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Chemistry Lessons

Page 3

by Rebecca H Jamison


  This guy was the cowboy type—stick thin in his Wranglers and cowboy boots—and he acted like her boyfriend, which should have made telling her about the coyote a little easier.

  Rosie turned. The laughter died down, and she climbed off the man’s back, placing the oil bottle on the floor of the barn. “Destry?”

  He stepped into the barn. “Hi.”

  She giggled. “I have that same shirt.” A wisp of her blond hair had escaped her ponytail, and she brushed it back from her face.

  He gulped, glancing down at himself. How could he have been so stupid? He should have worn the other T-shirt after all. “That’s part of what I need to explain.”

  She squinted at him as if trying to guess what he might say next. After helping her with the irrigation, he knew how strong she was, but right now, she looked much too small to wear the same size shirt as him. She turned to the guy. “I assume you’ve met Tanner?”

  Destry automatically held his hand out, which probably made him seem too formal—too corporate. “Pleased to meet you. I’m Destry.”

  Now that he saw him in the light of the barn, Tanner looked much younger with his smooth-shaved baby face. He hooked his thumbs through his belt loops, drawing attention to his elaborate buckle. “No need to introduce yourself. We’ve all heard about you from Mrs. McFerrin.”

  Was this how it was here? People formed an opinion of you before you’d even met them? That was one of the things he’d hated about the business world—the gossip. It’d been bad enough before Cody died. Afterward, it was unbearable.

  Rosie climbed up the side of the tractor with the oil. She looked almost like she belonged in some sort of magazine spread, working on a faded red tractor in the glow of a single light bulb. “What was it you needed to explain?”

  Destry kept his focus on her face, as difficult as that was. “I shot your coyote. I’m really sorry.”

  She stared at him, her mouth open, as she climbed down, setting the oil can on the floor. “You shot Wile E?”

  Behind her, the boyfriend covered his mouth, trying to hide his amusement.

  Destry folded his arms and then unfolded them. “I didn’t see the collar until after I’d shot her. She’s killed half my chickens in the past few days. I didn’t mean to hit her. I just meant to scare her off.”

  “Where is she?” Her words rushed out.

  “On your front lawn.”

  Rosie brushed past him, but turned for a moment before heading out the door. “Tanner, can you grab my med kit?”

  Tanner hurried out of the barn, heading toward the house. Rosie rushed to the front lawn, and Destry followed. She seemed to be in rescue mode, feeling for a pulse on the inside of Wile E’s thigh. Her brows pinched together in concentration.

  Perhaps he should have explained that the coyote was dead. He swallowed hard. “I’m sorry. I think she’s beyond hope.” How could he make this up to her? He couldn’t buy her a new coyote. She didn’t seem to be in need of another animal anyway.

  Mr. Curtis lifted himself from his chair. “Looks like our Wile E finally got her comeuppance.”

  Rosie glanced at Destry for just a second, offering him a half smile. “I’m sorry about your chickens.” Cheddar came up behind her, whimpering.

  Destry grabbed hold of Cheddar’s collar, pulling her out of the way. “I hope you’ll let me dig the grave for you. I can put it wherever you like.”

  Rosie looked at her watch while holding her hand on Wile E’s chest. “There’s no need for a grave.”

  “You mean she’s alive?” he asked.

  Rosie opened Wile E’s mouth and pulled a little on her tongue. “Barely. She’s in shock, and she’s lost a lot of blood. Small animals drop fast when their blood pressure falls, but she’s a survivor. It looks like the bullet broke her shoulder.”

  Tanner came out of the house, carrying a plastic tub.

  “I need a blanket,” Rosie called.

  Tanner tossed her a blanket off the top of the box. “I got a muzzle too. The last thing I need is another bite from her.”

  Destry moved aside while they muzzled the coyote. “What can I do to help?” he asked, taking a step closer.

  Rosie dug through the box while holding her phone to her ear. She glanced at Destry. “Tanner and I’ve got it under control. We just need to drive her to the vet.”

  “I could drive you,” Destry offered.

