Saved by a Warrior Dog

by Cassidy Wells

  Rob grabbed a bottle of water from the refrigerator and petted Maverick. “Sorry, buddy, you can’t come with me this time. I’m not sure of how you’ll behave around Tyler’s critters.” Maverick sighed, and laid his head on his front paws, looking disappointed as Rob closed the kitchen door, locking the deadbolt and resetting the alarm.

  As he drove south along the road that led out of Ridgeview, Rob couldn’t help smiling. It felt good to be doing something. As much as he loved MJ, he needed to make male friends. After spending years in the military and forming friendships that felt like family, he needed to connect with other men. Since Tyler was also a Marine, it gave them a bond. Tyler had his own knowledge about the life-changing experiences guys had during their deployments. They didn’t need to talk about them; men who’d been in the military recognized the look of world-weariness that bespoke the terrible things they’d all witnessed.

  He made the turn off the main road, and headed toward the mountains, passing the general store Tyler had mentioned. Before long, he took the right fork that led to the entrance to Wayward Ranch.

  He drove under the overhead sign and pulled into a parking place near a huge, old, red barn. At the far end was a fence-rail paddock where Tyler worked with a young horse. Rob leaned on the top rail and watched as Tyler worked the filly, using his posture and arms to direct her.

  This guy knew what he was doing. His gestures were clear and concise, and he calibrated his energy as the young horse responded. Rob loved it. It was like watching a dance.

  When the horse moved around the rail in a trot, Tyler turned to track her progress. Rob stepped back from the rail, not wanting to interfere with the filly’s lesson. He raised his hand to wave after the horse had gone by.

  “Give me a minute,” Tyler said, as he turned the horse to trot around the space in the opposite direction.

  “No worries.” Rob could watch this all day. He felt a pang in his chest and rubbed it. He hadn’t realized how much he’d missed being around horses.

  Tyler worked for another ten minutes and then gestured for Rob to follow them into the barn. Rob ducked between the fence rails and caught up to them in the barn’s alleyway where Tyler had cross-tied the young horse.

  “Want to help?” Tyler asked.

  “Sure.”

  Tyler threw a brush in Rob’s direction. He caught it one-handed, and began brushing the left side of the young horse, while Tyler brushed the other.

  “How old is she?” Rob asked.

  “Eleven months. I bred my parents’ Quarter horse mare to a stallion named Thunder Oaks. She’s registered as Thunder Oaks’ Acorn, but her barn name is Sprout.”

  Rob recognized the name of the famous stallion. He whistled, and the filly startled. “Oops. Sorry, Sprout.” He gentled the horse and resumed brushing. “That must have cost a mint.”

  “Yeah, but I think it was worth it. Look at her.”

  Rob ran his hands over the horse’s side and stroked the caramel-colored mane. “She’s beautiful, and based on what I saw out there, I suspect you have the makings of a championship horse. What will you do with her?”

  “Her mother is a roping horse, but her father is a jumper. As we go along, I’ll see what she’s best at.”

  Rob nodded. It was too early to tell, but with those bloodlines, the sorrel horse might excel at either or both.

  Tyler filled him in about his plans for the ranch, and when they were finished with Sprout, Tyler led her into a nearby stall.

  “She’s such a bright filly. Picks things up fast,” Tyler explained as they stood and watched her munch on hay. “Let me show you around.” He introduced Rob to the other horses in the barn and led him to a fenced pasture on the other end where ten horses grazed.

  “How many do you have?” Rob asked as he eyed the beautiful animals.

  “Sixteen. My plan is to breed Quarter horses, but my parents rescued horses from kill pens, and I’m afraid I’ve followed in their footsteps. I hate to see horses sold for slaughter. I’ve ended up rescuing five.” He pointed across the pasture. “See that chestnut? She’s a Saddlebred, a real sweetheart, and naturally gaited.” Rob knew he meant that the mare had a separate racking gait, a gait much smoother than a trot. Gaited horses gave you a smoother ride, since one foot was always in contact with the ground.

