Rebecca Winters - Cowboy Doctor

It wasn’t just his good looks or the intelligence shining in those hazel eyes that appealed to her. He’d displayed a natural affinity for the horse. There was a quiet authority and assurance he possessed that had gentled Chief enough for him to operate on the animal. He was a man in touch with nature, a trait that ranked high with her.

The doctor didn’t wear a wedding ring. But maybe because he worked with his hands so much, he left it at home when he went out on calls. If he was married, she’d be a fool to give him another thought.

How uncanny was it that she’d noticed Dr. Clayton’s hospital while she’d been driving to the ranch? What were the chances of John calling him in desperation when he couldn’t reach his regular vet?

Surprised by her thoughts, after she’d felt dead inside for so long, she grabbed a quilt and made herself comfortable on the couch to watch TV.

At some point she must have fallen asleep, for the next thing she knew someone was knocking on her cabin door. And the sun was streaming in the window above the kitchen sink. Tracey sat up and looked at her watch. Eight-thirty. The knock sounded again.

“Who is it?” she called out.

“Grady Cox.”

Tracey silently groaned. He had to be at least three years younger than she.

“They’re serving Sunday brunch for all the employees this morning. Do you want to eat with me?”

No, but she couldn’t be rude to him. They’d be working together for the next three months. Thank goodness the cabins weren’t equipped with phones and he didn’t have her cell number. Only John and Fran had access to that information if they needed to get hold of her.

“I’m afraid I’m not up yet. No doubt we’ll be seeing each other at some point soon.”

“You can count on it. My cabin is number five. The one with the silver Chevy Malibu in front.”

“Got it.”

When he walked away, Tracey let out a sound of relief and hurried to get ready in jeans and a yellow pullover. Her priority this morning was to check on Chief. She’d planned to skip breakfast, and reached for the granola bar from her purse to eat later on.

After brushing her hair, she put on fresh lipstick and her cowboy hat, then pulled on her cowboy boots and left the cabin for the barn. There was no sign of Dr. Clayton’s truck. Maybe he’d already come and gone. She walked inside, hoping that wasn’t true.

“Good morning,” she said when she saw Wes coming out of the stall next to Chief’s. Last night she’d noticed that Fran’s husband was most likely twenty-four or twenty-five, just slightly older than his wife. But unlike Fran, he didn’t have her friendly disposition. Talk about opposites.

“Morning,” he muttered. “Sorry I wasn’t here when you arrived yesterday. I was in town checking on supplies to be delivered.”

“No problem.”

“I didn’t realize anyone else had been hired to go on the trail rides with the horses. Usually the family handles that.”

She supposed the talk his grandfather had given him last night had wrought a few changes. But though he’d said the right words to her just now, her intuition told her he still wasn’t happy with the situation.

“I think it was a last-minute decision between my grandfather and John for me to be given a job on the dude ranch.” Except that it wasn’t true. She’d been hired when she’d come to the dude ranch in the Spring, but it appeared John hadn’t said anything at that time. “It’s a great privilege for me.”

His head jerked up. “You know my grandfather?”

Why did that bother him so much? “He and mine were best friends growing up. John is doing me a favor letting me work here this summer and I’m very grateful.”

The other man couldn’t hide his irritation and didn’t try. She didn’t understand it, but knew to give him a wide berth. Tracey couldn’t help but wonder how Fran handled him at times like this. The answer, of course, was that his wife was in love with him, and Wes was attractive, like the other Hunter men.

“Everyone around here is at breakfast,” he reminded her. “If you haven’t eaten yet, now’s the time.”

Good grief. He wanted her to leave. “I realize that, but I thought I’d check on Chief first.”

“I’ve already done that, so it won’t be necessary. He’s fine.”

Tracey had to count to ten. “I understand it’ll be two weeks before we’ll find out if he’s fully recovered. Do you know if Dr. Clayton has been here yet?”

“Nope.” Wrong question. “It seems you’re the one who told Granddad there was a new vet in Ravalli County.”

Strike one against her. She wasn’t wrong about his antagonism toward her. The question was why he felt so threatened. Tracey had picked up a lot from teaching children. Wes had become very defensive and was blaming her. Though she probably couldn’t alleviate the problem, she decided to give it one more try.

“When your grandfather couldn’t reach Dr. Cruz, we were both desperate, because Chief was in pain. That’s when I mentioned passing the Clayton Veterinary Hospital after I left Stevensville.”

Wes’s brown eyes took on what she thought was a strange glitter, but maybe it was a trick of the light. “You’re new here and would be wise to realize Chief is my horse. I’m the one who determines his care and knows what’s best for him.”

Did Wes mean he actually owned the horse? John had told her she could pick out any one she wanted. “Grady mentioned as much.” Somewhere there’d been a disconnect.

“One more thing for you to know. Dr. Cruz is our dude ranch vet, Tracey. When he’s back in his office on Monday, he’ll be the one to finish Chief’s treatment.”

Whoa. If there was some problem between Wes and his grandfather over the choice of vet, she didn’t dare get into it, and changed the subject.

“Yesterday I got acquainted with most of the horses, but Grady told me there are several I still haven’t seen. Would you mind showing them to me so I can pick out one to ride?”

“Not at all. But I think I know the one for you. Fancy Pants is the bay and a great mare. I’ll be exercising them in the corral a little later where you can get a good look at her.”

Tracey had already done that. It appeared Wes was doing everything to put her in her place. She certainly hadn’t expected to meet this degree of animosity over the vet incident and knew she needed to tread carefully. “Then I’ll come back. Thank you.”

“Sure.”

Since he’d made it clear he didn’t want her looking at Chief or the other horses right now, she started walking back to her cabin and pulled the granola bar out of her pocket. While she munched on it, she saw a red truck in the distance coming toward the barn. Her steps slowed and her heart did a huge kick.

When Dr. Clayton reached her, he lowered his window. “Good morning.”

It was, now. “Good morning.”

“How’s our patient?”

“I haven’t seen him yet. Wes told me he was fine and suggested I go to breakfast before it was too late to be served.”

“That’s interesting.”

They could read each other’s minds. “I thought so, too.”

“Is that where you’re headed now?”

“No. I had a snack a few minutes ago.”

“If you have time, would you like to take a look at him with me? I could use your calming influence while I inspect his hoof.”

“I have plenty of time.”

“Do you mind if I call you Tracey?”

“As if I would.”

She knew her feelings for him were growing too fast. In the short time since meeting him—heavens, was it only last night?—Tracey had the impression she was suddenly experiencing life in glorious Technicolor. He seemed bigger than life to her, stronger, more wonderful.