  Rosie slipped the phone back into her pocket. “He’s not answering.” She handed a roll of gauze to Tanner. Then her voice broke. “I don’t know what to do.”

  Tanner wrapped his arm around her, kissing her on top of the head. “She’ll pull through, sweetie.”

  Destry stood behind them, still holding onto Cheddar’s collar and feeling useless. They seemed to have forgotten all about him.

  “I know,” she said, “but with all the blood and everything, it’s just too much like—” She glanced back at Destry and then sighed while she rummaged through her box of medical supplies, pulling out some IV fluid. “I have all the equipment to do an IV. The vet would probably give her one for shock. What do you think?”

  Tanner wrapped the gauze around Wile E’s leg. “It couldn’t hurt.”

  Destry watched as they slipped on gloves and assembled the IV tube in the light from the porch. It was only after they sterilized the area and inserted the needle that he remembered the flashlight in his pocket. He clicked it on just as they finished.

  Tanner clapped him on the shoulder. “Thanks for your help. I think we can take it from here.”

  “Yes, thanks for your help,” Rosie said. “And we’ll replace your chickens.”

  She didn’t seem angry at him, but Destry couldn’t tell what emotions ran beneath the surface. He could only be certain that she thought he was completely incompetent.

  Her phone rang. She pulled it from her pocket. “It’s the vet.” She took the call while holding the bag of IV fluid.

  Tanner walked toward Destry and lowered his voice. “I’ll let you know how things turn out. Rosie’s got your number, right?” In other words, he wanted Destry to leave.

  Destry nodded. “I gave it to her the other day.”

  The coyote still lay unconscious at Rosie’s feet when she ended her call. “Let’s get her in the truck. The vet’s going to meet us at the clinic. Can you hold this IV for us, Destry?”

  Tanner and Rosie carried Wile E on a blanket toward a white pick-up. Destry walked beside them, holding the IV fluid. Obviously, they weren’t going to take him up on his offer to drive.

  “I’d like to pay the vet bill,” he said as they laid the coyote across the back seat.

  Rosie took the IV bag from him and attached it to a hook above the window. “That’s nice of you to offer, but I can take care of it. You had every right to shoot her. Most people around here would have left her to die, even with the collar.”

  Tanner closed the side door before Destry could get in. “Rosie’s scared to death of driving at night—she was in a real bad accident last year—so I think it’s best if it’s just the two of us. I’ll let you know how things turn out.”

  Destry stepped back. “I’d appreciate that.”

  Tanner got into the driver’s side and started the engine. Destry held his hand up, watching them drive away. A minute later his feet still hadn’t moved. Somehow, he knew Tanner wouldn’t let him know how things turned out. Neither would Rosie. He was still the outsider.

  Chapter 3

  Wile E rolled over on Rosie’s bed and pawed at the cone around her neck. Seeming frustrated that her right leg was in a cast, she twisted, trying to scratch with her back paw.

  “Come here, girl,” Rosie said, sitting down on the edge of her bed. She rubbed Wile E’s neck under the cone. After two days of watching the coyote sleep, Rosie loved to see her this feisty.

  Her phone rang. She grabbed the cell and stared down at the caller ID. It was the bank returning her call. She swallowed, willing herself to feel calm before answering. “Hel
lo.”

  The loan officer ran through the usual polite exchange of greetings before he dropped the bomb. “I’m sorry. You don’t qualify for the mortgage loan.”

  She sucked in her breath. “Can you tell me why?”

  “It seems you cosigned on a loan for your mother a while ago.”

  Oh, no! She had forgotten all about cosigning on her mother’s mortgage.

  “Is there anything else I can do for you? We could get you a decent rate on an auto loan.”

  “No, thank you,” she muttered. She said goodbye and called Tanner. Wile E lay next to her, licking the palm of her hand.

  Tanner answered on the first ring. “Hey, Rosie. What’s up?”

  “I didn’t qualify for the loan.”

  “Oh.” He sounded calm, almost like he’d expected this to happen. “I’m sorry, sweetie.”

  “It’s because I cosigned on my mom’s mortgage a few years ago. Now all I can get is an auto loan.”

