Fresh-Start Ranch

by Leann Harris

  I’m not ready, she wanted to yell at Doc’s retreating back. Resting her head against one of the support beams in the stable, she closed her eyes. She wasn’t going to go anywhere, yet she found herself walking into the house. The smell of coffee came as a welcome distraction. She poured herself a cup, grabbed a sausage, wrapped it in a pancake and walked to her room to get dressed.

  * * *

  When Ethan wandered out into the kitchen that morning, he saw his parents reading the Sunday paper.

  “So how’d it go last night?” Ken asked his son.

  Ethan didn’t answer. Instead, he walked to the coffeemaker and poured himself a cup. His mother had left the baked egg casserole in the oven to keep it warm. He didn’t want to eat, but grabbed a biscuit and left the kitchen.

  He walked down the hall into the den and looked out through the big, plate-glass window at the mountains in the distance. He hadn’t slept but a few minutes. Instead, he’d ended up praying through the night for Tessa.

  Their date, which had had such wonderful promise, had blown up in a way he never could’ve imagined. He still couldn’t believe that Doctor Adams, Vince, was Tessa’s father. He could barely digest it. Doc had a daughter and hadn’t known it. Ethan understood how hard it was for Tessa to understand it. He could barely take it in.

  “Is something wrong, son?” Ken walked up beside Ethan and paused.

  “I’m sorry I didn’t answer you earlier. I was distracted.” He turned and tried to give his father a reassuring smile. It came out pathetically.

  Ken took in a deep breath. “Does this have something to do with your date last night?”

  Ethan felt as though he couldn’t tell his father Tessa’s and Doc’s secret. It wasn’t his secret or his story to tell, but he needed to say something to his father. “I learned some things last night, Dad, but I don’t feel like I can talk about it.” He took a sip of his coffee.

  After carefully studying his son, Ken nodded. “I won’t ask you to betray someone else’s confidence.”

  “But that doesn’t mean you can’t pray, Dad, for the situation.”

  Ken patted Ethan’s shoulder. “That’s what I admire about you, son. You can keep someone’s secret, yet you don’t walk away from the responsibility.”

  His father’s praise made Ethan feel about two inches tall. Ethan didn’t feel he deserved the praise because he’d not been honest with his parents. “Thanks.”

  “You coming to church?”

  “After asking you to pray, I think I better show up, too.” Besides, he wanted an excuse to see Tessa and see how she fared.

  * * *

  Tessa sat in the main sanctuary. They’d missed the Sunday school classes, but made it in time for the second service. She hadn’t wanted to come, but the tension between her mother, Doc and herself nearly suffocated her. Here, at least, there were other people.

  Ethan slid into the pew beside her and grabbed her hand. “How are you?” he whispered.

  “I don’t know,” she answered back.

  He glanced around Tessa and acknowledged her mother and Doc.

  The keyboard player began the opening praise chorus.

  Tessa remembered nothing of the service and automatically greeted the people around her. Ethan’s family surrounded them. They teased Ethan about his talent roping a calf, then asked how the date went.

  “Fine,” Tessa automatically answered.

  “Please come out to the ranch for dinner again,” Lynda offered. “We’d love to be able to have you and your mom join us.”

  Tessa’s phone rang. Opening her shoulder bag, she answered it. “Doc, it’s Randy Cousins. We’ve got a horse down here. One of the rescued horses.”

  “Okay. I’ll be there ASAP.” Closing her phone, she told the group what had happened.

  “I’ll go,” Doc volunteered.

  “Not this time. If you’ll drop me by the clinic, I’ll take my truck out there.”

  Doc opened his mouth, but Tessa shook her head. “If I’m going to take over here, I need to do this.”

  The older man remained quiet for several seconds, then nodded. “You’re right. I’ll take you out to the clinic.”

  “Let me,” Ethan spoke up. “That way, I can talk to Randy myself and we can notify the sheriff of another problem with the rescued horses. I can also notify Mary, too.”

