Could she feel the way his pulse kicked up at those words? He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed the back of it. “I’ll buy what I want to buy, and I’m glad you like who I am in there.” He flashed a cocky grin. “Because I really like who you are in here.” He grabbed her ass, and she laughed as honks rang out behind them.
Jax’s car and Travis’s truck barreled down the driveway. “What are they doing here?”
He hugged her against his side. “Someone’s got to help me set this stuff up.”
“I can’t believe you did all of this.”
“Start believin’, darlin’, because we’re about to transform the basement into a mock hospital room. It’s perfect. It’s got a concrete floor, which is easy to clean in case they have accidents, and a walkout with oversized doors.” He waved to Jax and Travis as they climbed out of their vehicles.
“For that pool table you never bought,” she said as Jax and Travis joined them. “Most people would set up the horses’ training area in the barn, but not the man who would rather have horses in his house than people.”
“Congratulations on your new practice grounds,” Jax said, patting her on the back.
Trixie put a hand over her heart. “I’m seriously still in shock.”
“I always thought women wanted to be wined and dined,” Travis said. “Who knew the way to a woman’s heart was through old medical equipment?”
Jax laughed. “Nick knows how to charm his lady.”
“Wait a second. Travis, did you know about this when we went running this morning?” Trixie asked.
“I plead the Fifth.” Travis bumped fists with Nick.
“Trix, why don’t you finish up with Buttons and we’ll get this set up.”
“I feel like I should help. I can sweep out the basement, help figure out where to put everything, and make sure it’s set up like—”
Nick silenced her with a kiss. “I appreciate the offer, darlin’, but we’ve got this.”
AFTER THEY FINISHED setting up the mock hospital room, Nick stood in the yard drinking a beer with Jax and Travis as Trixie showed her parents the setup via FaceTime.
“Isn’t it amazing?” she gushed as she walked outside. “I can’t wait to take my little guys through it. Dad, do you think you’ll be able to make room in the barn for my horses and this setup?”
“We’ll make it work, Trix,” her father reassured her.
“Thank you.” She did the cutest damn happy dance, making all of Nick’s running around worth it. “I’m so excited. Monday we’re going to see one of Nick’s friends who owns an office building with an elevator to practice with the horses. That reminds me. I need to call Sin and ask him if I can use the elevator in the community center.”
“I’m sure he’ll let you. Marilynn takes her dogs there,” her mother reminded her.
“Oh, right. I meant to call Mrs. M. I’ll do that tomorrow or Monday when I call the referrals Jordan gave me. I’m hoping to schedule meetings with a few of the ones located within an hour of home the week I get back. Want to say hi to Nick and Jax, and meet Travis?”
“You bet,” her father said.
She stood with her back to the guys and held the phone out in front of her so her parents could see all of them. “Say hi to my parents.”
“Hi, Waylon. Nancy.” Nick tipped his hat. “It’s nice to see you.”
Jax waved. “Trixie sure is shaking things up around here.”
“She has a way about her,” her mother said, and looked at Nick like he’d hung the moon.
“We sure didn’t raise a pushover.” Her father set his serious eyes on Nick. “Son, I’d ask if Trixie is giving you too much trouble, but seeing as you just made her year with that setup, I think I’ve got my answer. Thank you.”
Nick felt a grin sliding into place. “Don’t be fooled, sir. She’s stirred up a fair amount of trouble.”
Trixie looked over her shoulder at him and smirked.
“Mom, Dad, this is Travis Helms.” She moved the phone toward Travis. “He’s the one I bought Buttons and Prince from.”
“Hi. It’s nice to meet you.” Travis waved.
“You as well,” her mother said.
“Thank you for helping Trixie with the horses. We hear you have a real fine setup,” her father said.
Travis nodded. “Thank you, sir. It was my pleasure.”
“We’re running partners, too. He’s a little slow, but a lot of fun.” Trixie earned a laugh from all of them. “Do you have time for me to show you your new grandbabies?”
“Sure, darlin’. We’d like that,” her father said.
“Yay! How’s Buttercup? Does she miss me?” she asked as she jogged toward the horses.
Jax nudged Nick. “And here I thought she was moving in.”
“Nah, man.” Nick tried to ignore the painful twinge in his chest. “She’s a daddy’s girl, and as married to Oak Falls as I am to Pleasant Hill.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
MONDAY AFTERNOON THEY helped Annabelle and Alfie out of the trailer at Silver-Stone headquarters and manufacturing plant. They’d worked with Annabelle and Alfie all weekend, taking them through the basement, and she swore they knew their way around by heart. They’d even taken Buttons and Prince through a few times.
Nick got down on one knee in front of them and stroked their jaws. “You guys ready for this? We know you’re going to do great, and your mama and I will be right here by your sides the whole time.” He winked at Trixie.
Holy cow.
She thought she’d seen it all and was ready for anything, but nothing could have prepared her for all that was Nick Braden. She swore her babies got melty, too. He went above and beyond for all of them. She loved training with him, but she also feared how attached the horses were getting to him. It was going to be hard enough for her to leave in less than two weeks. But at least she knew she’d still see Nick. The horses wouldn’t understand. They’d only know what was happening when they got out of the trailer at her parents’ ranch and she tried to settle them into their new surroundings without him. Would they long for him as she knew she would? Would they miss his voice? His smell? His touch?
“You going to make out with those horses or come inside?”
The deep voice boomed across the parking lot, snapping Trixie from her thoughts. She worked hard to push those thoughts down deep. She was Trixie Jericho, and there was nothing she couldn’t handle. She would love up her babies extra hard, so they didn’t have any empty spots in between visits with Nick, and hopefully that would help her fill her empty spots, too.
Nick pushed to his feet. “Jace, Dixie. Good to see you.”
Jace had an imposing presence, with thick dark hair that brushed the collar of his gray T-shirt, deep-set brooding eyes, and thick scruff covering his chiseled jaw. He was heavily muscled, with tattooed forearms, but he wasn’t as muscular as Nick.
“It’s been too long,” Jace said as he and Nick shared a manly embrace. Nick was six three, and Jace had a few inches on him.