My Favorite Cowboy

by Donna Grant

  Caleb looked at his brother. “Did you find your mark?”

  “I was sure I did. I saw the asshole spin around as if struck, but the next thing I knew, the horses were running free. I lost him in the stampede. So, I went looking for any signs of blood. That’s when I spotted the syringe.”

  Audrey walked up then. She peeled off her latex gloves and stuffed them into her pocket. “Do you know if the guy got the dose into the horse? I’m hoping he didn’t, but if there was any liquid left in the syringe, it got lost when the horses trampled it.”

  “I’m sorry, doc, I don’t,” Brice said.

  She shrugged. “It’s okay.”

  But Caleb knew it wasn’t. Four horses were suffering, and their best chance of stopping the men had been foiled.

  “Do you remember the horse the attacker was after?” Audrey asked Brice.

  His brother nodded, and they walked from the stable across to the corrals. Brice opened the gate to the enclosure and brought a white gelding to him and Audrey. She climbed over the fencing and began looking the horse over using a flashlight.

  After a few minutes, she smiled at them. “He appears okay, but I’d like to keep him with the other four just in case.”

  Caleb opened the gate for Brice to walk the gelding out. Once Audrey was clear, he closed it and fell in step with her behind his brother.

  “Are we sure there were only two intruders?” Audrey asked.

  Brice pushed his hat back on his head. “Clayton saw two men cross the road. Neither I nor Jace or Cooper saw anyone else come toward us.”

  Caleb wished he’d used his gun on the guy, but he hadn’t wanted to startle the horses, especially since Audrey had been inside one of the stalls.

  “How are they?” Brice asked about the animals when they reached the stables, and he put the white gelding in an empty stall.

  Audrey flattened her lips. “I had a little hope when the fluids perked them up, but that didn’t last. The results from my blood test were inconclusive, which puts me right back where I was. I’m going to have to send the blood samples off for more tests. I just hope we have the time for that.”

  “You got this,” Caleb said as he motioned to the vials. “Maybe whatever the intruder left in your bag will give you answers.”

  Brice peered closer at the bottles. “They all look the same.”

  “I wouldn’t have thought anything was amiss had Caleb not seen the guy,” Audrey admitted.

  Caleb dropped his arms to his sides. “They wanted you to use whatever is in the vial they brought.”

  “It could be the poison,” Brice said.

  Fury flashed in Audrey’s eyes. “I’m going to test the contents of each vial and figure out which one is different. Then I can determine what it is they attempted to get me to use.”

  “How long will that take?” Caleb asked.

  Her face fell. “Too damn long. I need to stay with the horses.”

  “You’re not using any of these vials,” Brice stated. “Give me a list of anything you need to replace them. I’ll run to your place and pick them up for you. I need to go check on Naomi anyway.”

  “That would be amazing. Thank you,” Audrey said. She started to turn away then stopped. “Can I text it to you? I never carry paper.”

  Brice laughed. “No problem.”

  Caleb watched as his brother put his number in Audrey’s phone. A moment later, she sent a text with the info. Caleb couldn’t believe that he hadn’t thought of doing just that. Normally, he was thinking of multiple ways to entice a woman to his bed. What the hell was wrong with him that he had missed a prime opportunity?

  He’d been too damn worried about her safety to think of getting her out of her clothes, that’s what.

  Brice shot him a cocky smile when Audrey turned away that felt like rubbing salt in an open wound. Not that Caleb was worried about his brother pursuing Audrey. Brice and Naomi were so sickeningly in love that Caleb couldn’t be around them for very long.

  It reminded him of when Abby and Clayton had first gotten together. He’d gotten used to them. He would eventually get used to Brice and his sister-in-law’s love talk and kisses, as well.

  Audrey turned away, covering her mouth as she yawned. She looked dead on her feet, her worry adding lines of strain around her eyes and mouth.

  “Get some rest,” Caleb offered. “I’ll watch over the horses.”