  “When I bought her, she was skin and bones.” Tyler laughed. “She’s recovered a bit too well. I have to use a grazing muzzle to keep her from overeating in the summer when the grass is lush.”

  Rob took a deep breath and inhaled the smell of autumn. “Do you grow your own hay, too?”

  “Yeah. I’ve got forty-two acres, and on some of them I get three cuttings of mixed hay.”

  “Let me know if you ever need help with it.” Cutting, sweeping, baling, and putting hay up in the barn wasn’t an easy job, but he wouldn’t mind helping.

  “Thanks. I’ll definitely take you up on it. I sometimes hire high school kids to help, but keeping them off their phones long enough to do the job isn’t easy.”

  Rob barked out a laugh. “I know what you mean. What’s your goal with the ranch?”

  “That’s what I’d like to run past you. You grew up on a ranch in Colorado, didn’t you? So you may be one person who understands what it takes to make money with livestock and crops.”

  “I’m happy to talk with you about it, although I don’t know exactly what the challenges would be around here.”

  “That’s okay. I know them only too well. Weather is number one.”

  Rob nodded. That was universal among farmers and ranchers. Weather affected everything, including the cost of feed for livestock.

  “My plan is to raise and train horses. I’ll do some breeding to build my stock and to sell. I’ll have to enter and win horse shows to build my reputation as a trainer and breeder. My dad taught me how to work with horses and train them using natural horsemanship methods, but I don’t know whether I need to hire another trainer. I may not know enough.”

  “Given what I saw out there with Sprout, I’d say you’ve got that mastered. Practice will probably help, but the way you move and teach the horses to respond is already there, I think.”

  “Thanks. I appreciate you saying that. I hope you’re right.”

  “Are you planning to board or give lessons? Or open your land for trail riding, or hunt club eventing?”

  “I haven’t decided that part yet. I have to manage my time and spend it where it will pay off best. I’ve got some disability pay from the service, but it isn’t much.”

  “I know about that,” Rob seconded. “Would there be a market for doing trail rides and boarding?”

  “I think so, given where we’re located. We’re close enough to Ridgeview, Green Oak, and even Knoxville to attract boarders.”

  “Do you have anybody who helps you?”

  “No. I wish I did, but I can’t afford to pay much.”

  “I get it. Have you thought about getting a backer or a partner?”

  “Not really. I don’t think many people would be interested. Besides, I don’t want to put the ranch at risk.”

  “I don’t blame you. This is a great place. You have the basics, and you’re in a great part of Ridgeview County.”

  “Yeah, there are a bunch of trails up into the foothills of the Smokies that are on my property, and we’re next to Great Smoky Mountains National Park.”

  “No kidding. It doesn’t get much better than that. Do you have a water source on your property?”

  “Yeah. There’s a stream that runs down from the mountains across our land, and eventually into Barn Swallow Lake, which is a lake formed by the Tennessee Valley Authority in the thirties. We’ve got trails with wonderful mountain and forest views, and even a waterfall. I’m on a well, but because the land is spring-fed, water’s never been an issue, even during drought years.”

  “Are your parents still involved?”

  “No, they’ve moved to Florida. My brother is still in town. He’s a
lawyer. I’m buying his share.”

  “It sounds like this place could pay for itself, and possibly even bring in money.”

  The men shook hands, and Rob headed back into Ridgeview, his mind busy, imagining himself on a ranch like Tyler’s, raising cattle, but also having several horses. He had some savings. Since he was serious about staying here, maybe he needed to invest in a ranch, and create a job that way.

  ***

  MJ noticed how quiet Rob was during dinner. He said little, and she finally tired of carrying on a conversation by herself. “What’s going on?” she asked. “You’ve barely said one word since I got home.”

  He looked down at his lap, and she couldn’t figure out the look that passed briefly over his face. It made her nervous.

  “Is something wrong?”

  “No.”

