Wholehearted

by Ronica Black

  “Alike?”

  Grace smiled. “Something like that.”

  “But I enjoyed our time together.”

  “I did too.”

  “We should do it again sometime.”

  Grace nodded but she doubted she would. She had Jake to worry about. Despite that, though, she didn’t turn away when Ally leaned in and kissed her softly on the lips. It stirred her with its softness and warmth and for a second, she longed for more.

  “I have to go,” she finally whispered as she pulled away.

  “I know.” Ally blinked and her lips shimmered with gloss and traces of Grace. “I just wanted to say hello and to wish you luck with your nephew.”

  “Thanks. I think I’ll need it.”

  Ally laughed softly. “You’ll do fine. The place he’s going to will be good for him. It will help.”

  “I hope so.”

  “Call me sometime and we’ll have dinner.”

  Grace nodded.

  “Or call me if you have any more problems. I know some really good people who can help with Jake.”

  “Okay.”

  “Or call…” She kissed her again. Long and soft, causing Grace’s knees to weaken. “If you should need anything for you.”

  Grace struggled to gather the breath to speak. “Will do.”

  “Good.” She backed away and squeezed her hands. “Good-bye, Grace.”

  Grace gave a half smile and opened the door. “Good-bye.”

  She walked briskly down the hall, touching her lips delicately and pressing them together to cover any trace of Ally’s gloss. The taste of her lingered and she found she quite liked it. It had been a long time since she’d been kissed, and she mused another one would be a long time coming as well. She repressed a small grin and focused on Jake.

  He was slumped in the chair as she turned the corner. The bailiff stood and Grace gently shook Jake’s shoulder. He jumped up and followed her quickly out to the car as if he couldn’t get out of the place fast enough.

  “What was that all about? Is she going to come after me again?” he rattled off. The sun was fierce and bright, and Grace fumbled in her purse for her sunglasses. She slid them on and opened the door to her black Mercedes sedan.

  “No, she just wanted to make sure I knew I could ask her for help if needed.”

  “Like for what?” He closed his door, popped an earbud into his ear, and powered up his iPod.

  “Like for you.” And me.

  “I don’t need any more damn help,” Jake said, leaning back and closing his eyes. She could hear his music playing through his earbuds.

  “We all need help, Jake.” She glanced at him and then at the open road. “We all do.”

  Chapter Two

  “There you go, there you go,” Madison Clark called out and then whistled to the young gelding as she tugged on the rope and led him around the pen. “Good boy. Good boy.” The gelding, Guinness, had a prosthetic lower hind leg but was progressing really well considering. She couldn’t be prouder, and the smile burning her cheeks felt good. “That’s a boy.”

  The day was warm bordering on hot in the low nineties with the sun low and a nice breeze stirring the nearby trees. Healing Soul Ranch was eerily quiet, and she was very much enjoying her Sunday with her horses and dogs. Lila, one of her border collie mixes, was trotting alongside Guinness. They’d become fast friends and Lila, in all her white coat glory, justified herself as the herder of the ranch. She, along with her sisters Beamer and Flaca, pretty much ran the property alongside Madison. They knew the routine, the commands, and what was to be expected. Flaca, all legs and feistiness, raised her head as Madison whistled again. Madison gave her five more minutes before she was either following Lila and Guinness or out searching for lizards scurrying through the wildflowers.

  “He’s looking good, Maddy,” said Marv, her friend and ranch hand for years, as he approached.

  “I was wondering if I’d see you today.”

  “Miss me?”

  “Like the summer heat.”

  He gave a gruff laugh. “I figured.”

  Madison focused on the horse. “Yeah, he’s doing really well. Look at him go.” She quickened the pace and the gelding responded eagerly, trotting in a large circle around her. Lila ran to the side of the pen and panted, intent on watching and giving him plenty of room.

  “His frame is good, muscles taut. And look at that coat. Shining like the sun itself,” Marv said as he stroked the end curls of his mustache. “And the way he handles those boys with a saddle, I’d say he’s ready.”