  “I can’t ask you to do that.”

  Caleb lifted his shoulders to his ears and raised his brows at the same time. “I’m going to be here. You can listen to my stories, which aren’t that great. Or you can get some sleep. I promise to wake you if anything changes.”

  She yawned again. “I want nothing more than to sleep, but I don’t think I’ll be able to now.”

  He sat against the stall, looking toward the ill horses. Then he patted the ground. “Sit, doc. I’m not going anywhere.”

  Audrey only hesitated a moment before she lowered herself to the ground. She leaned her head back and sighed. “I’m going to need to check the rest of the horses to make sure they’re all fine after being let out.”

  “Let them settle down a bit. A few have some minor scratches, but I didn’t see anything worse than that. Neither did the others, or they would’ve told you.”

  “I didn’t see anything either, but you’re right. They need to settle down,” Audrey admitted. She turned her head to him. “Thank you, by the way. I’m glad you were here and saw the intruder.”

  He grinned at her before looking away. “Just doing what needed to be done. I’m sorry I wasn’t able to catch him.”

  “You would have, had the horses not been let loose. It was just bad luck.”

  “There’s been enough of that. You and the horses needed a break, and it slipped through my fingers.”

  “Our fingers,” she corrected.

  His eyes slid back to her. There was something about that word that did strange things to him. “Our fingers.”

  She faced front. “I’ve been pretty lucky as a vet. I’ve been able to help so many animals, but I’m sitting here watching these horses slowly get worse right before my eyes, and I can’t get the answers I need fast enough. If I give them the wrong medicine, it might speed up the poison, or they could have a reaction to the drug and die.”

  “Horses are magnificent creatures. They can do some pretty amazing things, but their bodies are delicate,” Caleb said.

  She straightened her legs, crossing her ankles. “That is so true. There’s very little room for error.”

  “Why did you become an equine vet versus a regular vet?”

  “My father put me on my first horse before I could walk. My mother used to show horses, and my father was a farrier. They met at an event Mom participated in and were together every day after.”

  Caleb shifted to get more comfortable. “So you’ve always been around horses.”

  “Yes. Perhaps that’s where I got my passion for them. But I love all animals. As far back as I can remember, I was finding wounded animals and saving them. My parents indulged me, locating people who rehabilitated whatever animal I had found so I could learn. But everything always came back to the horses. I never hesitated in my pursuit to become an equine vet.”

  “You’re certainly in a great area for it.”

  She lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “It pays well, I won’t deny that.”

  “I’ve heard you’re the top equine vet around.” He watched as her lips lifted in a smile filled with pleasure that made his balls tighten with unabashed hunger.

  She glanced his way, her dark eyes meeting his. “I wouldn’t say that. There are others just as good as I am.”

  “I’m not too sure of that. I know you have your pick of who you work for. When Brice and I began our ranch, I heard nothing but good things about you. I’d planned to call and see if you wanted to be our vet, but Naomi was quick to point out that you were well and truly taken by two other ranches.”

  “You wanted to hir
e me?”

  Her surprise made Caleb smile. For someone who was so good at their job, she was remarkably humble. Caleb was beginning to wonder if there was anything about Audrey he didn’t like. This was something new for him, and he knew he was traversing unknown waters.

  Yet he waded in eagerly.

  Chapter 9

  “You wanted to hire me?”

  Audrey heard the words come out high-pitched and laced with surprise. Of all the things she’d thought Caleb might say, that hadn’t been one of them.

  He wanted to hire her. That made her ridiculously happy. And she really wished he would’ve called her. She might very well have taken the job.

  The thought of working with Caleb, of seeing him nearly every day, made her smile inwardly. In the short time she’d been around him, she’d seen the respect others had for him. And based on what she’d heard, he was one of the most skilled horse trainers some had ever seen.

  Yep. Audrey definitely would have worked for Caleb.

  He grinned, confusion flashing in his brown eyes. “You say that as if you’re surprised.”

