Fresh-Start Ranch

Chapter Two

Tessa settled the blanket around the filly’s shivering form. The miracle of birth always brought tears to her eyes. No matter how many births she attended, they were always awe inspiring. Ethan steadied the mare as she struggled to her feet.

Tessa’s eyes met his. Satisfaction glowed there.

“Thanks for the help,” she murmured. Oddly, they had worked well together, anticipating each other during Hope’s birth.

William’s voice floated into the stables. “Ma, they have a court order.”

“I don’t care,” came the shrill reply. “They don’t have the right. I’ve sold that foal and ain’t goin’ to give back the money.”

Tessa met Ethan’s gaze. His lips pressed into a line of disgust.

The sheriff appeared in the doorway. “If you’re ready, I’d like to get out of here ASAP.”

“We’re ready,” Tessa answered.

“I’ll carry the foal,” Ethan told them, “and that should take care of the mare. She’ll follow.”

“Put a bridle on her,” Tessa instructed as she cleaned up. “It will help later.”

“So you plan on taking the horses to the vet’s place?” Sheriff Teague asked.

The clinic couldn’t handle all the horses long-term, but there might be another place the rescue group used. For now it would be easier to assess the horses’ state of health at the clinic. She could also document their condition and take pictures, which she hadn’t been able to do because of the emergency. “Is there another facility the rescue group uses?” Tessa asked.

“No.” Ethan looked around for a bridle. When he didn’t spot one, he found a piece of rope and fashioned it into a halter to go over the mare’s head. “The last time we did a rescue, Doc kept the horses at his clinic, but then there were only twelve horses. The next day we found foster homes for the animals.”

Ethan walked to Tessa’s side and scooped up the foal. The filly wouldn’t make it onto the trailer on such shaky legs.

“I’ll grab my medical bag and Momma’s lead.”

Ethan waited until Tessa had gathered her tackle box before he walked outside. On unsteady legs, the mother horse followed her baby. Tessa caught the trailing end of the rope as a precaution.

Out in the yard, an elderly woman lunged at Ethan. Sheriff Teague stepped in her way.

“He can’t take the foal,” the woman argued. “She’s spoken for.”

Ethan walked into his trailer and set the foal on her feet. The foal stumbled around, trying to catch her balance. The mare followed. Ethan tied her to the inside O-ring, anchoring the rope.

“Stop him,” the woman yelled.

“Take it up with the judge, Doris,” the sheriff replied.

She came face-to-face with Ethan. “You take care of that foal.”

Tessa stared in amazement at the woman. She hadn’t taken care of the mother horse and now was worried about the foal? Something wasn’t right.

“The doc will take good care of her,” Ethan answered, but his tone, understanding yet firm, surprised Tessa.

The woman shook her finger at Ethan. “You be sure.”

“What you need to worry about, Doris, is calling the county court and seeing when your hearing is scheduled. You can complain to the judge,” the sheriff interjected.

Doris snarled at him.

Ethan turned his back on the woman and walked Tessa to the cab of her truck. Tessa wondered if the woman might rush them.

“Don’t worry,” Ethan whispered. “Doris talks big, but she won’t do anything outright in front of everyone.”

“How do you know?”

“I’ve known her all my life.”

Tessa was pretty sure she knew what that meant—Doris would have someone else do her dirty work. “I’ll see you back at Doc’s office.” He turned, starting toward his truck. He paused, turned and gave her a thumbs-up. “You did a great job delivering that foal, Doc.”

The praise shocked Tessa. He didn’t wait for a response, just headed toward her truck.

But as they drove back to the clinic, she thought about Ethan’s words. She wasn’t the only one who’d done well. It’d been touch-and-go there. As they worked to save the foal, he’d accurately anticipated her needs before she voiced them.

They made a good working team.

The thought shook her to her core and set her protective instincts on alert.

