The knock on the door underscored Robbie's irritation. Pulling his jeans back up he moved to the door and flung it open with a snap.

"I said no—"

He stopped as soon as he realized who it was at the door. Not Eli at all, but Jack. Jack who had his hands up in a gesture of understanding—palms facing front and fingers spread.

"Riley sent me over," he began.

"He didn't need to." Robbie was trying to be respectful to his boss but his emotions and feelings were all over the place.

"He wanted me to say that you shouldn't pay Eli any attention."

"I wasn't," Robbie lied.

Jack forged on. "He said that Eli is going through this whole grabbing-life-where-he-can thing and that you are just in the way."

"Okay."

"He'll be gone by the middle of September."

"Gone?" Robbie said suspiciously. "What do you mean gone?" Gone in September implied not being gone now which implied he was staying at the ranch.

"He's staying in Momma's old room for the next few weeks."

Jack hesitated and Robbie watched the play of emotions across his boss's face. From resignation to pleasure, his frown turned to a grin right in front of Robbie's eyes.

"As long as he keeps his camera out of my face…" Robbie warned.

"I'll make sure to tell him," Jack said simply.

Robbie nodded and took the man at his word.

"Night, Robbie." He turned to leave and was two steps down when Robbie remembered what he wanted to say. He hesitated only for a moment; where his horses were concerned he could be very forceful.

"Jack, wait."

Jack stopped and turned.

"I'm thinking we need to call Neil in to look at the horses tomorrow. Just to get a veterinary check done."

Jack nodded. "I noticed Daisy isn't settling well. I'll organize it." Then he left. For a second Robbie concentrated on the horses, on the ranch, but all too soon his other concerns filtered through. Not least of which was that for some unknown godforsaken reason that hot sexy moron Eli was staying on the damn Double D.

Great.

Sleep was a long time coming and according to his watch he was awake every half-hour. In the end, with the dark of the night still black and impenetrable, Robbie pulled on jeans and made hot chocolate in his small kitchen. When not even that slowed him down he gave in to his gut feelings and left his loft. Taking the stairs two at a time, he landed with a thump at the bottom and then made his way right toward the entrance where the new horses were stabled.

The only noise in the stable beyond the normal snuffling and movement was the irritability from Daisy, and narrowing his eyes in the dark, he crossed to her stall. She was nipping at her stomach and leaning against the wooden side. Shuffling from hoof to hoof, she was skittish and the sound she was making could only mean one thing. Climbing the gate, he landed lightly on his feet next to her and could see her heaving flanks for himself.

Hell, he'd never seen colic come on this fast. No wonder she was restless. And she was trying to roll to ease the pain. Fuck, that was always fatal if not addressed quickly. With not one second thought Robbie eased a halter over her head and clipped on a lead rope. After lifting the lock and pushing open the door with his hip, he led her out of her stall and walked her out into the cool night air.

"Okay girl, okay my Daisy," he crooned. He needed to call the vet or the house, but his freaking cell phone was in his room. Fuck. Next best thing… Jack.

He had no way to climb stairs to the front door, so Robbie led Daisy to the back where he knew Riley and Jack slept. Smacking the flat of his hand against the glass of the window he continued until finally the drapes pulled and Jack appeared at the window. Jack looked out at Robbie with Daisy, the drapes closed, and in seconds Jack was out by his side. In his hand he held a cell and was evidently making a call. Robbie listened as he walked Daisy in a large circle in front of the house. Her breathing was labored and for a second Robbie laid his cheek against her belly and whispered nothings to her. Even from here he could hear the noise curling inside her. Poor thing was probably in so much pain.

"Tell me," Jack ordered as he arrived.

"Went down to check. Couldn't sleep—"

"Me neither. Was just going to come check on her." Jack took the lead and urged Daisy to walk and between them they kept her walking until the lights of a vehicle broke the darkness.

"Colic I think," Robbie commented. Keeping her moving was important. If she went to the floor and rolled then her intestines would twist and it would be game over.

Two hours later Daisy was on a drip suspended from the rafters on a rope pulley. The needle was secured with duct tape so that she could move around.

"It shouldn't be more than a few hours until she starts to feel better," Neil said confidently. Jack yawned and Robbie glanced outside where daylight had forced the darkness out of the way. God knows what time it was. The three men slumped tiredly in front of the barn, their backs to the wood, and faces out to the new day.

"Thank you, Neil," Jack said.

"My pleasure," Neil answered.

"If it hadn't been for Robbie…" Jack started.

"You were up too… I just got there first," Robbie defended.

All three looked up when the front door to the house opened and Riley walked out followed by Eli. Eli with a freaking camera. Eli in designer jeans and a western shirt that was more style than substance. Before anyone could stop him the bastard had snapped a picture of the three of them sitting in a row exhausted and covered in God knows what.

Robbie was too tired to argue and he simply dropped his head between his hands, which were balanced on his bent knees.

"What's up with the photos?" Neil asked.

"That's Riley's friend Eli."

"Eli Martin." Eli introduced himself and held out a hand to Neil. Neil offered his left hand, which was covered in way fewer dubious deposits than his right. Eli crouched down in front of the three of them. "Tough night, eh?"

Robbie couldn't help the snort of laughter that he let loose. Suddenly sitting here exhausted and high from Daisy being okay, Eli in his faux-western clothes was the funniest thing on earth. The belly laugh was the first time he really remembered laughing properly since leaving Australia. Jack joined in and so did Neil until the three men were setting each other off as one stopped and another started.