Rescuing the Rancher

by Claire McEwen

  Jade closed the gate behind them. “Chip seems pretty good at his job.”

  “Couldn’t run this ranch without him.” Aidan opened the cab door and Chip jumped inside. “Last step,” he told Jade. “We need to let Thor and Odin back in with the sheep. It will help keep them calm.”

  She smiled faintly. “And I sit in the cab with Chip. Lesson learned.”

  “Thanks.” He waited until she was safely inside. Chip seemed to like her. The dog snuggled right up under her chin with a blissful expression when she rubbed his ears.

  Aidan let the shepherds out of their crates and guided them into the pasture. Thor and Odin took their duties seriously, stopping to mark their territory near the gate before wandering off to investigate the new pasture. Normally Aidan would watch them carefully if he were combining flocks together like this, making sure that the dogs treated the unfamiliar sheep well. But there wasn’t time now. He shut the gate and climbed back in the truck.

  “Let’s get these dog crates back in the barn. That way we’ll have room in the truck if we need to move any equipment around.” He started the engine and headed for the barn.

  Jade drummed her fingers restlessly on her knee. “Any other animals we need to save? Or can we start saving ourselves?”

  He might hate that she was here, hate that he felt helpless to ensure her survival, but if he was going to be stuck out here with anyone, a firefighter was probably the best possible person. “I’ve got some new lambs and their mamas, and a few very pregnant ewes down in my sheep shed. That’s the other barn, lower down on the property. I’ve got to move them up here. Then that’s it for the animals.”

  She shaded her eyes, squinting at the shed. “That building has a metal roof?”

  “Yup. Both my barns do. And the sheep shed has metal walls, as well.”

  “Good call. Close it up tight and it might make it through the fire.”

  Aidan pointed through the windshield to his main barn. “And this one?”

  She shrugged. “It’s hard to say. If we spray off the walls and the ground around it really well, there’s a chance. It looks like it’s in good shape. No cracks between the planks on the siding, so that will help keep the embers from getting stuck in there and igniting.”

  It was a relief to hear. “I’d be grateful if we could save it. It’s the heart and soul of the ranch.”

  Her smile softened her features and made her look a lot less tough. “I wonder if your sheep know how lucky they are?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “You didn’t leave them. Most people would.”

  “Everyone’s different.” He glanced over at her. “Don’t make me seem like some kind of sheep-saving hero. I’m just a rancher who doesn’t want to lose his investment.” And a rancher whose hold on life had frayed. Without Colby, danger didn’t seem quite so dangerous anymore.

  “Call it what you want—you could have opened the gates, let the sheep free and drove on out of here.” Jade said. She shook her head like she still couldn’t fathom his level of stupidity. “You should have.”

  Aidan shook his head. “I like my sheep, but they aren’t that smart. I’ve heard of animals running back into a burning barn, simply because that’s the place they’ve always considered safe—” he couldn’t resist a jab at her “—and let’s not forget that you stayed back for a cat who may have scarred your arms for life.”

  “Touché.” She ran her hand down Chip’s back and the cattle dog flopped onto the seat with a sigh of bliss. “Guess we’re both a couple of softies when it comes to animals.”

  “I won’t tell anyone if you won’t.” Aidan guided the truck along the side of the barn toward the front. “Is there any way to get news of the fire?”

  “My radio was down before. I can try again, but I’ll probably just get static.”

  Aidan turned the corner and slammed on the brakes. “I don’t think you’ll need the radio.” He leaned forward and pointed up the hill. The sky to the north of them was a solid wall of smoke. “Looks like the fire is getting pretty close.”

  Jade craned her neck to see what he did. Aidan saw her go into command-mode—straightening her shoulders, tipping her chin up like she was all set to give the fire a piece of her mind. “Time to get busy. Let’s round up some supplies and start saving your ranch.”

