to?”
“No man, she’s the youngest, and I’m ashamed to say that we didn’t check up on her like we should have. Gus is reaching out to some ex-military members, but nobody has heard of her. It’s like she’s a ghost. We all thought that she was helping different family members, and until about eighteen months ago, she was. Fuck!” he grinds out, then sighs before continuing, “Anyway, I’m sure we’ll hear something soon, at least I hope so. The reason I’m calling is that I want to check on the fence you are putting around the reserve so that we can arrange a game capture from the Russo’s place for stock for you all. I know you want to arrange it as a surprise for Josie for her birthday.”
It had been Josie’s dream for as long as I’d known her to be part of a game capture. She never asked for anything and has been my rock over the years. This was the one thing that I could give her, so I’d reached out to Falcon when we started discussing the game reserve we were setting up.
“We will finish the fence by the end of next week. Josie’s birthday is the following week. If we could arrange it for that week, it would be great. Because it’s still early, we haven’t told anyone else, but Josie is pregnant. If I don’t arrange this for her now, it will be a long time before she can go again.”
“Aw, man, that’s awesome news. Congratulations! You guys are breeding about as much as we are. Tell Noni soon it will be us saying it’s something in the water,” he laughs.
Chuckling, I agree, “You’re right, man. Between Bull and Noni, Rogue and Julia, Bond and Roch, we have a bunch of kids. I’m looking forward to us adding to the mayhem.”
And I was. Both Josie and I were beyond excited that we were expecting our first baby. We’d put off having our own for a long time. With everything that had happened with Bull, then our move here, we’d never felt like it was quite the right time. It was Bond bringing Rochelle and Daisy into our lives that had got us talking about trying, and now we were just waiting for the first three months to be over so we could let everyone know. Although I had a feeling that most had already guessed. We lived in each other’s pockets, so it wouldn’t surprise me if they knew.
“Let me talk to the Russos and Jaq. The chief has already spoken to the Parks and Wildlife Department. It will be good to restock your areas. It’s a pity that most of the wildlife on your side got poached. But hopefully, with you all working the conservation side, we can get the stocks back up.
“I’ll get it all sorted for the weekend after next, and hopefully, Josie will have a good time,” Falcon says. “To start, we’ll supply you with small herds of various animal breeds, then continue until you have enough. Some wildlife has already swum across the river onto your property; we will take care of the rest. I’d rather move stock than have to cull because of overpopulation. It is also helpful to us.”
“Thanks, man, and yes, I agree with you, and I know Josie will, too. I’m pretty excited to be taking part in something like this. It’s not something I’d ever have imagined being part of while in the UK.”
Falcon laughs, “Yeah, I imagine not. I’ll be in touch, Skinny, and if you hear anything from Jill, give one of us a call.”
“Will do,” I assure him, ending our call as my office door opens and there she is. The love of my life. I don’t know what I’d do if something happened to her.
Pushing away from my desk, I smile at her, then frown when I see how pale she’s looking. Holding out my hand to her, I ask, “Hey, baby, are you okay?”
Josie groans a little and shakes her head slightly but takes my hand and sits gingerly down on my lap as if any slight movement is going to set her off.
“Ugh, I feel like crap. Tell me again why we decided to do this,” she whines and then moans as she snuggles into me, resting her forehead against my throat and closing her eyes.
I try to stifle my laugh, but I know she can feel my body shaking a little from the laughter I’m trying to hold in at her whininess. Josie isn’t a complaining type of woman, but ever since that stick turned positive, she’s been sick as a dog, which is why I doubt we’ll be able to keep this a secret for much longer.
A knock on the door has me turning towards it and Cinder lifting her head from her bed but she doesn’t get up, just wags her tail. Some watchdog she is; she’s slowed down a lot over the last year or so.
“Come in,” I call out to whoever is on the other side of the door. The door cracks open slightly, and Rochelle pops her head around the corner, her gaze sympathetic when she sees Josie on my lap.
“Hey,” she greets us both with a smile. “I brought her something that should help a little,” she says, digging into the cooler bag over her shoulder and pulling out a cold ginger ale, some salted crackers, and a bag of sweets.
“Here,” she hands Josie the ginger ale, “you need to keep your fluids up, and ginger ale helped me.” Rochelle lifts her shoulders slightly before they lower again. “I know you haven’t told anyone, but I’ve seen how unwell you’ve been the last few weeks, and I thought I’d help if I could. The crackers should helptoo and these,” she holds up the bag of sweets, “ginger drops. They’re hard boiled, so you can suck on them.” She puts the bag on my desk.
“Thanks, Rochelle,” I say. “Yes, thanks,” Josie agrees, taking a small sip of the ginger ale. “This is good. Why haven’t I ever had it before?” she mutters, taking another small sip.
Rochelle laughs and opens the packet of crackers, handing Josie one. “Don’t eat too many or too fast. Slow and steady,” she warns. “I’m in the shop all day today. Come visit if you want. I know you have the day off.”
Josie is stuffing another cracker in her mouth, but she puts up her thumbs at Rochelle. I’m trying not to laugh again but also value my balls, so I’m holding back, especially when Rochelle narrows her eyes at me. She’s come a long way from the shy, timid, worn-down woman that Bond brought home a few months ago. Josie and she had hit it off straight away. Not that she didn’t get on with Julia and Noni, because she did, but they’d been part of the original Old Ladies as well as being sisters-in-law, whereas Rochelle and Josie were around the same age, and with Bond and I being best friends, we spent a lot of time together. So, it made sense that they were closer.
Rochelle waves goodbye, leaving us and closing the door behind her. Josie finishes her ginger ale and puts the bottle on my desk, letting out a burp that makes me let go of the laugh I’d been holding in, especially when she slaps a hand over her mouth in a panic as if expecting it all to make a reappearance. When it doesn’t, she sinks back against me with a heartfelt and relieved, “Phew, I’m glad that was just a burp.”
Wiping at the tears that have gathered in my eyes from laughing, I kiss her temple, “You crack me up, baby. I’m sorry you’refeeling rough. Hopefully not for much longer. How is your new vet working out?”
“Pretty good,” Josie tells me. “He seems to know what he’s doing, and with the interns helping, it gives me a bit of free time. Which is probably just as well. Who were you on the phone with when I came in?”
“Falcon,” I reply, “we were discussing moving the small herds of different breeds to the property.”
“Mmh, it’s so exciting,” Josie says, a small smile tilting up the corners of her lips, “I never ever thought that I’d be part of something like this, but the last few years have been anything but boring.” She lets out a big yawn and pats my shoulder, “I’m going to have a nap; I hope you don’t have plans this morning because I’m not moving,” she mutters in one breath and in the next is fast asleep, slumped against my chest.
I’ve always envied that she’s able to fall asleep so quickly. With nothing pressing to get to, I use the remote to turn the main light off and just leave the desk lamp on. With no windows in this room, it’s needed. Resting my head on the back of my chair, I close my eyes and doze with a palm over the small swell of my wife’s belly and her warm weight in my arms.
CHAPTER 4
