His Callahan Bride's Baby. Tina Leonard

to run him to the hospital,” Falcon said. “Fiona, I hate to abandon you—”

      “I can take care of myself,” she said. “So can Taylor. Hurry!”

      Falcon left with Xav strapped in the passenger seat, quiet and pale. Taylor didn’t know what to think about anything that had just happened. It was clear from Ash’s face that she was shaken by Xav’s condition.

      “Come on, Fiona,” Storm said. “I’ll give you a lift.”

      “Thank you.” Fiona sniffed, then allowed herself to be helped into the saddle behind Storm. “I think my nephew has a very salient point about you being around whenever there’s trouble.”

      “Yes, ma’am,” Storm said, and the two of them went off like bristling porcupines.

      “Come on,” Ash said to Taylor. “Let’s get back to the ranch before my brothers come yelling at me.”

      Taylor took a hand up from Ash into the saddle. “Xav will be all right, Ash.”

      “I know.”

      Her voice was tight. Taylor could tell Ash was really worried. Xav hadn’t looked all that good, sort of pale and obviously in pain.

      “So what’s going on with you and my brother?” Ash asked suddenly. “I thought the two of you were supposed to avoid one another until December.”

      “Falcon seems pretty good at bending the rules just enough to stay this side of honest.”

      Ash snorted. “Living outside the rules is pretty much a Callahan family trait. Serves us very well at times. The thing is, I don’t know if my big brother’s what you need in your life, Taylor.”

      Ash took off for the house, letting her horse run, soon galloping past Fiona and Storm. Taylor hung on, not sure what Ashlyn’s words had meant—and not sure if they were friendly or not.