by V. A. Dold
*****
Carol saw Kensie and a man walking from the barn to the main house as she pulled in and parked. Unprepared for the midday heat, she opened her door and was immediately assaulted by a rush of hot, dry air. Good lord! It must be a hundred degrees.
Kensie rushed toward her and wrapped her arms around her neck. “Carol! How was the drive?”
She hugged her friend, and then checked out Lucas “It wasn’t so bad.”
“I’m sorry. Carol, this is my fiancée, Lucas Le Beau. Lucas, this is my friend and office manager, Carol Duffy.”
Lucas shook her outstretched hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Carol.”
“It’s very nice to meet you, too.” She turned and looked at Kensie and raised a brow. “Did you say, fiancée?”
She watched Kensie’s smile light up her face. “Yes, I did.”
Carol gave Lucas another once over. “You must be a very impressive man, Mr. Le Beau.”
He chuckled. “Please. Call me Lucas.”
“Let's get your car unloaded. Krystal, Lucas’s cousin, has assigned you a cabin.”
Lucas let out a shrill whistle, and several cowboys came running. “We can handle that ladies.”
Carol leaned closer to Kensie and whispered. “I like Texas men already.”
“I know, right? It took a while for me to get used to their southern manners. They don’t grow them like this in Minnesota.”
Before the cowboys could wander off with her belongings, another woman stepped from the main house and joined them.
“Hi there, I’m Krystal Le Beau.” She held out her hand, and as Carol shook it, she cocked her head as if listening to something. Then she turned to the cowboys emptying Carol’s trunk. “Hey guys, I think I’ll change her cabin assignment to the one on the far end. Can you set her bags inside the door and leave the key on the end table?”
“Sure thing, boss lady,” one of them called. Another who looked like he was barely legal drinking age winked at her as he closed the trunk. “I’m Chad Whaylen, ma’am. Welcome to the Rocking Double L Ranch.” Then he turned on his heel and walked away carrying her luggage like it was as light as a feather.
Carol chuckled and turned back to see Lucas giving Krystal an odd look. She wondered what that was all about.
The instant Lucas saw her watching he gave her a heart-stopping smile. “Would you like a tour?”
“I would love one. Could we stop somewhere for a cold drink along the way? I can’t believe how hot Texas is.”
Kensie nodded toward the big building they were standing in front of. “We can show you the main house first and grab a bottle of water in the kitchen.”
Carol walked into the great room and stopped short. “Wow! This is amazing.” The sheer size of the space was incredible. Massive beams supported the ceiling, two stories above her head. A Fieldstone fireplace encompassed an entire wall while the opposite end of the room featured bookshelves twelve feet high. Thousands of leather-bound books graced the shelves. This was a collection any librarian would kill for. And the furniture! Leather couches and chairs made up several conversation areas and reading nooks.
Lucas beamed at her praise. “Thank you. I fell in love with it the first time I saw it. I did the same with Kensie.” He tucked her under his arm and kissed her hair. “This woman is the love of my life.”
Carol watched as her friend and Lucas made goo-goo eyes at each other. “Who knows, maybe now that I’m in Texas I’ll be as lucky. Lord knows I had shitty luck with men in Minnesota.”
“Oh, I’m sure it will be different for you here,” Krystal said as she gave her cousin a knowing look.
“I won’t hold my breath. Watching the two of you, I’m sure it’s just wishful thinking.” Then she smiled and looked around the room. “Is there a restroom? I’ve been on the road for a couple hours.”
“Sure. Right through here,” Kensie said as she led Carol from the room.
Carol returned to the great room, refreshed and ready to get acquainted with her new home. “What’s next on the tour?”
“How about the dining hall? We serve three meals a day, and you’re welcome to enjoy any and all of them.” Kensie beamed. “I’m so happy you agreed to move here and help me with the clinic. Living on the ranch and free meals are just two of the benefits you receive as my office manager and best friend.”
