Page 48 of Home Hearts Hooves

“So how did you get to me so fast?” I ask.

“I was already on the trail walking the guests from cabin three around when Buckie came on us. I called Skye to meet them and came looking for you. Didn’t expect to find you contemplating a bull run, though. Why didn’t you call?”

“Connor has my phone.”

Laughing, he says, “Gramps is so going to hear about this.”

“No, he fucking isn’t.”

Chapter sixteen

PRESTON

TAMING BULLS AND BEAKERS

IwatchtheBeaker’struck turn sharply out of their driveway, flicking up stones and dust like out of a movie. You know the kind, the old ones where the bad guy robs the bank and then speeds off on dirt roads, spinning the tires and all that. Only this isn’t a movie. The moment Atlas said there’d been an accident, my heart was in my throat. He didn’t say much, only that Brutus had cut up his leg, so he needed me to come out and check on him. Good thing I was already halfway there.

As the truck gets closer, I see it’s Nial behind the wheel, and then as he zooms past, I spot Dean’s pained face as he’s lying out across the back seat, head resting on the window.

Did Brutus have an episode? Was Dean mauled? Fuck, the nearest hospital is almost an hour away.

I go to turn around, but what good would that do? I’m a vet, and he obviously needs a doctor. My fingers clench around the steering wheel.

“Focus. They called me for Brutus. He’s one of the oldest bulls they have. Dean would want me to check on him.”

That resolve steadies my breathing a little, and I pull the van to a stop on the ranch and jump out. Atlas and Connor are waiting by the milking shed.

“Is Dean okay?” I ask. Connor’s face is pale. Atlas tips his hat.

“He’ll be alright. He definitely has a broken leg, but we won’t know if that’s it until he gets checked out, and an X-ray up at Doctor Green’s clinic.”

I remember when they bought the X-ray machine. It was the old one from the hospital, so they got it cheap, but it still cost enough to need three fundraisers in town to get it. I’ve got a portable one I picked up with the money from a government grant. Seeing that I’m the vet responsible for checking on any concerning diseases in livestock, it made for a good case to improve my facilities.

“Thank the stars, for the look on Connor’s face, I thought he’d been gorged for sure.”

“The bone was sticking out and there was so much blood,” Connor says, his cheeks puffing out as he gags and rushes over to the side of the barn to bring up his lunch.

“Connor’s never been too good with blood,” Atlas offers.

“Right, I remember when Bessie had the ulcer we had to lance, you passed out.”

“Okay, okay,” Connor says, wiping his mouth on the back of his sleeve. “Don’t you have a bull to wrangle?”

“No wrangling needed. I brought the green stuff,” I say, and I grab the tranq gun from the back of my van. I don’t get a chance to use it much, with most of my patients docile and happy to be getting a helping hand. But with patients like Brutus, it’s a must.

“How good a shot are you, doc?” Atlas asks, and I load two darts. I’ll only need one, but I have two ready, just in case I miss the first shot.

“Let’s go find out,” I say, and we head over to the paddock.

We hear him before we spot him, bellowing and snorting as he tries repeatedly to stomp his injured leg, but it clearly hurts. He’s thankfully not too far away from the fence line, so I line up my shot, take a breath, and fire. The dart hits him perfectly in the hind.

“Great shot,” Atlas cheers.

“Thanks,” I reply, securing the dart gun in the van before making my way back to the paddock with my bag.

“I’ll need you both. He’ll be out in a minute, but no telling how long until it wears off. I’ll need you to keep him under with an iso mask,” I tell Connor, and he nods.

“What do you need me for, Doc?” Atlas asks.

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