The Wedding Rescue

by Dianne Castell

  He raked his hair. “When I’m flying in the afternoon, I see silvery patches in the trees. I don’t remember seeing them years ago when I flew the biplane. Or if I did see, they didn’t make an impression.”

  She quirked her brow. “Tomorrow everything will be clearer. There’s electricity in the cabin. Need some aspirin? Maybe you should consider glasses.”

  “It’s something in nature, bird nests maybe…It’s hard to tell. I remember a lot of things about the Ridge, especially from the sky. Heck, I’ve made two perfect emergency landings and a boatload of deliveries and not gotten lost once. I remember this place better than I thought I did.”

  She held up three fingers in front of his eyes. “How many?”

  “My vision’s fine.”

  “Tanner, I ride the pastures every day, every season. There’s nothing out there but fence and grass like every other year. Lots of both. And the horses. Maybe a buzzard flies by occasionally because we’re on the hilltop, but that’s it.”

  He shook his head. “You can’t see the differences from the ground. You have to be up high where you can see more at one time.” He looked around the kitchen. “Where’s a flashlight?”

  “You just figured this out?”

  He shrugged. “I kind of dreamed about it.”

  “And I thought I needed a life,” she said more to herself than him. No need to worry about her haunting his dreams as he haunted hers. He dreamed of…trees? She was now, officially, behind trees in Tanner’s dreams. Bet Britney Spears was never behind trees in a man’s dreams.

  She continued, “What makes you think this silvery stuff has anything to do with the horses getting sick if it’s in the trees? Last time I checked, horses didn’t climb worth diddly. They jump pretty good, but they really suck at climbing. Besides, the horses could be getting sick from a lot of things. The water, the air.”

  “I won’t sleep till I check this out. It’ll only take a few hours, and if I find something I can get it to Mama Kay in the morning. You don’t have to come along. I know the way to the pasture, been there enough. If I don’t find what I’m looking for, I’ll head on over to Thistledown and snoop around there. It’s positioned a little higher on the Ridge, gets a little more sunlight. Maybe that is why Nate’s horses are more affected than yours.”

  Charity said, “It’s dark out now. You won’t see much. A flashlight is useless.”

  “I’ll take Patience along. Maybe she knows what this is. It’s right up her alley.”

  “Plant Woman is in town at the library and you don’t want her taking you anywhere. You’ll never find your way back. When God was handing out senses of direction, Patience was last in line.”

  Savannah pulled her pork chop lasagna from the oven and said, “Charity should go with you. You don’t know where the trees are. It’s not like they line the whole fence. Besides, who would be around to harass you if you find nothing but grass and crickets?”

  Savannah whipped off her apron with a flourish and draped it over the counter. She put a lid on the casserole. “I’m going to Thistledown. Told Nathan I’d cook dinner. He loves my cooking.”

  Tanner slid Charity a quick look that suggested Nathan didn’t realize what he was in for this time.

  Savannah winked at Charity. “Don’t get lost out there.”

  “I didn’t say I was going.” And she hoped love was not only blind but didn’t have taste buds.

  Savannah’s smile turned up a notch as she said to Charity, “You’ll go, it’s your farm.” She grinned at Tanner. “Good luck, and I mean that on many levels.”

  STARS DOTTED THE HEAVENS and a three-quarter moon lit the way as Tanner opened the gate into the pasture then slid home the latch after he and Charity had entered. Why in the world had he let her come? He must have been nuts to agree. Having her right beside him without touching her was torture. This was not the way to keep her out of his life and out of his mind.

  “Beautiful night,” she said.

  And it was, but Charity was more beautiful. She seemed so much a part of this place he couldn’t imagine her anywhere else.

  “I see your leather jacket survived our trek in the rain.”

  “Been through worse than rain.” He pulled a KitKat from his pocket so he would have something else to do besides think of Charity. “Want some?”

  She pulled a disk of peppermint from her own pocket. “I’ll stick with these.”

  “Stomach problems?”

