Home on the Ranch: Rodeo Legend

by Pamela Britton

  “It’s great,” he admitted to Bella.

  “Come on.” She giggled when Balto tried to jump down.

  Ava came around the corner right as he reached the pathway leading to her porch. “Short drive, huh?” she asked, green eyes bright.

  “Short commute for you, too.”

  “It is,” she admitted, unlocking the front door.

  “I’ve always wanted to build a place like this on my father’s ranch.”

  She held up a hand for a moment, her gaze following her daughter. “Bella, if you put that puppy on the ground, you better watch him.”

  “I will, Mom.”

  Carson followed Ava into the foyer and stopped. She did, too, turning back to him with a curious expression on her face. “It’s funny you should say that,” she said. “I always thought this place might have been one of the original ranch homes back in the day. It’s so big. I could picture it surrounded by pastures and horses and cattle.”

  He could, too. “I bet these floors are original.” He tapped the hardwood with his toe. It was a burnished gold thanks to the sunlight pouring in from the frosted glass in the front door.

  “Wait until you see my favorite part.” She turned to their right and the sitting area that ran along the front of the house. He knew immediately what she would point to because he’d admired it a million times, too, but from the street. Set into the tops of divided-light windows was stained glass, each section different. One panel was all roses. One was tulips. One had colorful daisy-type flowers. They turned the floor of the family room into a kaleidoscope of color.

  “I’ve seen that before in older homes,” he told her. “I think it’s a turn-of-the-century thing.”

  “It’s what sold me on the house.”

  “Did you buy it?” She’d mentioned a landlord earlier and so he didn’t think so.

  “No. But I asked for a lease with an option. I wasn’t sure if I should live in the city or out in the country just yet.”

  He wouldn’t exactly call Via Del Caballo a city. It was too small for that. More like a town.

  “I’m guessing Bella’s voting for the country.”

  “You betcha.” She smiled ruefully. “A place where she can have chickens and goats and horses.”

  “Not goats. Goats smell.”

  “They do?”

  “Well, the male ones do.”

  “Speaking of that, maybe we should check out the backyard so we don’t have a smelly problem in here.”

  Motioning for her to lead the way, Carson admired the vaulted ceilings and the craftsmanship of the house. Chair rails with panels beneath, crown molding, the hand-carved balustrade that stretched along the heavy oak steps that led to a second story.

  “Man, this place is really something.”

  “Do you like old homes?” They’d passed through a kitchen with fixtures that looked old-fashioned but that he would bet just seemed that way. She’d paused with her back against a door that probably led to the outside. Bella was off somewhere with her new puppy.

  “Don’t tell anyone, but I secretly wanted to be an architect.”

  “Really?”

  He nodded. “Success in an arena always came easy for me, so easy, I’d get bored from time to time. So I build furniture to keep myself busy.”

  That seemed to shock her even more, and it sort of solidified his belief that she thought of him as nothing more than a cowboy. “What kind of furniture?”

  “All kinds. Tables, chairs, beds.”

  Something flickered in her eyes and whatever it was had him straightening and paying closer attention. It was the same damn sensation he’d had back at the ranch, a sort of out-of-body experience that made him see things differently. The light from the windows in the door backlit her hair and highlighted the unusual green of her eyes.

  “A man of hidden talents,” she said.

  Her voice had lowered, gotten softer, and he realized then what it was about her that had him so on edge.

  He liked her. She was nothing like Katarina or her friends. There was a warmth to her, an air of caring that shone from her eyes and that she bestowed on the people around her. Even the feed store owner, Tom. She’d offered to fix his finger. For free.

  “I’m pretty good with horses, too.”

  The tension in the air seemed to thicken like a summer thunderstorm.

  “I hope so.” She thrust open the door, almost as if she felt the heat in the air, too. “For Bella’s sake.”

  And maybe she did.

  * * *

  He’s a patient. A patient.

  The cool air hit Ava’s face with fingers that made her shiver. She all but bolted from him as she stepped down the stairs that led to her backyard.

  A patient.

  This was why one should never get personally involved with someone they were treating. How many times had her professors warned of that very thing? It was okay to care, just not too much. You needed to remain objective. Noticing how well he filled out his white T-shirt was not remaining objective.

  “It looks like something out of a Disney movie.”

  She forced herself to focus and admitted that it did. Flowers framed the yard. Red ones, pink ones, white ones...all different colors and kinds. She liked to think it’d been done on purpose, to match the stained glass in the family room. When she’d looked at the home before renting it, she’d had the sensation that it’d been loved by the women who’d lived there throughout the centuries.

  “But you realize your puppy’s going to tear those flower beds apart.”

  “You think?”

  “Oh, yeah. And kill your lawn. Well, not all of it, but some. Is your landlord okay with that?”

  She shrugged. “He said we could have a pet.”

  He turned, headed to the side of the house. “If I was you, I’d put a kennel out here, on the side. You can leave Balto in there when you’re gone.”

  “Good idea.”

