Page 15 of Nashville Cowboy
You have to get past this. Don’t be pathetic. Be brave.
“He thinks a cow pony has colic.”
Colic was about the worst thing that could happen to a horse and it was far too common. Eve had treated it many times and lost a handful of horses to it. Colic was always painful for the horse and frightening for the owners.
“Go home after this call,” Annabeth said. “I’ll hold the fort down.”
Eve grabbed her bag, analgesics, and the tubing she would need and packed the mobile unit with Annabeth’s help. Annabeth pointed to Eve. “And no matter what, don’t hook up with the ex-fiancé!”
A few minutes later Eve set out for the drive to the outskirts of Stone Ridge and the midsize Maddox cattle ranch. She sent up a silent prayer that the new foreman was just being overly cautious. Colic was so difficult to treat. It was the only part of the job that she hated. Sometimes, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t make a difference in the outcome. Animals suffered, and she was forced to stand by helplessly.
She parked near the barn and in the distance spotted a large man walking down to meet her. He was at least six five and looked like he bench-pressed in his sleep. He could barely keep his arms down. She gripped the steering wheel.
I can do this. I’m not a coward. I hate cowards.
Forcing a deep breath in her lungs,she climbed out of the truck and walked to meet him.
Not a coward. Not a coward. Not a coward.
She looked past him to the stables when he unexpectedly stuck out his big ham hock of a hand. “Jeff Mansfield.”
Eve flinched but thought she may have recovered quickly enough that he didn’t notice. She should have expected the handshake, but his hands were large and his grip strong. A small pebble threatened to close up her airway. He seemed otherwise harmless, but Eve knew that didn’t mean a damn thing.
She got busy pulling on her gloves. “I’m Dr. Iglesias. Y’all have a cow pony with colic?”
He led the way to the stall. “Holly’s been acting up for days now. Finally pulled her from duty yesterday. But need to get her back out there workin’.”
Days? He’d waiteddays? Colic should be treated immediately. It was highly irresponsible for him to have waited that long. But if she told him this, they might start their relationship off in a confrontation. She didn’tdoconfrontations anymore. The one with Jackson was the first in years, and she’d need a few more years before she had enough energy or nerve for another.
“I’ll see what we’ve got going on here then.” She gave him a slight smile which she hoped looked friendly and not as shaky as it felt on her lips.
She had confidence in her abilities and realized she was good at what she did. But men like Mr. Mansfield were intimidating. Even his voice was gruff and off-putting. None of this would bother Annabeth at all. If only Eve could channel some of that Annabeth “Austin” attitude and vibe. Easy and breezy. Hipster.
Focus on your patient. It’s what you do best.
The mare was clearly in misery, pawing at the ground, head down. Eve got to work immediately, trying to find the blockage in the intestines by pulsating with her hands. Because of her hearing loss, she only partially relied on the stethoscope.
“I’ll need you to help me,” she said. “We can’t let her lie down or she’ll try to roll and injure herself.”
“This isn’t my first rodeo, doc.”
He gave her a funny look as he held on to the mare and she continued with both the stethoscope and her hands. Softly so that Mr. Mansfield wouldn’t hear, Eve spoke to the horse. She reassured her that she was only trying to help take this pain away. Quietly whispered she’d at least get a few days off from work.
“Well hell, didn’t know I got myself a horse whisperer,” he joked.
Eve ignored that, or tried to, anyway. Once, Jackson appreciated that she talked to horses. Now he, too, was making fun of it. She didn’t care about him, or Mr. Mansfield. Okay, maybe she did care but she wouldn’t let that stop her. Her patient always came first.
“I’m sorry about this, girl.” She turned to Mr. Mansfield. “She’s bad. I think I can help her, but—”
Next time call sooner. You could have lost her.
The words stayed stuck in her throat. She went over what she was about to do even as he rolled his eyes. Yeah, right. Not hisfirstrodeo. He held on to the horse as Eve gently put tubing down Holly’s throat and poured castor oil down.
The horse resisted and reared back but Mr. Mansfield held her tightly. “Whoa, girl. Whoa. Tryin’ to help you here.”
Eve hated this part. The pain she would cause to get Holly well again. There was no other way but through it. The next time Eve came toward Holly, if there was a next time, she’d probably shy away from Eve because of this experience. She spoke soothingly to the horse as Holly fought to get away, her eyes wide and wild. As the last of the castor oil was poured through the tubing, Eve slowly began to remove the tube but lost her footing.
She wound up flat on her back on the stall’s floor, Holly above her, pissed, snorting, and ready to trample. But it wasn’t the horse Eve feared at the moment. It was the man coming at her. She was suddenly back in her dorm back at College Station, where she should feel safest, with a man’s large hand before her to…help.
