by Rose Verde
“Easy, boy.” His soft words filtered to her ears, but the horse was determined not to let him mount. She’d read about how cruel some cowboys were when they wanted to break a horse. But that wasn’t what was unfolding before her. From what she’d read as a child fascinated by horses, it looked like they had reached the last stage of breaking the horse because it bore a saddle. Yet, this stage could be the most dangerous for the person breaking the animal.
After moments of going round in circles, in one fluid moment, Chance was on the horse’s back. The horse began to buck and twist but Chance held on. Sam’s mouth dried. Any mistake now could be fatal. The man hung on as stubborn as the horse that bucked under him.
“That’s amazing, Dad.”
He looked up and the horse saw his opportunity. Chance sailed through the air and fell in a heap. He sprang up and slipped over one of the metal rails. Sam’s hand flew to her chest and she raced after the boy who was running to his father’s rescue.
He didn’t look harmed. But her heart wouldn’t cease its pounding.
“ARE YOU OKAY?” SHE asked.
Did he hear a note of panic in her voice? Chance closed his eyes briefly. “Apart from my bruised ego? Yes, I am.” He glanced at the animal who now stood in a corner looking at him. “I was determined to show him I could be resilient too, but for the distraction.”
“Did he hurt you, Dad?”
“No, buddy. What are you both doing out here?”
“Sam’s cooking, so she said we could take a walk.”
Did he hear correctly? “Cooking?” he met her gaze and for the moment forgot his hurting back.
“He was hungry and he said you’d have to cook when you return. I figured I could start something to quicken the process.” She frowned and stepped close.
Chance followed her line of vision. “It’s not only your ego that took a beating.”
His elbow was pulsating. How come he hadn’t felt it before? It’s not every day you fall before a woman.
“You should have it cleaned up before you get an infection.”
“Uh, yeah.” He glanced at the rip on his sleeve and the gash that peeked through it. Blood was already tracking a path down his arm, sticking the sleeve to his arm. His elbow connected with something hard when he landed but he’d been more concerned in landing properly to avoid more serious injuries.
“If you have a first aid kit, I could help you.”
He held her gaze for a few seconds. She was getting under his skin. Did he want her tending his wounds? But then, the location of the wound meant that he couldn’t clean it out himself. Unless he was going to make Andy do it. Not an option. “Okay.”
Andy tucked his hand in Chance’s as they headed back to the ranch house. He’d be sore by morning, he knew that, but for now, he needed to get his wound cleaned, one less thing to worry about. “Andy can you get the first aid box from my washroom?”
Andy nodded and left. Silence followed his wake. Chance inhaled the aroma permeating from the slow cooker. “You didn’t have to cook for us. I have several jars of cookies in the pantry.”
“I didn’t want him snacking. At least both of you can eat without you having the extra work of cooking.”
Her thoughtfulness sent a warm feeling coursing through him. One more reason he wouldn’t be able to fight this new need to have her around. Except that nothing had changed. She couldn’t fit here. “Thank you.”
“Yeah, no worries.”
Andy returned with the kit. “Go play in the living room, Andy.” He looked uncertain but he obeyed. Sam washed her hands and set to work. His sleeve had soaked up a sizable amount of blood but so far, it’d stopped flowing.
Her warm fingers wrapped around his arm turning it for a better view. The warmth was doing a number on his heart and he didn't like it one bit.
After a thorough cleaning, she looked at it. “It’s not so deep. You should go uptown and get a shot to prevent tetanus.”
“I will.”
She applied a fresh dressing. “All done.”
“Where did you learn this skill?”
“From babysitting a brother who was ten years younger than myself.” “He’s lucky to have you. Where’s he now?”
Something akin to pain crossed her eyes. “He passed. I’m leaving. Make sure you get that shot,” she hastened away.
He frowned. Why had he opened his big mouth? He had no way of knowing. He stayed where he was but could hear as she said goodbye to Andy and instructed him on his assignment. Minutes later, he heard the door open and close and then the sound of her car as she drove away.
Her loss must be recent if his query spooked her that much.
Andy came to the door, his brows furrowed. “What did you say to Sam?”
Chance frowned. He glanced at the clock on the microwave. “It’s time for her to go, buddy.”
“I know, but she looked sad.”
Chance plowed the fingers of his throbbing arm through his hair. “Come here.” He waited for Andy to get close while scouting around in his mind for what to say. “I’m not completely sure, but I’ll find out.”
“And make her feel better?”
“I don’t know about that, bud. But...”
“I don’t want her to go away. I don’t want her to stop teaching me.”
“Okay, she’s not going to stop because she’s sad.”
“Not if you make her sad.”
He wasn’t sure what gave Andy the impression but his wisdom was something else. “Okay, Dad didn’t deliberately make her sad. Sam needs to go home. But I’m sure she’ll be here tomorrow, okay?”
“Okay.”
He looked dubious and Chance ached for him. Sam was the first constant young female figure around the house in a long while, and he feared his son was getting attached. Nelly, his housekeeper, was more like a grandma to Andy. Chance figured Sam reminded him of his mom. He gave her until August. What happened then? “Why not go grab your cards and show me what you did today while I finish cooking?”