  He turned to face her. “Bella’s going to have to learn to be responsible. She’ll have to take Balto on walks and clean up after him. It’s a bit like owning a horse.”

  “It’ll be good for her.” She faced the back of the house, looking up. Carson wondered if she was staring at Bella’s room. “It’s been tough for her.”

  “The move?” he asked.

  “That and other things.”

  He was quiet for a moment, his hand lifting to stroke his chin, and she wondered if his razor stubble was soft or sharp.

  Ava!

  “You know, horses are great therapy animals.”

  “So I’ve heard.”

  “I think you’re doing the right thing by getting her involved with them.”

  Was she? Sometimes she wondered if she did anything right where Bella was concerned. What nobody told you when you had a kid was how hard it was. How there were times when all you wanted to do was cover your head with a pillow and scream because, as they got older, kids developed a mind of their own and sometimes that mind didn’t want to cooperate. And then there were those moments when she wouldn’t change anything for the world. Those were the times when she most missed Paul. He would have loved seeing her today.

  “Thank you. For everything.”

  “You can repay me by fixing my arm.” He lifted the limb in question, pointing. “I didn’t realize until you told me how bad it was just how much roping means to me.”

  As if she needed a reminder of the importance of his surgery. But she did need one, she supposed. He was her patient. She’d be operating on him. Best not to get too close.

  “Don’t forget to let me know how much you want to be paid.”

  “I’ll leave that up to you.”

  “Mo-om!”

  A face appeared at the window Ava had been staring at earlier. “Balto had an accident.”
r />   Ava shook her head ruefully. “And so it begins.”

  “I should get going anyway.”

  She nodded. “See you tomorrow for lessons.”

  He let himself out the side entrance to the yard. Ava watched him go, thinking the nurses would go nuts when they saw him Monday. Daring cowboys who chased gold buckles were the stuff of romantic dreams. Not hers, though. She was too rooted in reality. Dealing with life and death had a way of grounding a person. What she needed was a man who’d be there for her. Someone she could talk to after a long day at work. Who’d put her needs, if not first, pretty close to it.

  Men who chased world championships weren’t on her list.

  Chapter 5

  He hoped this didn’t end up being the biggest mistake of his life.

  “Do I get to saddle my own horse today?”

  Bella tugged on Little Red’s lead line, as if she hoped to make the horse walk faster back to the barn. Maybe she was hoping to do that.

  “You do.” Carson lifted his hat, smoothing back his hair. The day had dawned bright and unseasonably warm. Perfect riding weather, although he suddenly dreaded helping the little girl. The fact was he’d never given riding lessons before. Oh, sure, he’d helped out his brothers and sister when he’d been growing up. They’d all razzed each other over the years. But there was a big difference between teasing your siblings and actually teaching a little girl how to ride.

  With her mother watching.

  They rounded the corner of the barn, Ava’s body silhouetted by sunlight. She seemed immersed in staring at her phone, although she did look up when they entered, a smile coming to her face.

  “Go ahead and put her on the cross ties like I taught you.”

  The kid was a quick study. He’d give her that. Probably got her smarts from her mom. She had Little Red anchored in no time flat.

  “Are you wearing your new boots?” he asked Bella.

  “I am.” She stopped and lifted her pant leg.

  “Awesome. Let’s go get some brushes and the saddle.”

  His hands shook, he realized, tucking them into his jeans, or trying to. He couldn’t do much with his right arm. It must be the whole lesson thing. He glanced over at Ava again. Still had her nose in the phone, her face in profile as she leaned against the stable wall, her hair pulled back in a ponytail. It made her look even younger than her years.

  Pretty.

  So, all right. Okay. He found her attractive. Big deal. He doubted she gave him a second thought once she was away from the ranch.

  “Will I get to gallop today?”

  Carson slipped the saddle over his good arm. “Hold on there, pardner. You won’t be doing much more than a trot on Little Red today.”

  Bella’s face fell. “But what if I do really well?”

  “Grab those brushes.” He managed to hook a bridle over his bad arm. “First you learn to walk, then you can run,” he said sternly.

  He set the saddle on the ground near where Little Red was tied as Bella went to work grooming.

  Mom was still on her phone.

  Why did he keep glancing over at her? He was like some teen in school unable to stop peeking glances at the pretty girl.

  “Mom. You should come pet Little Red.”

  “That’s okay,” Ava said distractedly.

  “My mom doesn’t like horses.”

  What? His gaze swung back to Ava just in time to see her head pop up. “That can’t be true,” he said.

  “It is.” Bella’s words were matter-of-fact. “She says it’s hard to support a hobby when you don’t trust the athletic equipment.”

  “Bella!”

  “It’s true, Mom.”

  The cool and composed Dr. Moore didn’t like horses. Interesting.

  “I don’t dislike them.” She tucked her phone in her back pocket. “I just don’t...like their big teeth.”

  She made him want to smile. He had a feeling there wasn’t much Dr. Ava Moore was afraid of. The fact that what scared her was one of the sweetest and most trusting animals on God’s green earth amused him.

  “Come on over.”

