Storm's Refuge

by Nancy M Bell

  She stepped over the wriggling bodies and poured coffee for herself and Michelle. Returning to the table, she plunked down in a chair and fixed her young friend with a stern gaze.

  “Now, what’s this nonsense I hear about you moving out of the ranch and hightailing it to parts unknown?”

  “George knows exactly where I am, or he should if his little blonde remembered to tell him.” She knew her defence sounded childish and defensive.

  “Can’t you two work something out? After all the work you’ve put in out there, you should be entitled to half the profits.”

  “You know George… It’s his way or the highway. I’m tired of playing that game. If he wants to be the big man and call all the shots, let him deal with the water freezing and the calves coming in the middle of a blizzard.” Michelle ran her hand through her hair in exasperation. “I’m tired, Mary. I can’t keep doing it alone, and now he wants me to babysit his latest woman.”

  “Maybe this girl is the one for George,” Mary said optimistically.

  “Maybe pigs will grow wings and fly.”

  “Where are you staying? I know you took the horses, because your brother was by here yesterday evening looking for you.”

  Michelle bent over and picked up a puppy, cuddling it on her lap. There was no use trying to sidetrack the older woman, but contrariness made her hesitate before she answered.

  “I’m staying with Cale. He offered me space in the barn for the mares, and the chicken shed was empty, so my hens are in there now.”

  “Are you sure that’s a wise move, Chelly? Cale isn’t Rob.”

  “Thank God for that! Cale actually seems to care what I’m thinking and is willing to help me out. Rob was always too busy expecting me to take care of him all the time.”

  “You’re not going after Cale just because he owns the ranch you’ve always thought of as yours?”

  “It’s got nothing to do with that, Mary. Honest. You know I didn’t like the man before I met him, which was pretty unfair of me, I guess. I don’t like the idea of someone taking over for Doc. There’s been too much change lately, and I hate change.” Michelle paused, watching the coffee swirl in her mug while she rolled it between her palms. “There’s something about Cale… I don’t know. He makes me feel safe, listens when I talk, and…I guess I’ve just never felt like this before.”

  She raised her head to meet Mary’s gaze. A small smile softened the woman’s features. She reached across the table and took Michelle’s hand in hers.

  “I think you’re finally growing up, missy. Figuring out what’s important in a relationship. It’s more than how he fills out his jeans.”

  “But it helps when he fills them out so well, doesn’t it?” Michelle giggled, and Mary joined her.

  The puppies set up a racket in the kennel when they woke up from their nap and found no Storm to provide them with lunch. Mary got her trusted milk replacer formula from the fridge and warmed a portion in a bowl. Michelle filled one of the small baby bottles and settled a puppy on her lap where she offered it the nipple. After initially spitting it out, the puppy latched on when she squirted a few drops of liquid on his tongue. Mary picked up another baby and followed the same procedure. The remaining four pups howled their protest making any conversation impossible. Finally, the last of the little black dogs slurped their lunch while their already full siblings rolled on the floor. They were just big enough to start to play a bit; tiny barks sounded in response to sharp little teeth chewing on tails or ears.

  “These little heathens will keep you hopping the next few weeks.”

  Mary set the last puppy on the floor where it waddled over to its litter mates and plopped down at the edge of the heap of bodies.

  “I hope they don’t keep Cale’s parents awake when they come.”

  Michelle picked the two cups off the table and moved to the counter to refill them. She stepped over the pile of puppies with the full cups balanced carefully and grinned at Mary as she sat opposite her.

  “Oh, are his parents coming soon?”

  “On the thirtieth. They want to see the place and spend New Year’s at the ranch.”

  “Are you staying while they’re here?”

  “I wasn’t going to. I thought I’d just get a room at the Bluebird for a few days.”

  “Cale convinced you to stay and meet his mom and dad, did he?”

  “Yeah, he said I should stay put, and his mom would like to meet me. Do you think that’s kind of weird?”

