The redhead kept her deathlike grip on the cage.
“You’re gonna help her, right? You’re not going to, you know…” Matt couldn’t bring himself to say the words.
“Of course not. We try to save every animal we get through our doors.” Her indignation made him smile. A fiery little lady indeed.
“That’s alright then. I’d like to come see her when the vet’s had a look, if you don’t mind.”
“Um, sure. I guess that’s okay.” She met his gaze for a second and quickly glanced away. “I’d better get her back. Rebel’s getting the vet organized. Don’t want to hold him up.”
Matt helped her out the door. “Let me carry that to the car for you.”
She shook her head. “No, please. It’s okay. I got it.” She tightened her grip on the cat cage and hurried away.
Matt stood wondering what he’d done wrong.
Grandpa slapped him on the back. “Don’t take it personal, young man. Lissa’s the shy type. Prefers animals to humans.”
“Why?”
“I think someone hurt her once, and she’s stuck to herself ever since. She used to be such a happy wee thing growing up. Now it’s the animals that get all of her love.” Grandpa waved as the car drove off. “Shame really. She’s such a sweet considerate person.”
“Seems pretty nice.” The kind of woman he’d like to get to know.
The old man gave him a sideways glance. “Reckon the only person with a chance would be another quiet soul who loves animals. She isn’t the party type, if you understand me.”
Matt cleared his throat. Everyone else on the ranch knew how shy he was. Stood to reason Grandpa would as well. “You know her well?”
“Yeah. You could say that.” He turned back into the stables. “That little dog of Toby’s came from Lissa and Rebel’s place. Angels they are. Our own angels.”
Chapter Two
“We’re going to have to deliver the kittens before we can deal with that leg.” The vet wiped his hand over his forehead.
“Can you save it?” Rebel asked the question burning in Lissa’s mind.
Doc Appleby pursed his lips. “I’d like to say yes but to be honest, I don’t think I can. Both the femur and fibula are broken in more than one place. The calcaneus, or the heel, I guess you’d call it, is shattered.” He adjusted his glasses and pointed to the x-ray. “You can see it just there.”
Lissa moved closer. “What on earth happened to the poor thing?”
“I’d say she’s been run over at a guess.” Doc Appleby glanced at the unconscious cat. “Giving birth naturally after a major operation like an amputation would be a mistake. I vote we do a c-section now and then I’ll go ahead and take the leg. What do you say?”
“Do you think the kittens will survive?” A hollow ache settled in Lissa’s gut.
“From the size of her belly and what I can see on the x-ray, yeah. Hopefully they’re as close to full term as I think they are. But honestly, those kittens stand a better chance if we deliver them now. So does the mama cat.”
Lissa shared a glance with Rebel. The cost was the first thing that came to mind. They were almost out of money and this operation was going to be expensive.
“Go ahead.” Rebel smiled. “I had a call when Lissa was out picking mama kitty up offering to pay for all costs associated with her care. And, if we have trouble finding a home for her, Matt, the man who found her, will put his hand up.”
“Matt?” Surely not!
“Yeah, you probably saw him. Remember the guy from the bar who kept giving you the eye?”
She shrugged, not ready to be drawn into something she couldn’t control. Give Rebel a spark of interest and she would be toast. Lissa would never hear the end of it. “No. But good on him.” Inside her belly was a mess of tangled nerves.
“Right. Let’s get on with it then.” Doc Appleby pulled up his mask and started work.
Half an hour later Lissa rubbed the last kitten dry and placed it on a warming mat with the others before covering it with a heated blanket. Five tiny little bundles of black and white fluff. Super cute. Her heart melted. Babies, no matter what breed, made her warm inside.
A couple of hours later, Doc Appleby walked out of the operating room and stripped off his gown with a weary smile. “Done.”
“Is she okay?”
“Yeah. I did the best I could. She’ll manage without that leg. How about taking her babies in? They’re probably desperate for their mama by now. Poor little mites.”
Lissa gathered up the kittens and took them into the still unconscious cat. With any luck she would sleep most of the night. Doc had put her into a cage to recuperate and Lissa leaned down and put each kitten in, positioning them against her belly.
“They know what to do.” Doc stood behind her. “I’ve left notes for her medication but I’ll call back in the morning and see how she’s going.” He smiled as the kittens attached themselves to her nipples, pushing with their tiny paws on her belly. “Mother Nature is amazing, isn’t she?”
“She sure is.”
“I’ll see you in the morning, Lissa.”
“Thanks, Doc. Appreciate your work.”
“The guy that brought the cat in and called offering to pay for her surgery. Something about him sounds familiar. Didn’t we see him at the bar?” Rebel nudged her hip into Lissa’s, a frown on her face as she wracked her brain.
“We did.” She chewed on her lip, refusing to connect the dots for her.
Rebel’s mouth dropped open the moment she figured out who Matt was. “The guy who kept giving you the eye but didn’t bother to come over. I thought he was with someone else and that was why. What happened? How did he find you?”
Lissa grabbed her arm and dragged her into the recovery room where the mama cat cleaned her kittens. “He saw me when I went to pick her up. Remembered me.”