  “Me too.” She smiled and slowed his pace and after a few more minutes, she brought him in close. With her hand under his muzzle, she kissed his nose and spoke. “Good boy, Guinness, good boy. Are you ready for a new home, boy? A forever home? Maybe with two kids, a big ranch, and two loving mommies?” He snorted and bobbed his head. She laughed. “I thought so.” To Marv she said, “Guess I’ll be giving the Kramers a call tonight.” The Kramers had been sponsoring him and had already put down a payment to adopt him. They were just waiting for her to give them the green light. And Guinness was now a definite green light. “It’s good news,” she said, shielding her eyes. It was always their goal to adopt out their horses to forever homes. They came in battered and broken and she and Healing Soul sent them out healed and loved. It was how things worked, and business had been fulfilling, to say the least.

  “That’s great news,” Marv said, looking as he always did in dark denim Levi’s, leather cowboy boots, and a white T-shirt. When he worked he usually wore a long-sleeved button-up shirt to protect his arms from the sun, but in his off time he preferred the James Dean white tee. His wide-brimmed straw cowboy hat did the same as his long-sleeved shirts, protecting his handsome face from the rays of the sun. She thought he looked a lot like Sam Elliott, with gray hair, gray scruff, and a curly gray mustache. His grin was wide and sincere and many a woman had considered him well beyond handsome. But Marv was married to the cowboy way, and there didn’t seem to be anyone out there in the world who could slow him down or change that. Not even her and her constant bickering that he find someone. “We’ll have to take more photos of him for the website. Along with his new family.”

  “It will be interesting to see his before and after,” Madison said, stroking him down.

  “Yes, it will. That poor boy came in here looking like death himself.”

  She nodded and kissed Guinness again, replacing his fly mask after doing so. The nylon netting covered his eyes and protected him and all her horses from flies; they also helped to protect them from the harsh rays of the sun.

  “Why don’t you go home, Marv? It’s Sunday. I know I’m pretty, but I’m not that pretty.” She sometimes felt bad with him always being there. He was too good a man to spend Sundays working with her.

  He chuckled. “You are that pretty, darlin’, but I’m here for that colt.”

  “Right.” She laughed. He just couldn’t resist a new horse on arrival day. The big tough guy was a softie underneath and she mused that his heart was made of leather, just as tough and durable as the rest of him, yet soft and pliable when it needed to be. He was an asset to her healing ranch, one she could never replace. His stern but soothing ways worked miracles on her horses and even more so on the kids. She held up her hand and he tossed her a brush to use on Guinness. “He’ll be here any minute.”

  “What do you know?”

  “Well, it’s not good.”

  Marv sauntered inside the pen, curry comb in hand, and took to grooming Guinness from his other side.

  “The owners took off on the colt shortly after the dam died. Just left him there to die right next to his mother.” She hated the mere thought of it. Poor little foal.

  “Sweet Jesus.”

  “Yep. So he was malnourished and neglected, to say the least.”

  He breathed, long and slow. “Well, it’s not the worst we’ve had.”

  “No, it’s not.”

  “So h
e’s okay now?”

  “Beverly gave him colostrum and an IV and all that. She’s got him on a bottle, but he still needs some serious TLC.”

  “You gonna put him in with a mare?”

  “I was thinking about Mazey.”

  He grinned. “Mazey’s my girl.”

  “I know. I knew you’d be pleased.”

  “I think she’ll do great.”

  “Let’s hope the colt takes to her.” They finished brushing Guinness and led him to the stables. The flagstone path they followed was even and smooth, framed with wildflowers and trees. Palo verdes, mesquites, and mastics threw much-needed shade over the path and between the pens. The oaks and cottonwoods were closer to the house, towering high above it. She’d invested thousands in trees when she’d acquired the three hundred acres seven years earlier. The shade and beauty they provided was priceless and she knew the horses appreciated it as well; the summer sun was brutal.

  She slipped on her shades and stared into a similar sun as noise came from up the drive. “Looks like he’s here.”

