“Arizona. Never thought I’d leave. Then, six years ago, my daughter married and settled in Aspen. Too crowded for me, so I landed here.” He tips back in his chair. “Suits me fine. Your daddy and I made a good team. I respected him. And I’ll tell you straight—I want that kind of partnership with you. Two vets splitting the work. This town needs it.”
“Dr. Tiller, I’m happy to work with you anywhere, anytime.”
“Same.”
A lump rises in my throat. I’ve carried the weight of being an outcast for a long time, and here’s Bodie—another person opening a door.
“But,” I add with a small laugh, “not all your clients will want me to be around their animals.”
He leans in, knuckles tapping my desk. “Then they can doctor their own cattle. It’s a lot of work—you know that. I hired an assistant?—”
“Gilbert?” I straighten. “He stopped by to introduce himself.”
“Godsend.” Bodie steeples his hands. “But even with him, I need a second vet. Ranch work here is growing, not shrinking. People aren’t selling out. If folks don’t wantyou as a vet, they can do without. They gotta know I can’t cover everyone.”
I exhale. “Okay. I’m in. I can take on more.”
He smiles. “Excellent. I’ll have Gilbert swing by with client files, and you both can work together to figure out how to split ’em.”
It will be nice not to have to drive hours to get to work like I’ve been doing. “I’d like that.”
He hesitates. “Look, Sarah. I’m not in the best shape for this job anymore.”
I nod. I know what this work asks of a body, and Bodie is in his late fifties, early sixties, if I had to take a guess.
“And it’s not easy to hire a vet to live here…at the far edge of nowhere.”
“The Central Valley has steadier work,” I agree.
“I’m thinkin’ of retiring in a couple of years. Someone will need to take over.”
What?
His phone rings. He frowns and answers. “Tiller.” A pause. He straightens. “Yeah, Cade. I was just there…what two days ago?” He listens, shaking his head. “Hold on.” He cups the phone and looks at me. “It’s Cade. His bulls are not lookin’ good, including that new Angus. I’m gonna need you there. Gilbert’s out of town.”
My pulse jumps. Thunder. Cade paid a fortune for him.
“And you need to meet more of my clients,” Bodie adds.
“Of course.” I cross to the cabinet, grab my kit, anddouble-check the supplies, even though I always restock. It’s a habit.
Bodie nods at me in appreciation when he sees me sling my bag over my shoulder. “I’ll come out now—but I’m bringing Dr. Kirk.” He listens. My throat goes dry. I picture Cade saying he doesn’t want me on his ranch. “Excellent,” Bodie says, amused. “Good to see you growin’ up, son.”
What does that mean?
He pockets the phone and meets my eyes. “You ready?”
“Always.”
CHAPTER 21
cade
Dodge and I are at the fence line, watching my bulls move slowly through the pasture.
Something’s wrong.
They’re eating, but half-hearted, muzzles dragging through the feed. Their hides ought to gleam this time of year, but that’s not the case.
