Rescuing the Rancher

by Claire McEwen

  “I’ll get the animals.”

  Soon he had the crates loaded in the truck and he, Jade, Chip, Elliott and the two kittens were rumbling back to the barn. “We should have all just stayed in here,” Jade said when she saw it standing tall. “We would have been a whole lot more comfortable.”

  “That’s twenty-twenty hindsight,” Aidan said. “We could have been trapped in here.” He helped her out of the cab and they went into the barn. He immediately went to his duffel bag and pulled out some sweatpants and a sweatshirt. “Change into these.”

  For once she didn’t protest or say she was fine. She just walked into a stall and came out a few minutes later, drowning in his clothing. But at least she was dry. He handed her a pair of clean wool socks, and she slid them on, laughing at all the extra fabric in the toes. But even with the added bulk, she managed to get her feet back into her sodden boots.

  Aidan changed into dry clothing, as well, relieved to get out of his freezing, soaked clothes. When he left the stall where he’d changed, Jade was wrapped in one of his coats. It fit her like a dress, but she looked adorable in it. She busied herself getting water for the kittens and putting Elliott back in the tack room.

  Aidan put a horse blanket on a bed of straw in Chip’s stall. After a long drink of water and a bite of granola bar, the exhausted dog flopped down on the blanket. Aidan trained his headlamp onto his paws, trying again to see the extent of the dog’s injuries. But Jade’s voice, sounding a bit panicked, cut through his concentration.

  “Aidan, get out here. There’s something in the barn with us.”

  “What?” He rose and let himself out of the stall. He spotted Jade in the back corner, shining her light at the feed bags he’d stacked there.

  “It’s an animal,” she said quietly as he approached her. “It must have come in here way back when we left the door open, to get away from the fire.”

  “Please tell me it’s not a skunk.”

  He could see the faint flash of a smile on her lips. “It’s bigger than that. A raccoon maybe?”

  “What do you need me to do?”

  “I think it’s injured. I heard sort of a whining, wheezing sound. That’s why I came over here.”

  Aidan hoped fervently that whatever it was, it wasn’t too bad off. He had a rifle in a locked case in his tack room. If he had to, he could put the poor animal out of its misery, but he didn’t want that job. “Why don’t I grab one of the big crates I use for Thor and Odin? If it’s not hurt too badly, we can try to get it in there.”

  “It’s a wild animal,” Jade said. “It’s not going to just walk on into a crate. We need something to steer it in. Want to grab a couple of brooms?”

  Aidan fetched two of the brooms he always had leaning against the wall and then got one of the big dog crates out of the stall. He put some straw in the bottom of it to provide some comfort to the animal, whatever it was.

  He heaved the large crate into his arms and staggered with it to the back wall of the barn. He set it down carefully, so the open door was very close to the feed bags. He peered over the sacks of grain and angled his headlamp. Two green eyes looked up at him. Two pointed ears. A round head with fuzz on the sides. Aidan backed carefully away until he was standing beside Jade again. “You’re not going to believe this,” he said quietly. “It’s a bobcat.”

  “A bobcat?” she gasped. Then she grinned up at him. “What is it with all the cats needing rescue today?”

  “You’re a walking firefighter cliché,” he teased her. “What do you think we should do? I can’t tell if it’s hurt but I suspect its paws will be burnt. Look what happened to Chip, and he was only out in the fire for a few moments.”

  “We should trap it,” Jade said. “Maybe once it’s in the crate we can see if it’s injured. If it’s not, we can let it go.”

  “Do you have a plan for this scenario?”

  She laughed softly. “Several plans, of course. Plan A is that I’m going to sneak up and rattle the grain bags behind it. Hopefully that will make it run forward to the crate. You stand by with that big broom, and use it to make sure it doesn’t bolt toward the front of the barn.” She glanced at him. “Are you ready?”

  “Ready as I can be when there’s a wildcat in my barn.”

