Emily heard the quaver in her mother’s voice and moved close to put an arm around her.
“He should be fine. He has a partial blockage in one artery, but thankfully, we can fix it. He’s just going to need a lot of rest for a few days. And I’ll be recommending some physical therapy, as well. I have some forms for you to sign and then I’ll bring you back to see him briefly before we get started.” She looked at Emily and Wes. “I’m sorry, but we’re only allowing your mother to visit right now. We want to start prepping for the surgery as soon as possible.”
“I understand.” Emily gave her mother a hug. “Tell him we’re here and we love him.”
“Of course, honey.” Her mother kissed her cheek. “I’ll be back soon.”
Emily sat in one of the chairs and watched her mother and the doctor walk away. “He’s going to be okay.”
Wes sat down next to her. “That’s great news. The best news, really. Sounds like he’ll be up and around in a week.”
Emily sat up a little straighter and took a sip of her coffee. “I just hope his surgery goes okay. That doctor… How can she be a cardiac surgeon? She’s so young.”
Wes laughed, a sound so unfamiliar in the emergency room that several people turned to stare.
“What?” Emily stared, too, wondering what had come over him.
“I know this woman, and she’s one of the best veterinarians I’ve ever had the honor of working with. But some people judge her because she’s a young woman.”
“Oh.” Nothing was funny about this situation, but Emily couldn’t help smiling. “I guess I’m a hypocrite.”
“Or just very worried about your dad. Which is understandable.” He put his arm around her shoulders to give her a comforting squeeze. “But that young doctor will do just fine, I’m sure. Maybe even better than an older one because her training is so recent.”
Emily leaned her head on Wes’s shoulder and closed her eyes. His spicy cologne was a relief from the antiseptic hospital smell. “I’m really glad you’re here with me tonight.”
“I want to be here for you, and for your parents. I wish I’d been here for you all those years after I left.”
“Me, too.” Emily toyed with the edge of her blanket. “It was hard when you left. Everyone was worried about you, and so was I. But I was also really hurt. I was so crazy about you, and you just walked away.”
“I knew my leaving would hurt you. But I was so worried about Jamie. My whole focus was on getting him to safety as fast as possible. I guess it helped to know that even if you were sad for a while, you were safe and loved. I trusted that with time, and the support of your family, you’d be okay.”
Maybe it was the quiet of the mostly empty lobby, or their stark encounter with mortality this evening, but she finally asked the question she’d wanted to ask for years. “Weren’t you sad at all to leave me?”
He kissed her hair gently. “I was very sad. I would lie awake in bed at night, after Jamie fell asleep in my arms, and remember everything we did. I’d go through all our conversations. I’d imagine your smile and it would help me fall asleep. But I’ll be honest. There was a big part of me that always felt unworthy of you. I was this poor foster kid, and your family’s charity project. I told myself you’d be better off without me weighing you down.”
“You never weighed me down, until you left without a word.”
“I hate that I hurt you. But what if I’d told you what was going on? I’d have needed you to keep it a secret from your parents. You were so close to them, and we’d already been sneaking around, trying to avoid telling them how we felt about each other. I didn’t want to give you one more secret to keep.”
Emily nodded. She understood. She might not like it, but she understood. This was what her mother was talking about. Understanding. Maybe even forgiveness. “So, are you going to stick around this time? Keep working with me?”
He looked down at her with a warm smile that would have made her knees weak if she’d been standing up. “Of course I’ll stay. For as long as you want me around.”
Wes pulled her in closer and Emily closed her eyes, praying that her dad would be okay, that his heart would stay strong during surgery, that the young doctor knew what she was doing. But she also threw in an extra prayer that her heart would be safe, too, because like it or not, she was falling back in love with Wes.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
SHOVELING MANURE WASN’T usually Emily’s favorite chore but today the simple task, combined with the clear, crisp morning, was exactly what she needed. The sun was reflecting off the dew-covered leaves of the bay trees near Fancy’s shelter. The roof steamed in the warm sun after the chilly night. Even the grass blades sparkled emerald green.
