Her Surprise Cowboy--A Clean Romance

by Claire McEwen

  Emily grabbed her medical bag and the three of them walked toward the coyote. “Can you see it?” Liam pointed. “Right there in that brush.”

  “Oh, how cute,” Trisha said softly. “That brush is actually called coyote brush.”

  “Let’s get the tripod set up,” Emily said. “I want to see if it’s hurt. Jace said it wasn’t putting much weight on its paw?”

  “One of its front paws,” Liam said. “I think it might be my coyote.”

  “Which means it survived.” Trisha was practically beaming. “This is really good news.”

  “Let’s not celebrate until we get a look at it.” Emily fastened the scope to the tripod and peered through the narrower end, turning various parts of it until she seemed satisfied. “Okay, I’ve got it. Do you guys want to take a look?”

  Liam motioned for Trisha to go first and she took off her cap and peered through the lens. “Oh wow, it’s gorgeous. Look at those golden eyes and how it’s peeking through those branches. It has no idea how well we can see it with this scope. Here, Liam, take a look.”

  Liam stooped down to look through the scope, startled by how close the coyote seemed. He could see its mottled fur, its big ears. “I can’t see its leg.”

  “Let me watch it for a bit.” Emily hunkered down to peer through the scope. “I wonder if you all could go downhill from it and make some noise. I don’t like having to scare it, but if I can see it move, I can see how bad its leg is.”

  “We can try.” Trisha motioned to Liam. “Come on.”

  The afternoon was turning into evening and the air was getting chilled. Trisha was still in her scrubs from the vet clinic, and that was it. She wrapped her arms around her front, as if to block the cold.

  “Take my jacket.” Liam removed the fleece-lined denim. “Please.”

  “No, I’m fine.” She waved him away and then shivered.

  “You’re freezing. I’ve got more meat on my bones. Just wear it.”

  “Okay.” She pulled his jacket on and instantly looked more relaxed. She glanced up at him. “Thank you.”

  He shouldn’t feel proud that she was wearing his jacket. This wasn’t high school and that wasn’t his letterman’s. But she’d accepted something from him, let him help her in some way, and it felt good.

  “Let’s climb through here.” Trisha pointed to a section of barbed wire. “Then we’ll go just a few yards toward the coyote. If we can move it uphill, Emily can get a good view.”

  They slipped through the sharp wire and started slowly back up the hill, stomping their feet just enough to get the coyote’s attention. From where they were, they could only see its ears, upright and alert, facing them over the tall grass. And then it turned and trotted uphill, and they got a better view.

  “Perfect. Can you see its paws? Is it limping?” Trisha jumped up, as if the extra height would help.

  “Honestly, no. I can’t see much because of the bushes. Let’s go back and talk to Emily.”

  They ran back down the hill and went through the fence again.

  “This is kind of fun,” Trisha said.

  “It is.” He couldn’t help but hold her gaze just a little longer than necessary. Seeing her smile at him like that, with warmth in her eyes and excitement parting her lips just a little, it was hard to look away.

  But she did, jogging lightly uphill to get to Emily. “Is it okay? What did you see?”

  Emily didn’t look quite as happy as Liam hoped. “You definitely hurt its right front paw, Liam. I can see the wound. But since she was running, I think you just nicked it. And it can’t be infected...or at least not too badly.”

  “She?” Trisha brightened. “Do you think it’s their mother?”

  “Well, I didn’t see anything that made me think it’s a male.”

  “So what do we do?” Liam was glad it was the pups’ mama. But he’d hoped for better news about the wound.

  “I want you to keep watching for her. As long as she’s active and out hunting, then there’s a good chance she will make it. There are a ton of small animals she can catch at this time of year. And since it’s only early spring, she has a whole summer ahead to heal.”

  “Do you think we can try to introduce the pups back out here?” Trisha shaded her eyes to better see the coyote on the hill. “She abandoned them. Will she accept them again?”

  “I think it’s worth a try, but Maya and Vivian will need to make that call. I’m sure they’ll want to observe her for themselves.”

