The Courage to Try

by C. A. Popovich

  “I was lucky to get it. Four years after I moved here from Kentucky, the veterinarian who owned this place died of a heart attack and left it all to me. The property had been in his family for generations, but he was a confirmed bachelor and was determined that I carry on the tradition of the equine clinic. I plan to for as long as I’m able, and part of me wants to keep it only a horse clinic. But so much has changed in this area that I would be remiss to ignore the pet owners clamoring for help.”

  “I’m not sure how long it will take to sell my practice, but I’ll be in touch next week to let you know how it’s going. Thank you for showing me around.” Jaylin turned to Kristen. “I’m glad to meet you, Kristen. I look forward to working with you.”

  “You, too, Dr. Meyers. I’ll do what I can, but my expertise and interests lie in equine medicine. It’s been a long time since I’ve worked with dogs and cats.”

  “But you have experience with them, correct?” Jaylin met Kristen’s eyes.

  “I do. But I’m not sure…hey, do you need to leave right away? We could go get lunch and talk. Novi has some good restaurants.” Kristen hadn’t looked away, and Jaylin lowered her gaze and took a step back. She hadn’t wrestled with power struggles since Sally, and being reminded of her twice in less than two hours gave her a stomachache.

  Kristen smiled and turned to Bill. “Any suggestions as to where I should take the doc?”

  “You two can decide, but it’s a good idea. Go wherever you want, my treat. I’ve got a worming appointment to get to, or I’d join you. I look forward to hearing from you, Jaylin. Enjoy your lunch.” Bill left to gather his equipment, and Jaylin followed Kristen out to their cars.

  “Nice ride, by the way,” Kristen said.

  “Thanks. I’m sorry if I snapped at you earlier. I’m a little protective of it.”

  “No problem. I can get a little aggressive when I drive my Boxter.”

  “Shall I follow you somewhere? I don’t know the area well yet.” Jaylin looked perplexed.

  “Unless you’re afraid to ride with me, I can drive.” Kristen opened the passenger door of her car and waited for Jaylin’s response.

  Jaylin looked at her own car and back to the open door.

  “It’ll be fine there. Bill will be back in a couple of hours, and there won’t be any workers here until Monday.” Kristen hesitated. “Maybe it would be better if you drove yourself. That’ll give you a chance to get to know your way around.”

  Jaylin clicked the lock button on her car’s remote door lock and turned to face Kristen. “I’d enjoy a ride in that hot little sports car of yours.”

  Kristen lost herself in the sparkle of hazel and in Jaylin’s shy smile. It was time for her to distance herself and find out what Dr. Meyers expected from her. She shivered slightly at the thought.

  “Are you cold? I have a jacket in my car.”

  “No, I’m fine. Sorry. There’s a nice little bar and grill with outside seating. Do you like burgers and beer?”

  Jaylin settled into the low passenger seat and snapped the seat belt closed. “I love burgers and beer.”

  *

  “Is this place always so crowded?” Jaylin hadn’t expected so many people at three o’clock in the afternoon.

  “It has terrific food, and it’s been a long winter. Everyone’s out enjoying one of the first nice days we’ve had. Come on. I see an empty table on the terrace.” Kristin led her to the open seats, and pulled the chair out for her to sit.

  “Thanks. Are you always so chivalrous?” Kristen was quiet for so long, Jaylin thought she wouldn’t answer. “Never mind.”

  “No, that’s okay. It seems to come naturally for me.”

  “You enjoy being in control?” Jaylin knew she was skirting the edge of flirting, but she couldn’t seem to stop herself.

  “Yeah. I like being in control most of the time, but I’ve been known to let go a time or two.” Kristen grinned.

  Jaylin’s stomach fluttered. Careful. She shifted in her seat and rearranged her silverware before locking her gaze with Kristen’s. “I tried that once. It didn’t work out so well.”

  “He was a fool.” Kristen’s looked at her menu, then back to Jaylin. “Or she?”

  “She. And maybe so, but I was the foolish one.” Jaylin set down the menu and rested her elbows on the table. She needed to change the subject. “So, you prefer working with horses than small animals. Would you be willing to help me out though? Bill speaks highly of you.”