Lucas led the way through a set of doors that separated the gathering part of the main house from the dining area.
“As you can see, the meals are casual. Everyone takes a plate and chooses what they want from the hot bar and salad bar.”
“Sounds good to me,” Carol said, looking around at the stainless steel serving area and picnic style tables.
“Let’s show her the backyard,” Lucas suggested.
“Good idea.” Kensie turned to Carol. “We host a weekly barbecue and bonfire on Friday nights. They’re really fun, and it’ll be a way for you to get to know the ranch hands.”
They walked out of the kitchens door that led to the back yard.
Lucas motioned, as they walked passed a good-sized swimming pool. “Oh, we forgot to mention, this is where you will find the pool as well.”
Carol looked longingly at the cool water. “You have everything a girl could want.”
“Wait until you see the horse barn!” Kensie exclaimed. “I have a surprise waiting for you.”
Carol frowned at her friend. “You’ve already done so much for me. You don’t need to give me gifts.”
“Believe me, you’ll love my surprise, and it will come in handy on the ranch.”
Carol shook her head. She knew there was no telling Kensie no. She laughed at her friend’s exuberance when Kensie grabbed her arm and pulled her toward the barn.
Carol blinked, willing her eyes to adjust to the darker interior of the huge two-story structure. She drew in a deep breath and grinned. “I love the combination of horses, hay, and leather.”
“Throw in a few cowboys, and you have perfection,” a deep voice said from one of the stalls.
Carol turned to see who had spoken.
“How are you today, Roy?” Kensie asked as a tall, muscular man straightened, and appeared above the stall door.
“I’m well. I see you have a pretty lady in tow. Hi there, I’m Roy. You’ll see me around a lot. I manage the horses and barn.” He offered his hand over the stall.
She shook his hand and smiled. “Hi, I’m Carol.”
“The Carol from Minnesota?”
“One and the same,” she laughed.
“In that case, I think I’ll join y’all for the big reveal.”
She narrowed her eyes. Kensie simply laughed and walked further into the barn. She left her no option but to follow her down the row of stalls.
They walked to the other end of the building before Lucas stopped and opened one. She couldn’t believe her eyes. A beautiful paint mare blinked at her with the largest, most soulful brown eyes she’d ever seen. She was the spitting image of Pretty Girl, the mare she’d had as a teen. Lord, she’d loved that horse, but after what happened, she hadn’t been able to bring herself to enter the barn she was boarded in. Her parents had finally given up hope she would ever ride again and sold the horse.
She stared at the mare like she was seeing a ghost. Finally, she stepped forward with her hand out. The mare nuzzled her palm and nickered.
Carol looked from the horse to Kensie. “I only showed you the picture of Pretty Girl once. How on earth did you find a horse that looks just like her?”
Kensie shrugged, grinning ear to ear. “I guess it was fate. The breeder we’ve been buying trail stock from had her pastured in one of his fields. The instant I saw her I knew I had to buy her for you.”
Carol stroked her soft muzzle a minute longer. “What’s her name?” she asked quietly.
“Oreo. The rancher's daughter said she looked like the cookie with her black chest and rump sandwiching the creamy white middle.”
“Oreo
,” Carol whispered as if trying out the name.
Kensie gave Carol a few minutes with Oreo, and then asked, “Are you ready to see your new home?”
She gave the horse one last pet and turned with a huge smile on her face. “I’m as ready as I’ll ever be. Lead on, boss lady.”
“Come on. Your cabin is on the end, only two units from the barn.”
“Thank you, Kensie. Oreo is amazing. I never thought I’d own another horse, but I’m ready. You have no idea how happy you’ve made me.”
“You’re more than welcome. I want you to feel at home on the ranch, and a horse is vital to living on a property this large. Here we are. I think Krystal wanted to give you a little privacy by putting you on the end of the row of cabins. There will be less foot traffic down here so you shouldn’t feel like you are living among strangers as they come and go each week.”