  “Thanks for coming out here this evening,” Liam told them. “I made this mess, and this gives me some hope that it can all come right in the end.”

  “Fingers crossed.” The vet trained the scope on the coyote, who’d stopped farther up the hill and was watching them.

  “I should probably get going so I can help Jace with the chores.” Liam tipped his hat to the women. “Hope to see you soon.”

  “Can I walk you to your horse?” Trisha fell into step beside him. “I feel awful about the way things went between us at my house on Sunday.”

  “It was a rough day. For both of us.” An understatement. He’d replayed it over and over, wondering if he could have said it all better, in a way that would have reassured her more.

  “I talked to my friend Becca. The one I was with in Texas the night we met. She’s pretty smart about life, when she isn’t talking me into ridiculous stuff like crashing weddings.”

  “I think Becca was smart that night, too.”

  He caught a flicker of a smile on Trisha’s face, and there was a sweet warmth in her blue eyes. “It’s true. She helped get us to where we are now.”

  Where they were now was complicated, and scary, but would he wish it any other way? Wish there was no Henry? Never.

  “Anyway, Becca lived here in Shelter Creek in high school. Her family moved away before our senior year, but she was here when I was in a bad car accident.”

  He stopped walking and turned to face her. “What happened?”

  She looked away for a moment, and when she spoke again her voice was quieter. “My friend Julie and I had been at a concert in Santa Rosa with some older guys I’d met. They’d given us alcohol and then they started getting pretty aggressive, you know? So we ditched them, but then we didn’t have a ride home.”

  Liam pressed his palms into his thighs, wanting to step back through time and smash his fists into those guys’ faces.

  “Julie was Caleb’s sister. You know Caleb, who’s married to Maya? Well, Julie called him and asked if he’d pick us up. Maya and Caleb were dating at the time, and Caleb was busy, so he sent Maya.”

  Liam hadn’t realized that these people he’d gotten to know in the past couple weeks had such a tangled past. “So Maya came and got you?”

  Trisha nodded. “Julie was really drunk, and on the road back to Shelter Creek, she took off her seat belt and leaned over into the front seat to change the music. Maya told her to stop, but Julie wouldn’t listen. She lost her balance and fell onto Maya, and Maya couldn’t see the road, and couldn’t steer properly. We went into a tree. Julie was killed.”

  Liam swallowed the emotion rising from his chest. She’d been through such a tragedy. So had Caleb and Maya. It was amazing they were all still here, making their lives work, despite something that must haunt them every day. “I’m really sorry, Trisha. That must have been terrible.”

  She’d been staring at the ground as she spoke. Now she looked up at him and there were tears on her cheeks, sliding down like melted diamonds. He brushed one away with his knuckle, but another took its place.

  “I was badly hurt. My leg was broken in a bunch of places, and for a while the doctors weren’t sure if I was going to be able to keep it. And I was haunted by guilt. Everyone blamed Maya for the accident, since she was driving, but I knew inside that it was really my fault. If I hadn’t wanted to im
press those older boys, if I hadn’t brought Julie with me, she’d still be alive.”

  He couldn’t believe she’d been holding all of that on her small shoulders all these years. “It sounds like Julie made some choices of her own, too.”

  “I try to remind myself of that, but I have wished every day since that I hadn’t begged her to go with me that night.”

  No wonder she was so careful with Henry. It must be daunting to care for a tiny helpless baby when you already felt responsible for someone’s death. And yet, she’d been brave enough to become a mom all on her own. To raise Henry so well, despite her fears.

  The unfamiliar sting of tears had him blinking hard.

  “Anyway, last night on the phone, Becca reminded me that throughout my surgeries for my leg, and my healing, I had my parents monitoring every dose of painkiller I took. I didn’t have access to my own pills. If I had, things might have been different. I know what it’s like to crave oblivion.”