  “You’re not thinking of getting a new car are you?” he asked.

  “I thought I’d feel like getting a new car by now. I mean, it’s been a year since the accident.”

  “Your grandpa doesn’t seem to mind you driving the old hatchback.”

  “I think he likes that I drive grandma’s car. It helps us remember her. And it’s a little bigger than my old car. It’ll keep me safer if I ever get in another accident . . . Sometimes I wonder what would’ve happened if I’d been driving Grandpa’s truck instead of my little car that night. Maybe Grandma would’ve survived.” She could hear Tanner running water in the background while she spoke. Was he washing dishes while she poured out her heart to him? Did he have the phone on speaker?

  “When Janessa hit you, her truck was going fifty miles per hour. I don’t think your grandma would’ve survived even if you were driving a truck.”

  “I guess there’s no use second-guessing myself.” She closed her bedroom door, not that Grandpa would hear anything. “Besides, that’s not why I called. If I can’t get a loan to buy the ranch, what else can I do? Grandpa’s serious about selling. He’s started telling the neighbors.”

  “Why don’t you let me take you out to dinner? We can talk it over then,” he said. “It’s been too long since you took a break. I’ll get my dad to come milk your cows for you so we can go someplace nice.”

  Someplace nice—that sounded like she’d need to dress up. She had a long list of chores to do, but he was right. She needed a break. “Alright.” If she hurried, she could get all her chores done before their date.

  “I’ll pick you up at three. It’s a long drive to where I want to take you.”

  No sooner had she hung up than Grandpa pushed his walker into the hallway. He pulled a rubber chicken from his breast pocket. “A young man dropped this by.”

  She took it from him. The label said it was a dog toy, obviously a gift for Wile E. “Was this from Destry?”

  Grandpa pulled an envelope from his other pocket. “He left this too.”

  As soon as she felt the envelope, she knew there was a stack of bills inside. “When?”

  “Just now.”

  She ran through the front room and out onto the porch only to see the dust trail of Destry’s BMW a half-mile down the lane. She opened the envelope and pulled out the stack of twenties wrapped in a sheet of printer paper. Destry had scrawled a note on the paper.

  Dear Rosie,

  Please accept this money as my apology for the suffering I’ve caused you and your family (Wile E included.) I’m betting you’ll try to return it to me. Please don’t.

  Your friend,

  Destry

  She picked a peach from a tree at the side of the house and ate it while she considered what to do. She couldn’t keep the money. Sure, the operation had cost her at least that much, but Destry had probably spent an equal amount rebuilding his chicken coop. Not to mention that he’d lost several chickens.

  She hopped into Grandma’s hatchback and drove down the lane. She found Destry standing next to his fence, saddling his new horse. As she approached, the horse turned its head, acting as if it might bite him.

  Destry stepped back. “Whoa, there boy,” he said in a calm voice. True to form, he wore board shorts and flip-flops, but she couldn’t help noticing his muscular arms, holding onto the reins.

  She approached the scene slowly, talking to the horse. “I won’t hurt you.” She ran her hand along the horse’s side. Destry had cinched the saddle too tight. She loosened the strap, and the horse calmed.

  “What did you just do?” Destry asked.

  “I loosened the cinch.” She took the reins, so Destry could see for himself.

  “So I had it too tight?”

  She nodded, stroking the horse’s nose. “I don’t recognize this horse. Where’d you get him?”

  “I found him online. His name’s Orion. I got him from a guy in El Paso.”

  She ran her hand down Orion’s nose. “Pleased to meet you, Orion.”

  “I’ve still got a lot to learn.” Destry pointed to a bucket of apples a few feet away. “I hear it’ll help to pamper him.”

  “Horses are a lot like people that way. They only do what you want if it benefits them.” She handed him back the reins. “Speaking of people.” She pulled the envelope from her back pocket and unfolded it. “I’m sure what I paid for Wile E’s operation is about the same as you paid to replace your chicken coop. If I take this money, I’ll feel like I have to pay you back somehow. Then, once I pay you back, you’ll try to pay me back. This could go on forever.”

  He grinned. “That’s fine by me.”

