Clouds and Rain

anymore?” Flynn winked at Calley to tell her he was kidding her.
    Gable pointed at the truck. “Help the kid with the food, will you?
    Those crates look heavy and I wouldn‟t want him to get hurt.”
    “Oh, he‟s fine,” Calley said loudly so Flynn could hear. “I know it‟s child labor, but I pay him well and he lugs even heavier stuff at the shop.” Then she turned to Gable and said conspiratorially, “His mom needed me to take him off her hands for an afternoon. I don‟t know why. Around the shop, he‟s an angel. You barely hear him and he works hard. He‟s very strong for thirteen.”
    “He‟s thirteen? He looks about ten,” Gable said, looking over his shoulder at how Flynn was trying to get the kid to relax as they hauled the food to the dining area.
    Gable had to smile at the contrast between Flynn‟s happy demeanor and the kid who looked as if someone had stolen his dinner.
    Suddenly Gable saw a soft smile break on the kid‟s face.
    “Don‟t think I‟ve ever seen that before,” Calley commented in a low voice. “Your man doesn‟t just have a way with animals, does he?” Gable smiled and said nothing.

    224

    Clouds and Rain

    Chapter 30

    THE only Saturday Gable and Flynn didn‟t spend working on Hunter and Grant‟s house early that summer was spent in the maternity ward of the hospital, or rather, in the waiting room outside of it.
    Flynn had spotted Gable‟s mild worry that Calley had called them before calling Bill when her water broke four weeks before she was due to deliver. Everyone knew that she had a better chance to make it to the hospital if they drove her than if she had to wait for Bill to show up, but Flynn knew it unsettled Gable that even now, Calley couldn‟t really count on Bill to be there when she needed him. They both hoped Bill would mend his ways once he saw his children, but they weren‟t holding their breath.
    To their considerable surprise, Bill almost beat them to arriving at the emergency room and Gable graciously stepped back to give Bill his moment of glory.
    After two anxious hours, Bill stepped out into the waiting room looking as if he‟d given birth to the babies himself.
    “A boy and a girl, lads,” Bill announced gleefully, patting both men on the back as they got up to ask him if everything was okay.
    “Every man‟s dream. They‟re doing beautifully.”
    “And Calley?” Gable asked dryly.
    “Oh, she‟s good. That girl can survive anything.” Gable looked at Flynn, and Flynn returned a raised eyebrow.
    They didn‟t need to say anything to know what the other one was thinking. Gable had never been Bill‟s biggest fan, but Bill was an extremely competent vet and he‟d more than once rendered his services free of charge when they were in dire straits; still, Flynn knew that Gable just didn‟t like him much as a man and only tolerated him 225

    Zahra Owens

    socially because of Calley. Hearing how unfeeling he was toward her now, Flynn saw the anger boiling up in Gable and he knew Gable was trying hard to keep his temper in check around Bill.
    “Can we see her?” Gable asked, looking calm, but only on the surface.
    “She‟s resting, buddy,” Bill said, slapping Gable‟s arm. “Thanks for bringing her. Wasn‟t a moment too soon.” Bill walked past them toward the exit.
    “Where are you going?” Gable asked Bill.
    “Got work to do. She called me when I was about to do a C-section on a cow. Guess another C-section took precedence.” Bill‟s mocking smile made Gable see red. “I‟d think your wife could still use you more than that cow, Bill.”
    “Naaah,” Bill answered with the same smile on his face. “She‟s tired; she doesn‟t want me around.”
    Gable pushed Bill against the wall and Flynn could only just stop him from slugging the larger man. Flynn put his hand on Gable‟s shoulder, which seemed to help Gable keep his temper, though Flynn felt Gable tense again when Bill made to leave, still smiling.
    “I‟ll be back later, guys.”
    Gable stepped back and they watched Bill walk out.
    “I can‟t believe that bastard!” Gable shouted, turning around and slumping against the wall
    “Gable,” Flynn warned him. He put his hand on Gable‟s arm, but Gable pulled away from him.
    “After everything they went through to get these kids, he just walks out to go to work?”
    Although Gable rarely lost his temper, Flynn knew he had to be the calm one; otherwise Gable would lose himself in his anger. “Sit down