Cowboy Doctor

by Rebecca Winters

  “I hear you. Thanks. Talk to you later.”

  He hung up and headed for the barn to see how the mother and new calf were doing. Satisfied all was well, he drove back to his house to take care of Daisy and fix lunch.

  That afternoon, two new patients came by the hospital without appointments. Being this close to the highway was paying off in promising ways. When Hannah had passed away, he hadn’t been able to imagine a day like this. Roce owed a debt to his parents for helping him realize his dream.

  He tended to a boxer with redness in the ear canal. The other dog, a sheltie, had diarrhea and needed to be dewormed.

  By five thirty he’d showered and shaved, and he phoned Tracey, eager to hear her voice. She answered on the third ring. “Roce?”

  He wasn’t mistaken about the excitement in her tone. “Where are you?”

  “In my cabin, getting cleaned up.”

  He gripped his phone tighter. “Do I want to know how things went today? You know what I mean.”

  “Wes was what you would call ‘civil’ today. I was thankful for that. And I had a good time with the children. They loved the ponies. It’s fun to watch them feed them treats.”

  “I can imagine. Do you have any extra duties this evening?”

  “No. I’m through.”

  That sounded definite. “How would you like me to pick you up? We’ll make dinner at my house and talk.”

  “I’d love it.”

  Her answer was more than he could have hoped for. “I’ll be there in twenty minutes.”

  “I’m in cabin two. It’ll be good to talk to you about everything.”

  “I feel the same way.”

  * * *

  AFTER SHE HUNG UP, Tracey hurried into the shower. Afterward, she changed her mind three times about what to wear while she blow-dried her hair.

  In the end, she chose a new pair of pleated khaki pants and a periwinkle-colored sweater with long sleeves and a round neck. She slid her feet into leather sandals and applied a pink frost lipstick. It had been so long since she’d wanted to dress up for a man.

  If Roce had any doubts about Tracey’s feelings for him, their last, short phone conversation would have erased them. While she put on her gold stud earrings with the violet stones, she heard the knock on the door. She grabbed her purse and hurried to open it. Her spirits plummeted when she found Grady standing there.

  “Hi, Tracey. Wow. You look fantastic!”

  “Thank you.”

  “I was hoping to catch you and see if you wanted to go to a movie with me in Hamilton.”

  She clung to the door handle and took a deep breath. Admittedly, he didn’t have her phone number to prepare her, but she wished he’d gotten the hint that she wasn’t interested.

  “That’s very nice of you, but I’m afraid I have other plans for this evening.” Over his shoulder, she could see Roce’s red truck approaching. “Here’s my date now.” She pulled the door shut.

  Grady looked behind him and frowned. “I didn’t realize you and Dr. Clayton were going out. Wes was right. That new vet doesn’t waste time, does he?”

  The person who didn’t waste time was Grady, who had two big marks against him at this point. Besides being intimidated by Wes, who ran the show, he was like a young bull, hitting the gate with his horns, hell-bent on getting out of the chute no matter the obstacle.

  Roce climbed down from the cab, dressed in a silky, dark brown shirt and beige pants. Every time Tracey saw him, she got a fluttery sensation in her chest.

  “How are you this evening, Grady?” he asked in a mild-mannered tone.

  She would never forget the shocked look on the younger man’s face. “Dr. Clayton...” His glance slid away. “See you later, Tracey.”

  The second he left, she started toward Roce, who didn’t say anything. Instead he walked around to the passenger door and opened it for her. She accidentally brushed against him to get in and was assailed by the scent of the soap he’d used in the shower.

  Within seconds he’d started the engine and they drove down the track. “Thank heaven you came when you did, Roce,” she blurted.

  “You know the problem, don’t you?” He flicked her an all-encompassing glance. “A woman whose violet eyes are more stunning than her earrings is hard on the male of the species.”

  She burst into laughter in order to cover her secret delight at his words. “How was your day?”

  “I acquired two more patients who noticed my sign.”

  “That’s wonderful! Interestingly enough, my eye was caught by your house before I read the sign.”

  “Why is that?”

  “My mom used to read stories to me before I could read myself. Some of my favorites were written by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Your house reminds me of the cover on her first book, Little House in the Big Woods. It’s the reason I slowed down. Only then did I realize it was a veterinary hospital.”

  “Long ago it served as a sheep station. My brothers helped me restore it and add on a second level.”

  “Being good at building stuff seems to go with the territory when you’re raised on a ranch. The people in my family can build or fix just about anything. My mom’s a great plumber.”

  She heard Roce’s chuckle before he slowed down and turned off the highway into the small parking lot. Tracey got out of the truck, eager to see where he worked.

  Before he unlocked the front door, she could hear barking, and turned to him. “One of your patients?”

  “No. It’s my dog, Daisy.” The second he opened it, the border collie–Lab mix ran to him, then sniffed at Tracey.

  “Oh, Roce—what happened to her front leg?”

  “Hannah found her in a trap and had to amputate. But she survived and is as active as any dog. She used to be Hannah’s, but when Hannah died, her family didn’t want a dog, so I adopted her and brought her to live with me.”

