by Lori Ryan
A far cry from the socialites in Boston she grew up with. Images of her ex-fiancé flashed in her mind.
Bryce Van Wyck.
Or Van-dick as Kayleigh now thought of him. How had she not known he’d be a total douchebag with a name like Bryce Van Wyck?
“Kayleigh?”
Aaron’s deep voice brought her back to the present.
“Oh, sorry, what?”
“I said, I accepted your apology, now are you going to accept mine, once and for all?”
“My apology was for almost running over a curb.”
“You could have killed me,” Aaron said with a mock tone of concern.
“Fine,” she huffed. “I forgive you.”
“Good,” Aaron smiled.
Oh wow. That smile.
“But I reserve the right to give you shit about it from time to time,” she amended.
He shook his head. “Fine. But I reserve the right to—”
Kayleigh’s phone cut in. A song she’d put in as the ring tone sounded through her Jeep. I said there’s something ‘bout the bad boys that makes the good girls fall in love sang through the car.
Aaron laughed as he looked around.
“Crap,” she muttered, pressing the button on her steering wheel to answer the incoming call. “What’s happened now, George?”
George Lucado wouldn’t call this late if it wasn’t something urgent at the Rutherford Ranch. “It’s Sunshine,” he said, alarm in his voice.
Sunshine was a mare his workers used to herd cattle. She was sweet, steady, and strong. The kind of horse you wanted on a ranch.
Unless she was pregnant. This was Sunshine’s third foal, and with each pregnancy she’d been jumpier than the last. Once she foaled, Kayleigh knew the mare would be fine, but until that day, Sunshine was a cantankerous momma-to-be.
Most horses didn’t act that way, but Kayleigh wasn’t sure she could blame her. When you took into account the size of the foal and all those gangly legs in there knocking into organs and ribs, well, Kayleigh just thought it made sense for the poor girl to be fussy.
“What happened to her?” She asked, focusing on the call.
“She got crabby again and started jumping around in her stall. She bashed her head into the feeder when Austin went in to brush her down tonight.”
“She needs a steadier hand right now than Austin, you know that. The kid is wound tighter than Dick’s hat band.”
“Tighter than what?” Aaron asked.
Kayleigh shushed him. “Does she have any injuries?”
“She’s got a huge gash, Doc. Probably a six-inch flap of skin hanging off her forehead.”
“Did she damage her eye?” An eye injury could be devastating for a horse.
“No, thank goodness,” George said.
Kayleigh glanced back in her Jeep. It was loaded with metal supply boxes for just this purpose. She had a mini-mobile vet clinic in the back.
“Okay, well, flush out the exposed skin,” she said.
“We’re trying to, Doc, but she’s really flipping shit here.”
“Try to keep her calm, George, we don’t want anything to happen to her foal.”
“Can you come out, Doc? She’s going to need stitches for sure. And you’ve always had a gentle hand with her.”
Kayleigh sighed under her breath. So much for a relaxing evening. “Yeah, George, I’ll be there. I’m just leaving Denver though, so it will be awhile. Can you calm her down until I get there? That’s the most important thing.”
“Yeah, Izzie’s here. Sunshine is always better when that girl’s around.”
Izzie was Isadora Rodriguez, the ten-year-old daughter of Manny Rodriguez, another ranch hand. Manny, Izzie, and Izzie’s grandmother all lived in a small house on the property. Unfortunately, Izzie’s mother thought crack cocaine was more important than raising a daughter. She’d left town when Izzie was only a few months old.
“Manny let Izzie come out this late?” Kayleigh asked. Manny was a very protective father.
“Yeah, he knows how dangerous this could turn out for Sunshine. Plus, Izzie could hear the horse crying all the way down at the house. There was no way that little girl wasn’t going to come to the stables tonight to be with the horse.”
It was an unspoken fact at Rutherford Ranch that Sunshine was Izzie’s horse, whether her name was on the registration papers or not.
