Trusting the rancher wit.., p.3
Trusting the Rancher with Christmas, page 3
Riley beamed and lunged for Paige. She wrapped her arms around Paige’s waist and squeezed. Paige absorbed the little girl’s version of a bear hug and melted inside. Paige returned the embrace and held on as if bear hugs really did make everything better. She glanced across the table at Ilene. “Can you give me the address for the ranch? I’ll head out there, as long as you know this isn’t an exam. I can’t offer a diagnosis or treatment plan.”
Riley lifted her head. “But you can talk to Macybelle and the other cows. And even my dad. Then he might feel better too and be happy again.”
Paige chewed on her bottom lip. Cats and dogs were her specialty. She wasn’t sure she had the right words for a single dad and his happiness. Those she was certain belonged to someone else. “Let’s start with Macybelle and go from there.”
Riley grinned and handed her candy canes to Abby. “Can we have hot chocolate now and go to the hardware store? Mr. Rivers has reindeer as tall as me. And they light up.”
“Sure we can.” Abby walked to the refrigerator and opened the door. “I want to find more outdoor ornaments. Maybe you can help me find some.”
Riley cheered. “You should put reindeer in your yard too, Ms. Abby.”
“Evan is at the ranch now.” Ilene wrote on a piece of paper and handed it to Paige. “This is the address. I’m sure he’ll be glad to see you.”
Glad or not, Paige was more than pleased to let Riley join her cousin on a hunt for more holiday decor. Paige took the paper from Ilene and looked at her cousin. “Can I take my hot chocolate to go, please?”
CHAPTER TWO
EVAN BISHOP CLOSED the stable door. He brushed his hands off on his jeans and eyed the silver compact car kicking up dust and pebbles on the unpaved road leading to the Bishop family home. He recognized the four-door hatchback from the traffic stop he’d caused earlier that morning on the bypass.
Evan adjusted his hat and walked to the edge of the roundabout in front of the farmhouse. He’d returned from the southern pasture to grab a quick bite of last night’s leftover meat-lovers pizza. Cold pizza was all he had time for. He needed to get back to the cattle corral and his ill cows. Every hour, another cow seemed to be added to the quarantine pen.
He had no time for interruptions. Especially ones that had hair the color of roasted chestnuts and smiles as refreshing as a springtime rain. And who looked like everything he wasn’t interested in. But his traffic stop encounter had left an impression. One he hadn’t been able to completely dismiss. Even now, the smallest twinge of anticipation skimmed through him.
The silver hatchback rolled to a stop. The engine cut off and the driver’s door opened. A familiar brown-haired woman appeared. He caught the flash of that smile. The one etched in his mind. Her hand lifted as if she intended to wave.
Evan crossed his arms over his chest and widened his stance as if preparing to block her charm and curb his own reaction. He was borderline excited to see her again so soon. Three Springs was small. He’d expected to run into her at the gas station or the Owl. He had not expected to find her on his property. He waited for recognition to hit.
She didn’t disappoint. Her smile dissolved as her mouth curved into an O shape. Her brow furrowed above her trendy glasses. Her eyes widened behind the clear lenses. She hadn’t expected to see him either. If she was slightly like him, all the better. That put them solidly on common ground.
Her hand did a slow drop that matched the bewilderment in her words. “You’re my cattle crossing cowboy.”
He liked her use of my despite her obvious wince over her verbal slipup.
She stammered, “I—I meant the cowboy from the cattle crossing this morning.”
He preferred my cowboy. But now wasn’t the time to consider the why behind that foolish thought. The same as it wasn’t time to contemplate all the highlights the afternoon sun revealed in her long brown hair. “Welcome to Crescent Canyon. I’m Evan Bishop.”
“Paige Palmer.” She stepped forward as if she meant to shake his hand, then paused. Her arms remained firmly at her sides.
And Evan remained completely still and not quite as indifferent as he wanted to be.