  “With so much at stake, every horse farmer on the ridge is popping mints.”

  And there was a lot on the line, especially for Charity. Her whole life she’d worked for this season, and now sickness threatened to blow it all to hell and back.

  He slid the chocolate from the wrapper as she asked, “Dinner?”

  “Better than what Nate’s getting. Savannah’s no Martha Stewart. Maybe the cooking lessons will help. This time we didn’t have to come up with some way of breaking up the wedding. Savannah’s pork chop lasagna might do the trick all by itself.”

  “Nathan’s not looking for a Martha Stewart.”

  He considered that as he took another bite. “I wonder what he is looking for?”

  He glanced at her and noticed a smile slowly trip across her lips. “Love. Complete and eternal. Isn’t that what everyone wants?”

  Was it? Maybe. Probably. But was it enough? Probably not. There had to be something else to build on, like a little something in common.

  The soft plodding of the horses’ hooves on the damp grass mixed with creaks of leather and animals scurrying in the bush hoping for a late-night snack. “Does this mean you think the wedding should happen and our partnership is dissolved?” Tanner asked.

  She faced him. “Nope, it’s a good partnership. Works like a charm.” She waved her hand over the pasture. “And now that we’re out here instead of sleeping, where do you want to go? Where did you see this…silvery stuff? You been reading a lot of Stephen King lately?”

  “I’ve seen the patches from the sky, kind of hidden in with the new leaves, so I don’t know where it is from down here. It’s not under all the trees, just some.”

  “Some? Like which ones?”

  “Like it’s hard to tell a couple hundred feet above ground. Let’s try by the fences, the trees hanging into the pasture. The horses are grazing in the pastures, so if it is something tree-related that’s getting them sick it has to be trees in the pasture.”

  “Whatever you say. This is your party. There’s a clump of hickories up ahead.”

  Tanner nudged his horse into a trot, following Ranger across the pasture. Charity was one with that horse, moving as she moved in perfect harmony. Then Tanner remembered how Charity had moved with him, when they’d made love, the two of them together in complete unison.

  Every muscle in his body hardened at the memory, even his blood felt hot, and he was thankful for the cover of night to conceal his painful state. They pulled up to the fence and he dismounted, hoping he wouldn’t fall. Not only would it hurt like hell, he’d have to explain why.

  “You’re looking kind of clumsy there. Are you okay? You should have eaten some dinner.”

  No, he wasn’t okay and his condition wouldn’t improve no matter how much dinner he ate. Charity in moonlight looked incredible. “Maybe you should ride on back. You’ve got to be tired. I could be out here for hours.”

  He held his breath, wishing she’d agree and knowing she wouldn’t. Turning back was not something Charity MacKay did.

  “I’m here now. Besides, you’ve got me curious.”

  He took the flashlight from his jacket pocket and cast into the trees. “I’m hoping if I shine the light on this nest thing, it will show up.”

  “Nothing but branches.”

  He picked at the bark. “Brown.” He shook his head. “Let’s try some other trees.”

  “If something was going on, wouldn’t Patience or Mama have noticed it?”

  “They weren’t looking for a problem. It’s spr
ing in Kentucky, like it is every other year. The thing is, I haven’t seen it for a while. I sort of have a fresh eye.”

  She remounted. “Come on, there’s an old oak in the middle of the pasture. If that’s affected, all my horses are doomed because they love to graze under it.”

  Tanner followed her to the oak and dismounted, more aware of his horny condition than ever. He looked at the moon through the spidery still-bare limbs. It was different from the tranquility of Alaska. The hills of Kentucky were not the untouched rawness of the Yukon but more a promise of man to nature, to protect and cherish a wonderful gift. “Bet this tree’s been here since before you were born.”

  “Great-granddaddy MacKay planted it when he came here from Scotland. Nobody knew horses like he did. They say he could tell a champion foal at birth. Feel it in his bones. Sure could use his input these days.”

  She gazed back at the tree. “It looks just the same this year as it has every other year, dark bark, no silver in sight.”