Andy held his gaze a moment more, then went out. His phone pinged and he glanced at the message. The rice is in the microwave. I was making butter chicken with rice. I’m sorry I didn’t finish cooking.
He shot back a quick reply. Thanks for starting it. Means a lot to me. I’m sorry for asking about your brother... I didn’t know.
He waited but no response. Andy returned to the kitchen and while he went over his work, Chance finished up the cooking. But his mind didn’t stray from Sam. He wanted to know her. Something told him she had some hurts in her past. Not just her brother. He’d sensed it a couple of times over the past weeks. He’d put it down to his over imaginative mind. Was it her brother’s death? They must be really close.
He dished their food and they sat at the table. Andy said grace and they started to eat.
“This is awesome, Dad.”
Chance couldn’t agree more. “Better than mine?” he asked in mock horror.
“Definitely. Can she cook more for us, Dad?”
Chance knew he wasn’t the best cook. Nelly did all the cooking until the past two weeks. “I employed her to teach you, buddy, not cook for us.”
“But, she doesn’t mind.”
“That doesn’t matter, son,” he said as gently as he could. “If she cooks for us, we won’t say no, but we can’t expect it. Nelly will be here soon. You love her cooking too.”
“How soon?”
“Very soon.”
He pushed his food around on his plate. “But...”
“No buts, buddy. Now eat your food and you can come hang around with me in the yard.
He nodded.
Okay, I’m going to have a new set of problems on my hands, Lord. I need wisdom.
Chapter Eight
Chance dialed Dale, his foreman. They had a lull in the calving for the past few days. It helped him focus on a few more things. His voice came on the second ring. “My son’s teacher is a bit late. I’ll be joining you as soon as sh
e shows up.”
“So the plan is to keep Kyle, Regan and Nolan on the ranch in case of anything. Not that we expect any trouble. But, I like to be cautious. They will do stall cleaning and stripping. The rest of us can work on repairs and fence.”
“Works for me.”
When the call ended seconds later, he checked his wristwatch again. It was unlike her to not show up and not call. Truth be told, he was beginning to get worried. Yet, the thought that she might just be held up made him wait.
“Isn’t Sam coming today?” Andy asked, looking up from his alphabet he was writing.
“She will, bud. Probably just held up.”
He nodded and continued writing. Chance wasn’t sure what was happening, but after her thoughtful action the week before, he felt a closeness to her he couldn’t explain. They’d talked more after that, he stayed in on a couple of classes. He loved her gentle and encouraging way with Andy, and he understood why Andy was distraught about the possibility of her not showing. He went to the window and looked out. No sign of her car.
The clock on the wall told him another fifteen minutes had passed, still nothing. Then he remembered the reception on his ranch could be finicky sometimes. Maybe she’d been trying to call him.
“Are you worried about her, Dad?”
Where had that come from? “Uh, I have some work to do. I need her to be here already,” he said trying to downplay the panic that welled up in him.
Slipping his phone out of his pocket, he dialed her number. It rang and then her recorded voice came up advising him to leave a voice message. His pulse raced. Not good.
He ended the call and dialed again. “Pick up, Sam,” he whispered.
“She isn’t answering?” Andy asked quietly.
“Not yet.” Just when he thought her voicemail would kick in again, a male voice came on the line. For a moment his belly plummeted. He wasn’t sure why. “May I speak with Samantha Walters?” he forced himself to ask.
“Officer Kent here. Who am I speaking with?”
Why was an officer answering her call? “I’m Chance Caruthers. Samantha works for me.”
“She was involved in an accident. She’s currently on her way to the hospital. I heard the phone ringing in her car.”
“Is she okay?” Chance asked, his throat growing dry.
“She’s conscious, that I can tell you. But the doctors will know for certain.”
“Where are you at?”
“41 route, around Schuler.” The officer described where.
That was halfway to the ranch, so she’d been on her way. “Thank you. I’ll be there in a half hour.”
To think she was so close to the ranch, yet, he didn’t know anything. Chance said a quick prayer. “Buddy, can you grab your jacket? Samantha was in an accident. We need to go see her.”
“Okay, Dad.” He got up and walked to the door, then called over his shoulder, “Is she okay?”
“She is.” He hoped she really was. Even though they hadn’t really got along too well, until the past few days, he couldn’t bear to see her harmed.
Andy soon returned and after they got into the truck, Chance called his foreman to update him. By the time he got to the site of the accident, he was just under thirty minutes. He drove a little distance and parked his truck. “Let’s go, buddy.”
He got out and opened the back door for Andy. When he climbed down, Chance took his son’s hand. A quick look showed him one car lying in the middle of the road. The other, Samantha’s, lay mangled on the side, like it’d rolled over a few times. With the cut on the driver’s side, she probably was cut out with the jaws of life. Bile filled his throat and he felt faint. He walked to the officer who was writing on a notepad close to Sam’s black Mustang.
“Good morning officer. I spoke with Officer Kent a moment ago.”
“That’s me.”
Chance glanced at the car again and fear didn’t let him ask the question that hung on his tongue.