  A muddy dually truck was pulling a trailer and kicking up dust as it drove carefully toward the ranch. Madison handed Guinness to Marv and waved as her longtime friend Beverly finally brought the growling truck to a stop.

  “Ranch looks great!” she said, bounding out.

  “Thanks.” It had been a few months since she’d last seen Beverly, and she’d been a little thankful for it, knowing that no horses had needed homes from her rescue until recently. No news was good news when it came to Beverly.

  “It just looks better and better. And so do you. Just get better with age. Like those wines you collect.” Beverly’s blue eyes danced and the freckles across her nose and cheeks seemed to as well.

  “Are you saying I’ve aged?”

  Beverly hopped into her for a hug. “With that short dirty blond hair and those hazel blue eyes, you’ll be a heartbreaker forever. You’ll never age.”

  “Ha!”

  “You’re supposed to say, ‘Well, neither will you, Bev.’”

  “Neither will you, Bev.”

  “Shut up.”

  Madison laughed. “How have you been?”

  “Oh you know, can’t complain. The rescue’s doing well and Bryce is keeping me busy.”

  “Still trying for a baby?”

  “Yeah.” She smacked Madison’s arm playfully. “Devil.”

  “That’s not what I meant.”

  “Sure.”

  “It’ll happen.”

  “I hope.”

  Sadness overcame Beverly and her posture fell a bit. But just as quickly she took a deep breath and straightened.

  “Come on. Show me my new boy,” Madison said with a small smile.

  Beverly unlocked the back of the trailer. With grace and care, she carried the baby colt out and placed him on his feet. Madison walked to him and knelt, holding lightly to the rope around his neck. He moved his face away from her and kicked once to get away.

  “Well, he’s got his feet under him.”

  “He’s feisty. Just your type.”

  “Thanks.”

  “You love the feisty ones. Always up for a challenge, that’s you, Madness.”

  “Maybe.”

  She watched him trot a little and rear his head.

  “How is he with humans?”

  “Other than me? Not so good yet. He’s all legs and pride.”

  “Yeah, that’s just her type, all right,” Marv said as he exited the stables to join them.

  “Feisty?”

  “No. All legs and pride.”

  “You’re both just so funny. Can you see me laughing?” Normally, she didn’t like teasing about her nonexistent love life, but with these two she didn’t mind. They, along with her best friend Rob, knew her best, and unfortunately, they were mostly right. Mostly.

  “You may not be, but we are. Ain’t that right, sugar?” He held out a hand to Beverly and gave her a kiss on the cheek as she enveloped him.

  “I told her he’s feisty, just like she likes.”

  “I do not like feisty.” Feisty women drove her nuts. The stubbornness and nonstop demanding.

  “I was talking about the horses, Madness.” Beverly smiled and half hugged Marv.

  “Uh-huh.”

  “I wasn’t,” Marv said, chuckling.

  Madison shook her head. “You work for me, old man.”

  “Don’t remind me.”

  “Can we focus on the colt, please?”

  Marv grumbled and came to stand next to her. The baby was walking the pathway, keeping his distance. His rope was long and she wasn’t worried about him running off, considering the stable was on one side and they were on the other.

  “Looks healthy.”

  “Yep.”

  A bee near a bed of wildflowers frightened him and he came tearing back toward them. Madison laughed, excited at his health and playfulness. All things considered, he looked great. Marv seemed to think so too as he knelt and whispered things to him while holding his rope. “You’re a handsome fella, ain’t ya?” He placed his hands on his withers to still him. “Shh, that’s a boy.” His hands continued down his flank to his belly and then back up where he looked at his teeth. But the colt jerked and tried to run.

  “He bit me,” Marv said.

  “Yeah, he does that.”

  “Thought you knew better, Marv?”

  “Yeah, yeah.” He shook his hand. “Just a nip. He looks good though. Healthy.”

  “He should,” Beverly said. “He had an IV and we gave him enough colostrum to feed an army.”

  “So he’s eating okay?”