  “Seriously, you’re acting strange. I need you to talk to me. If there’s a problem, let’s figure it out. Keeping secrets isn’t a good way to have a healthy relationship.” Her stomach churned, and she struggled not to get mad.

  “I’m sorry. Nothing is wrong.” He paused, and she gestured for him to continue.

  “I went out to visit a guy I met in the support group Tuesday night. He lives south of Ridgeview and has a horse ranch. He wants to build it into a training and breeding facility. Since I’m looking for an opportunity to have a ranch at some point, maybe I should try to find land to buy rather than trying to find a job.”

  “Sounds like a great idea. Is he somebody you could work for until you find a place?”

  “I don’t think he has the funds to hire anybody.”

  “Too bad. It sounds like you may have some things in common.”

  “Yeah. I think we do. I even thought about investing in part of the business, but he didn’t seem interested. I know it’s premature to think about buying a ranch, but that’s what I’ve been thinking about all day. Sorry, I’ve been preoccupied.”

  “I’m glad you told me. When you think about ranching, what appeals to you the most about it?”

  “I love working with animals, and having them respond to me—horses, cattle, chickens, a dog or two. I love being outside and working hard and coming in tired after a long day. I love the sounds, the smell, and the feel of dirt in my hands.” He looked up as if staring at something she couldn’t see. “I always thought a ranch would be a great place to raise kids. I’d love for my kids to live on a ranch the way I did, to know the value of hard work, and what it’s like to grow up on beautiful, open land.”

  MJ watched the faraway look in his eyes and loved the multi-sensory pictures he painted. An image of two dark-headed boys, galloping on horseback across a pasture with Rob following close behind, popped into her head. In her mind’s eye, she watched as an older version of her and a blond-headed girl in toddler-sized blue jeans and a pink shirt waved at them. She clutched a hand to her chest, feeling a stream of love fill her heart.

  Was this a daydream of her and Rob and children they could have? She wanted children, sure, but she’d never pictured them before, and never had they seemed real. Never had she felt this yearning. She looked at her lap, hoping Rob hadn’t caught the expression on her face. It was too soon for them to think about a future, wasn’t it?

  Rob seemed lost in thought. “I don’t know, MJ. I’m confused about what I should do. Should I try to find a regular job, or work toward my dream?”

  “I always vote for the dream. If you aren’t happy, getting up in the morning can be a real drag. I know. I worked as a waitress in college, and I was miserable. I love being a librarian, though. It suits me, and once I pursued library science, I felt like my life clicked into place. I’d love for you to have that.”

  “Me, too. I’ve got more thinking to do, I guess.”

  MJ yawned, suddenly worn out. “Turn off your brain for the rest of the night and let’s go to bed. You can worry about it tomorrow.”

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Thursday morning, Rob got to the VA Outpatient Clinic with only a few minutes to wait before going back to Michael Haggarty’s office.

  “How’ve you been doing?” the man asked him once Rob settled into a large overstuffed chair.

  “Better, I think. I’ve had fewer nightmares.” He explained the role MJ played in the improvement. “Is it a good idea to depend upon her to keep me from having the nightmares?”

  Michael shrugged. “It won’t hurt. It’s better than depending on alcohol or drugs to help you cope. Is this a serious relationship for you?”

  “Absolutely.” He told the counselor how they’d met and her relationship to his buddy.

  “Sounds like Trevor wanted you to meet her and trusted you with both his service dog, and the woman he loved. That’s a damned high honor, if you ask me.”

  “I hadn’t thought of it that way. At first, I felt guilty that I survived, and he didn’t. She really loved him, and apparently he loved her, too, although they never got together except as friends.”

  “Do you still feel guilty about it?”

  He stopped and gave it some thought before answering. “Not really. MJ and I have built a relationship. We both loved and respected Trevor. Sometimes I feel like he’s watching over us.” He gave a smile and shrugged self-consciously.

  “I understand. So, you think he’d approve of you two falling in love?”

  “You know, I think he would, since he can’t be here with her.”