  “I think that boy knows what he wants, and he’s out to get it, is what I think.” Mary’s eyes crinkled mischievously at the corners.

  “Shut up! It’s not like that at all. He’s just doing a neighbour a favour is all.” Michelle felt pushed to protest. If she admitted anything else, Mary would have the gossip grapevine flaming the minute she was alone.

  “That’s not the way I see it, missy. The boy has it bad for you, and you could do a lot worse than Cale Benjamin.”

  “I never said he wasn’t nice. Well, okay, not lately anyway, not since I got to know him when he looked after Storm that night it snowed so badly.”

  “So….what do you think of him now you know him better?”

  “Huh, you just want to know so you can make sure you win the “Who Will Michelle End Up With Pool”. Don’t think I haven’t heard about the bet you and your cronies have going.” She waved a finger at Mary’s expression of injured innocence.

  “I should have known you never miss a trick. Well, give an old lady a break would you? I put my money on Cale. Am I gonna have to eat crow?”

  “If I knew, I’d tell you, believe me. There’s something about him I really like him. He’s fun to be with… I think it’s me I don’t trust. Look at all those years I deluded myself Rob was my one and only, and there was never going to be anyone else. I can’t make myself trust what I’m feeling. What if I’m wrong again?”

  “You’ve grown up a lot in the last little while, honey. Trust your heart. Don’t throw away something strong and right because you’re afraid.” Mary reached over and squeezed her fingers gently.

  “I suppose you’re right. I’ll just wait and see how things go from here.”

  The door from the surgery swung open, and Doc and Cale entered the kitchen. Both men pulled the top of their scrubs off and put them in the clinic laundry basket. Michelle’s eyes were drawn to Cale’s wide shoulders which tapered to his trim waist and the thin line of dark hair disappearing under the band of his scrub pants. She glanced at Mary when she felt a kick on her shin under the table. The woman wore a smug look on her face and raised her eyebrows at Michelle. The heat flared up her neck and into her face, Michelle was acutely aware her face must be fire engine red, and she frowned at Mary in mock irritation. Honestly, the woman was such a tease, and she never quit matchmaking for a second. When she turned back, the men were buttoning their shirts and speaking quietly.

  “Well, that went better than expected. We saved most of her leg above the knee.” Cale lowered his long frame into the chair beside Michelle and casually rested his arm along the back of her chair.

  “Is she going to be okay though…the stump should heal for her?” Michelle kept her gaze on Cale and ignored the looks exchanged between Doc and Mary which she caught in her peripheral vision.

  “We had to amputate above the wound. The flesh was avascular, and it wasn’t going to heal. It was starting to be necrotic, and pretty soon gangrene would have set in. If the infection went systemic, there’s not a whole lot we could do.” Doc rubbed his face with his hands after he answered her.

  “Luke, are you feeling all right?” Mary frowned at her husband, and Michelle picked up on the worry in her voice.

  “I’m fine woman. Just gettin’ too old to spend three hours standin’ in the surgery anymore.”

  “Do you want something to eat, a sandwich or…” Michelle started to get to her feet.

  “No thanks, Chelly. I think I will go have me a bit of a lie down, though.”r />
  The older vet got to his feet and moved toward the stairs. Mary threw a worried glance at the pair by the table before following him out of the room.

  “I just can’t get used to Doc being old. He’s always seemed so…well the same, you know. I thought he was old when I was a kid, but he wasn’t really, and now I guess I just can’t think of him not being able to do everything he used to.” She leaned her head against Cale’s arm on her chair back.

  “That’s why he offered me a partnership in the practice and the option to buy it when he’s ready to retire.”

  “I think maybe it’s why I resented you so much before I met you. I didn’t want to admit Doc needed help, and it meant things were going to change. I’m tired of change.”

  “Sometimes change is a good thing, Michelle.”

  “So far that hasn’t been the case for me.” She turned her head to look at him while his fingers massaged the nape of her neck under her hair. “Mmm, that feels good.”

  “Are you willing to give it a chance?”