“I’ll have to thank her when I see her again. I appreciate her thoughtfulness.” Carol stepped into the small but cozy cabin and sighed. “This is lovely. Did you decorate them yourself?”
“Krystal took on that challenge when they moved in. From what I understand, the cabins were empty and needed everything from curtains to furniture.”
Carol ran her hand along the five-foot counter top, then turned to look around the combination bedroom, sitting area, and dining space. A log-frame queen-size bed with a country quilt spread took up about a quarter of the room. There was also a six-drawer dresser tucked into that part of the space. Near the kitchenette, there was a little round two-person table to one side of the room and on the other was a loveseat and chair in front of a stone fireplace.
“I love it.”
“Whew, for a minute there you had me worried. You’ve been so quiet since we walked in I thought you hated the place.”
Carol chuckled and shook her head. “I’m just overwhelmed by your generosity.”
Kensie hugged Carol then headed for the door. “I’ll leave you to settle in. Dinner is at six p.m. I’ll save you a seat at my table.”
Chapter 2
Lucas pulled Kensie onto his lap as his cousin, Krystal, took a chair across the way. “Krystal, would you like to tell me what you’re up to with Carol?”
Kensie snuggled close and kissed his cheek before turning her head to look at Krystal. “Yeah, I’m wondering that myself.”
Krystal shrugged. “The two of you should know better than anyone how my shifter gift works. I can see auras and speak to spirit guides. Joe’s aura matches Carol’s perfectly, and his spirit guide, Jacob, along with her spirit guide, Stacy, asked me to help them. Carol is Joe’s soulmate. What’s there to understand?”
Lucas pulled back and searched his cousin’s face. “Are you sure? He was head over heels in love with his wife. How can Carol be his match?”
Krystal’s face transformed, animated with excitement. “Maybe Janice wasn’t his soulmate. You can love someone without them being your perfect match.” Then she shrugged. “Or, perhaps unlike us shifters, humans have more than one soulmate walking around, and they just need to meet one to be happy. All I know is, they’re a match.
“A human’s guide can whisper into their charges mind to direct them on the correct path, but free will comes into play and often mucks things up. That and the human’s think their guide’s suggestions are their own thoughts and often ignore them. That’s why they come to me for help. The spirit guides aren’t allowed to interfere. Whereas, I’m not held to the same limitations. I can arrange situations for human interactions that their guides can't.
“Besides, it was for the best. About ten minutes after you took Carol to her cabin, a man pulled in and rented the cabin I was going to give her. He said he needed a break from the city, and really just needed some peace and quiet. He even requested no housekeeping services during his stay. The really odd thing was, he smelled of deceit. All he was doing was checking in. There wasn’t anything for him to lie about. It was the strangest thing.”
Lucas drew a breath. “That guy does sound odd. I’ll try to keep an eye on him. As far as Joe is concerned, I sure hope this doesn’t blow up in our faces. He isn’t just going to fall at Carol’s feet. He has convinced himself Janice was it for him. As far as I know, he hasn’t dated a woman more than once since she passed, and it has only been to take care of his baser needs.”
Krystal lowered her eyes and nodded. “I know he’s had it rough, but you should know better than anyone how impossible it is to ignore the pull of your soulmate.”
Kensie sat up and looked from Lucas to Krystal. Her brows knit in a worried expression. “Do you think this soul mate thing will be enough to overcome Carol’s past? She just got out of a nasty relationship and doesn’t trust men.”
Krystal looked at Kensie, raised a brow, and laughed. “How did fighting the pull of your soulmate work out for you?”
Kensie smirked and leaned back into Lucas. “Point taken.”
“Humans aren’t all that different from us shifters. Except for the wolf part, the magic, and unlike us, they don’t share a soul. But they still have perfect partners out there in the world, just like we do,” Krystal insisted.
Lucas rubbed soothing circles on his mates back. Then he focused on his cousin again. “Fine. I know you. You’re not going to let this slide. What can I do to help?”