  Kristen looked up from her menu and hesitated before speaking. “I’ll tell Bill I’ll do it. It’s been a long time since I graduated, and I’ve been working strictly with horses, but I’m willing to give it a shot for a while.”

  “Thanks. I appreciate it. I don’t expect it will take me long to settle in. I guess we can talk about the time frame once I get moved.”

  The server taking their order interrupted their conversation.

  “Why do you want to move across the state, anyway?” Kristen asked.

  “I was raised in the Grand Rapids area. My practice in St. Clair has been good for me, but I think I’m ready for a change.” Jaylin took a sip of her beer.

  “Family?”

  “Nope.” Jaylin looked around and stifled the threatening tears as her brother’s image flashed in her mind’s eye. She twirled the beer bottle on the wet ring it made on the table. “How about you? How did you end up in Novi?”

  “I’ve lived here all my life. My parents moved here before I was born.” Kristen didn’t offer any further information, and they finished their lunch in uncomfortable silence.

  Jaylin wished she’d resisted the impulse to ride to the restaurant with Kristen. She needed to get home, back to her safe comfort zone.

  “You ready to head out, Dr. Meyers?”

  “Yes, and if we’re going to work together, please call me Jaylin.”

  “Will do, Jaylin.” Kristen stood and waited for Jaylin to stand before following her out. Then she smiled that damned disconcerting smile, and Jaylin hurried toward the car.

  The small sports car didn’t allow much room between them, and their shoulders brushed as Jaylin fastened her seat belt. Kristen’s jean clad legs moved seductively as she depressed the clutch, and her right hand tensed and relaxed as she caressed the shifter knob and smoothly shifted gears. Jaylin had felt those warm, soft fingers against her own when they’d first met, and she imagined she still felt the tingle in her palm.

  Kristen had lowered the top, and Jaylin watched the sun reflect off her thick mahogany hair. Her smooth looking sun kissed skin had a healthy glow. She turned and smiled at Jaylin, tilting her head as if she could feel Jaylin’s stare. She was beautiful. Jaylin wondered if she was making a mistake by moving. She couldn’t allow herself to get involved again. Sally had been enough of a lesson. At least she’d only have to work with Kristen for a few weeks. She’d make sure it wasn’t longer than that.

  Chapter Four

  Jaylin’s stomach knotted with nerves as she drove to her clinic. She had arranged for Rose and Nancy to meet her before they opened, so she’d have time to fill them in on the details of her move. She worried about their futures, although she had found an excellent veterinarian to take over her practice, and he was enthusiastic about keeping them on.

  “Thanks for coming in early, you guys.” Jaylin waited until they’d both picked out their warm bagels from the bag she’d brought and turned their attention to her. She took a settling breath before speaking. “I’ve sold the practice to a young veterinarian who’s moving from Ohio. I’ve checked his credentials, and he’s well respected in his current practice. His fiancé is from Michigan, so he’s excited to be able to move here, and he told me he’d love to have you both stay on and work with him. He’ll stop by next week to meet you both.”

  “So, when is this move taking place?” Rose asked.

  “It’ll be the third weekend in April. The new doctor, Dylan Nash, will be spending a few days working with us the last week b
efore I move. That should give you a sense of who he is and if you want to work with him.”

  “If you like him, that’s probably good enough for me,” Nancy said.

  “Yeah, you’re special, Dr. Jay, but we’re happy for your new adventure. We talked about it, and we both want you to keep in touch.” Rose’s voice hitched and she wiped away a tear.

  Jaylin allowed her own tears to form and opened her arms as Rose and Nancy moved into them for a good-bye hug.

  *

  The thought of moving didn’t bother Jaylin. She never minded packing and unpacking. It motivated her to rid herself of unnecessary stuff, and as she walked through her sparsely furnished condo, she knew she’d have no trouble finishing by the time the movers arrived.

  She only had one photo album encompassing her childhood. Like waves receding from a beach and rinsing the sand, she allowed the flashbacks of her multiple moves within foster care to wash over her and sweep away any residual anguish.