Rebel grinned. “Ah, now I get it. He’s making a play for you, girl. Mark my words.”
“He is not. He’s just an animal lover.” Which made him all the more desirable in her mind.
Rebel clapped her hands and squealed. “Oh my goodness. I’m thrilled for y’all. You know I despaired of you ever finding someone who was your perfect mate. All it took was an injured cat and everything falls together. Rescued by the kitty!”
“Stop it.” As much as she tried not to get excited, Lissa couldn’t help the small glimmer of hope rising in her chest.
“Whatever, lovely. This may be your chance to make a move on him since you refuse to go out with me anymore. Listen, I have to go and deal with the horses. You okay in here?”
“Yep. Just checking this little lady and her babies. Go do what you gotta do.”
The phone rang as Rebel walked outside and Lissa grabbed it. “Hello. Rescue Ranch.”
Chapter Three
“Is that Lissa?”
“Yes.”
Why did he feel inadequate now? Earlier today he hadn’t felt nervous seeing her. Now he’d had time to think about it, probably overthink it, nerves kicked in like they always did. “I wanted to check on the mama cat. Did she make it?”
“Yes she did.”
He imagined her smiling. The wariness had gone from her voice and sunshine and warmth came over the line.
“Her babies are doing fine too. I was just going to go and check on them.” She cleared her throat. “I wanted to thank you for your offer to pay for her operation.”
“Least I could do. Don’t like to see any animal suffer.”
“Me either.”
Matt struggled to find more words to keep the conversation going.
“Well, I’d better go and see how she is.” Lissa paused a moment. “Did you want to come and visit her sometime?”
“Yes!” That came out too fast. “I mean, sure. I’d love to.”
“Okay then. Well, let me know when you want to call over and I’ll make sure someone is here to show you around.”
Matt would prefer it was Lissa, not anyone else.
“Right.”
“Oh, I almost forgot. She had five babies. Five healthy babies.”
“That’s great. I’m pleased they’re doing great.”
“Ok, I’d better go. Speak to you again, Matt.”
You can count on it.
It was only a couple of days later he managed to get over and visit. “They sure are cute.” Matt crouched down and stroked one of the kittens. He’d never felt such soft fur before.
“They are. And they’re growing so fast too. Their mama is doing a great job.”
He glanced at Lissa leaning on the bank of cages, and noted the pink tinge to her cheeks. Had he put that color there? He swallowed. Might as well get it over with, cowboy. She can only say no.
He stood up, adjusted his belt while finding the words. “Listen. I wondered if you’d like to go out one night? Maybe we could get dinner somewhere.”
She stared at him and his hopes dipped.
“Or if you like we can take a walk. Watch the stars. Whatever you like.” Now he was blabbering. He should shut up before she started to wonder what the heck was wrong with him.
“A walk?”
“Or dinner or drinks. Whatever you like.”
“I’m not keen on drinks or going to a bar. It’s not my thing.”
He tilted his head. “But I saw you in a bar. Surely…
Lissa held up a hand. “Stop right there. Rebel talked me into going that night. I don’t like bars nor do I enjoy anything noisy. That was a once-in-a-lifetime thing I regretted the minute I stepped into the room.” She stared at him with defiance in her eyes. “I prefer more sedate evenings so if you’re thinking you’re going to get a good-time girl by asking me out, forget it.”
He grinned. “Really? You hate bars and clubs?”
She looked away. Her shoulders slumped. “Yeah. Now, if there’s nothing else, I have work to do.”
“Wait.” Matt shut the cage door before he followed her out. “I do too.” This just might work out better than he hoped.
She paused and he almost ran into her.
“I know what you’re thinking and you’re wrong. I was out with the boys because they insisted it was the only way I would find a girl. I’m not into drinking much either. I prefer sunsets, watching a fire or talking with friends. Bars are not my thing. Apparently I’m a lost cause if you listen to the boys.”
A smile curved her lips and Matt was lost for sure.
“Me too. I also prefer animals to most humans because they’re not deceitful and always show their true feelings. Show them a bit of love and take care of them and they’ll do the same.”
She folded her arms and listened to him.
“I grew up in a small town itching to get out and see how the other half lived. Didn’t take me long to figure out I hated it.” He bent down when a little dog came running out of the office and sniffed his boots. “Hey, fellow. How y’all doing?”
“That’s Conker. He’s Rebel’s dog.” She swallowed. “So, sunsets and a fire?”
“Yeah. We could put a BBQ plate on it and cook dinner if you like. Be nice to watch the sun go down. What do you say?”
“Sounds lovely.”
He pushed his hat back a little and relaxed for the first time since he’d walked in the door. “How about this weekend? We can go to my place. No ranch house yet, just an old cabin that isn’t good for much but I’ll get around to building a home one day. I can show you where I want to build. There’s a hill overlooking the pasture that leads down to the river.”
She was beginning to get that warm fuzzy feeling listening to Matt talk about his ranch. How could she have got it so wrong?
“I don’t hold with partying much. Rather save my dollars for my house and cattle.”
“I’m pleased to hear it. I’m not much of a party person either.”