  “I am.”

  “Surely, you know you’re one of the most highly coveted equine vets in the county.”

  She shook her head. “I don’t know about that. But why didn’t you contact me?”

  “It’s pretty common knowledge that with your work at the Bremer and Hopkins farms, that they don’t take kindly to you working anywhere else.”

  She winced. “Unfortunately, that’s true. I work exclusively with both of them—though they know about each other. But that means I can’t work for any other ranches. I am able to do my work at the rescue, but only because I was doing that before I went to work for either of them. However, if they knew I was here? That would cause some problems.”

  “Why do you work for them then? You should be able to help out friends if you want.”

  Audrey opened her mouth to answer, but she realized that her reasons weren’t really valid. “I’ll tell you what I tell Maddy. Both ranches keep me very busy. They’re well known, and they never question anything I ask for in regards to the horses.”

  “And the reason you tell yourself?” he urged.

  She licked her lips and glanced away. “Remember how I told you I saved animals?”

  “Yeah.”

  “It’s never stopped. I have a small area at the house that I share with Maddy. It’s a little clinic that I use for friends and neighbors who want me to see their animals. I continue working for Bremer and Hopkins because the pay is amazing, and it allows me to work for free at the horse rescue. I’m able to purchase the medicines and supplies needed to tend to the abused and neglected animals.”

  Caleb removed his hat and ran his hand through his hair. Audrey’s gaze was drawn to him. His light brown locks were on the longer side, feathering against his scalp with a brush of his fingers.

  She knew when she wore a hat for even half an hour, she had hat head, but not Caleb. Despite being out in the heat all day and night, he didn’t look dirty, tired, or fatigued in any way.

  He looked … amazing. And downright gorgeous.

  Unlike her.

  Audrey could feel the dried sweat covering her. Not to mention, she didn’t need to look in a mirror to know that she appeared as frazzled and exhausted as she felt. Not exactly a great showing.

  “The rescue place sounds like something Brice and I would like to get involved in. And I know Clayton would, as well. We’ve made treks down to the Gulf when the hurricanes hit to help out with the horses and cattle left behind.” His head rolled against the wood until he met her gaze.

  She hadn’t been looking for any help, but the idea that they were interested made her giddy. “That would be amazing.”

  “Get me the information whenever you can. Clayton is also really good at getting people to donate money,” he added with a grin.

  Audrey leaned forward and crossed her legs. He wasn’t just hot, he was also generous. A man after her own heart. She needed to be careful with him. He’d not only affected her body and mind but now her heart, as well. “I’ll definitely do that.”

  “How many ranches have you worked at?” he asked.

  She stifled another yawn. “I’ve worked for three ranches since I started. I quit working for one horse ranch because the owner threatened to fire me if I continued sharing my time with the rescue horses. There is something to be said for knowing the ins and outs of an establishment. I’m able to know every detail about the horses and can stave off most injuries before they even happen.”

  “But?”

  She shifted to face Caleb. “Both Bremer and Hopkins approached me not long after I quit the first ranch. I decided it might be better to split my time between two places. They grudgingly agreed with that and how I spent my spare time. It’s worked for several years, but things don’t always go smoothly.”

  “Why not have an open practice and see anyone and everyone?”

  Audrey bit her lip. “It sounds bad, but it comes down to money. By working for a ranch, I have a steady position and a constant paycheck. That wouldn’t be the case if I worked for myself.”

  “Perhaps not,” Caleb said. “But you’d be your own boss. You’d get to dictate what was done when and who you work for.”

  “You sound like my sister,” Audrey said with a laugh.

  Caleb smiled and went back to looking at the horses.

  Audrey nervously picked at her jeans. Finally, she got up the nerve to ask, “Who did you ultimately decide to use as a vet?”

  “Mac Miller. He works with Clayton and his father, so we trust him. But he’s all but retired. Brice and I are going to have to search for a new vet soon.”

