by Joanna Wayne
Because R.J. had practically forced her on the man, that’s why. Driving a vet around who smelled of horseflesh and antibiotic ointment was probably the last thing Leif wanted to be doing today.
Worse, he smelled of musky aftershave and was wearing a shirt that probably cost more than anything in her wardrobe. His jeans no doubt carried a designer label. Hers had a rip in the right leg and not the fake kind people paid extra for.
She raked her fingers through her short hair, tucking the right side behind her ear.
“You really didn’t have to do this,” she said, then was immediately sorry when she feared it made her sound ungrateful.
Leif turned toward her, a half smile playing on his lips. “I’ve heard all about Texas cowboy chivalry. I’m just trying to measure up.”
“Is there no chivalry among attorneys?”
“Not a good day to ask me that.”
“Why not?”
“I won a case yesterday that has me reconsidering my choice of professions.”
“I’ve had days like that. But shouldn’t winning have had the opposite effect?”
“One would think. But enough of my complaining. Let’s talk about you.”
“There’s nothing much to tell. I’m an Oklahoma gal who wound up in Texas making barn calls and trying to convince the local ranchers that a female can be as capable as a man when it comes to dealing with sick horses.”
“You’ve already won R.J.’s heart.”
“I spent the night helping one of his favorite mares get through a difficult birth my first month here. That made me a golden girl in his mind.”
“How do you fit in with the rest of Oak Grove?”
“So far, so good, except for the day of the UT/Oklahoma football game.”
“Understandable. We Texans do take our college football seriously.”
“Don’t tell me you’re a Longhorn alum?”
“No. I went to UCLA and then law school at Stanford. I’m barely a Texan except by birth. After Mother divorced R.J., she moved to San Francisco with my brother, Travis, and me. I only moved back to Dallas five years ago.”
“Born a Texan, always a Texan,” she said. “So say the natives.”
“Is this the turn up ahead?” he asked.
“Yes, and then look for an old church that hasn’t been used in years. It only has half a roof and seriously leans to the left. Just past that you’ll come to the gate of Sleeping Dogs Ranch. That’s the Loden spread.”
Leif slowed and took the turn. “So what’s it like dealing with cranky old ranchers all day?”
“I wouldn’t know. Most of the time I deal with terrific guys who just want the best care for their horses. It’s my dream job. However, there are times when I’m standing knee-deep in mud with my arms up to my elbows in horse while I try to coax a contrary foal into the world when I think I should have become a rock star.”
“Do you sing?”
“Nothing that doesn’t make the dogs howl. Hence the choice of becoming a vet was probably a wise one. What about you? What would you like to be on days you wish you weren’t an attorney?”
“Independently wealthy or maybe a Walmart greeter. Those guys usually look pretty chipper and there’s always junk food nearby.”
She laughed, surprised to find that the tension she’d felt earlier was quickly dissolving.
Leif slowed as they approached the gate to the Sleeping Dogs Ranch.
“The gate has an automatic lock,” she said. “The code is 6824. Enter it in that control box on your side, and I’ll call and let Sam know we’re here. That way he can meet me at the barn, tell me what needs attention and we can get right down to business.”
“That sounds a little kinky,” Leif said, his voice teasing.
A slow burn crept to her cheeks. The possibility of a kinky encounter in a barn definitely had potential.
But not with Sam Loden.
“Have you been in a lot of barns, Leif Dalton?”
“None in recent memory, but I’m always open to new experiences.”
And new experiences usually sent her back into her shell. Maybe it was time she opened up to something besides work.
But not with Leif Dalton. He was a heartache waiting to happen. She didn’t have time for that.
Still, there was no denying the buzz of awareness she felt just sitting next to him in a car.
Who knew what the day might bring?
Chapter Four
Leif had totally expected the afternoon to be a drag. As it turned out, the hours were flying by.
The doc was a pixie in jeans whose gentle persuasion with four-legged patients ten times her size was amazing. More impressive, not one of the seasoned ranchers had questioned her techniques or treatments. She undoubtedly knew her stuff.
This was their third stop, this one an emergency. Joni was tending a colicky horse that hadn’t responded to the rancher’s attempts to alleviate the pain.
The fretful horse was a two-year-old gelding. The panicky owner was a girl named Ruby, who appeared to be about Effie’s age. Joni’s stall-side manner was equally as reassuring to Ruby as it was to the horse.
His phone vibrated. Leif stepped away from his viewing spot just inside the barn door and checked the caller ID. Serena. He started to ignore the call. But if he didn’t answer, she’d call again. Serena was a very persistent woman.
Besides, he felt a little guilty about ignoring her while he was pretty much mesmerized by a female vet.
“Hello.”
“Leif, hi. It’s Serena.” All signs of the irritation she’d exhibited at his breaking their date had disappeared from her sultry voice.
“Hi, yourself. What’s up?”
“I was just wondering how your day with your daughter is going?”
“Better than expected,” he admitted without explaining that he wasn’t actually with Effie.
“Does that mean you can escape that horrid ranch and return to civilization soon?”