  “She’s adorable. All black with a white front like a tuxedo. Her three paws are white, too. You precious thing.” Tracey hunkered down to scratch her head and pet her. The dog started licking her hands.

  “Better watch out. Daisy loves the attention and won’t leave you alone.”

  “I should be so lucky. Did Hannah give her that name?”

  He nodded. “She was on a hike with her husband. They’d just walked through a meadow of wild daisies when they found the dog in a nearby ravine, with no collar. She was half-dead from the loss of blood. They immediately transported her to the hospital in Missoula. Hannah put out notices, but no one came to claim Daisy. Finders, keepers...”

  Tracey rubbed behind her ears. “Who would put out a trap to hurt a dear dog like you?”

  “Someone hoping to bag a bear.”

  “How horrible.”

  Roce stood with his hands on his hips, grinning down at her. “When you’re ready, I’ll give you the full tour. It’ll take a total of two minutes.”

  She straightened. “Come on, Daisy. Show me where you eat.” The dog managed beautifully, hopping on three legs. “Does she even know she’s missing a limb?”

  “She had problems at first. It’s called proprioception. She had to figure out where her body was in space and how to balance—kind of like the bubble in a level.”

  “Well, she’s certainly conquered that problem.”

  He led them through the front room, with its couch and fireplace. It had been turned into a reception area containing a coffee table and several chairs. A TV in the corner made it a perfect room for pet owners waiting to see the doctor.

  Next he took her down the hall to a cheery, modernized kitchen. Daisy hurried over to her water bowl.

  “My biggest challenge is to protect her limbs.”

  “In what way?”

  “Make certain she doesn’t overdo it. Othe
rwise there could be too much pressure on her joints that could bring on arthritis.”

  “We don’t want that, do we, Daisy?” The dog came right back to her for another pat.

  Roce smiled. “The bathroom and surgery are down the hall if you want to explore. I’ll start making the burritos. I hope you like pulled pork.”

  “Mmm. Sounds like you’re a great cook.”

  “Hardly. But I’ve been a bachelor so long, I’ve had to learn how to make a meal or starve to death.”

  She left him long enough to explore the rest of the main floor. Daisy followed her. They passed a staircase and a bathroom next to a small bedroom. On the opposite side of the hallway, she found the surgery. Tracey turned on the switch to discover a state-of-the-art examination room. Through another door, she glimpsed his office.

  Delicious smells filtered through the hall as she made her way back to the kitchen. She stopped long enough to wash her hands. To her amusement, Daisy stayed glued to her side, endearing herself to Tracey.

  “What do you think?” Roce called over his shoulder.

  “The inside is nothing like the little house in the big woods I imagined. I’m impressed by what you’ve done with it in such a short period of time. Now, what can I do to help?”

  “I made a salad if you’d like to put it on the kitchen table.”

  She brought over the salad and poured coffee before they sat down to eat. “Am I allowed to feed Daisy some tidbits? Her eyes are begging me.”

  “Only a few. I don’t want her to put on weight.”

  Tracey fed her a little pork. “That’s right, Daisy. I’ll be the one who gains ten pounds tonight.” Roce’s eyes lit up with amusement. “This is probably one of the most scrumptious meals I’ve ever tasted. What kind of salad dressing is this?”

  “My own version of raspberry vinaigrette.”

  “I need the recipe for everything.”

  “I’m glad you approve.”

  “Honestly, Roce. If you decide to change professions, you could be hired as a five-star chef.”

  “There’s no chance of that.”

  She sat back in the chair, eyeing this man she was beyond crazy about already. “The way you took care of Chief let me know how much you love what you do. Did you always want to be a vet?”

  He’d finished his third burrito. “The thought never occurred to me until I’d been on the rodeo circuit for a while.” His features unexpectedly sobered. “After a team-roping event with Toly where we won gold buckles, I discovered that the Corriente steer had suffered an injury I’d caused. Being that I was the header, I was the one who’d done the damage.”

  “Oh, no.”

  “The look in its eyes filled me with remorse. I called for the on-site vet. He examined it and said the steer had been permanently injured. I couldn’t sleep for weeks. By the end of the month I’d decided to give up the rodeo as soon as Toly could find another partner.”

  “You really were traumatized to walk away like that.”

  “I’ll never forget that wounded steer. It was like it was saying, ‘Why did you hurt me?’”

  Roce... She could feel his pain.

  “When I talked to my father about it, he urged me to put it behind me and get on with my education. By that time I’d decided to go to vet school, so I could help any animal that needed it.”

  Tears had filled her eyes. “I’m positive that if Chief could talk, he would tell you how grateful he is that you relieved his pain.”

  “Hannah would tell you he’d thank you for noticing his limp.” After finishing his coffee, Roce got to his feet. “Excuse me while I let Daisy out. We’ll be right back.”

  While he was gone, Tracey cleared the table and filled the dishwasher. The things he’d told her had touched her heart in a profound way. If she hadn’t talked to John about the horse’s limp, she would never have met Roce.

  What would life be like if something suddenly happened and she never saw him again? She couldn’t bear to think about going through pain like she’d felt when Jeff had been killed. It terrified her.