  They walked back across the pasture to the fence line leading their horses. The moon dipped behind puffs of clouds, the earth smelled warm and rich now that the cold months of winter had ended. Silence settled around them as if they were the only people on earth. Having Charity at his side felt perfect to Tanner. Her arm brushed his, then his brushed hers, and he knew if he didn’t kiss her he’d die. He stopped by a clump of smaller trees at the fence.

  “See something here?” she asked.

  Yeah, he saw her, and what she did to him was damn sinful. Desire kicked common sense to the curb. Kissing her was a really bad idea and he should start walking away, look for whatever was in the trees and not touch Charity. Because one touch and he’d be a goner.

  Hell, who was he kidding? He already was a goner.

  He backed her against the brown slats of the fence, a shallow canopy of tiny new leaves cascading around her like a trickling waterfall. He touched her silky hair, reveling in the texture before he tucked it behind her ear; he gently tipped her chin, bringing her face to his.

  Her skin had the gentle radiance of alabaster, her eyes brilliant, unfathomable, compelling. Her mouth parted a fraction, his insides ignited and he brushed her soft, sweet lips with his own, exhilarated by the feel of her hot breath mixing with his.

  He kissed her softly, giving her a chance to back away. When she didn’t, he swooped her into his embrace, bringing her body to his, and he kissed her hard and long, wanting it to never end. Her breasts swelled against his chest and his throbbing desire for her pressed hard against her.

  She tasted wonderful, delicious, as mint united with chocolate. Her tongue mated with his, implying the very thing he wanted. He twisted his fingers into her amazing hair and trailed kisses from her lips to the nape of her neck.

  “We can’t do this.” Her voice was ragged, throaty, strained.

  “I know.” He planted kisses behind her left ear.

  She pulled her head back and stared up at him, dreamy-eyed, her breathing fast and shallow. “To you this is just fun and games, but to me it’s something more. I can’t get involved with you, Tanner, because…” Her eyes cleared, then narrowed. “Because there’s something in my hair.”

  She touched her head. “And it’s furry and it’s moving. What is it! What is it!”

  She shoved him away, bent her head, shook it like a rag doll, and ran her hands through her hair as she jumped around in circles.

  “Hold still.”

  “Do something!”

  He snagged her around the waist and held her tight. Her shaking head whacked his jaw, making him see stars for a second. Her elbow caught him right in the ribs.

  Trying to hold her with one arm, he flipped on the flashlight and studied the top of her head, following its erratic movements. Her red hair was dotted with silver, and he plucked out something…fuzzy?

  “Look,” he said, holding it in front of her so she could see.

  She stilled. “It’s a caterpillar.”

  “Cute little guy. Black head, brown stripe. That’s what’s in your hair.”

  She screamed and shook her head more.

  “Since when are you afraid of caterpillars?”

  “Since they’re in my hair!”

  Guess he shouldn’t have pointed out the black head and brown stripe.

  “If you hold still for a second, I’ll get them out.”

  “Them?” She screeched.

  “Guess the gooey stuff must be part of their cocoon.”

  Charity shook her head and pulled at her hair. At this rate she’d go bald.

  Her head jabbed his right eye. Dang. He’d been in bar fights that weren’t this rough. Never in all his days did he think he’d get beat up at the MacKay Farms, owned and operated by four beautiful Southern women, who were completely peaceful…well, most of the time they were peaceful.

  Chapter Nine

  Tanner watched Charity in the moonlight, head wagging, hands flailing, legs kicking. Maybe he shouldn’t have told her about the cocoon, either. “Don’t panic. It’s just some webby stuff and it will wash out of your hair.”

  “What about now? And the caterpillars are on my jacket. Lots of them.” She wiped at her front, knocking them to the ground. “Check my back.” She turned around, the canopy of leaves brushing against her. “Are they there?”

  Oh, boy. A furry line stretched and bent its way across her shoulders. He brushed them off as another one dropped into her hair, then on to his sleeve.