  A tingle of pleasure danced over her skin. She pulled his note from the envelope, leaving only the money. “Can we call a truce?”

  “If that’s what you want.”

  “It’s what I want.” She handed him the envelope.

  To her relief, he took it. “I still feel like I owe you.” His lips tilted in a forced smile.

  “Most people around here wouldn’t bat an eye at shooting my coyote. Thanks for caring enough to save her. It means a lot to me.”

  It took Destry a moment to reply. He seemed a little stunned. “You’re welcome.”

  “I better go,” she said, glancing at her watch. “I have a ton of chores to get done, and I only have a couple hours to do them.”

  She walked back to the truck, but the image of Destry in flip-flops by his new horse would not leave her mind. It stayed there while she bottle-fed the calves, burned the trash, and laid out Grandpa’s pills for him to take at dinner. It stayed while she showered and put on her off-white, cotton dress with the A-line skirt. And it was still there as she sat in Tanner’s pick-up. Maybe she should have stayed to help with his horse. Destry could easily hurt himself.

  Tanner stopped his truck at the end of the lane. He pulled a pack of gum from his pocket and offered her a stick. “You’re quiet tonight.”

  She took a piece of gum and chewed. It was spearmint, Tanner’s favorite. “I was just thinking.”

  “About?”

  “Destry.”

  Tanner frowned and turned on his stereo. She had said the wrong thing—again. It was easy to do with Tanner. She didn’t know whether it was his nature or the fact that they’d known each other for so long. Whatever it was, Tanner didn’t disguise his feelings well.

  She couldn’t remember the first time she’d met Tanner. She imagined he might have been the squirmy two-year-old she had played with one hot summer day in the irrigation ditch. She was six years old at the time and visiting for a week. For as long as she could remember, Tanner’s family and her grandparents had helped each other with branding, shearing, cutting hay, and every other labor-intensive chore ranch life required. Through the years, Tanner had somehow woven himself into Rosie’s life so tightly that she couldn’t easily remove him, not that she minded.

  If they’d lived closer to the city, things probably would’ve been different. Tanner might not have considered dating a woman
four years his senior. He would’ve found someone else. She might have too. But, here in Lone Spur, there were few single people in their twenties—most people got married straight out of high school. Early marriage had never been part of her plan, though. It was a good thing Tanner felt the same way. He was someone she could trust. He was probably better looking than any guy she could get in the city too.

  She ran her fingers through the short hair at the back of his head. “You look nice tonight.” It was true. He wore a crisp white shirt and tie with black pants—something he’d never done in the thirteen months they’d been dating. It was a nice change. She liked a guy who could dress up after a hard day of working in the fields.

  He turned down the music. “Are you going to ask where we’re going?”

  He had said they were going somewhere nice, which made her think they’d be going to the Joshua Tree restaurant, but it didn’t seem like he wanted her to guess, so she asked, “Where are we going?”

  “Up the mountain.” There was only one mountain he could mean.

  “You got us all dressed up to go up Mount Morris?”

  “Don’t tell me you don’t want to go.”

  “I want to go. I’m just not sure about the dress.” Or the gold sandals. She also hadn’t planned to be gone so long. It would take an hour just to get to Mount Morris.

  “I have it all planned out,” he said. “Don’t worry about getting dirty.” He turned the music back up as a country song came on.

  If she wasn’t mistaken, he had made a new playlist of romantic songs. It should have made them even more romantic that he sang along and reached to hold her hand. What he didn’t know was that her third stepdad had also liked to sing along to romantic songs, especially when he and Rosie were the only ones home. He had a way of sneaking into her bedroom in the middle of the night too. Would it ruin the mood to tell Tanner about that? Yes, it probably would. She held onto Tanner’s hand and took a deep breath of air-conditioned air.

  As they passed over a stretch of desert, she tried to focus on the view. She caught sight of tree cholla—short little cacti with straggly arms that looked like they’d been designed by Dr. Seuss. Gradually, the scenery changed to tall grasses. Variety was one advantage of living in the Southwest. She could view prickly pears, sunflowers, and mountain columbines all in one afternoon.

 

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