  She smiled. “You’re tough. You can handle it. After tonight, we can handle anything.” Jade limped over to the grain bags and used the handle of her broom to poke at them. Nothing happened. She poked again. Nothing. Then she knocked the broom hard against the wall behind the bags. Suddenly a blur of furry motion exploded from behind the bags. It darted toward Aidan but he blocked it with his wide broom, pushing it back toward the crate. It was a bobcat for sure, in full fearful fury, hissing, yowling and clawing at the broom.

  Aidan gently steered the frightened cat back against the wall with the broom. It was pretty big, at least twice the size of Elliott, he’d guess. Its coat was mottled brown and gray, and there were tufts of fur poking out of its ears. Jade joined him and together they managed to herd the bobcat through the door of the big dog carrier. Jade slammed the door shut and held it in place with her broom. “Got him.” She stared down at the crate with a bemused expression on her face. “Of course, now we have to latch this door, and it’s going to rip the skin off our hands if we try.”

  “Let me grab some gloves.” Aidan jogged to where he’d left his leather gloves by the rest of his wet, discarded clothes and slipped them on. Back at the crate, he knelt down and warily lifted his hand toward the latch. A paw immediately slashed forward, and that’s when Aidan’s stomach churned. The bobcat’s paw pads were raw, bleeding burns. His horror was enough to make Aidan forget his fear. He latched the crate, even though the cat slashed at his gloves, and then stepped back to meet Jade’s questioning gaze. “It’s burnt really bad. There’s fur missing. There’s blood where its paw pads should be.”

  Jade set her broom against the wall and ran a hand over her eyes. It was the first time that Aidan had seen a look of total defeat on her face. “Would it be more merciful just to shoot it?”

  That had been his original idea, but now he couldn’t face it. “No. Look, it’s almost dawn. We can probably get it to a vet sometime tomorrow. It’s still got a ton of energy and life in it. It’s a fighter. We have to give it a chance to keep fighting.”

  A low growl came from the crate, as if the bobcat agreed with him. “See? It’s not giving up, so we can’t give up on it.”

  “Okay, you’re right.” Jade shook her head. “Sorry, I lost my nerve for a moment there. It’s the hardest part of wildfires for me—all the innocent animals that get hurt and killed. None of this is their fault. I’ll bet my next paycheck that this fire was started by some human being, or some flawed human technology somewhere.” She put a hand to her mouth for a moment, as if to physically make herself stop. “Enough. I’ll stop preaching now.”

  “I agree with you,” Aidan said quietly. “I know I mentioned it earlier, but one of the reasons I love this ranch so much is I turned it into an example of how to coexist with wildlife. Yet, here we are with this poor bobcat. So preach all you want. Or, come with me to check on the rest of the animals. Maybe we can even put out some hot spots together. That should cheer you up.”

  Jade smiled, and Aidan could see the tension go out of her. “You really know how to show a girl a good time.”

  “I know you love to fight fire.”

  “Even I might be a little tired of firefighting tonight. But you’re right. We should go check on the rest of the ranch. Though it’s still too dark to see much.”

  “But my truck has a good heater. So there’s that.”

  “You had me at heater.” She took him by the gloved hand and started limping toward the front of the barn.

  Her sense of humor eased the tension inside him, always. Laughing, he let her pull him through the barn, out into the, smoky air and into
the nice warm truck.

  * * *

  THE SHEEP WERE fine. Aidan’s horse, Payday, was fine. Jade wandered the fence line, her flashlight trained on the animals inside, trying to absorb this next miracle. Aidan’s plan had worked. The sheep seemed to have come through unscathed. They grazed peacefully beneath the sprinklers as if there’d never been a fire. Payday came to the fence and nuzzled Aidan’s hands. The beautiful horse seemed nervous, but he looked fine.

  “I’ll have to check them over again in the morning when it’s light,” Aidan said. “But this looks promising. I can see Thor and Odin out there wandering among them, and they look great, too.”

  Jade turned to shine her light on the dark pastures behind them. Smoke was still rising from the earth and there were glowing embers here and there. But nothing burned with any vitality. There wasn’t anything left to burn.

