Crashing Into Tess (The McGreers)

by Christine, Lilly

  “You cold?” Jake asked her.

  “Not so bad.”

  “You can sit in the truck a few minutes, warm up,” he offered, wishing she would.

  “I’m okay, thanks,” she answered.

  At mid-morning, with everything going smoothly, he asked Tess if she wanted to switch places. Jake clipped, swabbed with alcohol, and held the timer, while Tess did the branding. He admired the way she worked with the animals, confident and unobtrusive, smooth and neat and efficient with the equipment. She’ll make it to spring, anyway. The thought cheered him.

  By noon, they’d finished all the heifers. The temperature had climbed to the mid forties, and sunshine melted the snow. “Tilda has lunch fixed at the house. If you head over with me, Tess, I’ll show you the ranch.”

  She nodded, so he whistled for the dogs.Van jumped in the bed of his truck eagerly, grinning his dog grin, with Rhiannon right behind, muddy from work.

  Tess climbed into his warm cab and took her jacket off. “How long has your family been here?” she asked, smacking her lips with bee balm.

  Distracted, he put the truck in low gear, starting up the muddy roads before answering. “My great-great grandfather got the original ranch in the 1880s, from a gold-miner who’d lost his family to typhoid, adding more land as others abandoned their sections. The McGreer family has been ranching here ever since, gradually adding land as it became available.” He started towards the house, taking the long route. “The utility company was going to charge an arm and a leg to run electric out here back in the forties, so Grand-dad stuck with water and wind power. Pops was never too keen on the utility companies either, so the ranch has always been off the grid. We have a windmill, and the creek’s been dammed for water power since the twenties.”

  “Hmm, forward thinking ancestors,” Tess commented.

  “They were independent. Being so far out of town during the Depression, then World War Two, when everything was rationed, they just figured out how to fend for themselves. These were my Gran’s greenhouses.” He pointed to the low glass houses behind the ranch house. “Tilda and Aunt Olivia keep them going year-round, with help from the ranch hands when I can spare them. You ready for lunch?”

  “I am hungry,” she nodded, looking across the pastures, to the mountains. “Your place is so interesting, though. It’s really beautiful out here.”

  “I think so, too. I’ll take you to the creek on horseback, next time, show you the dam, but now let’s get something to eat.” She followed him into the house through the back door. They kicked their boots off and hung outerwear in the mudroom.

  Under his overalls he wore jeans, but Tess’s legs were clad in fleece tights. She wore a fuzzy blue turtleneck, and bulky wool socks. Working with the animals, he could pretend she was one of the guys, but back in close quarters, he felt that undeniable pull again. Oh, hell. Who am I fooling? She’s more irresistible than ever.

  ***** Tess followed Jake into the red-tiled kitchen, where a paisley-aproned woman was preparing lunch at a six burner gas stove. “Tilda, this is Dr. Bamberger, Tess. She came out today to help with branding.”

  “So you’re the new vet in town. Nice to meet you,

  Tess,” Tilda squeezed her hand, smiling warmly. She had a weathered, pleasant face, and sparkling grey eyes. Her black hair, worn in braids pinned over her head, was tinged with silver. On her feet were beaded moccasins, and her apron covered a calico prairie skirt. “I’ve got lunch set up in the dining room. The others are in there waiting. There’s a big green salad, and plenty of chili. Help yourself.”

  “Thanks, Tilda,” Tess smiled. She wasn’t at all surprised to find Jake’s house roomy and rambling, tastefully decorated with expensive things. He led her through a butler’s pantry to a big rectangular table in a sunlit dining room, where Larry and Ralph were already seated. A wall of windows faced the mountains. She glanced up at exposed beams, a sloped ceiling, and elaborate, hand-crafted copper chandelier. Why is it that everything about him is both understated, and larger than life?

  Jake held out a chair, seating her in front of a plated salad set on a brightly woven placemat. He poured them all ice water, then dished her a big bowl of chili and took the chair next to her.

  From across the table, Larry passed a basket of corn chips and a bowl of shredded cheddar cheese. Ralph nudged a jar of chilies and a bowl of guacamole her way. Tilda set a pitcher of milk and an insulated carafe of hot coffee on the table and sat down to join them.