“All right,” Kayleigh said, “well, try to keep everyone away from her, just Manny and Izzie.”
“I will,” George said.
“I’ll be there as fast as I can.”
“Thanks, Doc. We owe you. Big time.”
“Yeah, you do, George.”
George laughed and Kayleigh pressed the button on her steering wheel to end the call.
“That sounds bad,” Aaron said.
Kayleigh turned and stared at him, surprised he understood the gravity. Many people would think a cut on the head and a few stitches for a horse was no big deal.
“Yeah, it could turn real bad. Sunshine is pregnant and she’s a little bit cranky when she’s knocked up.”
“Is that a technical term?”
Kayleigh laughed. “You bet.”
”If she’s such a problem horse, why would they breed her?”
Kayleigh studied the man beside her. Was he really interested?
“It’s a long story. But I’ll tell you on one condition.”
“What’s that?” Aaron asked.
“You tell me why you’re home. Why did you come back to Canyon Creek?”
Aaron sat silent for several moments as if gathering his thoughts. She liked that about him.
“My mom needs help with the lodge. My brothers need me. It’s my turn.”
She didn’t believe him, not for a second. His father had been gone almost six months now. If he was truly concerned, he would have been home months ago.
“How long?” she asked.
Aaron glanced at her, his brows furrowed. “How long what?”
“How long will you be home?”
“I don’t know. It all depends.”
“On what?”
Aaron turned to face her. “You ask a lot of questions, you know that.”
She smiled and nodded. It had always been a fault of hers that often times got her into trouble. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to pry.”
“It’s okay.” He smiled and Kayleigh noticed crinkles at the edges of his eyes. For the first time she noticed how tired Aaron looked.
“I’ll drop you off at your mom’s then head out to Rutherford Ranch.”
“Rutherford Ranch? That’s where you’re headed?”
Kayleigh nodded.
“Thanks for picking me up, by the way.”
“No problem.”
They sat in comfortable silence for several miles.
“It sounds like it’s going to be a long night for you.” Aaron sound, sounding surprised.
“Yeah, pretty much. This is my life.”
“Do you love it?”
Kayleigh glanced at Aaron. “Love what?”
“Your life?”
“Yes,” she said with no hesitation. Most of the time, she thought.
“Wow, that didn’t take long.”
“Vet medicine is stressful and grueling and all the other stuff. But it’s exciting, and I never get bored. And it’s very rewarding work.”
“How so?” Aaron asked.
“To see the look of love on an owner’s face when you save their beloved pet, it’s priceless. Or when I help with the birth of a calf or horse, it’s just…a miracle.”
“Okay,” Aaron said quietly. “Wouldn’t necessarily have thought the birth of a cow was a miracle, but...”
Kayleigh shook her head. Of course he wouldn’t understand.
“What?” he asked.
“Nothing.”
“I’m beginning to believe your nothing is actually something.”
She tossed a scowl his way. “Every woman’s nothing is
something.”
“Then what is your nothing, Dr. Kayleigh Montgomery?”
“You wouldn’t get it.”
“Try me,” Aaron said.
Kayleigh stared at him. He seemed genuine.
“I really want to know,” he said quietly.
“Cows and horses provide the livelihood for people here in this part of Colorado. If a rancher loses even one animal, he could lose tens of thousands of dollars in projected sales and revenue.”
Aaron sat quietly, listening intently, it seemed.
“It’s more than money, though. They’re living creatures. They have a heart and a soul, just like us. Someone should care about them, shouldn’t they?”
“And that someone is you?” he asked.
“Never mind.” She didn’t have the energy to explain to Aaron just how much animals meant to her. When she’d found no love or acceptance at home, the animals on her grandmother’s farm had become her makeshift family, offering unconditional love.
“I get it,” Aaron said. “Well, I mean, I’d like to get it.”
“What does that mean?”
Aaron sat silently for a moment and Kayleigh didn’t push. “Nothing,” he finally said.