  As Tracey stood at the sink, lost in her thoughts, Daisy came back inside and made a beeline for her. Roce hadn’t come in yet. Filled with emotions she needed to hide, she bent to hug the dog. “What am I doing, getting this involved?” she whispered, burying her face in Daisy’s silky fur.

  Daisy kept trying to lick her, until Tracey lifted her head and laughed gently. “You love it here, don’t you? I can see why. He’s such a wonderful man, I want to be around him all the time, too. Do you want to know a secret? I wish I didn’t have to leave, but I hope to come back to visit soon.”

  Chapter Five

  Roce had come back in the kitchen, noticing the way Tracey was hugging his dog. The animal lover in her was one of the things that made her exceptional.

  His dog was in heaven. There was no denying that Roce was in heaven, too. He wouldn’t mind keeping Tracey here and never letting her go. His thoughts wandered to Grady who’d been on her doorstep earlier this evening.

  That’s when he realized others would notice when he stopped by her cabin after treating Chief. The staff cabins were too close to each other, with no trees or shrubbery separating them. Roce would attract gossip every time he pulled up and went inside. She didn’t need that. The best way to be with her would be to date her away from the dude ranch.

  Too bad it was getting so late. They both had to work early in the morning. He had to make a call to a rancher outside Missoula. It sounded like the man’s stallion had an injured tendon and couldn’t settle down.

  Afterward, he would be driving to the airport to board a jet for California. There was a veterinarian conference he needed to attend.

  “Tracey?” he said to alert her he’d come back. “If you’re ready to go, I’ll drive you back.”

  She got to her feet and Daisy whined after her.

  “Don’t worry, you big suck. You’ll see her again. I’ll be home soon.”

  Tracey got into his truck without waiting for him. That was probably a good idea. Given the way he was feeling, Roce ached to pull her in his arms and kiss the life out of her. Instead, he started the engine and drove out to the highway.

  “Thank you for dinner, Roce. I’ve had a wonderful evening.”

  “Me, too.” He rounded several curves. “How would you like to go to the Bitterroot-Sapphire Animal Festival with me next Friday after work? It’s being held in Hamilton.”

  “I’ve heard about that!”

  “It’s a fair where people show their mohair and fleece along with their sheep, goats, llamas, etc. They need vets to check the animals. We can walk around for a while, then go to dinner in town.”

  “How fun! I can watch you at work.”

  “I’m mentioning it now because I’m attending a three-day Western Veterinarian Conference in California this week. I’ll be leaving from Missoula tomorrow. When I thought I would be taking care of Chief, I’d decided not to go. But under the circumstances, I’d like to hear the latest information on livestock management and equine health.”

  “Like what, for example?”

  “It will bore you.”

  “Try me.”

  He chuckled. “Have you ever heard of EPM testing, vestibular diseases, wobbler syndrome, Cushing’s equine head injuries, probiotics?”

  “You mean like the probiotic snacks you bought?”

  “That’s one aspect.”

  Quiet ensued before she asked, “What will you do with Daisy while you’re gone?”

  “I have an agreement with Brianna that, when I have to leave overnight, she and Eli will take care of her at their house. Libby is crazy about her.”

  “So am I.”

  The closer they were to the dude ranch, the more Roce wanted to turn arou
nd and go back to the house with her for the night. He didn’t like the idea that she’d have to work with Wes Hunter while he was a thousand miles away.

  He gripped the steering wheel tighter. “Promise me something?”

  “What is it?”

  “Keep your phone on you at all times. If something comes up, I hope you’ll call me. If I’m not around, my brothers are. I’ll give you the ranch office number. All you’d have to do is phone and ask for Eli or Wymon. One of them would be here in a shot.”

  He heard her quick intake of breath. “You think there’s a problem?”

  Roce didn’t think. He knew. But he didn’t want to frighten her. “Don’t you?”

  “Maybe,” she admitted in a quiet voice. “But I can always go to John.”

  “True. But if you’re out on the trail and isolated with Wes for some reason, you could need help if he gets upset with you over something. All I ask is that you be careful and keep your cell handy.”

  She turned to him in the semidarkness. “What aren’t you telling me?”

  He’d promised John to keep the criminal information on Wes to himself. “Nothing you don’t already suspect. Just that he can be quick tempered. I did learn one thing. John made it clear that Chief is not Wes’s horse. The horses are John’s property.”

  “I knew Wes had lied about that.”

  “Yup. He has anger issues and we’ve been caught in the crosshairs. The fact that you’re the granddaughter of John’s close friend, who got you a job here, makes you a target. The whole situation makes me uneasy.”

  “I’m pretty sure Grady is upset with me now, too.”

  “His jealousy of me is compounded by the fact that he feels guilty that he didn’t notice Chief’s limp first,” Roce stated. “If Wes gives him his orders, then he’s worried his job could be on the line. Don’t open your door to him. I don’t trust him not to do special favors for Wes to stay in his good graces.”

  “The whole situation is ridiculous. After constantly turning him down, I have no doubt he’d love to get me in hot water. As for Chief, even if he’s brought back healthy, Wes won’t let him be my mount.”