“It was because Lady here is twenty-two, but from what I’ve seen, she’s in very good health for her age.”
From what she could see, she agreed, but she’d have Dr. Jenna come over and do her usual “welcome to Last Chance” physical.
Garrett clicked his tongue and Lady started to walk.
She didn’t need to encourage Cyclone. The big horse started pulling her as soon as Lady moved beyond him. Typical male. Just couldn’t stand to walk a few paces behind a woman. She squelched her attitude. “So why is Lady here?”
“Her owner died.” Garrett spoke over his shoulder because Lady was determined to remain in the lead.
“The family doesn’t want to keep her or sell her?” It was rare that they received horses who were simply old. To her, they didn’t really qualify as rescues. Most of the horses that came to Last Chance were like Nizhoni and Phoenix, the ones she’d been able to get away from her boss at the time.
Cyclone was moving along at a good clip now, determined to keep abreast of Lady. Garrett walked next to the ATV. “There’s two more coming. I’ll be bringing them by in another day or two. No one in the family has the property to take them on, which from what I saw would have been their first choice. They seem to care for these horses as much as their grandfather. In fact, one of them will be coming here to stay for a few days to make sure this is the right place for them to live out their lives.”
Now that was a first. “I would think knowing this is a rescue ranch would be enough.”
Garrett lost his easy-going smile. “It should be, but the youngest grandson was the closest to the old man and is very particular about how they’re cared for. I think it’s his way of dealing with his grief. He actually made me read a two-page write-up on how to transport them.”
She groaned. She’d had by-the-book men under her command, and they just didn’t realize that sometimes the “book” went up in flames. There was no way this would be good. “Are you saying this young man is coming here to make us all read policies and procedures on how to care for these horses?”
If that was the case, she would make herself scarce for a couple days. No young punk was going to tell her how to care for horses. She’d grown up with horses, even sleeping with them in the barn she worked in when she couldn’t stand to be home.
“I’m not sure what he has planned. I feel for him. It’s hard losing someone you’re close to.”
At his serious tone, she glanced at him. Had he experienced what she had? The idea brought both sympathy and defenses. The only reason she was functioning normally now was because she wasn’t around others who’d had her experience. Luckily, he was just the horse hauler.
Lady pulled ahead again, so she didn’t have to make more conversation, which was just as well. She needed to figure out what Cole might have in his barn that Cyclone could haul back to the main house. She didn’t care what it was because if Cole had done what he’d said he was going to do, she wouldn’t be on an ATV right now being pulled by a horse for no reason whatsoever.
Most likely he’d been called into a fire early in the morning. Ever since he’d made Captain, his hours were less regulated, as his wife Lacey had mentioned more than once. He was also less present regarding the operations of the ranch. She’d thought about asking to be the manager, but she didn’t want that kind of permanence. She’d already stayed at Last Chance longer than usual. There was something about the place that let her be herself, but that was dangerous. She couldn’t afford to feel close to anyone.
“Have you worked for Cole long?” Garrett had managed to bring Lady even with Cyclone again.
“Depends on your perspective. For me, it’s been a long time.” She slowed Cyclone as they reached the barn at Cole’s. The new home and barn were less than a mile away, so Cyclone wouldn’t be happy if there was nothing more to haul. After jumping off the ATV, she strode into the barn.
Garrett hitched Lady to the new corral fence then made to follow her.
She stopped him. “Wait, let me see if there’s anything in here the big guy can haul. Angel is afraid of men, so if there’s no reason for you to come inside, I’d rather not stress her.
“Angel? She’s afraid of men? Why?”
She swallowed a flippant remark. The cowboy had just been hired, of course he wouldn’t know. “Angel is Lacey’s horse. She’s skittish even around women, but she was abused by a man.”
Garrett’s low whistle made it clear he understood, and she entered the cooler space.
She ignored Samson, Cole’s black quarter horse while giving Angel her space, and looked into each stall and the tack area. The new barn was as clean as a boot camp polished belt buckle. Shit. Except for a few haybales, there was nothing for Cyclone to pull. Now what? She couldn’t ask the horse to drag her around on the ATV all day.
Chapter Two
Garrett turned away from the open barn and strolled around the corner. Riley O’Hare had more bristle on her than a prickly pear cactus. Everything about her screamed “keep your distance” and from the look of her arms in her black tank, he had a feeling she could force the issue if she wanted to.
She reminded him of the one woman on his old team, only Riley’s voice was deeper with a rasp quality that was hard to ignore. Was that why Riley was the way she was, because she was the only female ranch hand? It was obvious she knew horses. After dragging her off the Clydesdale when he’d arrived, he’d got the message that his help wasn’t wanted. Or rather, not in the way his instincts told him to help. Still, it had taken every ounce of willpower not to push her out of the way as Cyclone galloped for her.
His brain told him she knew what the horse was capable of, but his natural reaction was to protect a woman, and despite her roughness, she was definitely that. Her full cheeks were the perfect setting for brown eyes so dark they appeared black. Her nose turned up just a bit, and that combined with her full lips gave her a more feminine look than he’d guess she appreciated.
She wasn’t slender but neither was she curvy. She had a robustness that wouldn’t get swept away in the next haboob with a slight curve between waist and hips and more on her chest. Boyish wouldn’t describe her, though for some reason he had a feeling she’d prefer that description. Her thick, straight, red hair though was like a warning beacon to keep his distance.
Turning the corner to the back of the barn, he halted. A pile of brand-new lumber was stacked neatly as if just delivered. He strolled closer. Maybe brand new wasn’t quite the word. Grass had grown up between the stacks telling him it had been there at least a week.
“You still here?” At the sound of her voice, he strode back the way he’d come.