  The large room was full of western art: Framed landscape paintings of the high plains and mountains, a bronze Remington horse and rider sculpture, a stretched leather hide etched with images of buffalo and Sioux hunters, woven baskets and clay pots.

  Through a set of wide French doors to the right, she saw a giant stone fireplace. Flanked by book shelves, it filled the entire far wall of a vaulted great room. In front of the fireplace, a colorful, woven Navajo wool rug was framed by comfy leather couches.

  Fascinated, Tess sat quietly, eating and looking around, listening to the ranch talk. After they’d eaten, she helped clear the table, thanked Tilda for lunch, and followed Jake into the mud room.

  “You want to stay here, rest a little while?” he offered quietly. “We started so early this morning, you must be tired.Why don’t you take coffee into the living room, and just relax for the afternoon, while we finish up? I can light a fire for you.”

  Pleased, she tried not to read too much into the offer. “That’s really thoughtful, but I feel like I should get back to work. Maybe another time, okay?”

  Back at the crush, Rhiannon was getting the hang of herding. Jake had taught her the same commands he used with Van. By two o’clock, they’d castrated most of the steer. Jake turned to her. “You’ve seen enough of this to last you, I imagine. We’ve only got another hour here. I hate to tie you up. It’s been a long day, and you’ve worked all this week already. Don’t you want to get going?”

  “Honestly, if I get an emergency, it’s probably closer for me to take it from here, Jake. Doc’s had me on call since noon. I really don’t mind sticking around, unless I’m in the way. Alice said she’d page me if Doc needed anything.”

  He smiled at her, his dark eyes glowing. “That’s fine, Tess. Cassie will be here soon. I know she’d like to see you.”

  5

  Crashing Into Tess An hour later, Tess watched Jake walk to the door of the old woody-sided Wagoneer she’d seen parked at the house. Cassie hopped out and waved to Tilda as the jeep pulled away. They walked towards her, hand in hand.

  “Sorry I wasn’t there to pick you up after school today, Cass,” she heard Jake say.

  “That’s okay, Tilda brought me oatmeal raisin cookies

  and a thermos of cider for a snack. We brought some for

  you, too, Daddy. Can I ride Sparky? I don’t have much

  homework, and I haven’t been on him since Sunday.” Jake tugged one of his daughter’s braids. “It’ll be a

  little while until I can help you today, hon. We have to

  finish this branding.”

  Recognizing Tess in her shapeless overalls, Cassie said

  “Hey, Dr. Tess is here! Hi, Dr. Tess!”

  “Hi, Cassie,” Tess said brightly, “Bet you didn’t expect

  to see me here, huh?”

  “No, but I’m really glad you surprised me!” Cassie

  hugged her, offering a cookie.

  “Oatmeal raisin, yum. Thanks, Cass,” Tess said,

  squeezing the little girl’s shoulder.

  “Where’s Rhiannon?” Cassie asked.

  “She ran off with Van.” Jake grabbed two cookies from

  the bag.

  “So, Dr. Tess, after we looked at your books last week, I

  decided I want to be a vet when I grow up. I’m already

  good at helping out at the clinic and the blood stuff doesn’t

  bother me at all. Did you work really hard in school?”

  Cassie asked,
munching a cookie.

  “I did,” Tess nodded, brushing a crumb from her chin.

  “Grade school and high school and four years of college

  and then four more years of vet school. Twenty years of

  studying and tests, Cass, but here I am.”

  “Wow, twenty years? I’m only six. That’s a really long

  time to be in school . . Can I show Dr. Tess Sparky,

  Daddy?” Cassie asked.

  “Well, that’s up to Dr. Tess,” Jake said, glancing at Tess. “Sparky is my pony, Dr. Tess. You really have got to

  see him. I got him last year. Sherri Tarleton helped Daddy

  find him. Even she likes him, and she’s really picky,”

  Cassie explained proudly.

  “I’d love to meet Sparky, Cass,” Tess said.

  “You’re sure you don’t mind?” Jake looked a little

  skeptical.

  “Mind? Not at all. Cassie and I will have a blast,” she

  answered.

