Home on the Ranch: Wyoming Cowboy Ranger

by Rebecca Winters

“It was our pleasure. We’re gonna clear out now so you can get some sleep.”

  Before long Porter’s house had emptied. He was aware of an ache that was especially strong tonight after being with his friends. They made marriage look good. The absence of a woman in his life was starting to wear on him, but the thought of getting married to the wrong woman still gave him pause.

  Part of him had been hoping Lily might just decide to drop in, anyway. But she kept herself aloof. No doubt there was a reason. Every workplace had rules about the employees mingling with the clients, but he didn’t believe that was what held her back from being more forthcoming. Porter didn’t mind having to wait until tomorrow, because he would be seeing her again.

  * * *

  Helen drove Porter to the hospital the following morning for his ten-o’clock appointment. Ron met them at the hospital entrance with a wheelchair. Helen said she’d be here after his workout to drive him back to his house.

  After not seeing Lily all day yesterday, his excitement grew as he was rolled down the hall to the therapy room. The door was open, but there was no sign of her.

  “She’ll be here shortly.”

  “Go ahead and leave me, Ron.”

  “Can’t do that.”

  After a two-minute wait, Lily breezed in bringing her delicious flowery scent with her. “Sorry I’m late, Porter. I was in on a consultation with Dr. Jensen. Thanks, Ron.”

  “You bet. See you later.”

  Porter took inventory of her face and figure. Today she was wearing a hot pink top and tan boot-cut chino pants beneath her lab coat.

  “Why don’t you wheel yourself over to my desk. I want to discuss something with you before we start your workout.”

  The tone of her voice didn’t indicate something was wrong, but he couldn’t help but be curious as to where this was leading. He followed her and waited until she’d sat down. Her exquisite eyes met his.

  “You look free of pain today.”

  “For the most part I am. My cheek still hurts.”

  She nodded. “I imagine the party made you want to get back into the fray.”

  “You have no idea.”

  “Oh, I think I do.” Her smile nearly gave him a heart attack. “After talking to you and your boss, I’m aware you’re going crazy from inactivity. I also realize you’re a man without a horse. Since I know that you do most of your ranger duties on the back of one, it’s essential we get you in the saddle again soon.”

  He pursed his lips.

  “I saw that,” she claimed. “The thought of getting on one has to make you cringe, but I’m not talking about the Arabians, like the ones the forest service provides.”

  “Are you saying there’s a special kind of horse for someone like me?”

  “That’s exactly what I’m saying,” she replied.

  “I’m all ears.”

  “Have you ever heard of a Missouri Fox Trotter?”

  Porter nodded. “My friend Cole wouldn’t ride another breed. He says Samson is the most sure-footed animal he’s ever ridden.”

  “He’d be right,” she concurred. “Trotters are not only noted for being sure-footed, they’re especially sought-after for the disabled because of their smooth ride.”

  “You’re kidding!”

  “No. They give those people who’ve injured their backs gentler movement.”

  His eyes lit with interest. “How does that work?”

  “The gaited breed is known for its stamina and smooth gait. It performs an ambling gait nicknamed the ‘fox-trot,’ because of its broken diagonal gait. That’s when the front feet of the diagonal pair lands before the hind. The result eliminates that moment of suspension and increases smoothness.”

  “Wow. I had no idea.”

  “You won’t appreciate the difference until you ride on one,” she told him. “I wasn’t convinced, either, not with my injured spine. Then my therapist put me on a Trotter. I couldn’t believe how comfortable I felt riding one. It was incredible.”

  “Was this when you were in Salt Lake City?”

  “Yes. The clinic there had access to a rancher who raised Trotters.”

  “Do you ride one now?” he asked.

  “Absolutely. I swear by them. While a segment of my patients who ride horses are healing, I put them on the back of a Trotter to help ease them back into activity.”

  “Where do you do that?”

