Beau: Mavericks of Montana Creek — Book Two

by Hayes, Somer

  “Nope, I’m all set.”

  “Godspeed,” she said with a little salute. “See you tomorrow.”

  Nancy, practical to her core, didn’t understand or support my involvement in the circuit. If there was a bottom line, she was determined not to dip below it no matter how many times I explained we could afford it and that it was all in the name of charity, not to mention we were helping animals in need.

  I sighed. We may not always see eye to eye, but I was glad to have her nonetheless. She ran a tight ship even if she didn’t agree with the decisions I made. I found Chip sniffing around the treat cabinet and whistled for him. I liked to take him with me on these ventures both for the company and to keep him busy. For as old and out of shape as he was, he was still curious and social. Days like these were good for both of us.

  I helped him into the truck because I didn’t think his short legs could do it even without the extra weight, then joined him in the cab. I opened the folder Nancy had prepared for me. “Okay, buddy, let’s see where we’re headed first.”

  To make the most of both my time and gas mileage, Nancy scheduled appointments in order of drivability, so I usually ended up making one big loop. Today was no different. First stop was a case of possible hoof rot just outside of town. I was grateful for but disliked these visits. I wanted to care for any animal in need, but sometimes it was hard to stomach their living conditions or the way I suspected they were treated when no one was watching. I’d come across many cases of abuse and neglect over the years and was always more than happy to turn those bastards in and rescue the animals, but sometimes it was a fine line, and there wasn’t always a course of action.

  Before I set out, I said my usual prayer asking the powers to be to spare us all from undue hurt today, then set off to my first appointment. The day was breaking cool and clear. I rolled down Chip’s window so he could stick his head out. I smiled at the way his nose was working overtime and how his ears flapped in the wind. I turned the radio on to a station that played old country and tapped my hand against the steering wheel to the beat.

  My phone notified me we were getting close to the address and turned us down a washed-out dirt road. We followed the bumpy path for almost a mile before coming upon a rundown farmhouse. Its white paint was mostly peeled off, and the two black shutters that were left were hanging askew. I could see a barn behind the place, and it didn’t appear to be in much better shape.

  “Maybe you stay in the truck for this one, bud.”

  Chip laid his ears flat back on his head, and I took that as his form of agreement. I got out of the truck and reached into the back seat for my travel medical bag, then I went to the front door of the house and knocked. I didn’t hear any reaction, so I knocked again.

  “Just a minute, please,” came a thin voice.

  I stepped back and waited. I heard sounds of shuffling, the door being unlocked, and finally it creaked open. A miniature version of a woman stood in the door. “Yes?”

  “Mrs. Cooper? I’m Dr. Maverick. I hear you could use some help with one of your horses.”

  “Oh yes! I called for assistance, but I wasn’t sure you’d actually come.”

  “Here I am. What can I help you with?”

  “Come in, come in. It’s a chilly morning out there.”

  I stepped into the house and was met with the musty smell of neglect. Stacks of old magazines and newspapers lined the hallway in front of me. To my left was a living room full of clothes, boxes, and random items. To the right was what I thought was a dining room being used as a storage area.

  “Can I get you something to drink?” She looked up at me through thick, foggy glasses.

  “No, thank you, ma’am. Will you tell me about your concerns for your horse?”

  “Well, it’s my husband, Delmar’s, horse, but he died a few months back, and I’ve been doing my best to care for everything, but I’m legally blind, and I don’t know much about animals. So, the other day when I was leading Brownie, that’s his name, out of his stall, he didn’t want to come and made sounds like he was in distress. I decided to call for help right then and there.”

  “You did the right thing. Where is Brownie now?”

  “He’s out back. I’ll show you.”

  She led me through a house filled with memories, treasures, and junk, then out the back door to an unkept yard. The barn I’d noticed when I’d arrived was to our right, and it stood open to a corral. In it was a sickly and skinny horse.

  Poor Brownie.