* * *

Ethan walked down the center aisle of the hospital barn, looking for Tessa. He carried a cup of hot, fresh coffee. He would relieve Tessa and take the next shift of watching and hand-feeding Momma and her babe. It was close to four in the morning. Once they’d gotten back to the veterinary hospital, Tessa and Dr. Adams had worked evaluating the horses, starting IVs and seeing to the needs of the most critical of the animals. They documented their work so it could be used in court. Not once had Doc Adams had to direct Tessa. She knew her stuff. One of the other volunteers had commented that Doc’s new partner knew her way around a horse. Word would quickly spread about her abilities.

After initial evaluations, she checked each horse a second time, then took the second shift of feeding Lady, the foal’s dam. They’d sent all the other volunteers home after the horses were settled outside in the paddock.

Doc had taken the first shift of watching mare and foal. Now it was Ethan’s turn to take the shift from four to seven. He stopped at the door to the stall. Tessa sat on a three-legged stool beside the sling of hay attached to the sidewall of the stall.

Tessa’s eyes were closed. But despite her tired, vulnerable appearance, he knew his perspective on her had undergone a major change. After what they’d been through yesterday, looking at Tessa now, she didn’t look like a high school freshman he first mistook her for. Instead, what he saw was a petite woman who had a dazzling smile and a voice that could calm the most nervous horse or stressed person. He also saw a determined soul. The lady knew her stuff. But what he felt went deeper than appreciation for her skill.

He hadn’t been prepared for his pull to her, after he got over the initial shock of finding her tending his mount. He was gun-shy about commitments after his disastrous engagement to Mary.

Of course, it didn’t help that Mary had suddenly reappeared in his life a month ago as the replacement lawyer for the rescue group, poking at the old wound. Over the years, while he’d seen her in passing, since her parents owned the ranch next to his family’s ranch, he hadn’t had to talk to her. But in the weeks she’d been here, dealing with her had opened up old hurts, shame and embarrassment. He was way too raw to consider romance again.

A delicate snore drew his attention back to Tessa.

The mare woke and started to nibble the hay and caught several strands of Tessa’s hair. Tessa woke with a jerk. The horse lipped another few stalks of hay. Tessa reached up and rubbed the horse’s nose. “That’s right, Momma, eat the hay, not the vet’s hair. We want a healthy momma and baby, not a bald vet.” Turning her head, Tessa noticed him. “Is that coffee for me?”

“It is. I’ve already finished my cup and thought you might need some fortification.”

“A man after my own heart.” The instant the last word fell from her lips, her eyes widened and her cheeks turned pink. The words made him feel a little awkward, too, but he couldn’t help but smile when she looked so cute.

“Huh, I mean—”

Shaking his head, he said, “I know what you meant.” He handed her the mug. Cradling it between her hands, she sipped the brew.

“That’s so good.” She took another sip. “Thanks.”

He didn’t think anything about his actions. It was simply a gesture he would’ve made for anyone who’d worked as hard as she had, but he doubted he would’ve felt the same happiness at her thanks if the person doing the thanking was Ollie, the old grizzled foreman at his brother’s therapy ranch. What was going on with him?

“How’s this girl doing?” he asked as he fed the mare another handful of hay, eager to change the subject.

“So-so but steady.” Tessa stood and checked the bag of fluid. “I need to get another one of these.” Setting down her cup on the stool, she disappeared around the door of the stall.

She soon returned to the entrance to the stall with a new IV bag. She quickly changed out the bag. Another yawn seized her.

“Why don’t you grab a couple hours of shut-eye? I’ll watch these two.”

“Not that I don’t appreciate the help, but don’t you need to get back home?”

“I talked with my folks around midnight, updating them on the rescue. I told them I’d probably spend the night here, helping. It’s not the first time Doc and I have been babysitting sick, rescued animals.”

She studied him, and he knew she was evaluating him. Apparently, he passed the test because she nodded. “Thanks.” She disappeared down the aisle.

The foal made her way to her momma and began to nurse. Ethan had to smile at the new life that Tessa and he had a hand in. They worked well together.

And that made him antsy. He didn’t want to let another woman into his life. Not yet, maybe not ever again.

