Leann Harris - Fresh-Start Ranch

Healing Horses­—And Hearts

After seeing Tessa Grant calm his storm-spooked horse, Ethan McClure is impressed. But does the new vet have what it takes to prove her mettle with Ethan’s local horse-rescue group? Ethan can’t deny her healing touch with animals...or her powerful effect on this rancher. But Tessa is busy trying to get her footing after leaving Kentucky to start over in this mountain town. When she learns a family secret that turns her world upside down, Tessa’s ready to push everyone away. Unless Ethan can help her embrace forgiveness—and forge a path to her heart along the way.

“Here’s the report,” Tessa said, breaking in to his thoughts.

Ethan’s hand brushed hers when he took the pages. A jolt raced through him, as if he had grabbed a live wire. His gaze flew to hers. Her eyes widened and a startled “oh” escaped her perfect mouth. The surprise in her eyes told him he wasn’t alone in the reaction.

“Thanks again for your help with William and Kevin.” Her eyes softened with gratitude, making Ethan’s chest tighten.

“Be careful of Kevin. Despite the charming smile he so easily flashes, he’s a con man. I can’t guarantee he won’t be violent, so if it comes to your life or the horse’s, you’re more valuable.”

The expression in her eyes mellowed. “Thanks for the warning.”

Would she thank him if she knew why he knew that truth about Kevin? His past mistakes wouldn’t make a difference in their professional relationship, and apparently that was the only kind of relationship they’d have. Anything else would only lead to disaster.

LEANN HARRIS

When Leann Harris was first introduced to her husband in college she knew she would never date the man. He was a graduate student getting a PhD in physics, and Leann had purposely taken a second year of biology in high school to avoid taking physics. So much for first impressions. They have been married thirty-eight years and still approach life from very different angles.

After graduating from the University of Texas at Austin, Leann taught math and science to deaf high school students for a couple of years until the birth of her first child. When her youngest child started school, Leann decided to fulfill a lifelong dream, and she began writing.

She is a founding member and former president of the Dallas Area Romance Writers. Leann lives in Dallas, Texas, with her husband. Visit her at her website, www.leannharris.com.

Fresh-Start Ranch

Leann Harris

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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Blessed are all who take refuge in Him.

—Psalms 2:12

This is for my lovely daughter, Jennifer, whose prayers for her mother saw me through a dark time. You are exceptional.

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Epilogue

Dear Reader

Questions for Discussion

Excerpt

Chapter One

Even though he’d only been gone for a few days, Ethan McClure sighed as he pulled into the drive leading to his family’s ranch. But his relief turned to curiosity as he took in the old, beat-up brown pickup parked out front. He’d never seen that wreck before. Who did it belong to?

His mind still on the unknown truck, Ethan saw his dad hurrying from the barn. Ken McClure froze at the sight of his oldest son. “You’re home.”

Obviously. But the note of alarm in his father’s voice put Ethan on edge. “What’s wrong?” He climbed out of the truck, his luggage forgotten.

“Don’t worry, son. Ranger’s goin’ to be fine. Tessa’s got everything under control.”

Ethan’s stomach dropped. “Tessa?” He looked again at the beat-up truck, wondering what its owner had to do with his favorite horse. “Who’s Tessa? And what’s wrong with Ranger?”

Ranger whinnied, drawing Ethan’s attention. Everything else forgotten, Ethan raced toward the barn, his tension zooming into high gear. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the dimness of the barn’s interior.

“It’s going to be okay, big guy,” a woman crooned.

That didn’t sound good. Down the rows of stalls, he saw Ranger. A small person was in the stall with him.

His father ran in behind him.

“Who’s that?” Ethan demanded, not taking his eyes off Ranger.

“That’s Doc’s new partner, Dr. Tessa Grant.”

Off balance, Ethan glanced at his father. “When did that happen?”

Ken swallowed. “She got here last week when you were in Boise.”

Ethan knew that Doc Adams had finally made the decision to bring another vet into his practice, but Ethan hadn’t realized it would happen that quickly. He’d been gone less than a week.

Ethan and Ken strode together toward Ranger’s stall. His horse raised his head and nodded in greeting.

Ethan grabbed the bridle and rubbed Ranger’s nose. “Hey, big guy.” The woman stepped back from Ranger and met Ethan’s gaze. Golden-brown curls framed her pixie face and her huge green eyes found a path straight into his heart.

Ethan jerked, though he wasn’t sure if it was from his intense reaction to their eyes meeting or his surprise at the idea of this tiny woman as the new vet. Short and slim, if she didn’t have a stethoscope around her neck, Ethan would’ve thought the woman standing beside his horse was a teenager, not a grown woman and certainly not someone who worked with large animals. “What’s wrong with Ranger?” The tone of the question came out gruffer and harsher than Ethan expected. His father pointedly frowned at him.

The woman’s brow shot up, and she stood up straight. “He’s fine.” Her tone made him think of the times his mother had scolded him for addressing her in a disrespectful tone when he tried to get out of chores. “He just got spooked by the weather last night. He has a few scrapes from flying debris, and I think he ran into the barbed-wire fence. He’ll be fine.”

Ethan looked at the wounds and nicks on Ranger’s side.

“The storm last night just came up without any warning,” his father explained. “A tornado touched down at the Barlows’ ranch. They lost one storage shed. Several of our horses were out in the north pasture. First thing this morning I was able to get Ranger, Sadie and Ringo rounded up, and brought them in. Doc Adams and Dr. Grant have been out all day checking with the other ranchers, seeing to the different needs of the animals.”

The woman shook her head. “That storm was something else. We had bad weather in Kentucky, but yesterday was—I felt like I was in a metal barrel with someone banging on it with a hammer.” She held out her hand. “You must be the Ethan I’ve heard so much about. I’m Dr. Tessa Grant, Dr. Adams’s new associate.”

He felt as if he was in that same storm, disoriented and waiting for the next blow. “I am.” His hand enveloped hers, but that small hand had a surprising number of calluses on it. “I did see some evidence of the storm as I drove in. Ringo and Sadie okay?”