Come Hell or High Water

by Nancy M Bell

  Come Hell Or High Water

  A Longview Romance – Book 2

  By

  Nancy M Bell

  Digital ISBN

  EPUB 9781771454940

  MOBI 9781771454933

  PDF 9781771454926

  Print ISBN

  9781771455022

  Published By

  Copyright 2015 by Nancy M Bell

  Cover Art by Michelle Lee Copyright 2015

  All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the publisher of this book

  * * *

  Dedication:

  For Shelby, Gracie, Sydney, Livy, Autumn, Paige, and Brooke. Follow your dreams.

  Acknowledgments:

  I am indebted to the following people for their help. My beta reader and number one fan, Catherine Heer for her advice and comments. WPCA chuck wagon driver Jordie Fike for his help with all things to do with wagon racing. Any errors are mine. Special thanks to Dr. C.D. Bell, B.Sc, DVM, MVetSc, DACVS, for his help and information regarding all things veterinary in this work. Any errors in the translation from doctor speak to layperson are mine. This book is better for their involvement and I am most grateful to them.

  Chapter One

  “C’mon, Storm.” Michelle Wilson waited for the three-legged dog to make her way toward the truck. The black dog loped along in her own peculiar gait, tongue lolling out of her mouth.

  Doc’s wife, Mary, followed her down the path. She waited while Michelle got the dog settled in the truck and then leaned against the fender. “I’m worried about Luke, Chelly. He won’t slow down and he’s wearing himself to the bone.” She wasted no time in sharing her fears out of the hearing of her husband of forty years.

  “Is he still not feeling well? I know Cale is taking as many calls as he can to spare Doc from going out at night.” Michelle glanced toward the surgery attached to the house behind Mary. “You need to hog tie that man of yours, woman.” She smiled and patted her friend’s arm.

  “I might as well try and rope the wind. You know what he’s like, stubborn as a mule and twice as ornery if you push too hard.”

  “Do you want me to ask Cale to speak to him about taking it easier? That’s why he agreed to take him on as a partner in the first place.”

  “In theory, it sounds good, but Luke just can’t seem to step back. I’m afraid he’s going to drop in the traces one day. I made him an appointment with Doc Lewen but the old fool keeps finding excuses not to go.” Mary dabbed at her eyes with the corner of her apron.

  “If you’re really that concerned, I’ll talk to Cale when he gets home later. He’s got surgeries most of the day. Maybe we can finagle a way to get that locum vet who was here at Christmas to come in for a bit. Can’t remember her name at the moment. Rodeo starts soon and you know how Doc loves to hang around the chutes with his buddies.”

  Mary brightened. “That might just work, you know. See what your Cale thinks about that. By the way, have you seen Rob lately?”

  “Not hardly. That boy needs to keep his ass home with one he married and quit nosing around me. He dumped me, for crap’s sake, and I’m so done with him. Now he wants what he can’t have. You’d think he’d have his hands full with Kayla and those dressage horses of hers. Why do you ask?” Michelle frowned at the match making older woman.

  “Kayla dropped in the other day to pick up some wormer and some of Luke’s special liniment.”

  “And…” Michelle prompted.

  “Well, it’s just she was asking if you’d mentioned anything about Rob hanging around the old place. Sounds like he’s been coming home pretty late, and sometimes not at all. What with rodeo about to start and her going down the road in a different direction with those fancy horses of hers, I imagine she’s a mite worried.”

  “First off, it’s not his ‘old place’ anymore, it’s Cale’s now and there’s no reason for Rob to be hanging around. I haven’t seen him at any rate, so you can tell Kayla to bark up another tree. I think that boy did me a good deed when he dumped me. I don’t envy her trying to keep tabs on him. Lord knows I tried for enough years.”

  “You’ve got a good man in Cale Benjamin, Chelly. Don’t do something stupid if Rob Chetwynd comes crawling back with his hat in his hand. He always could wrap you around his little finger.”