Paige Palmer wasn’t a complete stranger he’d met on the road. She was Tess Palmer’s younger sister and Abby James’s cousin. Abby was dating one of Evan’s best friends, Wes Tanner. He’d been hearing about Paige’s impending arrival for several days from his own mother and the locals at the Feisty Owl bar, and from her own family. He wondered if Paige would like to know she’d been the talk of the town for the past few days. “Well, Paige Palmer, did you get lost on the bypass again?”
“Actually, your mother sent me out here.” She loosened the lightweight scarf around her neck.
Unease loosened inside Evan. What was his mother up to? His mom had been quite vocal about encouraging him to date again. But she hadn’t gone so far as to arrange any blind dates or awkward meet and greets. Until now. “Why would she do that?”
“I’m a veterinarian.” Paige watched him from behind her glasses. The round frames only enhanced her all-too-observant gaze.
Her job was a detail he already knew. Thanks to the town chatter. Now he also knew her eyes were a whiskey-brown color, upturned at the edges and entirely too expressive. What he didn’t know was if she was a morning person or night owl. Or if she preferred salty snacks or sweets. Not that he really cared. Just plain curiosity. “Yet you aren’t licensed to practice here in Texas.”
“No, I live in Chicago.” She tucked her hair behind her ear. “I work at an emergency animal hospital.”
More details he’d already learned from the gossip about her visit. That explained her irritation at the cattle crossing. She was a city girl, accustomed to a fast pace and high-stress situations. Quiet country walks, unrushed dinners and watching for shooting stars would most likely not appeal to her. Not that he wanted to do any of that either. He was dedicated to his daughter and his work. And had a full plate just like he wanted. “Don’t suppose you treat many cows in the city.”
“Not a one. I treat dogs and cats mostly. Sometimes rabbits and birds as well as the occasional hamster.” She patted her hand against her leg. A small smile twitched across her mouth. “But I have colleagues I can consult. And I’m good at observations others might miss.”
Evan noticed Rex, one of his pure white Great Pyrenees, watching them from beside the farmhouse. Rex was a timely reminder that Evan had work to do. Cows to tend. A ranch to run. A family legacy to establish. “I’m sorry you came all the way out here, but I have everything in hand.”
The slightest chill, like whiskey poured over ice, flashed in her gaze. Annoyance flashed in her words. “So, you don’t want me to even take a look at your sick cows.”
He shook his head. Not to tell him things he’d already observed himself. It was more than clear he had sick cattle on his land. What wasn’t clear was why and how he was supposed to treat them before he lost most of the herd. And a city veterinarian with no experience wasn’t going to have the answers he needed. “I appreciate the offer, but you should be enjoying your vacation with your family, not caring for my cattle.”
“I’m here at a request from your family.” Paige tipped her chin up, seemingly unmoved by his suggestion to go and relax. “Your daughter specifically. Riley wanted me to talk to Macybelle.”
“What exactly are you going to say to Macybelle?” he asked.
“That’s between Macybelle and me.” Paige patted her leg again.
Rex’s thick tail swished against Evan’s jeans as he trotted by to get closer to Paige. Evan might’ve envied the dog. If he’d been interested in Paige. In wanting a connection. He had his land and Riley and his friends. He considered himself well-connected already. No more were required.
Paige knelt and greeted the large dog. Her fingers sank into his dense coat. Her gaze lifted to Evan’s. “I gave Riley my word and I don’t want to break it. She was already pretty upset.”
Evan winced. His voice sounded too thin. Riley’s tears always cut through him, sharper than any knife. “She wasn’t crying, was she?”
“What would you rather hear?” Paige countered.
He’d thought he’d shielded Riley. He’d told her it was nothing to worry about. Hugged her that morning until she’d giggled. He’d laughed over their misshaped pancakes and matching chocolate-milk mustaches. Pretended it was just another routine morning. Yet somewhere inside the laughter, Riley had sensed his concern. His own alarm. He had to do better. Be better to protect his daughter. “You don’t actually believe talking to Macybelle is going to heal her, do you?”
