Ian walked into the stable to find Meghan fretting over her horse. He stood by the stall door silently and watched in awed fascination as she moved around murmuring softly to her mare.

"Something wrong?" He asked moments later.

Meg jumped slightly and turned to him with a smile. "I don't know, she's just not herself."

"Want me to take a look at her. I have some experience with horses."

"Would you?"

Ian nodded, and Meghan stepped out of his way. He checked over the mare and a few minutes later turned to her with a huge grin. "I'm afraid you're gonna blame me."

Meghan's face was suddenly filled with worry. "What's wrong?"

Ian placed tender hands on her shoulders to calm her. "Nothing so don't get yourself worked up. It seems your Goldenrod is taking after her mistress."

"How so?"

"She's carrying."

Meghan's mouth dropped open. "Really?"

"Uh huh. And I do believe that my Rogue's the sire. I never thought about the consequences of leaving them in the corral together."

Meghan hugged Ian tightly. "Looks like we're gonna be parents." She said brightly and missed the desire that shot through his facial features. When he turned back to her she had her arms wrapped around the horse's neck and was talking quietly to her. She turned to him moments later. "Were you going out somewhere?"

"I was gonna go into town to see if I could get my costume ordered. Want to come along?"

"Well, I was planning on having lunch with Corey and Luke today. Why don't I drive in with you and you could join us. I'd love for you to meet her."

"Sounds good, we can get some supplies for the party, too. I'll hitch up Rogue to the buckboard."

Meghan smiled broadly. "Wait until Luke hears that Goldie is gonna be a mama too."

Ian smiled and watched her as she headed back towards the house to get her wrap.

Ian and Meg sat talking quietly in the restaurant as they waited for Luke and her friend to show up. Meghan's gaze was drawn to the door, and she smiled when she saw the duo walk in. Ian followed her stare and saw how Luke and a very pretty young, blonde woman were speaking softly and laughing. He turned back to Meg and saw that her smile had faltered slightly.

"They seem to be quite chummy. She's your friend through Luke right?"

"No." Meg said softly. "She's my best friend."

Ian grimaced slightly. "Oh, I just though that they looked so close that they were friends first."

Meghan frowned slightly but didn't get a chance to reply cause at that moment Luke and Corey had arrived at the table.

"Hey there Mum." Luke said as he took the seat beside his wife and kissed her sweetly. Meg smiled at him and accepted a hug from her friend before Corey took the seat between Luke and Ian.

"Ian Grant this is my best friend Corey Nelson. Corey this is Ian. I'm sure Luke has told you about him." Meg stated.

"And I hope you'll still give me a chance." Ian added.

Corey's eyebrows rose. He's a smooth one, she thought. Luke hadn't told her much about the past surrounding the two of them, but she knew that he didn't trust his friend and that was all she needed to know to not trust him as well.

"How ya feeling Meg?" Corey asked.

"Fine thanks."

Luke glanced at Ian. "What are you doing in town?"

"Meghan invited me to lunch when she found out I'd be in town to get my costume for the party. We also picked up some lumber for the nursery and party as well."

"Really?"

Ian nodded and Charity came over to take their orders. She smiled slyly when she spotted Corey. "Nice to see you again. I must say I'd never thought I'd see you so fluttery when accepting an invitation to a party."

Corey blushed slightly and glanced at Meg to find that her friend was smiling back at her. "I wasn't fluttery." She murmured then quickly gave the waitress her order. The others quickly followed suit and Meg waited until the gossip was gone before she turned to her friend.

"So Buck asked you to the party?"

Corey's brows furrowed. "Well . . . no."

"No?"

Corey shrugged. "No."

"So who asked you?"

"Someone." Corey replied evasively. She didn't want to approach the subject at that moment.

"Come on Corey, who?"

"Dean Hamilton."

Meghan frowned. "Who's that? Do I know him?"

"Well I think you know of him, but you don't know him personally."

"So who is he?"

Luke cleared his throat. "Meg maybe you should stop interrogating Corey."

Meg's eyebrows rose as she glanced at her husband. "I'm not interrogating her." She looked at Corey. "Am I?"

"A little."

"I was just curious." She replied softly.

"We'll talk later Meghan. I promise." Corey said.

Meg shrugged lightly. "Whatever, you come talk to me when you can fit me in."

"Meghan stop it." Luke chided.

She looked around the table and sighed. "I'm suddenly not hungry anymore." She said as she stood up.

"Where are you going?" Luke asked.

"Home."

"Meghan stay please." Corey said.

"No thank you." She turned and walked out.

Ian looked at Luke. "I think you should go after her mate."

Luke nodded and ran out of the restaurant. Ian sat back and stared at Corey with what she would later describe as a smug smile. Luke came in minuets later and dropped into the chair and ran his hand through his hair. "I don't get it."

"What happened?" Ian asked.

"She went to the clinic. She said she'd get Daniel to drive her home later. She wanted to talk to Serena." Luke replied then looked up at Ian in confusion. "Has she been like this all day?"

"Like what?"

"Moody."

Ian shook his head quickly. "She was fine when we left and all through shopping."

"This is my fault, maybe I should go talk to her." Corey said.

Luke glanced over at her and gave her an encouraging smile. "Let her cool off a bit."