  Doc nodded. “Okay.”

  Ethan took Tessa’s arm and guided her out to his truck. He’d decided before church to drive because he wanted private time with Tessa.

  On the trip to the clinic, the inside of the truck remained quiet. Tessa welcomed Ethan’s big comforting presence beside her, not demanding answers or asking how she felt.

  When the clinic appeared, Tessa relaxed. He pulled in next to her truck.

  “Let me get some extra supplies from the hospital.”

  He leaned out of his driver-side window. “Are you sure you can reach all the supplies you need?”

  His question snapped her out of her dark thoughts and she remembered that first moment of awareness between them. She smiled at him. “Yes, Mr. McClure, I can reach all the things I need.”

  “I was just making sure. Do you want me to take the lead in going to the Cousinses’ ranch?”

  With all that was on her mind that was the smart thing to do. “Yes.” She hurried inside. They needed to get out to the Cousinses’ ranch. She didn’t know how long the horse had been down and every second counted.

  * * *

  Colic had the horse rolling. Tessa, Randy and Ethan got her up and started walking her.

  “Last night I found this hay on the ground out in the corral out back where Sugar—that’s what we’ve named her—was kept. What caught my attention was the hay was thrown in the dirt just outside the fence. When I saw that, saw her eating it off the ground, I grabbed her and put her in the barn. Coming back to the hay, it didn’t smell right.

  “I thought I caught Sugar before she ate too much of it, but when I came back to check on her, Sugar was sweating and nipping at her belly.”

  Studying the horse, Tessa asked, “So she ate that hay last night?”

  “Yeah.”

  “You still have some of it?”

  “Yeah, I have it in that trash can on the side of the stables.”

  “Good. I’ll take some of it and analyze it.” Tessa ran her hands down the side of the mare, then pulled out her stethoscope from her bag and listened to the horse’s middle.

  “Okay, Sugar, let’s see if I can give you some medicine and help you with that mess in your gut.”

  Tessa gave the horse a shot and then took her halter and started walking her around the corral. Over the next couple of hours, they took turns walking the horse until Sugar seemed to be doing a little better.

  Randy told Tessa he’d call if they needed her again.

  “I’ll stay.”

  Randy shrugged his shoulders and walked inside.

  As Tessa walked the horse, she called out to Ethan. “You don’t have to wait. I can find my way back home.”

  Ethan fell in step beside her. “I know you can probably find your way. I just want to stay.”

  Tessa turned her head and looked at him. “I’m okay, Ethan.”

  She wasn’t, and he knew that. “Do you object if I stay?”

  “Why?”

  Sugar snorted and shook her head.

  “Easy, girl,” Tessa crooned to the horse. Tessa ran her hand along the horse’s flank. “There’s some churning there.”

  She resumed her walking of the horse. “So tell me, Ethan, why do you want to stay?”

  “What you learned last night was enough to throw anyone off their stride.”

  She looked away, silently making it clear she didn’t want to t
alk.

  “I thought you just might need the support of a friend.”

  Her expression said she doubted that was really his reason, but she didn’t insist on him leaving. Ethan knew Tessa needed him, even if she wouldn’t admit it.

  Randy and his wife, Sharon, appeared out in the yard. Each of them carried a bowl. Sharon called out, “I’ve got some stew for you two. I know you missed lunch, Dr. Grant.”

  “Tessa, please call me Tessa.”

  “Why don’t you eat, Dr. Tessa, and let Randy walk the horse.”

  Tessa opened her mouth to refuse, but Ethan answered for them. “Sharon, thank you for thinking of us.” He took the bowl from her hand.

  Randy traded Tessa the bowl of stew for the horse’s lead. Both Ethan and Tessa sat on the bench outside the stables. Sharon walked back into the house while her husband took over walking the horse.

  Ethan and Tessa ate in silence. Sharon appeared again with two coffee cups and set them on the bench beside them. Ethan nodded his thanks.

