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Jonathan hesitated, glancing into the shadowed interior where the horses waited. “There’s no, umm, surprises waiting inside, right?”
“Probably just Bolt and a few of his doggie pals,” Chloe said. “On this farm, you never know what rescues you’ll run into.”
Jonathan snorted. “Goats and horses and dogs and cats are fine, as long as that mad chicken stays away.”
“You scared of Hei-Hei, Dad?” Chloe asked with delight. “He’s a sweetie, and Mia has full control of him.”
“What chicken?” Alyssa asked. It was rare that Jonathan was wary of anything, let alone an animal.
Jonathan shuddered. “Trust me, you don’t want to meet him. Besides being scary as hell, every time Mia and I try to work, he glares at me. And when Mia leaves me alone, he pecks at my foot like he’s giving me a warning. I don’t know how Ethan deals with him.”
“He’s just overprotective,” Chloe said. “Give me ten minutes, and we’ll be ready for our ride.”
“Fine, but if Alyssa screams, someone better come and help,” he muttered, leading the way. Chloe’s laugh echoed in the air.
Flower and Bambi both had matching white coats, were average-size, and seemed gentle. Alyssa fed them carrots, and their teeth grasped them gingerly, rolling the vegetable around before settling into a rhythm of crunches. Flower leaned over and nibbled at her bun, which tickled, but her heart melted when she looked into those sweet brown eyes and saw the affection so freely given.
“Did you ever ride before Chloe came to the farm?” she asked curiously. Jonathan seemed confident with the horses, stroking Bambi’s flank and talking sweet nothings into a pricked ear. Was it wrong that she was jealous of a horse? She tore her gaze away from those talented fingers and reminded herself he was giving her everything she asked.
No flirting. No touching. No intimacy.
It sucked, and it was only the beginning of the weekend.
“No, it wasn’t something I was interested in. I was always more comfortable with city life and, other than a family dog, we never had much contact with animals. But watching Chloe change and grow made me want to share in her passions. This rescue farm is quite something. It used to be half the size it is now.”
“Is it just me, or are most of the animals named for Disney characters?”
He shook his head in dismay. “No, they are. Seems the Bishop women grew up with Disney in the forefront, and now all their rescues are dubbed with character names. I don’t know how the men live with this stuff.”
“Chauvinism is not a quality worthy of the governor, Mr. Mayor,” a voice rang out, strong and clear. Footsteps echoed behind them, and Alyssa turned. The woman who stood framed in the doorway had her arms crossed in front of her chest and a scowl on her lovely face. Her hair was a pretty honey color, cut sharply to angle under her chin. Amber eyes sparked with annoyance as she glared at Jonathan, her brows snapped together in a frown. She wore a black, stretchy dress that was clearly designer, and high-heeled leather boots with gold stacked heels. Under the trendy belt, her massive belly poked out. Alyssa pegged her at about seven months. Her polished appearance and fierce demeanor could both intimidate and charm, depending on the situation, and Alyssa admitted she’d always had a girl crush on Mia Thrush-Bishop, owner of Strategic Solutions PR, one of the most thriving firms in Manhattan. Jonathan was her client.
Jonathan winced. “Sorry, Mia. Guess Disney isn’t my thing.”
“Because you never sat down and watched a movie with us. I guess we’ll have to change that tonight. I’ll ask Chloe if we should pick Cocoa or her favorite, Moana.”
Jonathan rubbed his face with a groan, and she caught Mia’s wink. “Please don’t make me watch cartoons on one of my precious evenings off.”
“Trust me, it’ll be great PR. Slipping in a quote from a family movie for a sound bite will be gold for the voters.”
“You are going to be the scariest mom on the planet.”
She flashed him a dangerous smile. “Damn, I hope so.” Mia walked over without even a waddle and gave Alyssa a big hug. “I was so excited when I heard you were coming. Been dying to get you out here. Happy Thanksgiving, babe.”
Alyssa hugged her back, her throat closing up with emotion. Mia had always been an advocate and supporter, and they’d grown close. “How are you feeling? You look amazing.”
Mia snorted, heading over to give Jonathan a matching hug. “I feel like a penguin. My body has become an alien pod, and I’m crossing off the days until the little one decides he or she has cooked enough.”
“Not finding out if it’s a boy or girl?” Jonathan asked.
“Nope, we want it to be a surprise. You going for a ride by yourselves?”
“No, Chloe just had to do a few things, but she’s taking us on the trail,” Jonathan said. “Maybe we can carve out some time together tomorrow? I’ve already been warned no more than two hours of work for us.”
“Damn, me, too.” Mia sighed in frustration. “Ethan’s become a bit cranky lately. It’s like he’s pregnant, too. He’s freaking me out.”
“Couvade Syndrome,” Alyssa said. “It’s a real condition where men experience all the symptoms of their partner’s pregnancy. Has he experienced bouts of nausea, weight gain, or swelling? Cravings? Anxiety or stress regarding the birth?”
“All of it.” Mia cooed and patted Flower and Bambi. “Thing is, Ethan never complains, but I’ve noticed weird stuff. He’s suddenly eating tons of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, and he never liked it before. He puts his feet up at night, and his ankles are twice the size. And his research on this birth is crazy. I find website articles marked, printouts galore, books that I don’t want to read scattered everywhere, all while he tries to drill me about the latest facts so I’m prepared. Ugh, like I’ll ever be prepared for this, no matter what the research.”