“Why does your nothing sound like a something?” Kayleigh smiled, glancing over at him.
A slow smile spread across his face. “Don’t you know?”
Kayleigh shook her head.
“Every man’s nothing means something, Dr. Montgomery,” he taunted.
Kayleigh leaned back and laughed. This was going to be a fun ride back to Canyon Creek after all.
Chapter Five
“Thanks for the ride,” Aaron said, pulling his luggage from Kayleigh’s Jeep.
“Need help with that?” Kayleigh asked. “Don’t want to risk your operating tools,” she said with a pointed grin at his hands.
Aaron had to force himself not to tense at her words. “Nope, I’ve got it, but thanks.”
Aaron settled his luggage on the ground. “Thanks again for the ride. I really appreciate it.”
“No problem,” Kayleigh said, leaning one hip against the Jeep. She crossed her arms under her breasts. She might not have meant to push them up, but the move did things to her body he had a hard time ignoring.
“Eyes up here, Doc.”
Aaron startled. “Oh, uh, sorry.” Jeez, since when had he started ogling women’s bodies?
“No, problem.” She pushed off the Jeep. “I’m used to it.”
“What do you mean?”
“Nothing.” She shook her head and opened the car door.
Aaron cocked a brow. “Didn’t you tell me that nothing always means something?”
She shrugged. “Tell your mom and Maggie I said hi.”
“Okay.” He caught himself just as he was about to close the door and leaned into the Jeep. “Thanks again for the ride, Kayleigh. I know it was a long drive and you’re probably tired.”
She smiled. “I’m okay.”
Aaron could see the small shadows of exhaustion under her eyes. “I could come with you, to the ranch I mean. Keep you company. Maybe help out.”
Where the hell had that come from?
“With a horse?” She laughed.
Aaron shrugged.
“No, I’ve got it. A rural vet is on call twenty-four seven.”
Aaron had never thought about her life being so hectic in a small town like Canyon Creek. Hell, he’d tried not to think of her at all after that kiss they shared at his brother’s wedding.
“Besides,” she said, breaking through his thoughts, “this is pet medicine.”
“I’m never going to live that down, am I?”
She smiled, small dimples creasing the corners of her soft lips. “Probably not.”
“Great,” Aaron muttered.
“Have a nice evening, Mr. Stroker.” Kayleigh roared with laughter.
“You, too, Ms. Cox.” Aaron shut the door, chuckling. He was uncomfortably aware that he hadn’t laughed this much in a long time.
He stood outside the lodge, watching as Kayleigh Montgomery pulled away. Her taillights trailed off into the darkness and Aaron felt a small twinge as she drove off. He would have liked to have gone with her.
“Aaron!” someone shouted behind him.
He turned. “Maggie.” He smiled, but his expression quickly fell when he took in her disheveled appearance.
Maggie’s hair was pulled back in a ponytail, but a good portion had worked its way free. Loose curls flew in every direction. Her khaki shorts were ripped, and the polo shirt she wore with the lodge’s logo on the chest was stained and untucked. Maggie Lawrence Sumner was what his Aunt Sally would call a hot mess.
And that wasn’t like his sister-in-law at all. Maggie believed in presenting a professional front at The Lodge at Canyon Creek.
“Is everything okay?” he asked.
“We have some plumbing problems.”
“Oh, no.”
“Yeah, well I think we’ve got it fixed. We had to cut off the water for a little while. Remind me never to rent a block of rooms to a bunch of frat boys.”
“What happened?”
“Things were shoved down toilets, tables overturned. Things happened in those rooms that I don’t even want to think about.” Maggie shuddered. “Thankfully the water’s back on, but we’ve got some pretty messy rooms.” Her eyes wide, she worked to catch her breath.
“So, what do you want me to do?”
Maggie held out a bucket and a rag. An impish grin spread across her face.
Oh shit.
“Seriously, Maggie?”
“Is your last name Sumner?” she asked.
He swallowed. Was it too late to change his name?
