Fresh-Start Ranch

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.”