“I believe all animals, big and small, respond to kindness and considerate care.” Paige framed Rex’s massive head and pressed a kiss between his large ears. “After all, everyone wants to know they matter.”
Riley mattered. He made sure his daughter felt that every single day. And knew it in her heart. “Rex and I can take you out to Macybelle’s pasture.”
“That would be great.” Paige rose and settled her all-too-assessing gaze on Evan. “I’m not here to cause any problems. I just gave Riley my word.”
He’d made his own vows too. Six years ago, standing alone at the altar with his five-month-old daughter in his arms. He’d vowed Riley could always count on him. That he would keep Riley from getting hurt. That his daughter would know unconditional love.
Evan nodded and headed toward the UTV parked outside the stable. Rex jumped into the bed of the vehicle. Evan dropped into the driver’s seat, started the UTV and pulled onto the dirt road. “Do you always keep your word?”
“My grandpa Harlan taught me to never give my word if there was a chance I’d break it.” Paige wrapped her hair into a low ponytail. “So yeah. I keep it.”
“And if I refused to let you see Macybelle?”
“I would’ve called your mother for directions to Macybelle’s pasture.” Paige grinned at him.
He believed her.
She added, “Grandpa Harlan also taught me there’s more than one way to shoe a horse.”
Evan laughed. “He’s not wrong, you know.”
Minutes later, Evan opened the pasture gate and motioned Paige inside. He latched the gate and pointed to the nine-hundred-pound brown cow in the far corner. “That’s our Macybelle. And her friend Annabelle is the other one. Both belong to Riley.”
“Is Annabelle sick too?” Paige asked.
“Her symptoms are mild,” he said. “And she’s seeming to respond to the antibiotics. I thought it’d be more stressful to separate them. They’ve always been together.”
Paige walked slowly toward Macybelle.
“Both were rejected by their mothers,” Evan explained. “Riley declared herself their mom.”
His daughter had insisted, actually. Insisted the pair of calves would be scared if they were alone. Insisted they couldn’t be abandoned. She’d been young, but fierce and determined. “Riley visits every day before and after school. This pasture is the first place she goes when she gets home in the afternoons.”
“Can we approach her?” Paige asked.
Evan agreed.
“Anything I should know?” Paige’s attention remained on the cow.
“Rule of thumb, if you can see a cow’s eye, then she can see you.” Evan walked beside Paige, unhurried. “No loud noises. Nothing that would startle her.”
Paige remained in Macybelle’s line of sight and lowered to her knees near the cow’s head. She offered praise for her soulful eyes and apologies for her unwell state.
Evan guided Paige through taking Macybelle’s heart rate from her tail. Checking dehydration by pinching the skin behind her ear, then finally getting a respiratory rate.
Paige listened, followed his instructions with ease and heaped more praise on the young bovine.
“The symptoms are the same for the others.” Evan crouched beside her. “The usual treatments for colds and mild pneumonia aren’t working.”
“What have we missed?” Paige checked Macybelle’s ears and leaned in closer. “What aren’t you revealing to us?”
Us. They weren’t a team. He and Riley were the only team. Evan rubbed his knuckles under his chin, but his frown remained fixed in place.
Besides, Paige wasn’t supposed to know what ailed Macybelle. But Evan should. The cows were his responsibility. So, what had he missed? “There’s been no rashes. No drainage from the nose or eyes. Nothing that makes it definitively one disease over another.”
Paige rested her hand over Macybelle’s ribs. “Yet it’s clear she’s unwell.”
Frustration rolled over Evan. He wanted Paige to possess those magic words. The ones that would heal his herd. But that would’ve been good luck. And Evan subscribed to hard work, determination and resilience, not luck these days. He pulled out his phone. No missed calls from the clinics he’d left messages at. “I have to get to the handling facility.” And also find someone with those answers.
“Thanks for letting me see her.” Paige stood and walked with him toward the gate.
Evan nodded and secured the pen. “I can take you back to your car.”
“I can walk,” she said. “It’s not far.”