  Michael nodded. “About that. Are you ready to tell me about the circumstances of his death?”

  Rob felt his gut tighten. Clever guy. This was exactly the stuff he needed to talk about without falling apart. He took a deep breath and launched into the story about that day in Afghanistan.

  Driving home an hour later, Rob realized it hadn’t been as difficult as he’d thought. He’d thought about the circumstances of Trevor’s death so many times that telling someone about it was almost a relief.

  He felt like Michael understood. The man had explained that survivor guilt was common in these situations, and that Rob had things to do in this world, and his life mattered. Why hadn’t he been able to see that before? The guilt felt lighter. He’d make his life count. He laughed at himself. Yeah, he just needed to figure out how. What did life have in store for him? Whatever it was, he wanted it to include MJ.

  A short while later, he pulled into the parking lot of the library. He wanted to let MJ know how his counseling had gone. He climbed the steps to the front door, and smiled when he saw MJ’s face light up at the sight of him.

  “How was your session?” she whispered when he joined her at the front desk. She pointed toward the break room, and closed the door behind them.

  “It was good. It was easier to talk than I thought it’d be. It probably helps that Michael, my counselor, is a veteran and knows what it’s like.”

  Her expression was full of love and support. “I know. It’s a world I don’t understand very well. I mean, Trevor told me things he could, but it wasn’t like I’d experienced any of it directly. Frankly, sometimes hearing about the danger was hard to hear, even the watered-down version Trevor shared with me. It’s difficult to think about what our servicemen and women go through, and I haven’t experienced it directly. I’m glad you’ve got a good counselor.”

  “It’s not that I don’t want to talk to you about it, but they aren’t pictures I want you to have in your head.”

  “I understand. It’s not that you don’t trust me; it’s that you want to protect me.”

  “Yes. The images are ugly and hard to forget. They haunt me.”

  “You wouldn’t want me to imagine Trevor that way.”

  He should have known she’d guess the images had to do with his best friend’s death. He nodded slowly. “That’s right.”

  “Someday maybe you’ll tell me. I imagine things anyway. Perhaps worse than what happened.”

  Maybe she imagined things worse than had happened, but he doubted it. “Someday.”

  “Or the time may
come when I won’t want to know.”

  That’s what he wished. Curiosity about how Trevor died wasn’t something that would help her deal with her grief. Better that she remember him as someone she’d loved as a teenager and a young woman.

  He changed the subject. “I talked with Michael about how you’ve helped me with my PTSD.”

  “I have? How?”

  “You give me an elbow to the ribs anytime I have a nightmare.”

  “Oops. I didn’t know you realized that.” She looked guilty.

  He couldn’t help snickering. “You wake me up so that the nightmare disappears. It’s brilliant. It works.”

  MJ grinned at him. “I’m happy to help. I need to get back to work. I’ll see you at home.” She leaned down and kissed him lightly.

  Once he got home, he took Maverick outside and threw a ball for him. When the Malinois settled in for a nap, he grabbed a pad of paper and pen. Time to do some thinking about his future.

  He spent the next two hours writing and thinking, making a list of the things he wanted in a future career. He wanted something active, but something he could do despite his injury. He wanted to be around animals. If it involved horses, it would be great. He wanted to live in the country, to have a quiet lifestyle. He wanted to be his own boss. It would be okay to work with someone, but he wanted to be the one to make his own decisions. He wanted to have the right machinery and tools to make his job easier, but he didn’t mind having to maintain or repair a tractor or farm equipment. Dad had taught him how, and he enjoyed using his mechanical abilities.

  Doing something sustainable appealed to him—growing his own food, maybe hay for livestock. He needed more information about what sort of crops worked well around here. He didn’t know enough.

  He’d need to know the growing season and what the market was like. He made a list of questions, and he’d need to find answers before he could make any real decisions. He’d start with Tyler Mathews. Maybe Tyler could point him in the right direction. He’d bet he could get information from the county extension office, or maybe the Farmers’ Co-op.