“The ranch isn’t horrid,” he corrected her. He had nothing against fresh air, open spaces or even horses and cattle. “It’s the ranch’s owner I have a problem with.”
“Then tell him that and head back to Dallas.”
“It’s not quite that simple. My schedule depends on Effie.” And Joni’s truck that he sure as hell wasn’t about to mention.
“I have an offer neither you nor Effie can refuse,” Serena crooned in her sexiest voice. “If you leave for Dallas now, you’ll get home in time to show Effie how much more exciting Dallas society life is compared to hanging out with a bunch of smelly horses.”
“That would be a hard sell with Effie.”
“What if I throw in a fabulous outfit for her to wear? Just tell me her sizes and I can have one of the personal shoppers at Neiman’s pick out a dress and shoes and have them delivered to your condo.”
“What’s the occasion?”
“Mallory George called a few minutes ago. Her daughter and son-in-law canceled for the opera tonight and Mallory’s invited us and Effie to share their box.”
He tried without total success to keep from laughing. “You have about as much chance of talking Effie into an opera as I do talking you into a hoedown.”
“I’m not sure what a hoedown is but even the name sounds disgusting.”
“Exactly.”
“But I’m not just suggesting a musical performance,” Serena persisted. “Afterward, there’s a champagne reception for the world-famous soprano who has the starring role. It’s black tie. Glitz and glamour equal to any D.C. event.”
“I’m pretty sure Effie’s not high on glitz and glamour.”
“Nonsense. Any teenage girl alive would be thrilled with this opportunity. Your daughter will be so impresse
d, she’ll forget all about horses and that Dry Goon Ranch.”
“I wouldn’t count on that, and it’s the Dry Gulch Ranch.”
“Whatever.”
“Look, I appreciate the offer, Serena, but even if I wanted to give it a whirl, I can’t make it back to Dallas in time.”
“You could if you left now.”
“Sorry. No can do. This is Effie’s day, and she’s determined to spend it in the saddle. You go to the opera and reception and have a marvelous time. I’ll call you next week after Effie has flown back to California. We can get together then.”
And when they did, he’d be honest with Serena and try to explain to her and himself why he had no enthusiasm for continuing a relationship with one of the continent’s most beautiful women.
“After Thanksgiving I’ll be in Miami for two weeks on a photo shoot,” Serena said, sounding irritated. “And then I’ll be flying to London for a Vogue shoot. I won’t be back in Dallas until Christmas. I explained all of that to you last week. Did you forget?”
“Of course not,” he lied. “I’ll call you in Miami.”
“If that’s the best you can do, don’t bother.”
“I don’t think this is the best time to discuss this.”
“There’s nothing to discuss. It’s clear that I’m at the bottom of your list of priorities.”
That was about the size of it. Still he hated breaking up over the phone. It was kind of like leaving a note on the pillow the morning after. Zero class.
“We should talk, Serena, but now isn’t the time.”
“Save your breath, Leif. There’s nothing left to talk about.” She broke the connection.
He felt like a louse. A relieved louse. But to be fair, he’d warned her from the first he wouldn’t be putting a ring on her finger or going furniture shopping. He was not a forever-type guy.
His phone vibrated again as he slipped it back in his pocket. Evidently, Serena had more to say.
He took the call. “I’m sorry if I pissed you off,” he said, “but—”
“What?”
Damn. It was R.J. “I thought it was someone else on the phone.”
“Must have been a woman.”
“How’d you guess?”
“You started the conversation with an apology.”
“Good point,” Leif agreed. “Is the doc’s truck ready to roll?”
“Nope. Turns out the battery’s dying in my driveway might have been a blessing. That old jalopy has a slew of problems.”
“Like what?”
“An oil leak. Hoses that need replacing. An engine in desperate need of a tune-up. It’s a wonder the darn thing ran at all.”
“Sounds like Joni needs to become bosom buddies with the local mechanic.”
“Or else buy a new truck,” R.J. said. “In the meantime, I told Abe to go ahead and take care of what needs fixing.”
“Don’t you think you should have talked to Joni first?”
“Nope. No use to jaw about it when something has to be done. Can’t have a sweet thing like Joni riding around in a vehicle that’s likely to leave her stranded on some dark country road. When Abe’s finished, the doc’s ride should be as safe as a banker’s wallet.”
Leif had his doubts about that. He figured the only guarantee that truck would be safe was to replace it with a new one. “Did you get a cost estimate?”
“Don’t matter. Abe’s fair. He’s not gonna rip off anybody. I told him to bill the repairs to me. Joni can pay me back whenever she has some spare cash lying around.”
“That’s mighty generous of you.” And presumptuous. The same kind of controlling behavior that made R.J. think he could order his adult children around after ignoring them all their lives.
R.J. might convince Effie this sudden concern for family was genuine. Leif wasn’t buying it.
“Where and when do we pick up the truck?” Leif asked.
“Abe says it won’t be ready until late—maybe not until tomorrow. Just bring Joni back here with you and she can have dinner with us. After that one of us can drive her home if the truck’s not ready.”