  For a moment, she wasn’t sure what to say. The color of his eyes seemed to darken while she hesitated, and she felt the tension in his fingers on her skin.

  “I think maybe I am.”

  The expression of relief that raced across his face made her heart leap in her chest. She reached out and trailed her hand down the side of his face and cupped his cheek in her hand. Cale turned his head and pressed his lips into her palm. She jumped guiltily as Mary entered the kitchen with a frown on her face.

  “Is Doc okay?” Michelle moved to meet the older woman and give her a hug.

  “I expect he’ll be right as rain once he rests a bit. Stubborn old mule, he says he’ll slow down, but he never does.”

  “I’ll try to take over as much as I can, and the locum will be here this afternoon. If there are any emergency calls before she arrives call me, and let Doc rest.”

  Cale got up from the table and stretched his arms over his head. Somehow Michelle forgot to breathe at the sight but managed to not let Mary catch her ogling the man again.

  “We should get these monsters out of here before they start screaming again.”

  She scooped the sleepy pups into the kennel and started to lift it from the floor.

  “Here, let me take that out to the truck. You and Mary say your goodbyes, and I’ll check on Storm and tell the tech to call me if there are any complications.”

  At the sound of Mary’s chuckle, Michelle dragged her gaze away from the captivating sight of his jean-clad butt. The door to the clinic swung shut behind Cale before she pivoted to meet the older woman’s scrutiny. A flush of heat warmed her cheeks, and involuntarily, a guilty smile twitched across her lips.

  “A girl can look,” she said defensively.

  “I don’t know, missy, it appears to me you’re thinking of doing more than looking.”

  “Mary!”

  She grabbed a tea towel from the back of a chair and threw it at the laughing woman. Mary caught the cloth deftly, folded it neatly, and set it on the counter. Her face sobered when she turned back to Michelle, her blue eyes clouding briefly.

  “He’s a good man, girl. You could do a lot worse than Cale Benjamin.”

  “So you said before, Mary. You’re right; I admit that. He’s been real good to me since he moved into Chetwynd’s, and he really didn’t have to bother with me at all.”

  “You think about what I said. That boy really likes you, even though you behaved like a spoilt brat to him.”

  “What if I’m wrong again? I can’t go through all the crap I did after Rob dumped me. I don’t trust my own judgement when it comes to my love life.”

  “You trust Doc don’t you?”

  “You know I do.”

  “Well, Doc thinks the boy is the salt of the earth, and he wouldn’t be selling this practice to just any Tom, Dick, or Harry. He loves this place, and his clients are his friends. It took him a long time to find the right man to take over.”

  “Maybe you’re right. He makes me feel things I never did with Rob, like we’re partners almost, even though I haven’t known him very long.”

  “I met Luke on my twentieth birthday, and we got married the following June. I’ve never regretted a day. Love isn’t based on how long you know someone; it’s more about how he makes you feel. No matter how angry I got at Luke over the years, it was never enough for me to ever imagine my life without him in it.”

  Michelle hugged the older woman and wiped a tear from Mary’s cheek. A horn sounded in the yard, and she released her with a smile.“Doc will be fine; you just make him rest. Promise. I’ve gotta go; Cale’s waiting. You call us if you need anything at all, and thanks for the advice.”

  She moved briskly to the door and slipped through quickly to stop the cold air from entering. The snow squeaked under her boots, and suddenly she wanted to laugh and drop in the white powder and make snow angels. She hadn’t done that since she was a kid. Giggling at the train of thought, she hurried down the walk and stepped into the warm cab of the pickup.

  “Storm is doing great. I left orders for buprenorphine and some NSAIDs for inflammation. She’s sleeping right now. The locum called, and she’s on her way. I just gave her directions to the house from the highway. I brought some extra milk replacer from the clinic. I’ll need to make some more next time I’m in.” Cale reached across and captured her hand, lacing his fingers with hers. With a grin, she slid across the seat and nestled beside him. Nothing in her relationship with Rob ever felt this comfortable or safe; a girl could get used to feeling this way.