  “That’s him over there,” Mrs. Cooper told me.

  I stepped off the porch and went to where Brownie was and immediately understood that even if he did have hoof rot, it was the least of our worries. He was old, malnourished, matted, and unhealthy in every sense of the word. I glanced back at the old woman on the porch and wished there was a rescue group for stubborn old farmwives. But since there were none I was aware of, I decided to do the next best thing. I went back to the porch where she stood.

  “Mrs. Cooper, Brownie is very sick.”

  “Oh no. But Delmar loved that horse.”

  “I believe that’s true, and I also believe you’ve tried hard to take care of him, but sometimes the things we’re tasked with can grow into responsibilities bigger than we’d realized. I think the best thing for Brownie, and maybe for both of you, is to let me call my friend who owns a horse sanctuary.”

  “What’s a horse sanctuary?” she asked in a shaky voice.

  “She takes in horses who need a good home, lots of love, and quality medical care.”

  She dabbed at her eyes. “I feel just wretched. I tried my best to care for that horse after Delmar died.”

  I laid a palm on her bony shoulder. “I know you did, Mrs. Cooper, but he’s an older horse, and from what I can tell, he’s had health issues for longer than he’s been under your care. Will you help me do what’s best for him and let him go to my friend’s sanctuary?”

  Her milky eyes gazed at the horse through her thick glasses and welled with tears. “You promise she’ll take good care of him?”

  “I promise. And guests are welcome, so you could visit Brownie any time you want.”

  She pulled a handkerchief from her sleeve and blew her nose. “I don’t have much money…”

  “Don’t you worry about that. We all want what’s best for him, and I think the extra care at the sanctuary is what he needs.”

  “Okay then. You can take him.” A tear slid down her cheek, and I wanted to cry right along with her.

  “I know it’s hard, but you’re doing the right thing. I’ll have my friend pick him up in the next day or two, okay? Give you some time to love him and say goodbye for now.”

  “Okay.”

  “Let’s go back inside. I’ll give you all the paperwork you need as well as how to call me or the sanctuary anytime you want so you can check on your Brownie.”

  “That would be real nice, thank you.”

  Thirty minutes later, I left the Cooper residence and called my friend, Jessie, to tell her about Brownie. We made arrangements for her to pick him up the next day and send the bill to my clinic. Nancy would be furious with me for signing on to pay for the care of another animal, but I’d never be able to sleep again if I knew poor Brownie was sitting in that barn waiting to die. I’d rather endure Nancy’s wrath.

  I made six other visits today and was grateful that I was able to treat all the other animals on site and felt confident that their owners would follow up on their care. It seemed Brownie would be the hardest and saddest of my cases and knowing he’d be safe with Jessie soon made me feel better.

  Exhausted, I climbed in the truck after my last visit for the day and gave Chip’s butt a scratch. “You ready to head home?”

  His nubby tail began to wag.

  “Me, too, buddy.”

  We had almost an hour drive back to Great Falls. I cracked the windows and let the soothing sounds of the night release the worry of the day. Chip scooted over next to me an
d laid his head on my thigh. I ran my hand down his back, and he let out a deep breath and fell asleep.

  Growing up, we’d had mostly working dogs, breeds good for herding or watching the flock. Chip was a first for me, and it hadn’t been my intention to keep him, but as I let my fingers run idly through his fur, I was grateful I had him. He had more personality than any other dog I could ever remember having.

  I’d never understand people who chose not to share their lives with an animal if given the opportunity. They were so good for the soul. I thought of Grace, who had always wanted a pet but never been given a chance until now. It had been such a joy watching her with Claire. They were meant to find each other, and as I thought of Grace’s sleepy face that morning, I wondered if maybe the same could also be true for us.