  “At my parents’ ranch here in Whitebark. Three months ago when I came back here to live and started in this position, my parents got into the Missouri Fox Trotter business. They now raise them and allow me to bring some of my patients to the ranch for their horse therapy.” She flashed him a grin. “See? I told you they’re saints.”

  Porter was even more impressed by their devotion to their daughter. “That’s because they believe in you, Lily. Does this mean you ride with your patients?”

  She nodded. “I’m telling you about it now because your boss wants to get you another horse, possibly an Arabian. Apparently most of the rangers use them. But because of your injury, I suggest you try a Trotter first to see how you feel.” She hesitated. “There’s no hurry. Only when you feel comfortable enough to get on a horse again. Depending on how you move, maybe for your Friday appointment next week.”

  A whole week away... “I’ll talk it over with my boss.”

  “Good. Are you ready for another workout?”

  She had no idea how motivated he was to improve so he could go riding with her on her family’s ranch. He wheeled himself over to the pad without any prompting and took his time getting down the way she’d taught him. So far there’d been none of those sharp pains she’d talked about on that first day. After he rolled over, he smiled up at her. “Do you still think I’m a fraud?”

  “I don’t know. I’m still working on it.”

  He frowned. “Why do I get the feeling you have reservations about me?”

  Her cheeks reddened, whether in embarrassment or anger, he didn’t know. “You’re my patient. I don’t have any feelings about you except to see you get better.”

  “I’m doing my hardest.”

  “I know you are so you can go after that horrible man who disappeared on you in the mountains. Okay, let’s get started.”

  * * *

  On Saturday Lily did some shopping for the upcoming baby shower before driving to Jackson Hole to attend a yearly physiotherapist conference. After sleeping in on Sunday, she rode her horse and helped her parents with the other horses. She told them about Porter, and that he was from Lake Placid, New York, and his desire to get back on a horse. Her folks suggested she let him ride Dash to see if it worked for him.

  They talked about various horses and she ended up telling them about what had happened to him near the Crow’s Nest. But the realization that she was talking about him too much, and waiting to see him, angered her. She didn’t want to be hung up on a man again, not when she’d been going along fine for the last eight years without one in her life.

  When Lily got ready for work Monday morning, she felt out of sorts. Nothing in her wardrobe appealed. She should have bought some more tops on Saturday, but she’d refused to spend money since her uniform covered her up. In the end she chose jeans and a khaki blouse he hadn’t seen. Not that Porter would notice.

  She couldn’t put him out of her mind while she did her makeup and brushed her hair into the style that had brought her compliment after compliment. All Porter had said was that he liked it. But that didn’t help her.

  Determined to fight her attraction, she entered her office and focused on her eight-thirty patient, Domingo Salazar, a local bowling sensation. He’d thrown out his back during a recent workout and needed therapy before a big tournament next month. The married man with two children was a fun-loving chap.

  After the workout he turned to her. “I feel better a
lready and have two free tickets for the bowling tournament next month in Casper. They’re yours for helping me.” He left them on the corner of her desk before walking out just as Ron wheeled Porter in.

  “Thanks, Domingo!” she called after him. That was kind of him.

  Her eyes fell on Porter, whose intense gaze enveloped her, raising her pulse rate to a dangerous level.

  “Good morning, Lily.” His deep voice penetrated her body. “How was your weekend?”

  “Fine. How was yours? Did Helen take good care of you?”

  “She’s great... I have no complaints,” he replied. “After my session here, she’ll drive me to headquarters. My boss has plans to keep me busy this week.”

  “But not all day every day.” She finished washing her hands.

  “Why not? I feel good.”

  “That’s what worries me, Porter. If you don’t take regular breaks, your pain will come back. You’ll have to establish a balance. Now, I want to work with you on the side stepladder table. Wheel yourself over here.”

  She waited until he did her bidding before kneeling down to fix the wheelchair feet and remove his slippers. “I’m glad Helen has put nonslip socks on you.”