  Her other photo album chronicled her adult life. She’d torn up and burned, in a purging ritual, all but one of the snapshots she’d had of Sally. She kept one as a reminder of a life she never wanted to repeat. She gently placed the photographic records of her life in one of the open boxes neatly lining one wall of her living room. She’d been packing boxes all morning and had managed to fill and close up the last of them. The only items left to pack were the few toiletries in the bathroom she’d throw into her overnight bag.

  She dropped into her favorite swivel rocker, tipped her head back, and embraced the concept of starting a new chapter in her life. She’d been shuffled from home to home her whole childhood, never able to settle in one place. Material possessions and living conditions disappeared and changed without her control, so she was excited about the fenced yard attached to the small house she’d found to rent. She could work with Railroad as often as she’d like instead of traveling to a training facility like she did now, and she planned to pick up a new bird feeder on her first day off. This is going to be a great adventure.

  Chapter Five

  “Zigzag looked great out there, Kris. I think you two are a shoo-in to win the competition next weekend.”

  “He did do well, didn’t he?” Kristen grinned at Debby, her friend and fellow barrel race competitor. “He’s getting better with each practice, aren’t you, big guy?” She leaned over the withers of her chestnut Appaloosa gelding to pat his solid neck.

  “Are you going to enter the Camas Prairie Stump Race next week?” Debby asked.

  Kristen had considered the barrel race, which meant two horses starting at the same time but running in the opposite direction around the barrels. “I don’t think so. Zig is still new at this. I don’t want to spook him by starting out next to another horse.”

  “Shadow and I would be happy to walk through it with you. If we start out slowly, it’ll be easier for Zigzag to get used to it.”

  “Thanks.” Kristen dismounted and hugged her horse’s warm head when he rested his chin on her shoulder. “Maybe I’ll take you up on that. Right now, I have to go home and review my small animal notes from school. Dr. Berglund’s hired a new doctor, and I’ve agreed to help out for a while.”

  “Last time he was out to worm Shadow, he said he had fewer patients lately,” Debby said.

  “Well, I guess this new doctor will be working on smaller animals. She probably doesn’t know diddly-squat about horses.” Kristen rubbed Zigzag’s soft nose and turned to lead him back to the barn.

  “She, huh?” Deb’s eyes sparked with interest. “What’s her name?”

  “Jaylin Meyers,” Kristen said.

  “If she’s a vet, she probably knows something about all animals. Don’t they have to learn all of it in vet school?” Debby tugged Shadow’s reins and followed Kristen.

  “I guess so. I’m not looking forward to it, but I told Bill I’d be willing to help her transition into the practice.” Kristen led Zigzag into the barn. “I hope she doesn’t expect me to hold on to some feral cat while she pokes a thermometer up its butt.”

  “Well, be careful, and let me know if she’s hot.” Debby’s grin was predatory.

  “Geez, Deb. You’re such a player.”

  “Come on. You aren’t exactly Miss Prissy yourself.”

  “Yeah, but I get the impression that Jaylin isn’t the type to hop into bed with just anyone. In fact, I get the feeling she’s been burned before,” Kristen said. She began to brush Zigzag and pondered Jaylin’s “I was the foolish one” statement.

  Debby tied Shadow next to Zigzag. “I know you’re not interested in anything serious, but if you aren’t going to try to seduce her, maybe I can.”

  “Fine. Once she starts and I have my schedule, I’ll let you know how it goes.” For some reason, she didn’t want Debby near Jaylin.

  “Let me know when you want to get together to practice the stump racing,” Debby said.

  Kristen considered Debby’s statement as she waved and climbed into her pickup truck. She wasn’t interested in anything serious with Jaylin, or any other woman, for that matter. Jaylin was beautiful, but she couldn’t allow herself to get too close. She had responsibilities. She’d help Bill out and work with her for a few weeks, doing her job and keeping her distance. Content with her decision, she pulled out of the lot and forced images of Jaylin’s gentle smile out of her head.