  27

  Grace

  I spent the day trying to focus on work but mostly failing and thinking about Beau. Our impromptu sleepover had been unusual and fun and comforting all at once. Waking up with him every two hours had made it so much easier to, well, to wake up every two hours. Lying in the crook of his arm had offered me a feeling of safety and security I hadn’t realized I was lacking. But I’d slept more soundly with him in my bed than I had since my arrival in Great Falls. I think some part of my primitive brain stayed awake in case a bear or a Bigfoot decided to come in and eat me.

  With Beau there, my whole brain had felt relaxed enough to sleep, and I woke up feeling refreshed despite the fact I’d been up half of the night. My schedule was light today, so I took my time getting ready, sipping on coffee and humming along with the music I had playing softly in the background. Claire seemed content to bounce around inside her kennel.

  I got myself dressed, and instead of my typical suit, I went with a navy cardigan over khaki slacks. When I was ready, I tucked Claire into her pouch and strapped it on, then stopped by the theater. I opened my laptop and read through the notes I’d made about the businesses I’d be going to today. They were all small to mid-size, so none of my asks were very big today. I filled out all the paperwork and made folders for each of them, then I set out.

  Halfway through my day, I stopped at a cute diner on the edge of town for some lunch. I didn’t know how they would feel about a cat being in their restaurant, so I kept her pouch mostly closed and was glad she had a full belly and was asleep.

  A harried waitress stopped by my table. “What can I get ya?”

  “What’s your soup today?”

  “Loaded baked potato.”

  “I’ll have that and a side salad, please.”

  “And to drink?”

  “I’m good with water.”

  She gave a brisk nod, jabbed her pencil into her hair above her ear, and was off. I sipped on my water and flipped open the folder to prepare for my next appointment. It was a business that sold something called Grasshoppers. I hoped it wasn’t literally bugs.

  “Ms. Sutherland?”

  I looked up and found a vaguely familiar face smiling at me. “Yes?”

  “Tilly Marshall. I’m on your Fall Festival planning committee.”

  “Of course. Forgive me. I’m still trying to learn everyone’s faces and names.”

  She waved that off. “I just wanted to introduce you to my grandson, Clark. He’s going to be starting with the junior symphony this evening.”

  Clark was a pudgy boy with sandy blond hair and freckles. He stood shyly next to his grandmother. I stuck out my hand. “Nice to meet you. What instrument do you play?”

  “I wanted to play the cello, but my parents are making me learn the violin because we already had one from when my mom played in high school,” he said with a slight pout.

  “The violin is a great instrument,” I told him.

  “See? We all keep telling you that,” Tilly piped in.

  “But the cello seems cooler and way more manly.”

  I laughed. “I don’t know about that. The cello is what I play.”

  “I feel silly, but I didn’t realize you played an instrument,” Tilly said. “Though it would make sense that you do. How else would you know so much about orchestras?”

  I nodded. “Since I was about four. It runs in the family.”

  “It’s a wonderful thing. We’re so excited you’re here to inject some life back into ours. You’ve got a lot of support in the community, you know?”

  That surprised me. “No, I guess I didn’t know.”

  “I guess that’s the problem with not being from around here. We locals tend to talk amongst ourselves, and the talk is that there’s a real dynamo in town who’s got some innovative and exciting plans in the works.” She smiled widely at me.

  I blinked. “I can’t tell you how pleased I am to hear that. I tend to come on strong, so I was worried I’d caused some frustration early on.”

  She waved that off. “Change is never easy. If you’re making people uncomfortable, then you know you’re doing something right.”

  “That’s what I’ve always said,” I told her and returned the grin.

  She patted me on the shoulder. “Keep up the good work. We’ll see you tonight.”

  “Thank you. See you both tonight.”

  They left the diner, and I felt newly invigorated. The only real feedback I’d gotten so far had been from Beau, and we hadn’t exactly seen eye to eye. Was Great Falls excited to have their symphony back? Then I would do my best to make it the best I could for them.

  The waitress arrived at the table again and deposited my soup and salad. “Need anything else?”