  “I feel like a baby. All I need is a bonnet.”

  Lily chuckled. “Do you know my father once dressed up for a Halloween party like a baby? Mother carried his bottle. All he wore was a diaper and bonnet. I almost died laughing when I saw him.”

  Porter’s eyes twinkled. “You’ll never catch me doing that, except for these slippers, of course.”

  “You’d be quite a sight I’m sure. Okay. Visualize what you’re going to do. Stand up and put your hands on the table while you get up on the stepladder. Easy does it.” She glanced over at him to check his progress. “Now extend one arm and get in a kneeling position. Once you’re comfortable, turn on your back. At first it’ll feel a little strange being up from the floor. Move slowly.”

  He minded her. If it bothered him, he didn’t show it. She worked with his legs for the next twenty minutes, then showed him how to get up in a sitting position before lowering himself to the floor and back in the wheelchair.

  “I’ve been watching for tension lines, Porter, and am pleased to say that I don’t see any. Your pain ratio is way down.”

  He nodded. “That’s thanks to you since I’ve been taking your advice. Do you think I could take a ride on a Trotter on Wednesday instead of Friday? I discussed it with my boss and he’s all for it since he needs more rangers than he’s got covering the mountains in summer.”

  “That’s understandable, of course, but it might be pushing you a little too much.” She furrowed her brow. “Let’s see how well you do on Wednesday afternoon for your therapy. If all looks right, maybe we could arrange for an early evening ride at the ranch, provided Helen can drive you to and from.”

  “I’ll ask her in a few minutes.”

  “Look, Porter. I know you’re anxious to get back to work, but I’m cautioning you to take this in increments for your overall health.”

  He nodded. “I know that, and I won’t do anything stupid if I don’t feel I’m ready.”

  “Then that’s good enough for me.” She put his slippers on him and fixed the feet of the wheelchair before walking over to her desk. Porter followed. As she reached for the mouse on her computer the tickets fell. “Oh—”

  He looked down. “I would pick them up, but I just promised you no sudden movements.”

  “I’m glad you said that.” She retrieved them, hoping Mr. Salazar would improve enough for him to compete. “My last patient left them.”

  “Do you like bowling?” Porter had seen the printing on the tickets.

  “Not really. The few times I tried, the ball ended up in the alley.”

  His smile robbed her of breath. “That makes two of us.”

  To her relief, the familiar knock on the door interrupted their conversation. “Come on in, Ron! My patient is ready to leave.”

  She’d said it deliberately to remind herself that their session was over. Yet her disappointment that he was leaving filled her with a troubling sense of loss.

  Lily didn’t want to miss his company, but something uncanny had been happening to her. Porter was growing on her by the minute. If they started riding together, that could compound the ache for him that was growing inside of her.

  “See you Wednesday, Lily.” Porter’s parting words jerked her back to her surroundings.

  “You bet. Same time. Same place,” she said over her shoulder without meeting his eyes.

  Maybe she would ask for Millie’s help. Maybe her friend could find out something about Porter through Jessica that would be a real turnoff. Because right now, Lily couldn’t stop thinking about him.

  * * *

  Thank goodness Monday turned out to be a busy one. She’d succeeded in pushing Porter to the back of her mind until she had a phone call from Helen late in the day.

  “Hi, Lily. Just checking in. I took Mr. Ewing home from work. He’s been careful and seems to be doing fine. He told me he plans to go horseback riding on Wednesday evening on your say-so.”

  Lily bit down on her lip. “What do you think?”

  “Like I said, he moves well and insists he’s not experiencing new pain.”

  “That’s good to know.” She released a breath. “When he comes in on Wednesday afternoon, I’ll ask Dr. Jensen to take a look at him and see if he’s ready. With three of us making the decision, I’ll feel better about it.”

  “Between you and me, he’s a real hunk.”

  Yup. “Better not tell Wayne that.”