  She tugged her ball cap tighter. “He did for me, but he didn’t for my staff. So he might give you some trouble with the bottle. You might want to hang one or try the bucket.”

  Marv released him and watched as he trotted away, obviously wanting nothing to do with any of them.

  “Feisty,” Marv said, straightening. “He’s gonna be a stubborn little fella.” He looked to Madison. “You want to put him into the stall with Mazey?”

  Madison nodded and started to follow him when her cell phone rang. “Marv, go ahead.” She retrieved it from her leather belt and flipped it open. “H and S.”

  “Yes, is this Madison Clark?” The voice was feminine and smooth, but confident with strength. It got Madison’s attention right away.

  “Yes.” She turned away from the stables to lean on Beverly’s truck.

  “Ms. Clark, my name is Grace Hollings. I wondered if I could talk to you about my nephew, Jake? He’s starting there tomorrow.”

  “Of course. But can I call you back in about an hour?”

  “Oh. Well, no, I can’t. I need to go into the office. I need to talk to you now.”

  Madison blinked. This was why she didn’t usually answer unrecognized numbers on Sundays. “Can we do it tonight, then?” She really wanted to get the colt settled in.

  “No. Look, I just need to ask if Jake can get a ride in and out from the ranch every day.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “Since he’s not staying the night, I thought you might have a shuttle or something.”

  What did she think this was, a hotel? “No, sorry, no shuttle.”

  “Is there any way he can get a ride with someone else? Maybe someone who lives in our area?”

  “Ms. Hollings, is it?”

  “Yes.”

  “Is there going to be a problem getting Jake here every day?”

  “Obviously, yes. Which is why I’m calling. Can someone give him a ride?”

  “No.”

  “Why not?”

  Was she kidding?

  “I can’t discuss my other clients and their living arrangements, but I can tell you there is no one.”

  “Well, how do all these kids get to you every day?”

  “If they live at home, the parents.”

  Madison could tell that stung by the quick intake of breath she heard over the phone.
/>   “You can’t bring him in, Ms. Hollings?”

  “No, I can’t. I’m an attorney and I work close to downtown. I am in court some days, and your ranch is near Tonopah.”

  “Well, we’re right off I-10. Most folks make it to work in plenty of time since the boys need to be here by six forty-five every morning.”

  “Six forty-five?”

  Had she not read over the material?

  “Yes, ma’am. Have you not read the brochure or the e-mails I sent out?”

  “Of course. I—most of it. Six forty-five is so early.”

  Madison laughed a little. She’d had uncooperative parents before, but this one, she had a feeling, was going to take the cake. “Yes, it is. We do our best to meet and mingle with the sun around here. Get our days started early.”

  “I guess so.”

  There was a long pause, and Madison briefly thought she might have disconnected. She could hear Beverly and Marv talking and laughing and she was missing it. She wanted to see Mazey with the colt. “Is there anything else I can do for you, Ms. Hollings?”

  “Ha. Um, no. Thank you, but no.” Her sarcasm was oozing through the phone, causing Madison to grimace.

  She forced herself to sound positive. “We’ll see you tomorrow, then?”

  “God willing.”

  “Good night, then.”

  Ms. Hollings hung up without a reply.

  “Nice lady.” She flipped her phone closed and headed inside the stables, still stung from the conversation. Part of the program at the ranch was to instill responsibility and punctuality into the boys. Having them arrive every day at six forty-five was important when it came to instilling these virtues. They needed to know that people counted on them and that these recovering horses depended upon their care. Parents fighting her on it didn’t set a good example.

  She came up on the stall where Mazey, one of her rehabilitated horses, was trying to nuzzle the new colt. He scurried from her at first but then slowly allowed her to smell him and nudge him around. Beverly was thrilled and Marv was grinning from ear to ear. So far so good, but she was still irritated at Ms. Hollings. So irritated she couldn’t let it go. Had she done or said something wrong?

  “Let me ask you something, guys,” she said. “This is a healing ranch, right? A place where injured and sick horses come to be rehabilitated with the help of young men who need a bit of behavioral rehabilitation themselves, right?”