Maggie put her free hand on her hip. “It’s a family business, Aaron.”
He wondered if he tried to deny it, would she let him go?
“Come on.” She held open the door. “I’ll take you upstairs.”
He followed her through the lobby of The Lodge at Canyon Creek, the hotel his mother owned. With its imposing wooden rafters, wide pine floors and striking stone walls, the main room felt like you were stepping out into nature. Which was what his father had envisioned when he designed the building.
An award-winning architect, his father had drawn up plans not only for the lodge but for the wedding barn at the back of the property. He’d only lived to see part of his vision take shape. In the six months since his death, his family had worked hard to complete the renovations to the lodge and wedding barn, as well as the building of seven standalone cabins.
Standing in the middle of his father’s dream, Aaron was suddenly hit with an intense sense of loss. His father had been an integral part of his life, encouraging him anytime Aaron doubted himself.
If ever he doubted himself, it was now. What was he going to do if he couldn’t operate anymore? Part of him continued to believe he could tweak his medication and defeat the tremors, but there was a part of him that knew that might not happen.
“The rooms are on the second floor,” Maggie said, pointing to the large staircase. “You can’t miss them. The doors are open. Ben and Emmett should already be up there. All hands on deck, so to speak.” Maggie shrugged with an unapologetic smile.
“So, this is the life of a hotel manager?”
“This is the life of a Sumner.” Which Maggie was now, having married his oldest brother, Ben. “Never a dull moment.” She laughed but Aaron could hear the exhaustion in her voice, see it in her eyes.
“Where should I put this?” Aaron nodded toward his bag.
“I’ll put it in the office for now.”
“Okay, I’ll head upstairs.” He rolled up the sleeves on his shirt.
Maggie stepped closer, placing a small hand on his arms. “Thanks, Aaron, you’re a life saver.”
When he took the bucket from Maggie, he could see the small tremor in his hand. Shit. He squeezed the handle tight, quickly slipping the bucket behind his back, hopefully
before she noticed.
“How was your car ride from Denver?” She smirked.
“Did you really have to send Kayleigh? I know Canyon Creek is a small town, but still.”
Maggie’s barely suppressed laugh finally burst out. “Was it bad?” Her face scrunched.
“Nah, it was fine.” Better than fine. He wasn’t going to admit that, though. “She says she’s forgiven me. Forgetting is a different story. We’ll see.”
Maggie lifted on her toes and kissed Aaron on his cheek. “Thanks for being so understanding. It’s good to have you home.”
Aaron smiled at his sister-in-law. She wasn’t just beautiful outside. Maggie Lawrence—no, Sumner—had a kind soul. His brother couldn’t have picked a better woman to be his wife.
“Why are you home, by the way?” she asked.
He shook his head. It was the first of many questions Aaron knew he’d encounter. “Does a guy need a reason to visit his family?”
She raised a skeptical brow. “When that guy has a surgical fellowship at one of the country’s top hospitals, I’d say yeah, he needs a reason.”
Aaron didn’t answer.
“Well, it doesn’t matter.” Maggie waved a hand in the air. “I’m just glad you’re here. And thanks for helping.” She turned to leave but stopped. “Oh, and keep an eye on your brothers. Sometimes they tend to bicker more than they clean. And you know what Ben’s idea of clean is.” She used air quotes.
“Yes, I do. I shared a bedroom and bathroom with him for nearly twenty years.”
“’Nuff said.” She laughed, walking away. “Call my cell phone if you need anything.”
He climbed the staircase and walked down the hall. As he approached the first door he stopped just outside. The muffled voices of his brothers, arguing as usual, echoed from inside.
The scent of sewage mixed with bleach was overwhelming.
Aaron stepped through the open door and stood at the entry to the bathroom, watching with amusement as his brothers cleaned and scrubbed like twin Cinderellas.
“This is bullshit,” Emmett grumbled. “Why the hell am I up here scrubbing toilets?”
