Page 55 of Rancher's Heart

I didn’t respond. I knew she’d be focused on the next patient, so I tucked my phone back in my pocket and carried on with my day.

The warm wind blew off the flat, but there was a chill behind it. We’d gotten to June with above-average warm days but thewind told me things were about to change. Nudging Tempest’s sides, she bolted and I hung on for dear life.

When I’d found her almost dead from starvation five years ago, she was the first wild horse I rescued from the mountain. She hadn’t been wild her entire life. It was like someone had taken her way back into the mountains and dumped her off. Tell-tale marks from ill-fitting bits; and scars along her flank from spurs were my indication when I got her fed, and I was able to look at her.

The black mustang wasn’t broken, and I suspected her scars were from people trying and failing over her lifetime. She couldn’t be on her own; at one point, she’d been someone’s animal so she wasn’t used to having to fight and scavenge for food.

I sat in the round pen for months, trying to get her to trust me. I had to scrap every bit of training and knowledge I had for this girl. She was angry and took it out on me bucking me off, butting me with her head when I got close, or even kicking me if she decided to. Everyone laughs at how many times I end up with a broken bone or need stitches, but it’s because of this beauty under me.

She came to this ranch, and the moment I started working with her, I saw the violent storm in her eyes. She was mad and hurt that the people who were entrusted to care for her had abandoned her. Storm wasn’t a good enough name for her; she was sleek, elegant, and a tempest.

Not much changed in her eyes from those early days, but the days where she hates me feel like they’re waining all the time. But one wrong move on my part, and there’s fury in her soul again. So when she wants to fly, I don’t control her and pray I don’t get thrown.

Cresting the ridge, she instinctively slowed, and I slid off her back, looking out over the meadow. We wandered through thecattle, and most didn’t even acknowledge we were close. The quiet animals with their thick abdomens growing heavy with claves that would be born in the dead of winter, munched on grass as Tempest and I rode through them.

Turning, I looked up the mountain to see if I could spot the mustang herd. We’ve left a part of the mountain unfenced so the horses have space to roam, and quite honestly, we don’t need the area for the cattle. This was the horses’ home long before it was ours, so they have free range of it.

Something caught my eye a few miles up the mountain. It’s shiny and moving. The light catches it again, and I reach for Tempest’s reins. “Come on, girl.” I turn her, and she lifts her head, and her ears are now pointing straight to the sky. She senses it too. I didn’t even have to nudge her, and she took off like a bolt of lightning. Wind whistled in my ears, and I push day hat down onto my head so it wouldn’t fly off. Ducking I narrowly missed the branch of a tree, and I was sure the beast under me was just making sure I was paying attention.

Effortlessly, she moved around sagebrush and the trees that dotted the landscape. There were very few horses I would trust to navigate this terrain at this speed, but she was steady and never wavered from her chosen path.

Wrenching on the reins, it took nearly all my strength to get her to slow. Tempest came to a screeching halt, as I jumped off her back. Letting the reins drop from my hand, I followed the tire track. Every step I took, Tempest followed. My equine bodyguard, apparently.

Eery silence filled my ears, there wasn’t even a bird chirping, or a cricket making noise. As the hair on the back of my neck stood on end, the charred wood of the fire filled my nose. I looked at the hastily put-out fire, still smoldering and throwing enough heat that my hand warmed as I grabbed the burned log. The wildflowers and grass around my feet were flattened to theleft of the fire, and a black spotting scope tossed into the sage brush peaked out from its haphazard resting spot. Standing, I looked around. Whoever it was had to still be somewhere on the mountain. They wouldn’t have been able to get away that quickly.

The hum of an engine caught my attention, and a man on a dirt bike flew by me. Before I could get my bearings, he kicked his leg out against my chest, and I fell to the ground thanks to the uneven surface.

My head bounced off a rock, my vision was almost instantly obscured by blood pouring down my face. “Mother fucker, son of a bitch, asshole.” I groaned, rolling over, a shooting pain forced me to rest my head on the ground again. The noise of the bike was getting further away, but I couldn’t move without the desire to vomit. Getting to my knees, I sat back on my legs and used my shirt sleeve to wipe the blood from my eyes.

Tempest nudged my shoulder and I slowly stood. Reaching for her reins I wandered along the tracks left by the dirt bike. While it wouldn’t have been hard to track a horse, the tire track was infinitely easier.

CHAPTER 30

ELLE

“Well, aren’t you a surprise.” One of the ladies from town smiled, as she wandered into the clinic. “I guess that means, Renee finally got too retire.” The older woman with dark rimmed glasses and permed hair smiled at me.

“Yes, she did, Mrs. Hall. I see you have an appointment with Jake. He’ll be ready for you shortly.” I smiled and the woman nodded before moving to the row of chairs.

Every conversation was the same for most of the day, but I didn’t mind. Everyone was happy to see me and the day ran so smoothly I couldn’t help feel the decision had been the one I needed. Being the talk of the town wasn’t something I’d ever strived for but I didn’t mind it today. Everyone was so nice, it made me feel like I’d truly been accepted into this community.

As I headed for my vehicle, a familiar face scowled at me. “Starcie, what the hell do you want?” I pushed past her and threw my bag into the truck.

“That was my job.” She pointed toward the clinic.

“It wasn’t your job. Jake approached me about it, and I took it for the benefit of my family.” I was so over this woman.

“I’ll make you pay for this.” She spat. Grabbing her shirt, I spun her around and backed her up against my truck her eyes wide and the smirk gone from her face.

“You won’t. You’ll forget all about your ridiculous vendetta against me, or I will end you.” Staring down at her, fear filled her eyes. “I’ve been through a lot in the last two weeks, and I don’t care what happens to you. Push me, Starcie. I fucking dare you,” I said, through gritted teeth. She pushed me away, ran down the alleyway and I got into my truck. I probably shouldn’t have threatened her, but the words were out of my mouth before I had time to think about them.

My drive was peaceful, and half as long as when I worked at the hospital. So when I pulled into the yard I looked up at the house and smiled, because this was home.

“Hello, anyone home?” I shouted as I walked into the house, dropping my lunch bag and kicking my shoes off. Rounding the corner I saw my boy and Griff deep in conversation at the table over their spaghetti.

“Hey Mom,” Parker said with a mouth full of food. “We didn’t hear you come in.” I smiled and kissed the top of his head.

“How was your day?” Griff asked but didn’t look up from his plate.

---