Fresh-Start Ranch

by Leann Harris

  Her eyes flashed to him, then back to Steve. “That sounds good. Thank you.”

  Ethan breathed a sigh of relief. The lady had good instincts, with horses and people.

  As they walked to the house, he fell into step beside Tessa. “Good move,” he whispered out of the side of his mouth.

  She didn’t respond, but continued walking.

  In the kitchen, the deputy sat at the table with Connie Barlow, drinking coffee. They joined them, and the deputy questioned Steve as to what happened. Next, the deputy asked about the condition of the horse.

  “He’ll recover fairly quickly. A week ago, before the Barlows started caring for him, I would’ve guessed that horse would face major complications. Now, with just a week’s care, I think the horse will do well. The Barlows have done a wonderful job.”

  Ethan watched in amazement at how Tessa worked her charm with the Barlows as well as the horse she’d just worked on.

  If he wasn’t careful, Steve, Connie and the horse wouldn’t be the only ones Tessa Grant worked her charm on.

  And he needed to remember that she was a professional woman, and he’d already had his brush with a woman who wanted a career.

  Chapter Six

  Tessa sat at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee. She’d worked in the hospital all morning, inputting their files into the computer and updating the Rescue Society’s records. Doc, who declared he wasn’t going to deal with the paperwork since he had a partner, used an emergency call from one of the neighboring ranches, about a cow that wasn’t eating, to escape.

  The past two weeks had sped by, but the problem with William showing up to bother other ranches where rescue horses were housed hadn’t died down. The sheriff went out to the Moore ranch a couple of times but William wasn’t there and Doris stood at her door with a shotgun. That worried Tessa. She recognized the look of desperation in William’s eyes the last time he was here. She’d seen it often in her father’s eyes when he came home after losing money.

  Tessa ran her hand over her cup. She’d taken a break, gotten coffee, read her Bible and prayed. Now, she was taking a moment to stare out the window and enjoy the scenery. It surprised her how much this place, so different from the rolling, green hills of Kentucky, had settled into her soul. She liked the cool nights and warm days. Aside from slathering her lips with lip balm, the lack of humidity also appealed to her. Her hair loved it.

  Grabbing her coffee, she walked through the stables to the corral where Hope frolicked. Lady, the mare, had recovered nicely from the birth. Her coat was filling in and her weight had increased. There was also more vigor in her gait. Hope also was flourishing, her injured leg healing. Soon, there would be no limp.

  Tessa sipped her coffee and enjoyed the antics of the foal. “Oh, you’re going to be a handful,” she told Hope. “We’ve got to get your momma well so she can guide you.”

  “She sure is looking good,” Kevin Raney commented, coming around the side of the barn. He strode up to the corral fence and flashed Tessa a slick smile.

  Her spine stiffened.

  “You’ve done a good job with that little filly.”

  “What are you doing here?” Tessa demanded.

  “Well, I thought I’d like to pick up my property.”

  Tessa remembered her cell phone on her desk in the office. “The court awarded the Society custody of all the horses. At this point, you probably need to contact either Ethan McClure or Mary Jensen about that.”

  “Hey, I’m here with my horse trailer, and I could just load her up now. The Society took her away from William and Doris, but they have no reason to keep her away from me.”

  “Hope is still nursing. Are you willing to bottle feed her?”

  He shrugged. “Whatever it takes.”

  What a fib. “If you’re going to petition the court for custody, you’re going to need to show you’re willing to take care of the horse. I think even the Society would work with you if you showed them a bill of sale.”

  His smile vanished to be replaced with a narrowing of his eyes.

  “I don’t think he has a legitimate bill of sale, do you, Kevin?” came Ethan’s voice from behind them.

  Tessa and Kevin looked at the barn doors and saw Ethan striding toward them.

  “Huh?” Tessa looked from one man to another. “What are you talking about?”

  The men glared at each other.

  “You going to fill in the lady or do you want me to tell her the truth?” Ethan asked Kevin, coming to Tessa’s side.

  Kevin continued to glare.

  “I’ll take that as a no.” Ethan looked at Tessa. “If I don’t miss my guess, Hope was in lieu of a gambling debt that William owed to Kevin.”

  “Oh.” Tessa had been down that road before and it hadn’t ended up well. “It doesn’t change my answer. Take it up with the court or the Society.”

  Kevin glared at both of them, then turned and stomped off around the side of the barn.

  “I’ll be back in a few.” Ethan followed Kevin around the building. He returned in less than two minutes.

  Tessa let out a breath. “You must be listening to God closely, because you’ve shown up here at critical points. I don’t know what I would’ve done if Kevin had insisted on taking Hope. My cell phone is sitting in the office.”

  “I can’t claim divine inspiration.” Ethan moved to Tessa’s side and studied the horses in the corral. “Doc called me this morning and asked me to pick up some medicine and feed while I was in town. I’ve got it in the truck. When I saw Kevin’s truck and trailer parked in front of the clinic, I came looking.”

  “Why do you suppose Kevin is so persistent?”

  “I don’t know, but I think that’s a question the sheriff needs to ask.”

  She’d faced this kind of trouble before—gambling trouble.