  Michelle opened the truck door and slid into the driver’s seat. Depressing the clutch she started the engine. After rolling down the window she closed the door. “Mary, the chances of me taking up with Rob again are slim to none. I’m not the starry eyed idiot I was, and I see him for what he is. He’s got that bad boy cowboy charm thing going on, but he’s not in it for the long haul. I’m surprised that girl got him as far as the altar to tell you the truth. He must have been stinking drunk.”

  “How did that happen anyway? Why weren’t you in Vegas with him, you two fightin’ at the time?”

  “As usual, George was away at the rigs and I couldn’t get anyone to mind the stock while I went gallivanting off to the NFR. I had a hard enough time getting up to Edmonton for the CFR in November, remember? That was a royal waste of time as far as spending time with Rob was concerned anyway. He was off with his drinkin’ buddies and running around most of the time. He was acting strange even then. I should have known something was up.”

  “You think he was cheatin’ on you at Canadian Finals before the National Finals Rodeo in Vegas?”

  “I didn’t at the time. Just thought Rob was bein’, well, Rob. If you know what I mean. Now, yeah, I think he was eating grass on both sides of the fence. That might even have been where he met Kayla for the first time, I’ve never asked her about it.”

  “Might be best to let sleeping dogs lie, Chelly,” Mary advised.

  “You’re probably right. But, back to Doc. I promise I’ll talk to Cale about seeing what he can do to get Doc to slow down some. I gotta go, Mary. You take care and call me if you need anything.”

  Mary stepped back from the truck and waved as Michelle pulled out of the gravel parking area behind the clinic. Storm squirmed to get comfortable and laid her head on Michelle’s knee. She turned the truck south when she reversed onto the road. The parking lot of the hotel was full of big bikes when she passed, probably guys down from Calgary for a drink. She shook her head. The allure of straddling a noisy machine when you could be riding a horse escaped her.

  “Road trip, Storm. Gotta go to High River and pick up some feed for the horses.” Michelle turned left onto the old Coal Trail road that cut across country between the two towns. What the hell is Rob up to now?” . The black dog sighed and closed her eyes. “I know, dog. It’s none of my business and I should stay out of it.” Storm opened one eye and yawned. Michelle reached to turn up the radio at the same time her cell phone rang. She punched the button on the hands-free even though it didn’t identify the caller. If it was a marketing call she was in just the mood to rip a strip off them. “Hey.”

  “Chelly, hey, it’s me,” Rob Chetwynd’s voice crackled over the connection.

  “Rob? Why the hell are you calling me?”

  “Chelly, I need help. Can you come pick me up?”

  She glared at the Bluetooth for a moment and shook her head. “I’m halfway to High River, where are you, and for God’s sake why didn’t you call Kayla? You know, the girl you married?”

  Rob mumbled something unintelligible.

  “What did you say? Where are you? What have you done now?”

  “I’m at t
he cop shop in Okotoks…I need a ride.” His tone was self-pitying.

  “Where’s your truck? Look, I’m almost to High River. I gotta pick up some feed. Why can’t Kayla go and get you?”

  “She’s mad at me…again.”

  “Probably with good cause, Rob. Can’t you call your mom, then?”

  “She’s on Kayla’s side, even though she’s still pissed at me for dumping you like I did.”

  “Where’s your truck?”

  “It’s impounded. I got caught in a check stop and—”

  “Rob, for God’s sake! How stupid are you? You could have killed someone…”

  “I know, I know. Kay already read me the riot act and told me to walk home,” he sounded aggrieved. “C’mon Chelly, you always used to bail me out. Just this one more time, for old time’s sake?”

  She debated for a moment, torn between common sense which said to let him rot where he was and her old ingrained habit of bailing him out whenever he got in over his head. “Fine. I’ll come after I finish at the UFA.” She broke the connection and slammed her palm on the wheel. Damn idiot, driving drunk. He must have a million angels watching over him. Michelle considered calling Kayla, but dismissed the idea. The last thing she needed was to hear her belly ache about what a dink her husband was. Like I don’t already know. She pulled into the UFA and picked up the supplies in short order. Gritting her teeth she turned the truck north on Highway 2A toward Okotoks.