  “You look happy, any particular reason?” He lifted an eyebrow quizzically before reversing out of the yard and setting off down the snowy road.

  “I am happy…happier than I’ve felt in a long time. I feel like I’ve finally come home.” Her voice came out soft and vibrated with the emotions bubbling in her chest.

  “Home with me?” The man didn’t take his eyes from the road though she sensed the hope behind his words.

  “Yeah, home with you, me, and Storm,” she said confidently.

  Suddenly she was no longer afraid to open her heart. Doc trusted him. She had never known the man to be wrong in his judgement of people. Truth be told, her own common sense was saying the same thing, and it was darn well about time she listened.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Snowy prairie reflected the silver of the full moon, demanding Michelle’s attention when she padded across the floor to shrug on her robe and go down to start a pot of coffee. She moved to the window and allowed the magic of moonlight on snow to fill her with a deep sense of peace. Tomorrow Cale’s parents were arriving, and there was still a lot to do before they got here. For the moment though, there was time to watch the darkness deepen and then begin to fade, as the scales of light tipped in favour of the morning. Only a short while after the solstice, and already the hours of light were growing perceptibly longer each day.

  The morning star paled against the brightening blue of the sky; the sun swung free, climbing the heavens on chains of gold. Long red-gold rays slanted over the undulating landscape, throwing the small depressions into bluish shadows and touching the rolling land with a blush of rose. A high whinny broke the stillness and shook her from the contemplation of the winter sunrise.

  Michelle hastened down to the kitchen and set the coffee to brew. Grabbing her barn coat from the chair and shoving her feet into her boots, she left the house and crunched across the yard to the barn. It took only a few minutes to check the water and throw some flakes of hay into the corral before turning the horses out. A quick stop at the hen house on the way back to the house produced enough eggs for breakfast and to take in to Mary. Bucket of eggs in hand, she hurried toward the warmth of the house.

  Shedding the outdoor gear in the mudroom, she pushed the inner door open and entered the kitchen. Cale stood at the counter, pouring coffee into two mugs; his hair was mused, and his loose flannel pants stopped just above his hip bones. A rush
of heat which had nothing to do with the temperature in the room enveloped her. Dear God, the man was good to look at. He moved across to the table, favouring her with a heart-stopping smile on the way.

  “Morning.” She found her voice.

  “Looks like it’s gonna be a nice day.” His voice was still husky with sleep.

  “The sunrise was beautiful.”

  “Better from my room. The one you’re in faces north, not east.”

  “When can Storm come home?” Michelle changed the subject quickly from the more dangerous direction his comment was headed.

  “If all goes well, we can bring her home today, as long as we watch her closely and keep her medicated for the pain.”

  His grin melted her heart and made her forget what she was about to say. In an effort to hide the confusion, she picked up her mug and sat at the table to savour it. Cale swallowed his in two gulps and went back to the pot. Running water in the sink, he set about washing the eggs and laying them on a tea towel to drip dry.

  “Do you want to eat here, or should we just run into Doc’s with these and fix breakfast there?”

  He dried his hands and returned to the table with his coffee. Michelle looked up with a start as his shadow fell across her face. He leaned down and kissed her gently on the lips and ran a hand over her head, picking a piece of hay out of her hair as he did so.

  “I knew there was something I forgot to do this morning. All taken care of now.” He teased tapping her nose with the stalk of timothy hay.

  Michelle slapped his hand away and stood quickly to cover her confusion. It unsettled her that he could affect her so much just by touching her. The relationship was so different from what she experienced with Rob. Cale drew her to him like a compass needle to true north. The intensity was frightening. It was already hard to think about her life without his presence in it, which in her opinion was very dangerous. It wouldn’t be easy to cope if things fell apart. Although there really wasn’t anything to fall apart yet, was there?

  “Earth to Michelle.” Cale waved a hand in front of her eyes. “Breakfast here or at the clinic?’