  CHAPTER FOUR

  JADE EYED THE wall of smoke looming in the north. Saving Aidan’s ranch might be too lofty a goal. If they could save themselves, the dogs, the cat and the sheep, they’d be lucky. Jade went to her truck, parked in front of the barn. She opened the door and reached for the radio. If she could contact Mitch, maybe she could get some more information about the fire. Only static greeted her. Maybe she’d have better luck with her cell phone. She pulled it from her pocket and pressed the button to bring the screen to life. No bars. There had to be something wrong. Maybe a tower had gone down somewhere. Maybe there was just too much fire and smoke and wind between here and the rest of the world.

  She set a piece of her hope down with her phone. Some part of her had been hanging on to the chance that they might get through. That Mitch might know a way out, or send in a helicopter or something. But the reality was, he didn’t even know where she was right now.

  Suddenly the world grew, as if some lens in Jade’s mind was zooming out and out until she was just a tiny speck in a vast landscape, a minute particle of life, possibly soon-to-be ash.

  No. She shook her head, shut the truck door and glanced around, trying to ground herself. Nothing had changed. The air was still smoky, the barn still stood and Aidan was looking at her like she might just be a little crazy.

  Jade swallowed down the fear that rose in her throat. Fear didn’t matter. The only thing that mattered right now was what, out of all the possible things they could do right now, would give them the best chance for survival. Make a list. Itemize. Prioritize. “I didn’t see a firebreak when I drove in.”

  “I’ve cut breaks.” Aidan pointed up the lane that led back toward his house and, eventually, the road. “There’s one that crosses the driveway and runs along the perimeter fence.”

  That was good news, but why hadn’t she noticed it driving in? “When did you last work on it?”

  “Late spring.”

  Jade looked up at him in shock. “That’s not good enough. You have to keep going over it all summer long. It’s probably overgrown. We’ll have to go over it right now.”

  He shot her a dubious look. “I don’t think we have time. I still have to get the lambs.”

  “We’d better make time. It’s our most important defense. If we’re lucky, it could steer the main fire around the property instead of through it.”

  Aidan glanced at the sheep, grazing in the green field. “I want to set up irrigation around them, as well.”

  “They’ve got sprinklers in their pasture. If we don’t have time to wet the area around them, they’ll huddle under those.” What was his problem? This was about them all surviving, not just the sheep. Sprinklers might not be enough if the fire went right over them, if it seared their lungs and made it impossible to breathe. She tried to pacify him. “We might still have time to set up extra sprinklers, even if the fire is getting close. A good firebreak will slow it down. It’s a clear choice.”

  He was silent for a moment, and Jade bit her lip to keep from yelling at him. The guy was acting like he had all the time in the world when really they had almost none. She tried to put all the authority of six years of firefighting into her voice. “Aidan, listen to me. I know what I’m talking about.”

  Aidan looked over at the pasture, and Jade followed his gaze. She could see the big shepherds circling the sheep, keeping them close together, probably still concerned about their new surroundings. The sheep seemed oblivious to the fire approaching. Their heads were down, their entire focus on the rich, green grass of this one ir
rigated pasture. Finally, Aidan glanced down at her and gave a quick nod. “Okay.”

  Jade tried to hide her relief. “Let’s get your lambs. Then we’ll deal with the firebreak.”

  “I’ll get the trailer hitched up. We can use it to move them to the pasture.” He jogged toward his truck.

  Jade glanced around anxiously, taking stock. The air had taken on a distinct brown tinge, and she could taste smoke in her mouth. Her eyes were watering, and her nose was starting to run. She went to her truck and grabbed a handful of tissues from the box there and shoved them in her pocket. She searched her duffel bag for a mask. Usually she had a couple of spare N95s, but there was nothing. This day was definitely not going her way. She tried the radio again as she watched Aidan pull the truck up in front of the trailer and back it toward the hitch. Still static, no matter which channel she used. Okay, then.

  Aidan had the trailer hitched up and was waving her over, so she shut the door and went to join him and Chip in the cab. The sheepdog nosed her cheek and made her smile. She stroked his thick, rough coat, and he flopped down and put his head in her lap.