  “Have you called the clinic, updating Doc on what is going on?” Ethan asked once they were alone.

  “When have I had time?” she answered tightly.

  He didn’t comment, just pulled out his phone and called the clinic.

  Tessa understood she was using this case of colic to avoid talking to her mother and Doc. She’d have to deal with the truths she learned last night, but she didn’t want to try today. Lord, help, she prayed.

  She took over walking the horse from Randy. “I want to keep her moving to see if that mess in her intestines will break up,” she explained to Randy.

  “Okay.”

  “And be sure to get me that hay. The sheriff might be interested in it, too, so you might want to gather another sample for him.”

  Randy got a paper sack and put some of the bad hay in it. He brought it to Ethan.

  “I thought Sugar was out of the woods.” Randy shook his head as he watched from outside the corral. “I should’ve kept better watch on her.”

  “Did any of your other horses eat that hay?” Tessa heard Ethan question.

  “Oddly, no. It was as if someone planted that hay just for Sugar.” The instant the words were out of his mouth, Randy turned to Ethan. “That’s what’s been happening with all the fostered horses, isn’t it?”

  “It’s only happened one other time, but the hay was planted for the fostered horse to eat it then, too.”

  “We need to do something about William and his buddy beyond the restraining order.” Randy folded his arms over his chest.

  “I’ll call Mary and see if we can get another rescue group to finish fostering these horses.”

  “I was thinking the same thing,” Tessa called out.

  Randy leaned close to Ethan, but his words carried in the still afternoon. “I think Doc Adams sure picked a good associate. First time I saw her, I wasn’t so sure. I guess that old saying is true, you can’t judge a book by its cover.”

  Tessa’s heart warmed. They continued taking turns walking Sugar over the next few hours. She needed to pass the bad feed. Close to five in the afternoon, Tessa suggested they might try loading the mare into a trailer.

  Ethan and Randy gave her funny looks.

  “You sure, Tessa?” Randy asked.

  “It’s an old trick I learned from the foreman at the place where I housed my horse.”

  Randy shrugged, but brought around his trailer.

  “Now load her into the trailer.”

  Randy’s brow shot up but he got the horse up into the trailer.

  “Okay, now unload her,” Tessa called out.

  Ethan cocked his head. “What are you doing?”

  “I’m helping Sugar.”

  Randy backed the horse out of the trailer. Suddenly, her system started working and nature took its course. The horse bobbed her head and seemed to smile.

  Both men started laughing.

  “Dr. Tessa, you’re a genius.” Randy kept eyeing the horse. Sugar’s head was up.

  Tessa sprinted to her truck and pulled out a large container of a common dry laxative. “Dust that on her hay. It should help any other issues. And I’d say to leave her out to pasture, but if you’re going to move the horses, just be sure to give her plenty of water.”

  Tessa gathered up her things. Ethan helped.

  “Would you like to stop and get a burger at the Dairy Mart?” he asked.

  She considered his offer. It was the perfect excuse not to go home and face the problems there. “Okay.” As he turned away, she added, “Thank you, Ethan.”

  “I’m here for you, Tessa. Don’t doubt it.”

  Heaven knew, she needed someone.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Ethan called Doc once he was in his truck and updated him on what had happened with the horse and where they were going.

  “I’ll need to contact Mary, see about moving the horses. And I’ll talk to William.”

  “Are you sure that’s a good idea, Ethan?”

  “I think I know what’s driving William, and if I’m right then he needs help.” All the signs were there, yet Ethan had ignored them.

  “How’s Tessa doing?”

  “She refuses to face anything. She’s not ready.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that.” Sadness colored the words.

  “How are you and Joan getting along?” Ethan worried about how Doc was handling the situation. Ever since Ethan had known Doc Adams, the man had been a steady, dependable presence. He had a dry sense of humor and didn’t tolerate shading the truth. But he’d kept Ethan’s secret.