  “That’s okay.”

  “Mo-om.”

  He saw her take a deep breath. Saw her shoot her daughter a death glare. But damn if she didn’t push away from the wall.

  “It won’t bite, will it?”

  He smiled. “Not unless I tell her to.”

  Bella giggled. Ava eyed the horse askance.

  “He’s kidding, Mom. Horses don’t bite.”

  “Well, actually, some do, but not Red. Seriously. It’s okay.”

  His words seemed to do little to reassure her. She had the same look on her face as someone about to approach a tiger with a chair. Her fear made his stomach do something funny, although what it was, he couldn’t name.

  He reached for her hand. Her eyes shot to his. He tried to ignore how pretty they looked this morning with sunlight illuminating their depths.

  “Just hold your palm flat.”

  She resisted at first. The horse’s ears pricked forward just before it reached to sniff her open palm and, when it did, she glanced back at him. And there it was again, that magical grin, the one that turned his insides out.

  “See,” Carson said, moving in closer even though he told himself not to. “They’re not all bad.”

  “Its nose is so soft.”

  She smelled like spring.

  He let her go, stepped back and turned to Bella. “Ready to learn how to saddle a horse?”

  “Heck yeah.” Bella bounced up on her toes.

  Carson chastised himself the whole time he helped Bella get mounted up. There was getting to know your doctor and then there was getting personal. Touching Ava had been personal. With his surgery this week, he should focus on the first, not the second.

  “Ready to ride?” he asked Bella. When he glanced back at Ava it was in time to see her frown.

  “Relax, Doc. She’ll be fine.”

  Her expression clearly said, “Famous last words.”

  He smiled, leading Red to the arena out back. A light breeze bent the tips of the blades of grass that framed the pathway.

  “All right. Let’s put you up.”

  Bella was like a puppy about to be fed. She practically danced toward him. He moved up alongside Red, motioning Bella over.

  Ava stood outside the arena and part of him wished she’d disappear like she had yesterday. But he supposed he didn’t blame her for sticking around. It made him even more nervous, though.

  “Okay, so here’s what you’re going to do.” He moved into position to demonstrate. “You’re going to put your left foot in the stirrup like this.” Fortunately Little Red lived up to her name. She was on the shorter side, so it was no worse than putting his foot on the top rung of a step stool. “Then you grab the horn and pull yourself up. Like this.” Red stood patiently while he swung a leg over.

  “I want to try.”

  “Okay.” He hopped off. “Just put your foot right there.”

  It was like the kid had been doing it her whole life. She was fearless as she climbed aboard.

  “Wow. That was great.”

  Bella swung around in the saddle. “Look, Mom. I’m riding.” And her smile was so full of delight it was hard not to grin back.

  “Good job, honey,” Ava called.

  He wondered how hard it was for Ava to sound so enthusiastic. He would have to give her credit. Here she was allowing her daughter to do something she herself was afraid to do.

  “Let’s walk, okay?”

  Bella’s nod was so enthusiastic it had to make her dizzy. He kept a hand on Bella’s calf above the stirrup and one on Red as the horse began to move. So far, so good.

  “Oh, wow.” Bella’s voice was full of awe, and the look on her face? It
was so full of delighted happiness that his heart did that weird thing again, only this time for a whole different reason. He forgot sometimes what it was like for first-timers to ride.

  “Okay, so to steer, you just move the reins in the direction you want to go. Right to turn right. Left to go left. Simple. Go ahead and try it.”

  She jerked the reins toward her mom. Red lifted her head in protest.

  “Gently. You can’t go pulling on their mouths like that. They don’t like it.”

  Bella’s whole face crumbled. “I’m sorry, Red.”

  Adorable. He almost forgot about her mom watching them with an eagle eye.

  “Go ahead and try it again.”

  Bella thrust her tongue up against her teeth. She gave the reins a feather-light pull. Red obediently turned for her.

  “I did it.”

  “You did. Now try it all by yourself.”

  “Oh, no.” Ava’s words were just a tick away from sounding panicked. “I don’t think she’s ready for that.”

  “Mo-om. I’m fine.”

  And she was. He let go and Red took great care of her, so much so that Carson found himself moving to the rail, leaning against it to watch. Maybe he wasn’t such a bad teacher after all.

  “Turn the other way,” he called out.

  Bella’s smile was as radiant as the heavens.

  “This is a dream come true for her.”

  He’d been hoping to impress Ava for some silly reason and he knew in that instant that he’d succeeded. It should have filled him with relief, but that wasn’t what he felt as he stared at her. There was such a look of sadness mixed with joy that he couldn’t take his gaze away.

  He’d thought about her last night, about how driven she must have been to succeed, about how women like that were usually high-maintenance. But as he looked into her eyes he realized she hadn’t worked hard for herself; she’d done it for Bella.

  “It’s been tough on her—my schooling, her dad dying, me being gone for hours on end during my residency. Some days I worry she’ll be in therapy for the rest of her life because of everything she’s been through.”

  He had to look away, watch as Bella walked her pony around the arena.