It was Sunday. A blissful Sunday with no emergency calls so far. And last night Wes had gone out on a late-night call for her. How luxurious to lie in bed while he dealt with a lambing issue. She’d thought it would be harder to let go of control, to let him start taking some calls on his own. It had given her a twinge of anxiety but mostly it was just a relief to sleep the night away.
Fancy must have finished her alfalfa. The rich, green, leafy hay was her favorite part of her meal. The mare, less skeletal now but still quite thin, saved her simpler oat hay to nibble on throughout the day. Now she wandered over to sniff the wheelbarrow.
“Hey, girl, are you ready to do some walking this morning?” Wes had suggested that she take Fancy on a short stroll down the path that led from her property to a fire road that ran out over the hills away from Shelter Creek. The farrier was coming by to trim the mare’s hooves in an hour, and the more relaxed Fancy was, the better the process might go. A walk would help the mare burn any excess energy.
Not that poor Fancy Face had much to burn. In the nine days that she’d lived here with Emily, she’d mostly wanted to eat and laze in the sun. Occasionally she’d follow her sheep, Beatrice and Rosalind, around as they grazed the grass that grew just beyond the fence. She also seemed to enjoy the time Emily spent with her. After some skittishness, she’d accepted the soft brush Emily used on her coat. Eventually she’d let Emily pull the ticks off her, too. With her coat clean and her mane and tail untangled, Fancy was starting to look like a horse with a chance at a happy future.
Fortunately, the local farrier was a woman, since Fancy still didn’t seem to trust men. Jayna was experienced, calm and confident. She just might convince Fancy to let her get near her hooves. Emily sure hoped so. The poor horse had to get them trimmed down. The length was interfering with her gait when she walked.
Fancy came closer and snuffed at the handle of Emily’s shovel. Then she took a step closer and raised her nose to blow hay-scented breath on Emily’s face.
“Well, aren’t you the sociable one today.” Emily reached up to smooth Fancy’s forelock. “That’s good, because you’re going to get your hooves trimmed. Then you’ll be able to walk better. Aren’t you excited?”
Just then Emily’s phone buzzed. Fancy backed away a few steps with a snort, her ears forward as she studied the phone Emily pulled from her back pocket. Emily’s heart jumped when she saw her mother’s name.
“Mom, what’s up? Is everything okay?”
“Everything’s fine,” her mother said. “Don’t worry.”
Don’t worry? Her dad had been home from the hospital for less than a week. Of course Emily worried. The surgery to insert the stent had gone well, but the surgery he’d had last year had gone well, too. And then they’d almost lost him again. “How’s Dad this morning?”
“Doing just as well as when you were here yesterday. Thanks again for doing our grocery shopping for us.”
“Of course. Anything I can do, Mom, I’m happy to help. Please just ask.”
“Well, I’m asking now. Your father and I would love it if you would come for an early supper tonight.”
“Sure. That will be fine.�
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“And I was wondering if you’d like to ask Wes to join us?”
“Wes?” Would she? This whole week since he’d been so sweet and supportive in the hospital, they’d never once mentioned the connection they’d shared. Instead they’d been circling around each other, acting like cordial colleagues. But Emily watched him whenever she was sure he wouldn’t notice. She loved the way he listened so carefully to clients, the gentle way he dealt with animals, his capable hands and agile mind. She’d spent the week coming to terms with a fact she couldn’t refute. She was in love with Wes. Completely. Again.
“He was such a help that night in the hospital. We’d really like to thank him personally,” her mother said.
“Sure.” Emily couldn’t say no to that. “I’ll invite him. He’s stopping by soon to try to help get Fancy’s hooves trimmed.”
“Your father and I can’t wait to meet that horse.”
Emily watched Fancy, who’d wandered off to investigate what the sheep had been served for breakfast. “It’s better you haven’t met her yet. She still looks pretty thin. If Dad had seen her last week, it might have made his heart even worse than it already was.”