Krystal blinked, a surprised look in her eyes. “Do you mean that? You would help me?”
He chuckled and pulled Kensie tightly against his chest again. “Of course. I may regret it later, but I’ll help you. Joe deserves happiness. What do you want me to do?”
He felt Kensie’s cheeks rise as she smiled, but remained snuggled against his chest. “You’re such a softie.”
Lucas growled playfully. “I don’t want to hear that you’ve been spreading that around. The ranch hands would have a field day.”
He felt her fingers playing with the buttons on his shirt. “It will be our little secret,” she whispered much too sweetly, and he knew she was going to be trouble.
Krystal leaned forward, elbows on her knees. “If you get the chance, talk her up. Tell him how great she is. Try to explain that he didn’t die when Janice passed.”
Lucas scowled. “It’s a good thing I love you like a sister. This is going to suck.”
Krystal reared back as if he’d struck her. “You don’t have to help if you don’t want to.”
He rubbed his chin in Kensie’s hair as he shook his head. “No, I’ll help.” Then an idea came to him. “Have you considered starting a matchmaking service? You know, using your gift to help others find happiness? Maybe even the shifter community? Do you think you could help shifters find their mates?”
Krystal sat back and cocked her head as if listening to unheard voices. “I hadn’t thought of that,” she said softly.
Lucas raised his brows. “There are a lot of new men on the ranch without wives. Heck, every ranch around here has a shortage of women. I think you would be doing the guys a favor.”
Krystal nodded. “I’ll give the idea some thought. I would have to figure out a way to find their matches without giving myself away as a psychic.”
Kensie sat up again, frowning. “Why would you have to hide that you’re a psychic? There are psychics everywhere with shops and websites. Hey, you could build a website! I bet there are tons of women who would sign up for your matchmaking service.”
“Do you think I could do that without exposing us as shifters to the world at large?” she asked Lucas.
“If it’s done right, I don’t see any harm coming from it. Like Kensie said, there are a lot of psychics offering their services already. Yours would just be one more.”
Krystal stood and paced the room. She tapped her finger on her chin as she mumbled ideas. “Did you know aura photos can be taken with a special camera? I could contact new age shops and service providers, and make a list of where potential clients could go to get a picture taken. They can send the picture to me so I can see their aura without anyone having
to travel. Once they are signed up, I’ll talk with their guides and gather what information I can about their soulmate. If I can make a match, I’ll have them come here to meet in person. Oh, and as far as matching shifters, I would have to come up with a different set up for that. I’ll give it some thought, though.”
Lucas nodded. “That sounds like a plan. If you want help building a website, let me know.”
Krystal wandered away, ticking off a list of things she needed to do to set up a matchmaker service.
*****
Joe toweled his hair as he grabbed a clean shirt from his closet. Unloading horses from a trailer always left him covered in dirt and sweat. He pulled the T-shirt over his head and walked to the dresser for a pair of jeans. As he pulled the drawer open, a cool breeze swept past, and the eight-by-ten picture frame that sat on top toppled over. Frowning, he glanced at the closed window.
“Shit.” He picked it up and lovingly brushed a finger over the image. It was the last picture he and Janice had taken before her death.
You need to move on, Joe. It’s time to let me go and find another to love, Janice’s voice whispered close to his ear.
“Okay, okay.” He touched Janice’s image one last time and tucked the picture into the top drawer.
He had been told that after a while, it would become harder to recall Janice’s face and voice. So, he kept a picture of the two of them together where he could see it. All he had to do was look at it to see her beloved face with her eyes shining with love for him.
He’d thought he had forgotten her voice until he heard it speak to him at her gravesite and now again in the room. He wasn’t sure why hearing her speak after all these years didn’t scare the daylights out of him. But it didn’t.
He was walking toward the kitchen when he heard a knock on the door. He glanced out the front window to find Lucas looking back at him, what was he doing on his porch?