  “You’re going to spoil him,” Aidan said.

  “He deserves it. He’s a hard worker,” Jade said, rubbing the dog’s soft ears.

  “He is.” Aidan turned the truck down a grassy lane that went past the barn and through a field. Jade noticed a pond on their left. A place of refuge if things got ugly.

  They continued along a sloping hillside, with fenced pastures on either side of them. “This is where I had my horses and cattle until earlier today. I’m so grateful for folks in your town who came up to evacuate them to Shelter Creek.”

  Pride for her town swelled in Jade’s heart. “That’s Shelter Creek for you. People really step up for each other.” The mention of horses made her think of the beautiful one Aidan had been riding earlier. “What will you do with the one horse you kept here?”

  “Payday? I’ll have to put him out with all the sheep. He has pretty good sense. Hopefully he’ll stay there with them.”

  Jade hoped Aidan was right. She’d seen plenty of horses get spooked in fires. But maybe if they had all the sprinklers going on that pasture, he’d feel the water on his back and know he’d be okay.

  They pulled up in front of the second barn.

  “Welcome to my sheep shed—” Aidan raised his hand in a flourish “—one of the best places on the ranch.”

  Jade knew he was referring to the lambs born here, but she agreed with him for a different reason. The building had been built on a concrete pad. It had gravel spread all around it for yards. Nothing was growing near it at all. And, even better, it had a metal roof and metal walls. “This is a firefighter’s vision of perfection,” she told him as she opened her door and got out. “Well done.”

  “It’s pretty new.” Aidan led the way to the big doors at one end. “I had it built after a few really bad fire seasons. Guess we’ll see how well it holds up.”

  “Do you store your hay and bedding inside the building?”

  “Yup.”

  “Even better.” Jade watched as he slid the door open. A strong smell of sheep permeated her senses as she stepped inside, despite the ceiling fans circulating the air. It was cool inside the shed, a nice break from the heat.

  “This is going to be a little tricky,” Aidan told her. “I don’t think the pregnant ewes will be a problem, but the ones with brand-new lambs aren’t going to want to move house right now.”

  “You could consider leaving them here,” Jade pointed out. “But the concern would be extreme heat. With water on them, they may do better with the temperature during the fire.” She knew by saying this she was counting on a best-case scenario. Hopefully she could slow the fire, or redirect it around the property. But if a firestorm rolled right over them, all bets were off.

  Aidan had stopped by a small, fenced-in corral. Jade stopped, too. Inside, lying down, were an ewe and two tiny lambs, all curled up together. At the sight of them, one of the lambs stood in an awkward, rocking-horse motion and tottered a few steps away from them. It was beyond cute, with fuzzy ears sticking out on either side of its small brown face. Its mouth opened to produce a miniature bleating sound. “Look at its knobby knees.” Jade glanced up at Aidan. “How can it be so sweet?”

  He looked down at her with paternal pride in his eyes, and for a moment Jade forgot the fire and danger and took in the sight of Aidan looking almost happy. Without his scowl he was quite handsome. Where had that thought come from? Jade returned her focus to the lamb, and the adorable way it wobbled back to its mama and collapsed into the straw.

  “Will it get too cold under the sprinklers?”

  “With a fire coming through?” Aidan shook his head. “They’re born with wool coats, you know. A lot of ranchers let their ewes give birth out in the pasture and the lambs start life out there, rain or shine. I use this shed because I have a lot of mountain lions and coyotes in this area. I need to make sure my lambs have a fighting chance.”

  Jade stood. “Speaking of fighting chances, we need to get these guys loaded and moved. Tell me what to do.”

  Aidan pointed to some bales of straw stacked near the entrance to the barn. “Can you break off some pieces of that and scatter straw all over the floor of the trailer? Make it a few inches thick so these little ones have some cushioning for the ride.”

  Jade nodded and went to get the straw.

