Maddie stroked the mare one more time, then stepped away and stared. Two thin legs protruded, guided by Boone’s hands. Then she heard a sound she could only describe as squishy, and the foal slid out into Boone’s waiting arms.
All wet, dark hair, mucus and membrane and blood, the baby still seemed a miracle to Maddie. Boone busied himself cleaning mucus from the foal’s nose and mouth. “Would you hand me that towel behind you, please?”
When Maddie handed it to him, Boone looked up at her with triumph in his eyes, and Maddie’s heart gave a hard thump.
“May I touch her? Him?”
“Him. It’s a colt.” Boone stared at her across the stall, and in the glow of his eyes, Maddie found herself unable to move.
“In a minute you can. Just don’t get in the mare’s way. She needs to smell him and let him smell her. That way they’ll bond.” Boone laid the colt down in the straw gently and drew Maddie over to his side. Maddie knelt beside him, overcome with awe.
“He’s beautiful, Boone. It’s incredible. I’ve never seen anything so wonderful.”
Boone met her smile with his own. Silently, they watched the mare clean her baby.
Maddie threw her arms around Boone and hugged him hard. “Thank you for this. I’ll never forget it.”
Boone started to protest that he was filthy, but it was already too late. When Maddie pulled away, she was filthy, too.
But she didn’t seem to notice, her eyes shining, her smile wide. “It’s a miracle, isn’t it? Do you ever get tired of seeing it?”
“Never,” he replied, but he could have been talking about watching her. How had he ever thought her wrong for this place? How had he lived so long without her joy?
Dancer had sniffed and licked her way from head to tail. It was time for Boone to get to work.
He talked while he took care of the umbilical cord then began handling the colt, explaining to Maddie what he was doing. “I’m getting him used to being touched right from the start. It will make him easier to train if he bonds with me as much as his mother.”
He took the colt through a routine they would repeat for days to come, manipulating his legs and feet, touching every part of his body, not letting the colt rise until he finished.
“I’m teaching him that I’m the head horse, that he is to follow me in whatever I say. That’s why I didn’t let him get up right away. Now I will. His legs will be wobbly.”
Boone rose and came to stand beside her while the colt struggled to its feet.
Maddie couldn’t help but smile. “I can’t believe he can stand so soon.” Then she giggled as the colt staggered like a two-day drunk. She turned to Boone. “We can’t prop him up?”
“You’ll be amazed at how steady he’ll be by tonight.” Pride filled Boone’s voice, but Maddie heard the exhaustion beneath.
That, she could do something about. “I’m going to fix us some breakfast.”
“You don’t have—”
“Boone. Don’t even say it.”
His look was sheepish. “I’d crawl over broken glass for a cup of coffee.”
“A simple thank you will do.” Maddie smiled.
“Thank you.” Boone smiled back. He opened his mouth as though he wanted to say something else. Then he shook his head.
“What?”
“I owe you an apology. You may be a city girl, but you handled yourself like a pro.”
Maddie wasn’t sure she’d ever heard a sweeter compliment. “I won’t say I told you so,” she teased. Then she sobered. “Thank you for letting me stay. It was incredible.”
“You were pretty incredible yourself.” In Boone’s eyes shone another memory of the night.
Maddie wanted to linger, but he was hungry and tired. If she didn’t leave now, she never would. “I—I’d better go.”
His voice turned neutral. “I’ll come as soon as I’m sure everything’s okay here. Jim will be in soon, and he can watch them.”
Maddie wanted to say something, to talk about last night. But Boone had already turned back to mother and baby.
He had work to do. There would be time later.
Maddie emerged from the bathroom, her hair still wet but all of her much cleaner. She already had coffee perking. She’d take a cup to Boone before she started breakfast.
She was halfway down the stairs when her cell rang. Maddie glanced at the clock. Who would be calling at seven in the morning?
“Hello?”
“Darling, I’m so glad I reached you. Is it too early?”
Régine. Even on Eastern time, it was early for someone whose restaurant closed well after midnight.