  The clinic phone rang. Walking back into the barn, Tessa grabbed the barn extension on the wall. “Dr. Grant.”

  “Dr. Grant, this is Steve Barlow. It seems that the tin of salve you left is missing. Would you have another one?”

  “I do.”

  “I’ll come and get it later.”

  Tessa glanced at Ethan. “I’ve got a better idea. Ethan is here. I’ll send it with him and that way you won’t have to make an extra trip.” The call quickly finished. When she hung up, Ethan gave her a questioning look. “I have a job for you.” She explained the situation.

  “So could you take the medication out to the Barlows for the rescue horse?”

  “Sure, I can do that.”

  She walked to the cabinet in the corner of the barn that held the medical supplies. She grabbed the step stool and climbed on it to reach the salve on the top shelf. As she reached for the small metal tin, she felt Ethan reach around her and grab it.

  Turning her head to say thank-you, she came eye to eye with him. She forgot about the medicine and looked into Ethan’s face. The air seemed charged with electrical energy. Ethan’s eyes darkened, then his gaze slid to her lips. His left hand came up as if to cup her cheek.

  The sound of the screen door slamming jerked them apart. Tessa started to lose her balance. Ethan caught her arm, steadying her.

  “Am I interrupting something?” Doc Adams asked, standing at the entrance to the barn.

  Ethan turned to Doc. He held up the metal tin. “Tessa was getting medicine for me to take out to Steve Barlow.”

  Tessa nodded, then slowly stepped down.

  After a moment of awkward silence, Doc asked, “Ethan, what are you doing here?”

  “Delivering your order.”

  Doc looked chagrined, running his hand through his hair. “Yeah, I remember now.”

  “I was glad he showed up.” Tessa explained about the run-in with Kevin.

  Do
c’s expression turned stern. “What’s going on? I’ve heard from several ranchers about William and Kevin showing up, causing trouble. We can’t be locking the horses up every time we walk out the door and the other ranchers are getting fed up with those two clowns messing with their stock.”

  “I agree,” Ethan said. “Why don’t we go inside and notify the sheriff?”

  When Ethan started toward the door leading to the breezeway separating the house from the hospital, Tessa held back.

  Ethan looked over his shoulder. “Are you coming?”

  “Give me a second.” Her heart continued to race and she wanted to be settled before she talked to anyone about what happened.

  Ethan started toward her. She held up her hand. “It’s okay, Ethan.” His indecision was written clearly on his face. “Please.”

  Her plea worked. He nodded and walked out of the barn.

  Her stomach still danced, but she guessed it wasn’t from the encounter with Kevin. No, it was that almost-kiss. Her mind had gone on vacation, leaving her heart in charge. That traitorous organ had urged her to lean forward and meet Ethan’s lips.

  What was going on? Her brain needed to come back home and take control before—

  “Tessa, I’ve got the deputy sheriff on the phone,” Doc Adams called out. “Hustle in here. I need you to talk to him.”

  She raced into the kitchen, but she doubted she could outrace her feelings.

  * * *

  Doc didn’t speak, but Ethan knew he was mad. Doc dialed the sheriff’s office. “This is Doc Adams.” He glared at Ethan and held out the phone. “Talk.”

  Ethan took the phone and answered the questions the deputy asked. “You really need to talk to Dr. Grant to see how the incident started.” Ethan waited for Tessa to take the phone.

  While she chatted with the deputy, Doc pulled Ethan aside.

  “What’s going on?” Doc demanded.

  “What do you mean?”

  The older man’s brow arched. “When did you suddenly quit understanding English?”

  Ethan shrugged. “I was getting salve for Steve to use.”

  Doc’s eyes narrowed.

  “Nothing happened.” The explanation sounded like an eight-year-old defending himself.

  “But if I’d had come in two minutes later, you couldn’t claim the same thing, could you?” A muscle in Doc’s jaw jumped.

  Why explain the obvious?

  Doc searched Ethan’s expression. Doc had been there when Mary stood him up.

  “Since I know you, son, I’m not going to object, but if you run her off, I’ll skin you.”

  Whoa, Doc was serious. “I’ll do my best to live up to your standards.”

  Doc nodded toward Tessa. “I think I’ve got a winner there.”

  “Thanks, sheriff.” Tessa hung up the phone and turned to the two men. “He told me to be careful and carry a phone at all times. He also asked if I know any self-defense moves.”

  “Do you?” Ethan asked.

  “Yes. After a couple of incidents on campus, the university offered self-defense classes with one of the local police instructors. Besides, I went to vet school surrounded by lots of guys. I picked up a few techniques.”

  Her answer didn’t ease Ethan’s mind. “But I want you to know that Kevin’s been known to be armed most of the time.”

  “If I run into him again, I’ll let him take the horse. I won’t act like a hero.”

  Somehow, Ethan didn’t see Tessa giving up so easily.

  Doc stepped to Tessa’s side. “I hope you’re leveling with us, because I’ve discovered I like having a partner—especially a partner like you.”

  Tessa’s expression softened. “Thank you.”

  “I’ll be back in the office, charting what I did this afternoon.”