“Are you leaving, or are you going to follow me to the cattle corral?” His smile teased, yet his tone was serious.
He wasn’t certain himself if he wanted her at the handling facility or not. He wasn’t as against it as he should be. That was surprising. Still, she wasn’t trained. He couldn’t watch over her and give his full attention to the herd.
“I was going to...” She stopped and rolled her lips together as if catching her words. One beat. Then another. “I was going to meet up with Abby, Riley and Ilene in town at the hardware store.”
Evan eyed her. Nothing in her calm voice or neutral expression warranted his doubt. Still, he wondered what she was really going to do. And what it was about her that made him so darn curious to know more. “Riley has been trying to convince me to buy the life-sized reindeer Gordon has for sale there.”
“I wish I could be more help,” she said.
She’d already helped. He was calmer being with her. And that allowed his focus to return to his cattle. Now it was his turn to bite back his words. “Enjoy the rest of your stay.”
“I can give you my phone number in case you need me,” she offered.
“That’s not necessary.” He had everything he needed already. As far as a large-animal doctor went, he’d find one of those soon.
She pulled back as if his dismissive tone bruised her feelings.
“I know where to find you,” he rushed on. He disliked the tempered caution in her gaze that he’d put there. “The general store. The apartment above the general store or your cousin’s house. All those places are within walking distance of each other.”
“Okay.” The wariness dimmed.
“It’s a really small town.” Evan grinned. “I imagine someone will tell you I’m looking for you before me. That’s how it works around here.”
“Do you like that?” Surprise filtered through her words as if the lack of privacy bothered her.
“When I was a teen, not so much.” But as a single father, he’d changed his mind. “Now, I prefer it that way. Riley will have a lot of people watching out for her when she’s a teenager.”
“Speaking of Riley,” she said, “tell her the truth about Macybelle and the others.”
And break his daughter’s spirit? How was that protecting her? “I don’t want to disappoint her. Or risk making her a promise I can’t keep.”
“I’m not asking you to give her your word, only be honest about the situation,” she countered. “Sometimes that’s the best we can do.”
“That’s all I’m trying to do. The best for my daughter. For my family. And for this ranch.” And he had to make sure it was enough. He touched the brim of his hat. He had more work to do.
CHAPTER THREE
PAIGE WASN’T HAVING a good morning.
It’d started with a large cup of Wes’s delicious coffee and one of Ilene’s pumpkin streusel muffins. Two of her current favorite things. But there hadn’t been a promise that the day was going to get better.
Instead, there’d been the coffee she’d spilled on her leggings. The realization that she’d forgotten to pack deodorant. And a restless frustration inside her that seemed to have been recycled in the morning sunlight.
She’d even fallen asleep frustrated last night.
Frustrated by the realization that a detailed list of her achievements wouldn’t result in her owning more shares in Windsor Haven Animal Clinic. It wouldn’t make her a partner with a voice in its management. She wasn’t going on a job interview in two weeks. She’d worked there for five years. The partners were fully aware of her skill set and talents. How did she convince them she deserved to be their equal when one of those four partners was her ex-fiancé who never treated her as such?
That frustration knotted inside her.
She took the outside staircase leading to her sister’s apartment above the Silver Penny General Store. The general store had been established by one of the Palmer ancestors and passed down through the family. Their grandparents had been the last owners. Now, Tess was running it.
Paige adjusted her grip on her to-go coffee cup and the container of Ilene’s muffins, then knocked on the door.
Tess greeted her. Her bulky heather-gray turtleneck sweater only accented her too-thin cheeks and round eyes. Eyes that used to be a vibrant green and now were the shade of wilted grass. Grief shadowed her widowed sister. Paige hurt for Tess’s loss. Wanted to draw the shine back into her sister’s gaze. But she wasn’t certain where to start. Or if her sister would welcome or resent her interference.
“Morning.” Paige dipped her voice into upbeat and handed her sister the container. “I brought you pumpkin streusel muffins delivered fresh this morning by Ilene.”