  He didn’t say one word—lesson learned—pulled her from under the low tree and plucked the caterpillars from her hair.

  “Did you get them all?”

  “Absolutely.” He hoped. He scanned her with the flashlight. “I pronounce you caterpillar free.”

  She flicked one from the collar of his jacket. “Why didn’t they get in your hair?”

  “They’re looking for victims with the loudest screams.” He smiled easily. “They succeeded.”

  She studied the tree. “I was the one under the limbs, you weren’t. The little darlings are in there.” She pointed a stiff, accusing finger.

  She pulled off a young leaf. “It’s a cherry tree. Black cherry. Patience just planted some by the house.”

  “Perhaps you should reconsider.” Tanner glanced over her shoulder as she turned the leaf from front to back. “Caterpillars aren’t unusual. They’re always out. Nate and I used to have races with them.”

  He directed the flashlight into the tree sparsely covered with new growth. “The bark seems to be…moving?”

  “Whoa, there must be a zillion caterpillars on that tree.”

  “And cocoons. That’s what I saw from the plane. When the afternoon sun hits them, they turn silver.”

  Charity wiped her hand over her face. “This is all very interesting and a little itchy and darn inconvenient, but does this have anything to do with the horses getting sick? It’s caterpillars like every other year.”

  Tanner shrugged. “Maybe nothing. Maybe everything. But I’m willing to bet there’s a heck of a lot more of them this year than other years or I wouldn’t have noticed their cocoons. We need to get some of these fuzzy guys to Patience to see what she thinks. Then we should call Mama Kay.”

  Well, hell, it was back to business. Horse business. He pulled his army knife from the pocket of his bomber jacket and cut a branch from the cherry tree. He wrapped the branch along with some grass inside the jacket and tied the arms together.

  Charity held up the package. “Waterproof, one size fits all, contains stuff for every occasion and you don’t leave home without it. It’s a purse that you wear.”

  Her hair had that stuck-my-finger-in-an-outlet look, but he realized he’d find her attractive no matter what she did to her hair. Was that anything like Nathan not caring how Savannah cooked? Hmm.

  He carefully tucked the coat under his arm. “You’d actually put caterpillars in your purse?”

  “Ugh. You got me on that one.”

  “Let’s get the
se critters home before they develop a taste for leather instead of cherry.”

  A HALF HOUR LATER Charity stood in the middle of the kitchen. She put her hands to her hips and frowned. “We have caterpillars running around our floor. Mama would have a canary.”

  Patience sat cross-legged on the linoleum and scooped up one light-haired furry caterpillar, then another. “They’re on a cookie sheet and not exactly running. They’re really cute, maybe I should change my major.”

  Tanner sat on a bar stool, munching on a fried chicken leg, and said to Patience, “So what do you think about these little critters?”

  She sat back and watched the furries slink around. “Malacosoma Americanum is—”

  “Translation please,” Charity interrupted.

  “The Eastern Tent Caterpillar, also referred to as E.T.C., is the larva stage of certain moths who lay their eggs in fruit trees. In the spring the eggs hatch and develop into the pupa stage, or caterpillar, and eventually form silky cocoons and—”

  “Okay, okay.” Charity held up her hands in surrender. “This is great information and all, but what in the name of Zeus’s armpit does this have to do with sick horses? That’s what we want to know.”

  Patience stuck her tongue out at Charity. “I’m getting to that, if you would just give me a minute. Tanner has seen a lot of the cocoons from the air, and the weather is dry, giving the caterpillars a good chance to survive. And we have a lot of sick horses. Since there are no coincidences in science, there’s a connection between these three things somewhere.” She shot Charity a twisted smile. “So, I suggest we do what all great scientists do when they need help.”

  “Do tests?”

  “Call their mother.”

  Charity kept watch on the herd roaming the cookie sheet as Patience called Mama on the phone in the den. Charity held a furry in her hand and said to Tanner, “They’re not so bad when they’re not crawling around in your hair and down your back.”