As though reading his thoughts, the officer said, “That one had a miracle. She was surprisingly without too many physical injuries compared to the car.”
That simple statement flooded Chance with relief beyond words. Now he felt lightheaded for a different reason. “Thank God.”
“You’re a Christian?” the officer asked.
“I am.” Chance smiled. The officer smiled back and didn’t say anything. If he wasn’t in a hurry to go see Sam, he would’ve asked why the officer was smiling. “How possible is it for me to get her phone and anything else she left in her car to her?”
“You said she works for you?” he asked.
“Yes. She teaches my son. I was concerned that she hadn’t showed up and thought I’d call to check on her.” The officer looked at him again as though gauging him.
“I’ll check with my boss. Be right back.”
He left them standing and went to an older gentleman directing traffic on the other end. Chance looked over the place, officers working, traffic going by. On a whim, he took a picture of her car. Thank You God, for this miracle. Only You can make someone come out of this car alive. He continued in prayer as the officer talked with his superior and walked back towards him. Lord, please perfect healing for everyone involved.
The officer returned back. “My boss would like to talk to you.”
“Sure.” As they walked back to the officer. Chance asked, “How about the occupant of the other car?”
“We won’t know until we get to the hospital. She apparently lost control of her car and hit the other car.”
He seemed to be giving Chance a tongue in cheek responses and he understood that. When they got to his boss, Chance had to give the same information over again.
“Kent, take down his details and give him the lady’s things.”
“Sure.” Kent opened his notepad, took down Chance’s details and then went back to their vehicle and brought her phone and her bag to him. “There you go.”
“Thanks. What hospital is she at?”
He told Chance the name.
“Thanks so very much.”
When they got back to his truck, he helped Andy in. “Looks like we’re stuck together today, Andy.”
“It’s okay. I’m glad she’s okay. Are we going to see her?”
“Yes.” He didn’t know how long she’d be out of commission. This homeschooling thing had all kinds of snag attached with it. None of them he envisaged. Be still and know that I am God.
“CAN I GO NOW?” SAM asked the nurse as she wheeled her into the room. Her head pounded out a tune but if she mentioned it, they would keep her. What must Chance think of her? She hadn’t thought of her phone until she got to the hospital.
“The doctor will be with you shortly. He will tell you if you can go.”
Sam didn’t like the sound of that. After making sure she was comfortable, the blonde who looked about Sam’s age asked, “You need anything?”
“No, thanks.”
“There’s a bell just here,” she showed her where. “Ring it if you need anything.”
“Okay.” Sam patted the dressing on her forehead and shook her head as the enormity of her deliverance sank in. She was sure she was going to die as the car flipped a couple of times, she wasn’t sure how many times. All she could say was “Jesus” and a moment later, the car came to a stop. Thank you, God.
A small knock filtered through the door, and hoping it was the doctor, she put on her best face, while preparing her argument in her head. “Come in.”
The door opened and Chance brought his head around the door. Her pulse picked up speed at the concern in his eyes. A smaller hand pushed the door and cried, “Sam.”
Andy’s outburst gave her time to look away from the mesmerizing gaze of her employer. He jumped onto the bed and hugged her. The small jarring set her head pounding. “Hey, you missed me?”
“Yes. Dad was worried about you. I was worried too.” He gave her a sheepish grin.
“Were you both now?” she did
n’t plan on reading any meaning into the boy’s words.
“You need to come down now, buddy.” He took his son away, not meeting her gaze. Was he blushing?
The thought of it eased her discomfort. “Look, I’m sorry. One moment I was driving and the next thing someone crashed into me from behind at top speed.”
“Are you kidding? I saw your car. You could have been badly injured or worse still, dead.” He winced at his words. “I’m glad you’re okay.” He handed her phone and bag over. “I got it from the cops. You might want to call your family?”
“Thanks, but there’s no family to call.”
“You don’t have anyone to call?” he asked, concern maring his face.
“I’ll call my friend shortly.”
He nodded. For a few seconds, they stared at each other. A knock sounded at the door, breaking the connection. “Come in,” she said.
A young man probably in his thirties walked in. “Ms. Walter, how are you doing? I’m Dr. Smith.”
She shrugged. “I’m fine.”
Chance greeted the doctor and took his son’s hand. “Let’s wait outside.”
They exited.
The doctor glanced at the monitor and then back to her. “I’ve looked over your results and they’re all good given the story I heard about the state of your car. Do you have any headaches?”
“Just a little.” As though to test her lie, her head pulsated. But she wasn’t about to say anything. “Can I go?”
“I would’ve kept you except that I have no reason to. If your headaches worsen, or you get dizzy or anything out of the ordinary, I need you to come right in.”
“Sure.”
“Do you have anyone at home?”
“Yes,” she said, thinking it might probably be best going to stay with Chris or Renee. Either of them would be glad to house her for a few days. After the fright of her accident, she didn’t plan to be alone. At least, not today.
“Great. Your nurse will be back to complete paperwork and then you can leave. Take some Tylenol for pain but not longer than three days.”
“Thanks, Dr. Smith.”