  She ran a hand over her tired eyes, trying to take it all in. They’d made it. For a few moments in the pond, she’d worried that they’d failed. That the fire was going to overtake them, burn their lungs, end their lives.

  But somehow, working together, they’d survived. And the animals had, too. It was more than she’d dared hope for, ever since she’d gotten stuck out here on Aidan’s ranch.

  Holding on to Aidan in the pond, after they’d emerged from their shelter, she’d felt more alive than she’d ever been. Each breath meant something now. His arms around her were not just supporting her, they were reminding her that she was still here, that she’d done her job, that she’d kept them safe. They’d kept each other safe.

  Aidan walked over to her. “Want to head back to the barn? I’ve got granola bars. And apples.”

  “That sounds perfect.” Jade climbed into the truck. Her ankle was much better. Its long soak in the icy pond must have taken the swelling down.

  When Aidan turned on the engine, the heat blasted and it felt like heaven. She wasn’t quite thawed out. It was hard to believe she’d been so hot, just a couple hours before. But being cold, or feeling anything, meant she was still alive, so she was okay with it. Back in the pond, under the fire shelter, she hadn’t known if they’d make it. Thank goodness for Aidan, his calm voice and attempts at conversation. He’d gotten her through.

  Back in the barn, Aidan laid several horse blankets on a dry portion of the barn floor. He handed Jade his sleeping bag and she climbed into it right away, too tired to eat anything. She just wanted to sleep. He sat next to her in the dark in his big parka, a blanket wrapped around him.

  She looked up at him. “Aren’t you going to sleep?”

  “Eventually. I want to keep an eye on things a little longer.”

  Reaching sleepily through the dark, she put a hand on his leg. “The fire is out now. We’re safe.”

  “You were so chilled in the pond. I thought I might lose you in there.”

  “I’m still chilled,” she murmured. “I don’t know if I’ll ever be warm again.”

  “Do you want me to lie down with you?”

  Suddenly it was all she wanted. His strength and warmth, next to her. “Yes, please.”

  She heard rustling in the dark as he stood, took a few steps and lay down on his side, facing her. “How can I help?”

  She reached for his hands. “We’re alive. We made it.”

  “It still feels so surreal,” he confessed. “I wasn’t sure what would happen.”

  “Kiss me?” She hadn’t known she was going to ask for that. But suddenly she wanted that closeness more than anything. That vital proof that they were okay.

  He raised himself up on one elbow, leaned over and brought his mouth to hers. It was a slow, tentative kiss. The kiss of two people who hadn’t kissed anyone in a long time. But his mouth on hers was warm and soothing. Jade put her hands to his cheeks and kissed him with all the fear and desperation she’d felt in the pond. His heat and breath were the affirmation and comfort she needed.

  Finally, slowly, they pulled apart. “Lie on my shoulder,” Aidan whispered. “Lie close to me. I’ll help you get warm, and you can rest.”

  Jade put her head on his shoulder and was asleep in an instant.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  “JADE?”

  A man’s voice pulled Jade out of exhausted sleep. She was pretty sure she heard her eyelids creak as she forced them open. Her eyes were irritated and gummy, and she blinked, bewildered, into the sunlight. She pushed herself up to sitting, her bones and muscles stiff, and caught sight of the wooden beams overhead. She was here on Aidan’s ranch. In his barn. They’d survived the fire. And the sunlight came through the barn door. They must have left it partially open.

  Was Aidan calling her? Or had that been a dream?

  She glanced down and there was Aidan, a restless lump under the faded blue horse blanket he’d pulled over himself last night. He sat up suddenly, as if sensing her scrutiny, and shoved a hand through his thick hair. It stood on end, gray-streaked with soot. For a moment he looked as out of focus as Jade felt, but his expression cleared when he looked at her. “Hey,” he said softly, and Jade saw a warmth in his eyes that hadn’t been there yesterday. “We made it.”

  “We did.” It seemed almost impossible. “At least, I think we did. Unless this is what heaven looks like.”

  Aidan huffed a laugh. “I don’t think heaven is this smoky. And hopefully neither of us went to the alternative.”