  “We’re avoiding each other. I’m nervous trying to talk to Joan because my normal compass seems to be facing the wrong direction. I don’t know what to do.”

  “Are you sorry you hired Tessa, Doc, and brought her into your life?”

  There was a long pause. “That’s a good way to think about it, Ethan. Thanks.”

  “I know it’s not easy, Doc, but would you rather not know the truth? Would you have wanted to never know about your daughter?”

  “I would’ve liked to have known I had a daughter from the start.”

  “But that didn’t happen.”

  Doc didn’t reply.

  “I’m sorry, Doc. This has to be hard for you.”

  “You’re right, Ethan. I can’t change the past, but I can build a future with Tessa.”

  “Amen to that,” Ethan answered.

  They quickly said goodbye and hung up. Ethan sent up a prayer that maybe he could have a future with Tessa, too.

  * * *

  Doc hung up the phone.

  “Who was that, Vince?” Joan asked, walking out of the bedroom where she’d closeted herself.

  He turned toward the only woman he’d ever loved. “Ethan. They’ve finished at the Cousinses’ place. Ethan said that they are stopping for a burger. I think he’s going to try to talk to Tessa.”

  Joan stumbled toward the kitchen table. “I thought my past was buried.” She sighed. “Now, suddenly it’s exploded in my face.”

  Vince sat across from Joan. “It’s amazing how sometimes our past catches us.”

  Joan stared at the plastic checkered tablecloth on the table. Vince could see how Tessa resembled her mother. And he could also see his own mother’s traits in his daughter.

  His daughter.

  His heart swelled with pride. “She’s an amazing woman.”

  Joan’s head came up and she locked eyes with his. “She is. Never did she complain about how things were as she grew up. Even when we lost the ranch, she didn’t whine.” Joan’s eyes took on a faraway look. “It made my life so much easier. Tessa never blamed me for Warren’s behavior—until last night.” Her gaze came back to h
is. “Do you blame me?”

  “Joan, I can’t say. I’m still reeling from learning the truth.”

  She didn’t challenge or accuse him. “There was never a day that I didn’t wish things had turned out differently. When Warren disappeared and we lost the ranch, I thought the world had come to an end.

  “Tessa and I scrambled, but you know, it was one of the best things that ever happened to us. I got a job, went back to school. Tessa worked to keep her horse and decided what her future would be.” She smiled at him. “She inherited your love of animals and your way with them. I was so proud of her.”

  “She’s got talent and I believe she’s going to be a great vet. It’s her size that throws everyone.”

  Leaning forward, Joan rested her elbows on the table. “You know, I admired the vet who hired Tessa. That man saw past her height to her potential. Now, knowing who hired her, I’m not surprised.

  “For years after Tessa was born, I wondered what my life would’ve been if I’d married you. Even after I married Warren. Finally, after we’d had a particularly bad fight, I made a conscious decision to stop thinking about what you and I could have had. It wasn’t fair to Warren or Tessa and it made me sad. I think he knew I never successfully got over you and that’s why he started drinking. I apparently ruined a lot of lives.”

  “We do what we must.”

  “Yeah, but it was no comfort.” She traced an imaginary line on the table. “Did my dad really run you off with a shot-gun?”

  “He did. After that, I just finally gave up.”

  “He wasn’t an understanding man. He missed knowing his granddaughter.”

  Vince winced. “Did you ever reconcile?”

  “I tried once. He wouldn’t bend and wouldn’t forgive me. I knew I couldn’t expose Tessa to him. My grandmother made up for Dad’s shortcomings. She was great for Tessa. Until she died when Tessa was ten, she’d have Tessa come and spend a week with her during the summer. She spoiled her outrageously. When I asked her about how her daughter could’ve cut her grandchild out of her life, Grandma just shook her head and said she thought she’d raised a stronger child than that.”

  Not knowing anything about her family but the few things Joan had told him that summer long ago, Vince gobbled up every piece of information she gave him.