Free Carter (Remington Ranch Book 3) by SJ McCoy Page A

his buddies. They all came to rub around his legs in greeting. He smiled. He viewed them as his guilty secret—he could just imagine Beau’s face if he knew he took such good care of a bunch of strays. He made a fuss over each of them before filling the food and water bowls he left out. He turned at the sound of mewing just outside the broken board. Squatting down to peer out, he saw a cat he didn’t recognize. He went to open the door. As she came toward him, it was obvious why she hadn’t come in the way the others did. She was heavily pregnant and wouldn’t have fit through the door. He held the door for her to come in. She just stood there and mewed up at him, but wouldn’t come inside.
    Damn. He couldn’t leave her out. She looked like she could have her kittens at any minute. He came out and closed the door. She followed him across the yard back to the house. Great. She didn’t want to have her kittens out in the shed, but she was happy to come into the house. He held the door open and she came inside. She sniffed around cautiously and then made her way to the laundry room. Carter followed and watched as she began to knead at the pile of towels on the floor. She lay down and purred up at him gratefully. Great! What was he supposed to do now? Call Summer and tell her he couldn’t see her tonight because he needed to play midwife to a cat? He let out a little chuckle. Apparently he was going to have to do just that. He didn’t see himself driving away and leaving this girl to do her thing in the laundry room all by herself. He’d never forgive himself if something went wrong. He fished his phone out of his back pocket while he went into the kitchen and brought a bowl of water. He dialed the number and waited.
    “Hey, are you on the way?” asked Summer. Her voice sounded scratchy.
    “Sorry, but I’m not.”
    “Oh.” He couldn’t help but smile. She sounded disappointed! “Is everything all right?”
    “Everything’s fine so far, but I need to stick around here to make sure that it stays that way.”
    “Why, what’s going on?” She sounded genuinely concerned.
    Even to his own ears, his laugh sounded embarrassed. “Umm, I don’t know what you’re going to make of this, but I have cats. Well, I don’t really have cats, they just kind of live around here, and I take care of them…”
    “I love cats!”
    He smiled. That was something, he supposed. Maybe she’d understand, then. “Well, you see, one of them has decided that tonight is the night she needs to have her kittens. She’s made herself a nest in my laundry room. I don’t want to leave her in case she needs me. I’m sorry.”
    There was a long silence before she spoke. Carter was starting to think he’d blown it. She must think he was an idiot! What kind of guy would pass up a date with Summer just so he could be there for a stray cat? When she eventually spoke, her words warmed his heart.
    “Oh, Carter! That’s awesome!”
    “It is?” He wasn’t totally sure whether she meant it. Maybe she was being sarcastic?
    “It is! That’s so sweet of you! Can I come? Can I help? Do you want me to bring anything?”
    Carter grinned. That wasn’t the reaction he’d been expecting, it was so much better than he’d dared hope for! “I’d love you to come, if you want to. I don’t know that there’s anything we can do. I’m sure she knows what she’s doing. I just can’t bring myself to leave her, in case she hits any problems.”
    “Of course not. Listen, I went to the grocery today. How about I bring a frozen pizza and a bottle of wine? We can still have dinner and we’ll be there for her if she needs us.”
    “That sounds great. If you’re sure you don’t mind?”
    “I don’t mind at all! I’m on my way!”
    “Okay, well drive safely. Watch out for deer.”
    “I will. See you soon.”
    Carter hung up and looked down at the cat who had curled up on top of the towels. “Okay, lady. I hope you know what you’re doing,