  Jade grinned, giddy in the realization that they were here and they were alive. “I don’t smell any brimstone.”

  He put an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close, planting a kiss in her hair. “It’s incredible to see you smile.”

  Jade leaned into him, relishing how solid he felt. “It’s incredible to be alive.” And here, with him. She shoved that thought away. He was basically a stranger. Yes, they’d kissed sometime around dawn, but that was nothing but gratitude. Sheer joy that they’d managed to survive and save the sheep and other animals. Though she’d never had a kiss like that before. She turned to look up at Aidan, wondering what it would be like to kiss him again.

  “Hi,” he said softly, meeting her gaze with an intensity that told her he was wondering the very same thing.

  “Jade?”

  She started, and pulled away from Aidan. That voice was definitely not a dream and it was a little louder now. It sounded like Mitch.

  “Over here!” She slipped out from under Aidan’s arm and stood, testing her weight on her ankle. It was sore, but so much better than last night. “In the barn,” she called. She glanced back at Aidan. “I think it’s my boss.” Limping, she stepped out into the smoky morning and peered through the brown, hazy air. “Mitch, is that you?”

  Boots crunched heavily on the gravel and two firefighters came into view through the lingering smoke. “Jade!” Mitch ran forward and took Jade by the shoulders. She could see relief in his eyes, and there was a watery quality to his gaze that might even be tears. “You gave us quite a scare.”

  “Tell me about it.” Jade peered beyond Mitch to greet the other firefighter. “Hey, Bill.”

  Bill Laslow shoved back his helmet, revealing a soot-streaked face and red eyes that spoke of a sleepless night on the fire lines. “We thought you were toast, girl.”

  Mitch pulled her in for a hug, a gesture so uncharacteristic that Jade stiffened, then gave him an awkward pat on the back as he released her. “I’m glad you came through.”

  “Jade’s tough. What did I tell you?” Bill grinned and held up a hand for a high five.

  Jade smacked his palm and returned his smile. “Takes more than a little old wildfire to kill me.”

  A third man came running down the driveway, sending gravel spewing from under his heavy boots. Jade recognized the thick dark hair, so much like her own. “Travis!”

  Her brother scooped her up in his arms. His momentum swept her off her feet and swung her around in a
circle. He didn’t say anything, just held her close long after they stopped spinning. When he finally pulled back, Jade ignored the tears on his face, wiping her own instead. “Good to see you,” she told him, putting her palms to his cheeks. She’d wondered last night if she’d ever see him, or the rest of her family, again.

  “Good to see you, too, sis. That was a long night.”

  Jade’s family wasn’t good at sharing their emotions, but she could read the deep feeling beneath her brother’s simple words. He’d been scared for her. Though maybe not as scared as she’d been when the fire roared through. She stepped back, swallowing hard. “It sure was. How are Dean and Ash? Are Mom and Dad freaking out?”

  Travis grinned. “Maybe a little, yeah. I told them you were tough and you’d make it through, but we’d better call them once we can find some cell reception. Last I heard, Deputy Dean is evacuating folks ahead of the flames, and Ash is off on some mission in the Sierras. The one you asked him about last week, and he wouldn’t tell you much.”

  Jade’s shoulders tensed, like they did whenever she thought of the risks Ash took as a game warden. “Probably because he knows it’s way too dangerous.”

  “Danger comes with the territory in this family, apparently.” Travis reached out and tugged gently on Jade’s tangled hair. “Seriously. I’m glad you’re okay.”

  Aidan walked out of the barn, running his hands over his eyes as if he were still trying to wake up. He looked from Jade to the three men. “Good morning.”

  Travis stuck out his hand and Aidan came forward to shake it. “I’m Aidan Bell.”

  “Travis Carson. Jade’s brother.”

  Aidan turned to Jade. “Should you be standing right now?”

  Travis looked at her sharply. “What’s wrong?”

  “Just twisted my ankle last night.” She glanced at Aidan and couldn’t help smiling. She felt almost giddy with relief. “Someone had me soak it in the pond.”

  Travis understood her little joke. “Is that how you guys made it through?”