  Liam could barely trust himself to speak. There was so much he wanted to say, words he wanted to give her, of comfort and praise, but he’d probably say it wrong. “I wish I could take away all that pain you went through. But I’m grateful that you understand a little.”

  “I think that’s why I reacted so harshly. Because I can imagine how you might want to go back to them sometimes.”

  “I don’t. Those pills turned me into a different person. Someone I never want to be again.” He squared his shoulders to say the hard part. “But I won’t make false promises. They told me in rehab that relapsing is always a possibility for an addict. I’m going to start going to some meetings with Caleb, to try to keep to the right path.”

  She nodded. “I have to learn to trust that you’ve got it under control.”

  “I’d appreciate it if you could.” They were both silent for a moment, awkward after such heartfelt confessions. Liam glanced around, realizing how much time had passed. Emily was packing up the scope. The coyote was nowhere to be seen. “I should let you two get going. It’s getting late.”

  She nodded. “I have to pick up Henry from the babysitter.” She glanced at him shyly. “Would you like to spend more time with him?”

  Liam felt a few pounds lift off his shoulders. “I’d like that a whole lot.” And with you, he wanted to add. But he bit that part back.

  “Saturday, then? Come by in the morning? Around nine?”

  He’d get up at dawn if he had to, to get his chores done on time. “I’ll be there.”

  “Maybe we can go for a walk with Henry. Or to the beach, or the park or whatever you’d like. Let’s just hang out together, as friends. Maybe that’s the best way to figure this whole thing out.”

  “Sure. Friends.” He could do that, though she was more to him. So much more.

  Trisha studied him for a long moment, her blue eyes looking into his as if she were trying to find something in them. Maybe she did, because she nodded. “Okay. I’ll see you then.”

  “Looking forward to it.”

  “Oh. Your jacket.” She pulled it off and handed it to him. “I’ll be fine now. Thank you.”

  He pulled it on, aware of her body heat still warming it. Her scent lingered and it smelled like flowers.

  Trisha flashed a shy smile and turned back toward Emily. Liam went to Wild Bill with unexpected nerves in his stomach. Saturday. It wasn’t a date, though it felt a bit like one. Mainly, it was progress. And they could use some of that.

  “Hey, W.B.” Liam untied Wild Bill and the horse nuzzled his shoulder, impatient to get back to the barn, to dinner, to free time. Liam tightened the cinch before swinging into the saddle. When he turned the horse to leave, Trisha was watching him. She gave him a wave and he returned the gesture. It was only a wave, but it felt like more. A sign that maybe things were better between them, and might get better still.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  “THIS USED TO be part of Jace’s ranch.” Trisha pulled her car into the parking area for the Long Valley Nature Preserve. There was only one other car here, which surprised her. Usually this trail was more crowded on a Saturday morning.

  They got out of the car and Trisha was grateful for the cool morning air on her skin. Her little car felt like close quarters, with Liam sitting beside her. She could still feel the pull when she was near him, the same feeling she’d had when she first met him in Texas. She was trying to ignore it, but it was hard when they were sitting elbow to elbow.

  “Is this the area the community bought for the elk? He told me about that.” Liam shaded his eyes and looked out over the valley with a low whistle. “I can imagine he wasn’t too happy about losing this land.”

  “It’s gorgeous, isn’t it?” Trisha studied Liam as he surveyed the valley. His brown hair fell in tousled waves over his forehead. His denim jacket sat easily on his broad shoulders.

  He glanced down at her and she hoped he hadn’t noticed her close scrutiny. “I don’t know how I’d feel if I bought this valley and was told I couldn’t use it.”

  “Jace wasn’t too happy about it at the time. But it’s how he met Vivian. She was assigned to survey the wildlife in the valley. When she found an endangered salamander, she didn’t think Jace was ever going to speak to her again.”

  Liam smiled down at her. “Guess they were able to work something out, though.”

  “Yes, they did.”

  “So maybe we can, too?”

  Trisha flushed under his teasing glance. He had a way of unnerving her with that smile. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.” She walked over to open the rear passenger door. “Ready for your first walk with Henry?”