  Chapter Two

  Michelle pulled into the Tim’s drive through on the south end of Okotoks and ordered a medium double-double and an extra-large black coffee along with two donut holes for Storm. The big dog wolfed them down and licked her chops. Michelle snugged the coffees into the cup holder and ruffled the dog’s hair.

  “I must be losing my mind helping the idiot out. Maybe I should let him walk home.” She giggled at the thought. Signaling, she pulled out into traffic and drove straight to the RCMP station. Telling Storm to stay, she parked in the shade and left the window down a bit. Rob met her at the end of the sidewalk, just inside the glass doors.

  “Chelly Belly! I knew you’d come!” Rob hugged her and planted a sloppy kiss on her cheek.

  “God, Rob! You reek. Don’t call me that stupid name anymore or you will be walking home. What rot gut have you been drinking?” She disengaged herself from his clutches and turned on her heel. Without waiting to see if he was following she stalked back to the pick-up and opened the door. Rob arrived at the passenger side as she slid into the driver seat.

  “Dog, get your ass in the back. Go on, git,” Rob demanded wrenching open the door.

  “Storm, stay,” Michelle ordered. “You get in the back, Rob. I can’t stand the stink of you, and I like the dog’s company better than yours.”

  “You’re kidding, right?” Rob raised his eyebrows, stopping with his hand on the door.

  “Nope, dead serious. Either get in the back, or start walking.” She grinned at the incredulous expression on his face.

  Grumbling under his breath he climbed into the back seat, stretched out and covered his face with his Stetson. Michelle had hardly left the parking lot before snores emanated from the rear of the cab. Storm huffed, turned around a couple of times and collapsed on the passenger seat with a sigh of contentment. Michelle turned up the radio to drown out the snores from the back seat and made good time as she headed back south.

  She pulled into the Esso on the north end of Longview and parked. “Rob, wake up. Where do you want me to drop you?” The recumbent figure in the back mumbled and tried to roll over. “Rob!” She turned and smacked him until he whipped the hat off his face and sat up.

  “Leave off, Chelly. I’m up. What do you want?” He rubbed his face and blinked at her with bleary eyes. “Where are we?”

  “The Esso in town. Where do you want me to drop you?”

  “Hell, I don’t know. I sure don’t want to go home and get my ear chewed off by Kayla.”

  “Your mom’s, then?” Michelle put the truck in gear.

  “Shit, no! She’s just as bad. I’ll come out to the ranch with you. I can crash in the old bunkhouse—”

  “Not happening, cowboy. I’ll drop you at the Twin Cities. You can figure it out from there.”

  “Chelly, Chelly, what’s happened to you? Where’s my sweet little buckle bunny?” He half-climbed into the front seat and attempted to kiss her.

  “Sit down, you ass. I’m not your anything, and I was never your buckle bunny.” She shoved him hard enough to knock him into the back seat again. Before he could mount another attack she gunned the engine and pulled onto the blacktop. It only took a minute to get to the south end of town where she stopped at the gravel entrance to the hotel. “Get out.”

  “Aw, c’mon, Chelly—”

  “Get out, now,” she ordered.

  “I don’t wanna.” Rob crossed his arms over his chest. “Make me.”

  “Oh for the love of God…” Michelle got out and stomped around to the other side. Wrenching open the door, she grabbed Rob by the ear and hauled him out. He landed in a heap on the gravel. “I said, get out!”

  “Not fair! You used Mom’s old trick.” He attempted to stagger to his feet.

  Michelle shoved him back down, slammed the rear door, and strode back to the driver side and got in. Before he could scramble to his feet she punched the accelerator and spewed gravel as she left the lot. Storm, roused by the noise, sat up and peered out the back window.

  “Don’t worry about it, girl. Let’s get home and start chores.”