There he went again. Making decisions for other people without consulting them. “Did it occur to you that Joni might have other plans for the evening?”
“Do you always go looking for complications, Leif? Sure you do,” he muttered without waiting for a response. “You’re a damned attorney.”
“I suppose you have a problem with that.”
“Don’t go getting riled,” R.J. said. “Didn’t mean it as an insult.”
Of course he had, but Leif didn’t give a damn what R.J. thought of him. “I’ll extend your invitation,” Leif said. “Whether Joni accepts or not is up to her.”
“Tell her Adam is grilling some Dry Gulch steaks. Hadley’s cooking up her twice-baked potatoes and Mattie Mae made a couple of her famous pecan pies. If Joni has plans, she’ll break ’em. Eatin’ don’t git no better than that.”
So Adam and presumably his wife and daughters and a woman named Mattie Mae would all be there. A family dinner; only they weren’t Leif’s family and never would be. Hopefully, Effie had come to that same conclusion after half a day with her illustrious grandfather and was ready to put the whole family togetherness scene behind her.
“Can you put Effie on the phone?”
“I could if she was around.”
“Where is she?”
“She and Hadley are riding the range. They’re liable not to show up back here before dark.”
“I thought Hadley had young children.”
“She does. Lacy and Lila are here with me and Mattie Mae. We got a mean game of Chutes and Ladders going.”
A doting grandfather—now that he was dying. “I’ll give Effie a call on her cell phone.”
“Capital idea. Let her tell you how much fun she’s having. That girl loves horses. Knows a lot about them, too. Bright as a new-mint penny and more spunk than you can hang on a barbwire fence.”
“Effie can do most anything she sets her mind to,” Leif agreed. Her mother had made that claim about her many times over the past fifteen years, not always as a compliment.
“Tell Joni if she has any questions about her truck to call me or Abe,” R.J. said. “Otherwise I’ll catch her up to speed at dinner.”
“I’ll see she gets the message.” Leif ended the call and punched in Effie’s cell number. She didn’t answer until the sixth ring. When she did, she sounded breathless.
“Dad. Guess what I’m doing?”
“You’re out horseback riding with someone named Hadley.”
“How did you know?”
“Your—” He barely caught himself before the word grandfather slid off his tongue. “R.J. told me. Sounds as if you’re having fun.”
“I am. We were galloping like the wind. I didn’t hear the phone until we stopped to let the horses drink from a creek that just appeared like a mirage.”
“I’m sure the horses appreciate that.”
“They do. You should see Aunt Hadley’s horse. She’s a beautiful chestnut filly that Uncle Adam gave her for her birthday.”
“What kind of horse are you riding?” he asked. Finally, Effie was communicating, and he wanted to encourage that—even if it was all about the horses at Dry Gulch Ranch.
“My mount’s a black quarter horse named Dolly and she’s perfect for me. She’s spirited, but she stood real still until I was in the saddle. And she responded to my every pull on the reins as if she had no problem letting me be in control.”
“That sounds like the perfect horse, all right.”
“Aunt Hadley named her horse Kenda. It’s an Indian name that means magical powers. Aunt Hadley says Kenda has the power to fill her heart with joy.”
; “Nice name.” Aunts, uncles, a new grandfather. Effie was jumping on the family plan as if she was starving for relatives. Yet she’d all but closed him out since the divorce.
He’d tried everything he knew to get closer to her. It pissed him off royally that R.J. had gotten her to Texas with just a note and a promise of horses.
“We rode all the way to the gulch that the ranch is named after,” Effie continued. “It looks like a plain old gully to me, but it was dry as a bone.”
“I think I missed that on my tour.”
“We can go riding tomorrow and I’ll show you the gully and the pool we’re at now. Grandpa says he has the perfect horse for you.”
Probably one that would buck Leif off the second he settled in the saddle. And now Effie was talking about tomorrow like it was a done deal.
“There’s an old foreman’s cabin nearby,” Effie said. “No one lives inside, but I bet they could if they made a few repairs. I wanted to go inside and look around, but Aunt Hadley says it’s full of spiders and scorpions. We’re steering clear of it.”
“Very smart of you and Hadley.”
He’d like to stay clear of everything on the Dry Gulch Ranch, but if it took riding horses to connect with his daughter, then he’d have a sore butt and thighs by this time tomorrow.
That didn’t make R.J. the winner. Once Effie went back to California, R.J. would hopefully fade back into the woodwork.
By the time Leif finished his conversation, Joni, Ruby and the young rancher—a man named Latham Watson—had stepped outside the barn and Joni was giving them instructions for follow-up care.
He waited until Joni turned his way, smiled and motioned him over.
“Does this mean the patient is on the mend?” he asked.
“Benjy is resting now,” Ruby said. “I was afraid he was going to die, but Dr. Griffin knew exactly what to do.”
“But you need to watch what he eats,” Joni said. “No more leaving a bucket of apples where he can get to them.”
“I won’t,” Ruby promised.
“I guess I better watch what goes on in my own barn a little closer, too,” Latham said. “Got more on my plate some days than I can handle.”