  Helen laughed. “Don’t worry. There are secrets, and then there are secrets I keep from my hubby.”

  Amen.

  Lily’d had all day to think about Porter despite trying desperately not to. He was a New Yorker. It didn’t make sense why he’d left an established career in a fabulous area of the country like Lake Placid to come out to Wyoming. During the Olympics she’d been blindsided by Steve and wouldn’t be making that mistake again.

  What secret are you running away from, Porter?

  Chapter 5

  Wednesday afternoon Helen arrived at the ranch and drove Porter to his therapy session. Ron met them outside the physiotherapy clinic entrance with the wheelchair. Porter didn’t need it anymore, but it was hospital rules.

  “What’s going on?” he asked when Ron deposited him in front of Dr. Jensen’s door.

  “I don’t know. I was asked to bring you here.” He knocked on the door. Within seconds Dr. Jensen appeared.

  “Good afternoon, Ranger Ewing. Come in and let’s see how much progress you’ve made.”

  Porter had been living to see Lily. This was a blow he hadn’t seen coming. “Couldn’t my therapist be here?”

  “She’ll join us at the end of our session.”

  Damn.

  The doctor had him get up on the side stepladder table and go through similar exercises Lily had performed on Monday. When it was over, he got back in the wheelchair while the doctor made a call. In another minute Lily entered, in her lab coat, more beautiful than a woman had the right to be. He noticed the doctor couldn’t take his eyes off her, either.

  She flashed Porter the kind of smile he imagined she gave all her patients. Nothing personal. “Good morning. How’s that back today?”

  It wasn’t his back bothering him anymore, but all he said was “Fine.”

  Dr. Jensen concurred, then nodded before looking at Porter. “You’re moving well, but I think you should wait until Friday to get on a horse for the first time.” So that meant Lily had already talked to the doctor about it. “I’d advise another forty-eight hours to give the body more time to heal. It’s better to err on the side of caution.”

  “I couldn’t agree more,” she said, even though Porter knew she was aware
that he couldn’t handle this inertia much longer. “Under the circumstances, I’ll see you at the ranch at six o’clock on Friday. Helen knows the address.”

  Hallelujah!

  “No cowboy boots, just regular shoes. Have a wonderful day, Porter. Talk to you later, Matt.”

  As she walked out of the therapy room, Ron came in. Porter glanced at the doctor. “Thank you for your help.”

  “Not at all. That’s what we’re here for.”

  Tamping down his excitement that he’d be riding with her the day after tomorrow, he couldn’t be happier as Helen drove him to work and walked him into the office where he’d been working. She’d made him sandwiches for his dinner because he’d be there late.

  “I’ll be back to take you home when you call me.”

  “Thanks for everything, Helen.” If all went well after his horseback ride on Friday, he’d drive himself to work in his own car starting Monday.

  Stan had given him a ton of paperwork to do. Around quitting time for everyone else, Holden came in with milk shakes for both of them.

  “Thanks. You’re a sight for sore eyes. Sit down and share my dinner with me, compliments of my aide. I’m working late.”

  “Don’t mind if I do.”

  Porter opened the sack and pulled out the sandwiches and chips for both of them. “I hope you have some news on that culprit.”

  Holden frowned. “Don’t I wish. When Cyril gave me the results, I ran the fingerprints from the rifle through the database. No match. That’s what has me bothered.” He scrubbed a hand across his jaw. “I’ve put out an APB on him here and in the surrounding states. A couple of my men went up to the spot where he’d made the fire, looking for any evidence. And you know what really puzzles me?”

  “No—what?” Porter asked.

  “Why didn’t he go after the other ranger at the fire tower?”

  Porter shook his head. “Maybe he never got near the lookout. Did your men turn up any other evidence?”

  “Not right there, but they did find some stubs of cigarettes closer to the fire lookout. They brought them back to the lab. It’s the old needle-in-the-haystack problem. They might be leaked to the culprit if we catch him.