  “You should try using the computer,” Tessa answered. “I’ve tried updating the files. And if you use the computer, I won’t have to worry about reading your writing.”

  “I’ll consider it.” He nodded to Ethan.

  They watched him walk out of the house down the breezeway into the hospital unit where the records were kept.

  “He may not be up on the latest computer thing, but he’s an amazing man,” Ethan said.

  “You two are close, then.”

  “We are. I visit Doc as often as I can. I worked for him between my junior and senior years in high school here at the clinic and learned a lot from him.”

  “So that’s why you’re so good in assisting me.”

  He grinned.

  “I worked in the stables all through high school, too.” A look of sadness settled over her face.

  “Didn’t you like it?”

  Her eyes widened. “Of course I did, why would you ask?”

  “You just seemed sad.”

  Tessa stiffened. When he thought she wouldn’t answer, a strained laugh escaped her mouth. “I spent my junior and senior proms at the stable with my horse and the other horses, working. And I was happier in their company than I would have been with any boy in my high school.”

  There was more to the story. “Were the boys so bad that you’d prefer horses to them?”

  Her eyes twinkled. “I hadn’t thought of it that way, but yes, they were. The horses certainly were better listeners and didn’t ask stupid questions.”

  She started back into the stables.

  “Whoa, you can’t leave me hanging.”

  She grinned. “Sure I can.”

  “You drop a bomb, then walk away.” He found he wanted to know more about her. “What’s that?”

  “There’s nothing to tell. I worked with a stable manager all through high school. All my free time was spent there, but oh, the education I got. Old Tom—which everyone called him—helped me develop my ability to understand horses. And horses were great company for a fourteen-year-old girl whose world blew apart.”

  Ethan followed along behind her. He understood that sentiment. Horses could soothe your soul and could bring peace in a storm. He’d done his share of “talking” to horses as well as talking with God when his world turned upside down.

  Looking out the open barn doors, he saw Lady and Hope and Tessa walking to the corral fence. The incident with Kevin blazed across his mind and he knew something needed to be done about William and Kevin. Luckily Doc had cell phone reception here at the clinic. He pulled out his cell phone and called Mary, telling her what had happened. He walked to the corral beside Tessa.

  “I understand the board needs to talk about it. Why don’t we call a meeting for tonight at the Bar-T Restaurant?” he suggested.

  “Isn’t that kind of expensive?” Mary asked.

  “It serves first-rate steaks and since we’re all paying for our own, I doubt any of the board members will object to eating a good meal before we deal with this problem.”

  He heard Mary tap a pen or pencil on her desk. “Can’t do tonight. How about tomorrow? I won’t be able to file papers until Monday, anyway.”

  “Sounds good.”

  “Will you contact all the board members?”

  “I’ll do it.” Ethan put his phone in his shirt pocket and walked out of the barn, stopping at Tessa’s side. “The board’s going to meet on Saturday night to discuss the situation with William and Kevin. I just talked Mary into holding it at a nice steak place in town.”

  “A steak place?”

  “If we’re going to have to deal with this situation, we might as well reward ourselves with a good steak. It helps the brain.”

  “I hadn’t heard that explanation before.”

  Ethan grinned. “Well, you haven’t practiced too long out here. If you want, I can pick you up. That way you won’t have to worry about driving to a new place in Albuquerque at night.”


  Tessa considered the invitation.

  “We all need to hear of the incidents and your input will help the board.”

  “Wouldn’t Doc be better for this?”

  “I’d like to have his input, but you’ve been most directly involved. You need to be there.”

  “I’ll talk to Doc about it. I think he might like a good steak dinner, too. I could ride over with him.”

  “Then it’s settled. Let’s tell Doc, then I’ll unload the supplies Doc asked me to get.”

  As he drove home, Ethan tried to ignore the emotions rolling around in his chest. Fear for Tessa, disappointment she didn’t want to ride with him and unease at the prospect of spending time with Mary. For so long, his heart had been encased in ice. Now that it had thawed, he didn’t know what to do with any of the feelings swamping him, threatening to drown him.

  He didn’t want to have this battle now, but he didn’t have a choice.

  * * *

  When Tessa walked into the kitchen, Doc was sitting at the table.

  “I thought you were going to update your files,” Tessa said, pouring herself a cold glass of tea.

  “I did.”

  “On the computer?”

  “I turned it on, but didn’t fight with it. What were you and Ethan talking about out there in the barn?”

  She explained about the board meeting.

  “A board meeting at the Bar-T? Smart man.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  “Because Ethan knows that’s how he’ll get all the board members to agree to go to that meeting. They all want an excuse to eat steak.”

  “I’m guessing you’ll take the excuse, too? I told him you should be the person at the meeting from this office.”

  Doc stabbed her with a look. “Why’s that?”

  “You’ve dealt with William longer than I have.”

  “But it’s your problem, too, Tessa. You’ve got to stand up for yourself and come up with an idea on how to deal with this situation. If you’re going to be doing your share of the practice, people have got to know you can pull your weight. Tell Ethan it will be only you at the meeting. And it’ll probably be easier if you let him drive.”