  *

  Kristen tossed her car keys onto the kitchen counter and retrieved a beer from the refrigerator. She leaned against the refrigerator door and blew out a breath. She hadn’t expected her reaction to Jaylin, and if she couldn’t keep her attraction under control, it would be a long few weeks. She carried her beer to her deck, fired up her grill, and settled into her deck chair to read.

  Kristen focused her attention on everything she’d learned in school about the care of dogs and cats. She might have to ignore the lure of Dr. Jaylin Meyers, but there was no way she was going to appear incompetent in any way. She spent the next hour making notes and reviewing her textbooks. She worried about the age of the material, but decided she’d rely on Jaylin to know what she was doing. She stood and stretched her back, pushing aside further thoughts of Jaylin, which kept ending with her in her arms.

  She rinsed her plate and silverware and put them in her dishwasher before heading out to her barn to prepare the stalls and bring in her horse and pony. “Come on, you two. Time to settle in for the night.” The pony had been her mother’s, although she’d never had much interest in her. Kristen had kept her after her mother died as company for Zigzag and they’d become inseparable. She wondered why the bond between animals seemed so essential. She wasn’t convinced that was the case for humans. Her one attempt at a relationship had taught her extreme caution was necessary in dealing with any feeling for her soon-to-be new boss.

  *

  Kristen arrived half an hour early for her first day at work, surprised to see Jaylin’s car in the lot.

  “Good morning.” Jaylin was already in the exam room when Kristen entered.

  “Morning. I see you get an early start. I’m not late, am I?”

  “No. I’m used to getting in early to check on surgery patients. Since we have none, I suppose I’ll make us some coffee and we can wait outside,” Jaylin said.

  “Are we busy today?” Kristen followed Jaylin to the kitchenette and pulled out two coffee cups from the small cupboard.

  “Sarah says we have three dogs and a cat coming in. It sounds as if the first dog needs a flea bath.”

  “Do you do flea baths?” Kristen nearly choked on the question. She hadn’t signed up for grooming duties.

  “No. If that’s what’s necessary, I’ll send them to the groomer in town. I’ve already contacted her and confirmed we could refer patients to her. The owner told Sarah that the dog wouldn’t stop scratching herself.” Jaylin filled their cups and headed out the back door. “We’ll make sure she isn’t anemic and give the owner the lecture on flea control. I’m going to fill the bird feeder b
efore I sit.” Jaylin dumped seed into the squirrel-proof feeder and returned to the table.

  So far so good. Kristen’s nerves settled in the presence of Jaylin’s calm. She pulled out a chair for Jaylin to sit and relaxed into one across from her. She watched the early morning sun glint off Jaylin’s shiny hair. She looked serene and confident, and Kristen mentally shook herself as her thoughts strayed toward exploration of Jaylin’s full lips.

  “I just want to thank you again for doing this, Kristen. I know you’d rather be working with horses.” Jaylin smiled.

  “That’s true, but there’s a small part of me that wants to see how much I’ll remember from my classes. A very small part.” Kristen grinned over her coffee cup. “I know we didn’t get off to the smoothest start, but I’ll do my best to help you out.”

  “I’m responsible for a large part of that rocky start, so thanks,” Jaylin said.

  “Did your move go well? Bill told me you found a little house to rent in town.”

  “I did. I was surprised how quickly I found something. It’s perfect for me and Railroad.”

  “Who’s Railroad?” Kristen figured it must be a pet, but she wanted to keep Jaylin talking. She liked her voice.

  “She’s my rescue dog. I got her in November, and I’ve been working on obedience training with her. She’s picked it up so quickly that I’m thinking of agility instruction next. Do you have any pets?” she asked.

  Kristen fidgeted in her seat, watching Jaylin’s beautiful hands. “Not a dog. I have an Appaloosa gelding that I ride in various events. His name is Zigzag, and he’s quite a showman.”

  “I’d love to see you ride someday.” Jaylin smiled and leaned forward on the table.

  “There’s a barrel race coming up at the fairgrounds. I’ll let you know what time I’m riding,” Kristen said.

  “Cool.” Jaylin sat back in her chair and watched the sparrows jostling for position on the bird feeder. “So you ride in barrel races. What else do you do for fun?”