  “We get along great, Dad,” Cassie added assuredly,

  taking Tess’s hand. “I stop by her place sometimes, when

  my mom wants a rest. I like Alice a real lot, but Tess is my

  favorite grown up friend.”

  Jake grinned. “Okay, Cass, since Dr. Tess is willing to

  tag along and keep an eye on you, you can get Sparky out

  of the paddock and groom him and tack up. I’ll be up when

  we finish here,” he said, shooting a Tess a grateful smile. “I’ll show you to the horse barn, Dr. Tess,” Cassie

  offered, tugging her hand. “Let’s take your new truck. I

  really like the color.”

  The horse barn was fancier than Tess expected, as nice

  as the Tarleton’s, but smaller, just twelve stalls. A grey

  pony and a larger taffy-colored palomino shared the fenced

  paddock closest to the barn. A chestnut, three bays, a pinto

  and two appaloosas grazed further off.

  Cassie led her into the tack room, grabbing lead ropes

  for the ponies. “I’m in Pony Club, and I’m learning to

  barrel race,” she said proudly. “My dad teaches me how to

  ride. The grey pony is Sparky.”

  “Sparky is a pretty pony, Cassie.” Tess held the gate as

  the little girl clipped the lead shank on him. “You’re so

  lucky. I wanted a pony more than anything when I was your

  age.”

  Cassie halted Sparky in front of her, letting Tess

  scratch his forehead. As she admired his dishy face, tight

  little tummy and sturdy legs, Van and Rhiannon darted up,

  tails wagging.

  “You can get the palomino, Dr. Tess. His name is

  Butterscotch. My dad got him for my mom a long time ago,

  but she doesn’t really like horses. You could ride

  Butterscotch if you wanted. We could take a trail ride

  together.”

  Tess clipped the lead shank on Butterscotch and

  followed Cassie through the gate and up to the barn. “We’d

  have to ask your dad first, but I hope we can Cass, that

  sounds like fun.”

  “Sometimes Pony Club meets here, and we all ride out

  to the creek for a picnic. My dad comes along. We’ll do

  that in the spring, again, I’ll bet. Most days my dad doesn’t

  have time for a trail ride, so I just ride here in the ring and

  around the barn. Butterscotch’s stall is on the left,” Cassie

  said, expertly turning Sparky into a grooming stall and

  clipping him in cross ties.

  She came out of the tack room with a carryall filled

  with brushes, currycomb, and a hoof pick. “You can visit

  with me, or groom Butterscotch, whatever you’d like, Dr.

  Tess,” Cassie offered politely.

  “Oh, you know I like visiting with you. I’ll groom

  Butterscotch later.”

  Tess watched Cassie move around the pony, currying

  and brushing his coat, then picking his hooves. She

  chattered the whole time about her friends, and school,

  Aunt Olivia’s dollhouse and the soccer team she’d played

  on over the summer, and the books they’d get from the

  library. When she was finished grooming, she turned to

  Tess. “My dad usually helps with my saddle. It’s kind of

  heavy,” she said, wrinkling her nose.

  Tess followed her to the tack room, which was spotless.

  Saddle racks lined the back and side walls, and bridles

  hung on hooks in a neat row. Shelves and cubbies above

  held liniments and incidentals. Cassie found her saddle pad

  and took Sparky’s bridle off a low hook, while Tess

  grabbed the small western saddle and cinch that Cassie

  pointed out.

  Jake came striding through the big barn door then, the

  late afternoon sun bright behind his broad shoulders.

  “Look at the two of you!” he exclaimed, pressing a big,

  muscular hand against the tack room door jamb. He shot

  Tess a broad smile, and she felt her heart lurch. Why does

  he have to be so darn good looking?

  Cassie put the saddle pad on Sparky, and Tess helped

  with the saddle and cinch. Jake stood back, watching with

  appreciative eyes. “Dr. Tess helped with Butterscotch too,

  Dad. She’s real good around horses. I’m going to do the

  bridle myself, unless he acts up,” Cassie said determinedly. “Okay,” her dad nodded. “Have you guys seen the

  dogs?”

  “They followed us over here. I guess they’re around

  somewhere,” Tess told him.

