Chapter 42

42

They’d made good progress. Fletcher had promised the twins he’d show them the drones he’d use for herd management. They were wanting to tell Michael about them, though Michael wasn’t always enthused about new technologies right away. Michael was a bit old school in that regard.

“Dylan is making chili and bread,” Fletcher told them. “Food first. She has been studying the instructions on how to program the drones too. She’s faster at that kind of stuff than I am. She really understood what Deane was showing us on his place.” He, Travis, some of Deane’s programmers, and even Deane’s goofy beagle, had followed Dylan around while she flew the drone prototype the first time.

He smiled, remembering how excited she’d been.

She’d researched the technology as well. Especially what kind of results the microorganisms would have on the soil and the plants. She had found several things in Deane’s agronomy plant that had fascinated her. She’d even exchanged emails with a woman she’d met there so they could discuss soil results on heirloom seeds, or something. The woman was going to send her some incredibly rare strains to see how they did in Wyoming this spring as well. Dylan was going to monitor them very closely and report back. She was extremely excited about all of it.

Arthur Talley had done her a real disservice forcing her away from her passions. Fletcher would kick his ass for that someday. He was looking forward to it.

“Dylan cooks better than Meyra. Maybe even better than Chandler,” Fletcher told them. “But keep that under your hats. Chandler is bigger than I am.”

By a few inches and fifty pounds or so. Chandler, Monroe, and Mason were the biggest Tylers out there. But the smallest was Phoenix, at around six foot two.

Tylers grew big around there.

“So what’s it like, having a woman living here with you? It was a bit of an adjustment when Jude moved in with us,” Reese said. He still lived at the ranch where he’d grown up. He had a place just over the ridge from there, but it needed repaired. Reese had spent most of his time repairing the horse barn there. Reese had a gift with horses. Everyone knew that. Eventually he would move out, but for now…he helped Michael run his place. Jude had moved in after she’d married Michael.

“Not a problem at all. Except…those damned sisters of hers call her at all hours of the night. She has to go cover the front desk for Marin tonight. She was there at six this morning too. They are always wanting her to do something for them. I’m about ready to clobber them.” And she’d looked tired. Far too tired. When she made it back from the inn tonight, he was tucking her in so she could rest.

There was a light on in the kitchen window. He led his cousins there and stepped in the back door. They wiped their feet as he stepped into the kitchen.

The place was a little cool. Probably needed to throw a log on. She sometimes got distracted and would forget.

He looked for her. “Dylan?”

There she was. At the kitchen table. She really wasn’t moving much, either.

Had she been sleeping? There? “Brat? You okay?”

She blinked those big green eyes that he loved so much at him as she stood. “Just…I think Dorie gave me the flu or some?—”

Just like that, Dylan pitched straight forward.

Martin was closest—he caught her right before she struck the floor.

Fletcher grabbed her from his cousin’s hold and lifted her. She was shaking apart. “Grab a damned blanket!”

Reese grabbed the quilt from the window. He wrapped it around her shoulders. Fletcher tried to adjust it.

“She’s burning up,” Reese almost yelled.

Dylan flinched at the sound but barely opened her eyes.

“I’m taking her to the hospital.” Even if it was the flu, she felt too hot. She was too listless. And…he was terrified. Her eyes were even rolling back. “Dylan, babe, honey, just open your eyes.”

She did. Just blinked. Then closed them again.

“Come on, let’s go.” Kaece already had his keys in his hand. “I’m parked behind you, Fletch. Get her in my truck. I’ll drive.”

Fletcher headed to the door, the woman he loved held in his arms.

“We’ll be right behind you,” Martin said, grabbing Fletcher’s own keys from the counter. “We’ll take care of the place and call her family before we follow you in. We’ll bring her sisters, if we need to.”

Fletcher barely heard. He just wanted to get her to help. As fast as he could. He looked at his cousins. “What if…it’s her heart? Dusty?—”

Dusty had had a heart attack. At fourteen. Right in Fletcher’s arms that day. He would never forget.

He couldn’t lose the woman in his arms. He just couldn’t.