* * *

A few hours later, Dr. Adams appeared in the stall opening. “You ready to eat some breakfast?”

Ethan looked at the sleeping foal. She seemed stronger, but still favored her right front leg. “I am. The horses seem to be doing well.”

“Good. The rest of the horses are faring well, too. Come on into the kitchen and have some breakfast. I’ve got a feeling that it’s going to get busy sooner than we want. Other ranchers will be coming today to get horses to house.”

With a final glance, Ethan stood and stretched. He joined Doc outside the stall and closed the door behind him. As they walked through the screened-in breezeway that ran from the barn past the operating room and offices to the house, Ethan nailed Doc with a look. “Imagine my surprise yesterday, when I walked into my barn and found this unknown person handling Ranger.”

A mischievous smile crossed Doc’s face. “That so?”

“Yup.”

“Your dad knew Tessa and I had divided up the calls after the storm,” the older man offered innocently. “Your folks were here right after Tessa arrived. Your mom fixed up the spare room for her. Besides, you knew I’d hired a new vet.”

Doc scored a point. “True. I remember you saying you hired a Dr. T. Grant who graduated from Purdue. No one mentioned the T stood for Tessa, not Tony or Terry, nor did you mention when Dr. Grant would get here.”

“Does it matter, Ethan?”

Ethan blushed. “No, but—”

Doc opened the door to the kitchen. “But what?”

“I wasn’t expecting a girl,” he sputtered, feeling supremely stupid.

“Catch up with the times, son. Tessa graduated in the top 10 percent of her class, and when I learned she grew up on a horse farm in Kentucky, I knew we’d be lucky to have her. I just prayed that she’d be willing to come out here. New Mexico is beautiful but in a different way from Kentucky. If this land doesn’t call to your heart, then you won’t be happy.”

Ethan grabbed a mug from the cabinet and poured himself some coffee. What Doc said was true. If you didn’t feel easy with this rugged land, then you wouldn’t be happy, as evidenced by the vet who came for six months to sub for Doc when he went home to see his family. When Doc returned to the clinic, he asked the young vet if he wanted to stay and join Doc’s practice. He politely declined and went back to Wisconsin. Doc tried a couple of other times, but to no avail. If Tessa truly did settle in, Ethan knew it would be a load off Doc’s mind. But was Tessa really the right choice for their community?

“Put some bread in the toaster,” Doc ordered from his position by the stove. There were eggs in a skillet and bacon on a plate next to him.

Ethan knew this kitchen as well as he knew the kitchen at home. He’d spent many an hour in here with Doc talking. “Since you came from that part of the country, weren’t you worried about her coming?”

Doc served up the eggs. He made three plates and brought two of them to the table. After placing several strips of bacon on the third plate, he brought the rest to the table. “I gave it a fifty-fifty chance. Horse country in Kentucky is some of the most beautiful I’ve seen.”

“So why’d you come out to New Mexico?” Ethan asked. Up to this moment, it had never occurred to him to ask.

His eyes took on a faraway look. Ethan thought Doc might not answer him. Ethan had shared with this man the darkest secrets of his life, and Doc had not betrayed that confidence. But as Ethan thought about it, Doc had shared sparingly about his life before he came here.

Finally, Doc said, “I needed a new beginning.”

The answer shocked Ethan. He wanted to ask more, but looking at the older man, Ethan knew not to push.

Doc dug into his eggs. “This land has a beauty that I’ve come to love, and I hope Tessa will come to love it, too.”

As they quietly ate, Ethan’s mind filled with questions about Doc’s past.

“I was glad to have Tessa yesterday,” Doc said, picking up his coffee. “She proved herself with the storm, then with that rescue. Do you think I could’ve done better with that foal?”

Ethan thought about it. Could Doc have done better? “Hard to say. You might’ve been able to position that foal better.”

Doc nodded. “I know.”

“You know what?” Tessa asked from the doorway. Her voice rang clear and strong.

Ethan shoved the last of the eggs in his mouth. Let Doc handle that response.

