Six
After a night of restless dreams that involved neon cattle and Wizard of Oz-worthy dust storms, I finally jerked awake when a massive video camera started chasing me through the barn. Deep-seeded psychological worries much?
Heart pounding, I bolted up in bed and was shocked to find the room still in virtual darkness. The distant howl of the screaming dog, which Ty had explained was actually a coyote, told me why I was awake when my alarm hadn’t gone off. A faint amber glow filtered in through the lace curtains.
It felt like I had been sleeping for days.
I groped for my phone—aka the useless piece of technology now relegated to digital notepad and alarm clock—and saw that it was barely six. With a groan, I fell back onto the bed.
Sure, this was the latest I’d snoozed in the almost-