He grinned. “So we both failed the bar test…
Lissa rolled her eyes. “We sure did. Rebel talked me into going insisting I’d find the man of my dreams there.” She said that out loud! Had she no shame? A self-conscious blush crept up her cheeks and she dipped her head. Maybe she had found him. Was she tempted to find out? “So, your place. Where is it exactly?”
“Wishbone Circuit. It’s only a small property, but I worked hard for it. It’ll be big enough for my family to live off of. Might even raise me some cattle and work part-time for the Wilsons.”
“I’m guessing you’ll have a barn eventually.”
“I sure hope so.” He glanced back at the room where mama cat lay recuperating with her babies. “I’d like to be able to give her a home. Reckon I owe it to her.”
“You’ve done so much for her already. I’m happy to find a home for her when the kittens are big enough to leave if you’d rather. You don’t owe her any more than you’ve already paid.”
Matt shook his head. “No, but thanks. Far as I’m concerned, she brought us together. I’ll give her somewhere with folk that love her for as long as she lives.”
Heat raced up Lissa’s cheeks. “You’re very sure of yourself, cowboy.”
“Not really. But I figure you and I stand a pretty good chance. I’m going to take it with both hands and see how we go. Regardless, she has a home with me.” He stroked his finger under her jaw and she shivered. He was pushing all the right buttons. She was almost a quivering mess.
“What time do you want me to pick you up Saturday night?”
She swallowed and found her voice. “Let me know what time you get off work and I’ll be ready.”
Lissa had never been more ready for a date in her life. Matt was right. The more she thought about it, the more they fit together. Small things. Important things.
“I’ll see you then. Bye now.” He brushed his lips softly over hers and walked out, a spring in his step, before she could react, leaving her stunned.
Rebel breezed in, stared at Lissa and the retreating form of Matt as he headed to his truck. “Who was that?”
Lissa gave her a soppy smile. “That’s the man I’m going to marry.”
Lissa laughed, excitement rising in her chest. She couldn’t wait for the weekend to arrive. She was going on a date. The first one that felt right.
Ann B. Harrison alternates her time between writing small town and western stories and has a passion for second chance romances. She’s often caught staring out the window of her office where her red Ragdoll cat Benson owns the keyboard and demands much of her attention.
Find out more at www.annbharrison.net.
17
The Curse of Gold
by A.G. Marshall
Spinning straw to gold is easy.
Naming her cat just might be the death of her.
(A Retelling of Rumpelstiltskin)
It started on my thirteenth birthday. A tingling in my fingers that grew more and more unbearable throughout the day. I tucked my hands into my apron pocket and ignored it. I pretended everything was fine even though Da was giving me sideways glances like I might sprout wings.
The tingle turned to burning so fierce I was sure I’d ignite whatever I touched. I gritted my teeth and wiped my tears away with my sleeve.
“Just do it, Emily,” Da said. “Ye can’t fight it.”
I fought for another hour, but the magic demanded to be used. I searched the house for the least flammable thing I could find and pressed my hands against the rough stone wall of our cottage. Magic trickled out, and my fingers cooled until they felt like my own again.
“Glory be,” Da breathed.
I opened my eyes and stared at the wall. Two handprints made of gold dust shimmered on the rocks. I clasped my hands behind my back as if hiding them could hide the truth of my new power. The gold flickered in the firelight, glowing nearly as red as my hair.
Da rubbed his finger along the wall, caressing the gold with a fond light in his eyes. He didn’t bother to collect the dust. We both knew there would be more.
His smile said all his troubles were over, but I knew mine was just beginning. M
y worst fears had been confirmed.
My mother was fae. Probably a leprechaun since I had received the golden touch, but I didn’t know enough about fae to say for sure. At least this explained why she had disappeared so suddenly. Fae were tricky like that.
When I was small, I dared to hope she had simply been flighty. That she had run off with the butcher or baker or candlestick maker and left me to fend for myself.
But she had left me much more than that.
Whatever magic made fae so capricious hated being held captive in human hands. I understood now why fae always left. I wanted to run and never look back, but where could I go? The magic wanted out, and it manifested in gold. I couldn’t risk showing that to strangers. The gleam in my father’s eyes was bad enough.
By the time I turned sixteen, the burning was so fierce I didn’t dare leave the house for fear I would accidentally leave gold dust on something or someone. It was around then that the cat came. I don’t remember him arriving. One day there was a cat in the house, and I had the strange feeling he had been there for some time.
“Where did you come from?”
He stared at me with bright green eyes that matched my own. Other than his eyes, he was not a particularly attractive cat. His fur was gray and matted, and his bony tail had a crook at the end.
I pulled on the doorknob which had long since turned to gold. Our cottage looked like the palace of a very eccentric king or a very incompetent goldsmith. Our tin plates and wooden spoons and rough stone walls had all been subjected to the curse. Da had quit working as a woodcutter and sold gold in the capital city instead. He was always very careful not to touch me, just in case. I stayed behind, wondering what he told my friends in the village to keep them away.
“Go,” I said. “It’s not safe for you here.”
The cat yawned as if none of this mattered.
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