She sniffed the air. “Is that coffee I smell?”

“Yup,” Doc answered. “And eggs and bacon.”

She quickly stepped into the room. Dressed in a pair of jeans, boots and a white long-sleeved shirt, she nearly knocked Ethan’s socks off. “Good,” she said, “because I wasn’t up for cooking anything this morning, but smelling the coffee and bacon, my stomach told me it’s time to eat.” After filling a mug, she threw a piece of bread in the toaster and brought her plate to the table. “So what do you know?” She looked from Doc to Ethan.

“Ethan was just saying you knew exactly what to do to care for those rescued horses yesterday. And you did a great job with the birth.”

Her fork stopped halfway to her mouth. Her gaze moved from Doc to Ethan. She placed the food in her mouth and nodded.

“Ethan says he thinks you did a nice job delivering the foal.”

Tessa turned to Ethan, surprise in her eyes. He saw what his faith in her meant and felt ashamed that he hadn’t actually said any of those things.

“It was a team effort.” Tessa buttered her toast. “We need to watch Hope’s leg. She wasn’t too sure standing on it last night. The strain of the birth might’ve damaged that ligament in her foreleg.”

Cupping his coffee in both hands, Ethan said, “I didn’t notice much of a limp when the foal started nursing this last time. I might’ve been a little sleepy, but things might already be working out.”

“Good.”

The phone rang. “The day begins,” Doc muttered as he stood and answered the phone. “Hello. Yes, Mary, we’ve done the initial evaluation of the horses. All of them made it through the night.” Doc looked from Tessa to Ethan. “You need the report that soon?” He frowned. “Okay. Drop by tonight and we’ll have the report. Also, I’ll have a list of where each of the horses will be housed.” After saying goodbye, he hung up.

“Mary wants a written report on the condition of each horse. She’ll print out the pictures she took so we can petition the judge for custody.” Doc sat down beside Tessa. “Have you written any reports for court fights?”

“Yes.”

“Good, because I’m all thumbs and can’t type worth spit. Can you have a report for Mary by five today?”

“Low man on the totem pole, huh?” A grin followed the question.

Doc threw his head back and laughed. Tessa smiled.

“You nailed it.”

As Ethan looked from one vet to another, he had the oddest feeling of hearing an echo. There was a similarity. He shrugged it off, telling himself he was just tired.

The sound of tires squealing to a stop followed by the slamming of car doors stopped the jocularity.

Instantly, Ethan and Doc were on their feet, heading for the door.

“Grab the cordless phone,” Ethan shot over his shoulder, his stomach tight, “and be prepared to call the sheriff.” Ethan followed Doc outside.

“What’s wrong?” Tessa asked.

“No rancher would’ve come to as reckless a stop in front of the animal hospital. It’s trouble.”

It turned out to be William Moore and his mother. William held a rifle and his mother looked as if she was spoiling for a fight.

He’d been right—they sure looked like trouble.

Chapter Three

Tessa didn’t wait for Ethan to tell her to call. She dialed 911 and told the dispatcher what the problem was while keeping an ear out for the conversation outside.

“Mornin’, Doris,” Doc called out, his voice congenial.

“It will be when I get my horses,” she snapped.

Doc walked toward her. “You’ll be happy to know all the horses made it through the night. It was tough going, though, getting your mare and her foal through those hours. We took turns hand-feeding them.”

Doris glared at him. “I didn’t need your help. My mare would’ve done just fine. It was all that commotion that your team stirred up that gave her trouble.”

Just how much in denial was this woman? It wasn’t unusual for people who neglected animals not to see what they’d done, but Doris brought it to a whole new level.

“William, go get the horses,” Doris commanded.

William’s eyes widened. “But Ma—”

“Don’t Ma me. Get the horses.”

Tessa scrambled outside into the parking lot. “If you move either of those horses, you might kill them.”

Doris’s attention focused on Tessa. “What are you talking about?”