  Twenty minutes later, the trailer was full. Six pregnant ewes complained bitterly. Three mamas, with five lambs, lay in the straw bed Jade had made. Jade had carried three newborn lambs in her arms and fallen in love with each one. If a wildfire hadn’t been imminent, she would have wanted to sit in the straw and cuddle them for hours.

  Instead, Jade, Aidan and Chip were back in the truck, pulling up next to the irrigated pasture. “Are you worried about Thor and Odin and these tiny lambs?” Through the truck window, Jade watched the big dogs warily. Chip whined and shoved his nose toward her cracked window, though how he could smell anything but smoke, Jade had no idea.

  “Not at all,” Aidan answered. “If anything it will just make them even more protective, so we’ll have to be extra careful to keep Chip away from them.” Aidan stopped by the gate. “Will you drive? And stay in here with Chip? I’ll get these lambs and mamas settled.”

  “Of course.” Jade held Chip’s leather collar while Aidan climbed out of the cab, and then slid to the driver’s side. When Aidan opened the gate, she drove the truck and trailer into the pasture, then waited while Aidan got the sheep and lambs out. The mama ewes quickly took their babies away from the rest of the flock, keeping a distance even as they started to crop the grass. Thor and Odin came over to give them and the new lambs a few sniffs, but quickly seemed to lose interest.

  “All good?” Jade asked after Aidan had closed the gate and climbed back into the driver’s seat of the truck.

  “All good,” he said. “Except I want to get those extra sprinklers set up around here.”

  “After the firebreak,” Jade reminded him.

  He started them along the lane back to the main barn. “It’s hard, listening to you,” he grumbled.

  “You’ll get used to it,” she assured him.

  He rolled his eyes. “Maybe. So you like the lambs, huh?”

  “How could anyone not?” Jade leaned an elbow on the door and rested her head on her hand. “I never really understood why anyone would want to live way out in a place like this, and work so hard, every single day. But holding those lambs, maybe, just maybe, I can understand it a bit more.”

  “Glad I could open your mind just a little.”

  Jade glanced at him, trying to figure out if he was being grumpy or sarcastic, then gave up. He was hard to read. Guarded, as if he were determined to keep everyone a safe distance away.

  What was she doing? She had a fire to fight. She cou
ldn’t waste a scrap of mental energy trying to psychoanalyze this guy. When Aidan parked the truck at the back of the barn, Jade jumped out and ran to unhitch the trailer.

  Aidan stored a lot of his equipment in a carport that was built against the back of the barn. Like the main barn, it had a metal roof. The ground back here was covered in thick gravel that, Jade noted, could also act as a firebreak on this side of the building. That was good news, as Aidan had made it clear he wanted to save this barn.

  Aidan didn’t waste any time. He went to a green tractor and climbed into the driver’s seat, gesturing for Jade to come closer. “Guide me backward and help me get the box blade on.”

  He started backing toward a low rectangular box with some spikes pointing down toward the ground. Jade ran to where she could see the hitch. “To the left,” she shouted over the noisy engine. “Your left.”

  He backed up, looking over his shoulder, squinting at the blade to make sure he was on target. He must have done this many times before, because he got the angle right the first time, stopping just a few inches short of the hitch.

  “Just a little more,” Jade called. “And stop!”

  Aidan jumped down, shoving his shaggy blond hair back so it stuck up in the growing breeze. He fastened the blade with the clamp and bolts, his hands a combination of bones, sinew and scars that testified to a life of manual labor.

  “We’ll need tools,” he said. “There’s a door in the barn, on the right as you enter. It’s a tool closet. Grab anything you can think of to clear the ground.”

  “Isn’t the tractor supposed to do that?”

  The grimace on his face spoke regret and worry. “The ground is so dry this time of year. Folks call the soil summer cement. We’d do better with a real bulldozer and a stronger blade, but this tractor is all we have. We’re going to have to make it work.”

  “We don’t have much time to chip away at the ground with hand tools,” Jade told him, trying to keep her voice steady when she was feeling less and less so. Without a crew of firefighters, their abilities were limited.