  “Van was sniffing Rhiannon, Daddy, then they were

  dancing down by the pasture, when we brought the horses

  in,” Cassie said.

  “Dancing?” Jake glanced at Tess. Shrugging, she

  walked out to the pasture, calling for Rhiannon.

  ***** Jake followed her out of the barn, whistling for the dogs. The sun was a blazing ball of orange now, dropping into the western sky. It was getting dark earlier, but tonight, the air was still warm. Standing next to her, he asked, “Do you have plans for dinner, Tess?”

  “Not tonight,” she smiled. “I take Cassie back to her mom’s at seven. Want to grab a burger at Green Forks with me afterward?”

  “Sure, Jake, thanks.” She flashed him an easy smile. The dogs ran up then, panting.

  “Thanks for all your help here today,” he said, as Tess walked with him back to the barn.

  “Sure thing. It was a great experience. I learned a lot.”

  “You ready to take off?”

  “I think Cassie wants me to watch her ride.”

  “She does likes an audience,” he admitted.“I really appreciate the interest you’ve taken in her, Tess. She mentioned that she stops by your place sometimes. I hope that’s okay. You’d let me know, if it was an imposition?”

  “Cassie’s good company, Jake. I enjoy spending time with her, and she’s really something with animals. I’ve never seen a kid handle a pony as naturally as she does. Nothing fazes her.”

  “Wait until you see her ride,” he grinned.

  Carrying two folding chairs from the tack room, he followed as Cassie led Sparky into the corral, brushing dust from the chair seats before Tess sat down, then giving Cassie a leg up.

  After she put the pony on the rail at a brisk walk, he took the chair next to Tess. Quietly, he said, “I don’t let on to Cassie, but Sparky behaves better when I’m in the ring. He was pretty frisky last time she rode.” He watched as Cassie picked up a jog. “Lookin’ good, Cass,” he called, “Keep a leg on him, so he doesn’t scoot side
ways.” Turning to Tess, he asked, “Do you ride?”

  Tess kept her eyes on Cassie as she jogged across the diagonal. “As a kid, I bugged my parents for a pony relentlessly. They finally let me start lessons in fourth grade. When I was twelve, I talked them into leasing a hunter for me, a thoroughbred gelding, fifteen and a half hands. I showed in my teens, not the A circuit, just with a group of kids at the local hunter shows in Chester County. I was on the equine team in college, and did some eventing through vet school.”

  “So you are an equestrian,” he said approvingly.

  “I guess you could say that,” Tess answered, shrugging. “It’s a loaded term. You always want to be a better rider, wish you had more experience. I didn’t come from a horsey family, so that was a disadvantage.”

  Cassie legged Sparky nicely into the corner, picked up a little lope, and made an even, tight circle. “Wow, Cassie, you are amazing!” Tess called, her face radiant. She turned to him. “What about you and horses, Jake?”

  “Well, you could say my family was horsey, though I wasn’t coddled. I grew up handling horses of all kinds, the mean ones, the ugly ones, and the sweet-tempered ones. By the time I was fourteen, I’d saved enough for a good broodmare, and my dad let me start breeding Quarter Horses. I rodeo’d as a kid, broke two year olds through high school and college, for extra cash. I got my business degree from Colorado State, but came right back here after college. My heart has always been on the ranch, and I’ve never really strayed.”

  “I can see why,” Tess said. “This is a great place. I’d have killed to spend summers here when I was Cassie’s age.”

  He had no trouble imagining Tess at McGreer Ranch during summertime. “We have a pool out behind the house. You can bring your suit and swim whenever you want next summer, if you’re still around, Tess. Alice does. We like the company. And you must miss riding. You can hop on my horses anytime. They’re all sound, and safe. Just let me know you’re here.”

  “I do miss it, so thank you. I figured once I got settled, I might start riding for real again.”

  “Sherri Tarleton has some nice hunters, and a big indoor arena. She rides all winter. We get a lot of snow up here, but it doesn’t usually stay that cold. Mine are all Quarter Horses, so they don’t mind a trail ride in the snow. In fact, it suits them. I can teach you how run barrels, or to rope and cut, if you want.”