“The mare might not make it back to your stable. And the foal, her leg was in the wrong position when she was born. She has a slight limp. If they’re left here, we can oversee their medical condition and help at this critical junction. It’s their best chance to survive and fully recover.”

For the first time, the hostility in Doris’s expression softened.

“She’s got a point, Ma.”

“Dr. Grant is right in her assessment, Doris,” the older veterinarian confirmed. “The best choice for your animals is to leave them here. Do you want to see how they’re doing?”

Doris put her hands on her hips and glared. “Of course.”

“Come in and see for yourself.” Doc motioned Doris into the breezeway.

Ethan stepped to William’s side. “Why don’t you put that rifle down before someone gets hurt?”

Relief swept across the young man’s face. “Ma thought we needed the show of strength.” He looked at his mother. She nodded and he put the rifle on the floor behind the seats in the cab.

William moved behind his mother with Ethan and Tessa trailing behind.

Doc walked down the breezeway to the barn. “This way, Doris.”

She shook her finger at Doc. “Okay, but I’m not giving up on getting my horses back.”

“I’d expect nothing less,” he answered.

Doris and William walked through the barn door.

“You handled that well,” Ethan whispered to Tessa.

“You’re surprised?”

“Nope.”

Tessa didn’t know how to take his answer. He didn’t wait for her but caught up with William. Tessa followed after, trying to decide how she felt about Ethan McClure.

The man seemed to be a bag of walking contradictions. He went from skepticism to approval. He questioned her qualifications yet took directions well from her last night, didn’t hesitate and did his turn nursing the horses without complaint. His skills were excellent, but that didn’t surprise her, his being a rancher. Had he changed his mind about her or would he at some point call her ability into question again?

She couldn’t get a good read on him and that made her jumpy.

Doris stopped and looked into the stall. Lady nibbled the feed, while her foal rested on a pile of clean hay in the corner of the stall.

“They’re looking fine to me,” Doris commented.

Tessa joined them by the stall door. She prayed for the right words. “That’s because we stayed with them all night. Lady’s had two IVs.” Doc must’ve removed the IV from the mare. “We can treat them medically. Since Dr. Adams and I are here, we can oversee any complications. We’ve got fluids, antibiotics and high-grade feed for them. That foal needs some TLC for her leg. No one is going to want a horse that can’t be ridden.”

Doris wavered.

“And you’ll have your time in court to argue for getting them back,” Ethan added. “It would be to your advantage to cooperate with us, Doris. I’ll be sure to tell the judge you did.”

The older woman’s eyes narrowed, but she nodded grudgingly. “All right, but you be sure to do that.”

“I will.”

They walked outside and discovered Sheriff Teague there.

“Everything okay out here?” Joe asked, getting out of his patrol unit.

Doris frowned, but she didn’t respond.

“Everything’s fine,” Doc Adams answered. He turned to Doris.

She didn’t comment, just glared at them, then climbed into the truck, slamming the passenger-side door. William got into the driver’s seat and they sped off, leaving a cloud of dust.

As Tessa watched the truck disappear, she knew deep in her gut this wasn’t going to be the last time she’d have a run-in with Doris and her son. She just hoped that Doc—and Ethan—would be there to calm things down when trouble came knocking again.

* * *

Tessa sat in the clinic office the next day, staring at the report she’d just finished. She clicked the print button. Too many times she’d had to write similar reports. Doc had called Mary back and told her the report would take another day, due to the increased workload at the clinic that had them scrambling. Tessa could easily see why Doc Adams needed another vet to help.

Standing, she walked to the printer. Each time she participated in a rescue and saw how people neglected their horses, her heart broke. But God had given her this eternal hope that no matter how bleak, He could shine a light into any darkness, as witnessed by Hope’s birth.

She heard a car engine outside, then car doors slam.

As she gathered the pages from the printer, she heard the screen door creak open. She strode out of the office into the waiting area. Looking through the window, she saw a horse trailer.

Unease crept up her spine. Doc had left for one of the ranches north of the clinic about forty-five minutes ago.