  Passing the vet clinic she noticed Cale’s truck was still parked out back. Hopefully, Doc was spending some time with Mary and not out running the roads doing farm calls. Ten minutes later she turned onto the ranch road. She passed by the lane to her childhood home. Stacey must be making out all right with George back on the rigs. Michelle hadn’t gotten any panicked phone calls for help in the past week from the city girl her brother had taken up with at Christmas. What her brother saw in the woman was beyond Michelle. She might be shacked up with George, but Michelle was pretty sure the little blonde still had her sights set on Cale. Just old friends, my ass. If Cale believed that line of bull, she certainly didn’t. The engine growled as it geared down for the steep incline into the coulee and up the far side, rounding the curve she drove through the gatepost proclaiming she was entering the Chetwynd Ranch. Cale really needed to get around to changing that. There just hadn’t been time before the winter set in when he’d bought the place last fall.

  It was kind of weird living with Cale in the house she thought she’d be living in with Rob after they were married. Life was really surprising sometimes. Who would have thought Mrs. Chetwynd would sell the ranch. It was true Rob never showed much of an interest until after the sale was final, but he’d been on the rodeo road so much he was never home anyway. Mrs. Chetwynd didn’t want to stay there alone after her husband died, and it was beyond her to manage the livestock and maintenance by herself. Something Rob didn’t appear to have taken into consideration.

  “Good for us though, right Storm?” Michelle smiled at the animal beside her. Storm woofed and put her paw up on the dash peering through the windshield. “Yes, we’re home, mutt. Your crazy puppy will be needing to go for a pee.” Michelle pulled up by the chicken coop, let Storm out, and released Crazy Puppy from the mudroom of the house. I really need to figure out a better name for that hound. She waited while the dogs did their business, taking the opportunity to check on the cows down in the lower pasture and the horses in the corrals by the barn. When the dogs were done, she let them into the mudroom and closed the door. It only took a few minutes to transfer the feed from the truck to the feed room in the barn. She threw the horses some hay before heading to the house. Although the weather had warmed in the last few weeks it was a dry spring and the prairie still held to its buckskin colour tinted with just a hint of new grass. If they didn’t get some moisture soon she’d have to haul another round bale down to the lower fiel
ds in the coulee for the stock. The wind picked up as she crossed the yard sending dust devils spinning across the hard packed ground.

  Knocking the dirt from her boots she jumped up the two steps to the porch and let herself into the mud room. Storm thumped her tail and stared at the door to the kitchen while Crazy Puppy spun in circles. Michelle removed her coat and boots and let them both into the warm kitchen. She glanced at the clock. Three o’clock. Cale wouldn’t be home for at least a couple of hours, maybe more depending on the surgeries, and if there were any emergency calls. Crossing the kitchen she entered what had been the parlour at one time, Cale had turned it into an office. Humming under her breath she opened the laptop on the old oak desk. Leaving it to boot up and connect to the internet, she went back to the kitchen and filled dog’s dishes. Once the dogs had eaten, Michelle put fresh water down. The youngster galloped around the room yelping at his mother. Storm pinned him down with her one front paw and proceeded to wash his face. Chuckling, Michelle started the coffee pot and stuck her head in the fridge to see what the possibilities were for supper. Leftovers, she decided. Gramma’s hash looked good. Left over beef, some potatoes, and vegetables. No prep, she’d just start it when Cale got home. That taken care of, she went through to the office and called up the database for the ranch program.

  Pawing through the papers scattered on the desk she found the needed data on the bred cows and set about entering it. She paused to turn on the lamp when the natural light faded. Glancing out the picture window she smiled at the golden orange sunset. Rising, Michelle stretched and wandered over to kneel on the big chair by the window. Resting her chin on her arms on the back of the chair she gazed at the ever changing spectacle in the western sky. Across the coulee, lights winked on in the Wilson homestead. It was still half hers, really. But George and his little blond were welcome to it for the moment. No way she was going to live under the same roof as Stacey, not when it was pretty clear she was still interested in Cale. Besides, it was nice living here with Cale, making new memories with him to chase out the old ones of her childhood infatuation with Rob Chetwynd. Not that all the memories were bad, of course. She had loved Rob’s Gramma Harner, and Mrs. Chetwynd had always been kind to her, still was when it came to that.