“You’ve done a lovely thing, rescuing that poor animal,” her mother said. “Now, text me and let me know if Wes can come to dinner with you.”
“Will do. Talk to you soon.” Emily put her phone back into her pocket. Would Wes want to come? It seemed as if he’d been avoiding her this week. Did that mean he regretted letting himself get so close to her? Or was he just trying to give her some space?
Space was good. She wasn’t a girl anymore, easily swept along on the tide of her feelings. She had to be more careful now. They’d skated so close to renewing their relationship that night at the party. And at the hospital it had felt so reassuring to be able to lean on him. But he hadn’t been reliable when she’d trusted her heart to him once before. Realizing she cared for him, deeply, brought with it a whole new wave of fear. If she cared, he could hurt her again. And she was pretty sure this time the pain would be worse.
She shook her head. Maybe she needed this little walk more than Fancy. She felt jittery just asking Wes to her parents’ house. Which made no sense. It was their invitation, not hers. It didn’t have to mean anything more than that.
Shoveling up the last of the manure, Emily pushed the wheelbarrow to the manure pile and dumped it. Then she retrieved Fancy’s halter from the shed next to the shelter. It was gratifying that Fancy only showed mild interest when Emily approached her. No backing away, no stress. They were developing more trust. Emily slipped the halter on Fancy’s nose and slid the strap behind her ears. A quick buckle against the horse’s pretty chestnut cheek and they were set.
Their stroll took them on a flat path through tall green grass. Emily let Fancy pull mouthfuls of it to snack on as they walked. The sound of the mare crunching her treat was soothing. The trail smelled like damp earth and there was a hint of salt on the breeze blowing inland from the Pacific.
“This is so pretty, isn’t it, Fancy?” The mare glanced at her, but her focus was still on her mouthful of grass. “You can’t have much more of that grass, my friend,” Emily told her. “Too much and you could end up with a bad tummy ache.”
They’d arrived at the spot where the path met up with the fire road. “Maybe someday you and I will ride out there,” Emily said, looking wistfully up at the hills. “But for now, we’ve got to go back.” She led Fancy in a circle on the dirt road. Just then a cottontail rabbit darted out of the tall grass, leaping right in front of them as it sprinted to the safety of a nearby bush. Fancy’s head went up and she took several steps backward, blowing sharp, panicked breath through her nose.
“Easy, Fancy. Easy, girl.” Emily moved with her, letting the lead rope play out a little, allowing the mare her moment of worry. “Just a rabbit, Fancy Face. Just a little bunny. Settle down.” Fancy slowed, and after a few more puffs her breathing quieted, though she still eyed the spot where the bunny had been with suspicion. “We’ve got a lot of work to do, don’t we? Not everything in this world is out to get you.” Emily kept talking with Fancy, petting her neck, murmuring soothing words. Soon the horse relaxed and began tugging at the lead rope, hoping to reach a patch of juicy-looking grass just off the road.
“You must be feeling better if you’re snacking again,” Emily laughed softly and led Fancy back up the path toward her pasture. “You just have to learn to trust me. I know someone hurt you before, but that doesn’t mean anyone is going to hurt you again.”
Her own words echoed in her ears. She stopped and Fancy stopped, too, regarding her with mild curiosity in her pale blue eyes. Wes had never meant to hurt her all those years ago. He’d been frantic to save his brother. There was no reason to believe he was going to hurt her now. “I guess that applies to me, too, doesn’t it?”
Fancy snorted and lowered her head, rubbing her forehead against Emily’s shoulder as if she were nodding. Though she was probably scratching an itch.
“Okay. We both need to work on our trust issues. Agreed?”
Fancy finished her scratching and Emily led her back up the trail.
* * *
WES PULLED INTO Emily’s driveway and parked his truck. From here he could see her down by Fancy’s shed, brushing down the mare’s white and chestnut patches. Once Fancy was healthy and at her ideal weight, her coat would be breathtaking. Right now it was dull despite Emily’s brushing. It would take a while for nutrients to build up in the horse’s deprived body. Poor mare. Who would treat an animal that way?