  He grinned. “Ready as I’ll ever be.”

  “I’ll get him out of his car seat. Why don’t you get the stroller from the back.” It was actually nice to have some help. Usually she had to wrestle the big jogging stroller on her own, unless one of her friends was with her.

  Liam opened the trunk and pulled out the stroller. “This thing is awesome. It’s like a mountain bike for babies.” He set it down on its front wheel and wrestled to unfold it.

  “Hang on, there’s a lever.” Trisha set Henry on her hip and went to help Liam, showing him where to press.

  He unfolded it and then pushed down until the latch clicked into place. “Is that it?”

  “Looks good.”

  Trisha went to put Henry in the stroller, but Liam held out his arms. “Can I carry him for a bit?”

  She hesitated, anxiety whispering vague warnings in her ears. “Well, I guess. Just watch your step.”

  He shot her an amused look. “I’m fairly good at walking.”

  “I know, I’m just—” she sighed, hating to admit it “—overprotective. Everyone teases me about it. Maya, Vivian, all the ladies in my book club.”

  She set Henry carefully in Liam’s hands and he nestled Henry on his hip, his arms around him, just like she carried him. At least he’d been watching her. He was trying.

  “Does he look comfortable?”

  It was sweet that he cared so much. “Yes. He looks happy.” And Henry did. Maybe he felt Liam’s magnetism, too, because her baby seemed perfectly content, looking around at the trailhead and chewing on his fist.

  Still, it was hard to relax, knowing how little experience Liam had with babies. What if he did trip, what if he dropped little Henry into one of the ponds... Stop. She was imagining totally implausible catastrophes. She channeled her worry into action, getting the diaper bag and loading it in the stroller and locking the car.

  “The trail is this way.” She pushed the empty stroller toward the wooden boardwalk, built over the valley so people could enjoy the views without damaging the salamanders’ habitat.

  “You are stressed right now, aren’t you?” Liam was teasing her, but his eyes were kind. “I promise you I will take the best care of our son.”

  They
stared at each other, both of them startled by those two words. Our son.

  “That’s pretty crazy to say out loud, isn’t it?” Liam tilted his head for a better look at Henry. “What do you think about that, little guy?”

  “Can I hold him?” She was like a kid, not willing to share. Except Henry had always been hers. Still felt like hers. She wasn’t ready for team parenting.

  Liam handed the baby to her without a word, but Henry had something to say. He fussed and reached back toward Liam.

  “It’s okay, little one.” Trisha bounced him gently, trying to stay cheerful though her petty heart hurt. For shame. She should be happy that her baby had already bonded with his daddy.

  Henry settled at the bouncing, and Liam took up stroller duty, pushing it along as they walked into the valley. It was pretty adorable, actually. Liam wore a straw cowboy hat and his denim jacket. He looked like he should be on a horse chasing after cattle, not pushing a stroller along a trail.

  They went a little farther along before Liam broke the silence. “I didn’t mean to upset you back there. I don’t know how to handle this. I don’t even know if you want me to be around or if you’d rather I had never shown up here.”

  “Of course I’m happy.” But Trisha’s words sounded empty, even to her. “I guess it’s going to take me a while to relax. Or, who knows... Maybe I never will.” She decided to be totally honest, as he had been with her about his addiction.

  “It started after the accident. I was paralyzed by anxiety. My mind was full of all these what-ifs. What if I was in another accident? What if I talked with someone who blamed me for Julie’s death? What if I made another mistake?” She blew out a long breath. Just telling him about this was making her anxious. “I went to therapy, but it didn’t help much. Then Maya came back to town and we became friends. And she welcomed me into The Book Biddies book club. Vivian moved here and I became better friends with Emily. Once I had a community of people I cared about, I started to relax a bit. But becoming a mom made the anxiety come back tenfold.”

  “I wish I’d been there.” Liam’s glance met hers, then he looked away out over the valley. “I wish I could have shared all that worry you must have had while you were pregnant and when Henry was first born.”