  “I’ll do it.”

  The words were out of her mouth before she realized what she’d said. But once uttered, Audrey didn’t want to retract them.

  Caleb’s gaze jerked back to her. “What of Bremer and Hopkins?”

  “Who cares?” she said with a shrug. Then she barked out a laugh. “Oh, my God. That felt really good to say.”

  “We’d love to have your services, but I won’t hold you to this. You’re tired and under a lot of strain right now.”

  She gaped at him, offended and outraged that he would question her. “I mean what I say.”

  “I have no doubt,” he hastened to add. “I’m just giving you a way out if you need it.”

  She lifted her chin. “I won’t.”

  “Good,” he said with one side of his lips lifted in a grin.

  Their gazes locked, held. Audrey was all too aware that they were sitting close enough to touch—and how she very much wanted to reach over and put her hand on his arm. Maybe feel the muscles beneath her palm. Perhaps even be drawn against his chest.

  Audrey sighed as she imagined doing all of those things. She inwardly gave herself a shake and jumped to her feet to check on the horses. The chestnut who had been sick the longest hung his head, his eyes closed. She walked into the stall and talked to him, but the animal didn’t appear to hear her.

  “He doesn’t look good,” Caleb said from the door.

  She shook her head and ran her hands over the horse’s back, worry knotting her stomach. “He’s cold.”

  “Cold?” The shock in Caleb’s voice echoed her own.

  Within moments, Caleb was beside her. He put his hand next to hers to feel the gelding shivering. The temperatures had dropped from the upper nineties to the mid-eighties once the sun went down, but that shouldn’t have been enough to cause the horse to shake.

  The chestnut let out a sigh and crumpled to the ground. He went down hard, as if his legs had given out. He rolled to his side and lay still. Audrey remained calm and checked his vitals, despite knowing that this was a very bad sign.

  Caleb rushed to get a blanket. They covered the horse, both kneeling next to him.

  “His breathing is shallow,” she said. Her gaze swung to Caleb. “I don’t know what to give him, but if I don’t do something, he
’s going to die.”

  Caleb glanced over his shoulder at the vials. “You might grab the wrong one.”

  “Or give him something that harms him instead of helps. I hate feeling this helpless.” Her heart was slamming against her chest, her stomach roiling.

  Caleb covered her hand with his. His palm was large and callused and comforting. “Sometimes, things are out of our hands.”

  “I don’t think I can accept that.”

  Caleb’s gaze was filled with sorrow. “You don’t have a choice.”

  She frowned at his use of words. Then she looked back at the chestnut to find that he had stopped breathing. Emotion rose up so swiftly that it choked her.

  Her heart sank with realization. She was supposed to save him. She’d failed, but she’d be damned if she did the same with the others.

  “I’m so sorry,” she told the horse as she stroked the side of his neck.

  She didn’t pull away when Caleb put an arm around her and drew her against him. The longer she looked at the deceased animal, the more determined she became to figure out what poison had been used.

  Because if she didn’t do something soon, she might be standing over two more dead horses tomorrow.

  She sniffed and wiped at her face, but she didn’t pull away from Caleb. It felt good to be comforted, to have someone to share the pain with.

  “What can I do?” Caleb asked softly.

  She nodded, her mind working through everything. “I’ve taken blood, but I’ve found nothing. The syringe didn’t have anything left in it to help, and while we have the vials, I need to test each one to figure out exactly what’s inside. Until I can get to that, I need to do a necropsy.”

  “Tell me what you need. I’ll get it.”

  Audrey looked around, her mind racing. “I have everything I need to do the procedure. I just need a place to do it. Somewhere more private.”

  “You start prepping everything, and I’ll contact David. What else?” Caleb asked.

  She got to her feet. “Everything I need is in my SUV.”

  Caleb gave a nod as he rose. “Good. Anything else?”

  “Once I’ve done the necropsy, I’m going to need to run tests on everything.”