They’d probably never know. Wes had checked the bulletin board at the feedstore and the online listings, as well. No one had posted a notice that they were looking for a paint horse. That was a relief, because no way would Emily be willing to return Fancy to whoever had starved her like that.
Emily was protective of her practice, her father and her horse. Wes loved how she stood up for those she loved. He wanted to be one of the people she felt so fiercely about.
But he’d figured he’d better back off this past week. She’d needed space to focus on her father. Tom needed rest after his surgery, but resting wasn’t his strong suit. Wes figured it would take both Emily’s and Meg’s willpower to get him to take it easy after the surgery. Plus, Emily needed to put her energy into bonding with Fancy. These first days were crucial to laying a foundation of trust between them.
Wes got out of the truck, conscious that there was more to it than that. Last weekend he and Emily had taken a couple of steps closer, first at the benefit, and later at the hospital. He’d stayed there all night, holding Emily close, tending to Meg, as well, until they got word that Tom’s surgery was a success. But Emily needing his support in the hospital didn’t necessarily mean she wanted him closer in real life. She’d been cool and professional at work. She hadn’t suggested they spend any extra time together.
Longing echoed through his cells. He loved her. He knew that with all his heart. But he could wait. He could give her space to figure out her feelings. Even if it didn’t come easy.
He made his way down the path to where Emily stood with Fancy. He couldn’t help noticing how cute Emily looked in her worn jeans, dusty boots and a simple blue T-shirt. Wes stopped a few yards away from her. “Hey, Emily. How is she this morning?”
She looked over at him and smiled her greeting. “We took that walk you suggested. She did fine. Got a little scared by a rabbit, but she calmed down pretty quickly.”
Wes nodded. “Honestly, it’s not a bad thing. The more she experiences things like that, the more she’ll realize that nothing bad happened as a result. The next time she sees a rabbit, it might not be so traumatic.”
“I hope so.” Emily smiled lovingly at her horse and ran a hand down Fancy’s nose. “There are a whole lot of bunnies around here, pretty girl.”
“Maybe you could introduce her to that rabbi
t they have at the wildlife center.”
“Peanut?” She looked thoughtful. “That’s not a bad idea. Peanut is so calm, she’d be a good introduction to bunnies.”
“The farrier isn’t here yet?” Wes was here to advise them about ways they might keep Fancy calm if she had a bad reaction to getting her hooves trimmed. He sure hoped he wasn’t needed. The poor horse had to have the trim.
“She should be here any minute. Thanks for coming by.”
“Anytime.”…
“Do you want to try to say hi to Fancy? I want her to get over her fear of men.”
“Give her time.” Wes took a few steps forward. He’d stopped by a couple times this week to offer Fancy a carrot or just stand near her fence and have a chat. Last time he was here, she’d walked over and snuffled his ear, knocking his hat off. It was progress, but he didn’t want to push her. Just like with Emily, he was trying to show Fancy that he was here to be supportive and kind, and didn’t expect anything in return.
Watching the horse carefully, Wes could see her tense. “How about if you untie her? She’ll be more comfortable with me approaching if she knows she can get away.”
Emily undid the rope and held it in her hands. Wes walked toward them and stood nearby, a couple feet away. He turned sideways so he wasn’t facing the mare directly. “Let’s just talk for a moment. How is your dad doing this weekend?”
“Good. My mom called and said he was hoping for a family dinner tonight. They want you to join us.”
Warmth washed over him. He wanted to belong to this family. Especially to Emily, but with Tom and Meg, too. Maybe he was greedy, reaching for way more than he deserved, but there it was. “I’m honored to be included.” He looked at her more closely. “Are you okay with that, though?”
The color that rose on her cheekbones reminded him of the way the sunset had turned the clouds pink yesterday evening. “Sure. Of course.” She ran her hand down Fancy’s neck. The mare was settling down now, getting used to Wes’s presence. He took a step closer, still keeping his body turned a little away from the horse. Emily smiled at him. “You kind of look like you’re trying to sneak up on her.”
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