  “Nope, I’m good,” I said and smiled to myself at how true that felt. When was the last time I could say that? And who would have guessed I’d find the feeling in Montana? Regardless of how the rest of my time here went, I would always look back on this moment and feel grateful for the experience.

  I took a piece of the bread that accompanied the soup and dipped it in to try it. It was rich and cheesy and exactly what I’d wanted. The salad was salad, but I ate it to try to balance all the fat and carbs I was intaking. I felt Claire beginning to stir just as I was finishing my meal, so I took my check to the cashier to pay the bill.

  “How was everything?”

  “Really good,” I replied.

  “Want to take home any dessert?” She gestured to the display case on my left filled with pies, cakes, and cinnamon rolls as big as my hand. I wondered if Beau had a sweet tooth and then dismissed the question as ridiculous. Of course, he did. Everyone did. “Can I have two of your cinnamon rolls to go?”

  “You bet. Those are my favorite.”

  I paid the bill, took my box of goodies, and went to the car. My next appointment wasn’t far, so I decided to feed Claire. She ate like a champ, and I felt sorry that she was stuck with what I could only guess was disgusting formula and couldn’t have loaded baked potato soup.

  “Hopefully, we can at least get you some real milk soon,” I told her. “Oh, and kitty treats. You’ll like that stuff much better.” After she finished her meal, I tucked her back into bed and drove to the grasshopper place, crossing my fingers it wasn’t at all what it looked like in my head.

  It turns out they sold farm equipment and mowers. The owners were warm and gracious and interested in not only purchasing some sponsorships but pitched the idea of hosting events in their new showroom. We toured the open space, and I thought it could be a great way to get music into the community while supporting a local business. I shook their hands, told them I looked forward to working together in the future, then left, and drove home.

  It was nice having a lighter workload today. I had a couple of hours before I needed to be at the theater for practice, so I kicked off my shoes and put on some more comfortable clothes, then crawled into bed. I checked my phone and tried not to be disappointed that I hadn’t heard from Beau. I knew he had a busy day, so I’d tried not to bother him, but I found that I missed talking to him when I didn’t.

  I let Claire roam around on the bed while I scrolled through my phone sta
ring idly at other people’s lives and pictures. I hadn’t posted on social media since I’d come to Montana. Initially, it was because I had been ashamed, feeling like The Foundation was just trying to stick me somewhere I could do the least amount of damage, but now I didn’t even know what I would say.

  I was beginning to feel the fragile buds of excitement and pride. I had found the beauty in the rugged landscape of this place. I had met some of the most sincere, hardworking, and interesting people I’d ever known. I had rescued a kitten.

  I was learning about myself. It was a lesson I’d had no interest in taking, but now that I was in it, I wanted to pass. I wanted to succeed. I wanted to excel.

  Claire pounced at my hand, all spindly limbs and wayward tail, and I laughed. “You’re a ferocious beast.” She batted at me a few more times, and I tapped at her in return. She was having bursts of energy more frequently, but once she’d spent her energy, she was done. She meandered her way up to my neck and curled into a ball. She fell asleep and emitted the softest of purrs. I held her to me and closed my eyes. We had time for a quick nap before we needed to be at practice.

  I awoke to the feeling of Claire trying to scramble her way up and over my neck. I grinned sleepily. “Where are you going?” She hopped up again but made no headway. I scooped her up and placed her on my chest where she wandered around and fought against her mortal enemy—the wrinkles in the comforter.

  I picked up my phone to check the time and grinned when I saw I had a text from Beau. Beau: Good luck at practice tonight. Hope it goes well.

  Grace: Thanks. I’m looking forward to it. How did your day go?

  Beau: Not as bad as others, but I’m spent.

  Grace: Get some rest. You’ve got a hot date tomorrow night, and I’ve got a surprise for you.

  Beau: You just sent my imagination into overdrive.

  I laughed.

  Grace: It’s just a cinnamon roll, but you’re going to like it.

  Beau: Grace, if it involves you, even if it’s just a cinnamon roll, I will like it.