by Joanna Sims
* * *
When word got out that Dr. McGee, a most beloved fixture in the Bozeman area horse scene, was retiring, it wasn’t long before a retirement party was organized. Kate, who didn’t typically take the time out of her business life to go to parties, carved time out of her schedule to attend. Callie and Kate washed up, put on some clean jeans and boots, and then loaded into one of the King Ranch trucks to head into town.
“I should drive.” Callie always said the same thing when they headed off King property. Callie drove, under supervision, on the ranch and, since they owned thousands of acres, she had plenty of dirt roads to drive. But she hadn’t been able to pass the driver’s license test that would allow her to drive off property and her daughter couldn’t seem to accept it.
“You know what I love about you, Calico?” Kate pulled onto the road that would take them into Bozeman.
“Everything?” Callie laughed with a broad smile.
“That’s right.” Kate reached over and squeezed her daughter’s arm. “Everything.”
They arrived at The Baxter Downtown, a venue often used in Bozeman for weddings, special events and, in this case, a retirement party. Dr. McGee’s wife and staff had reserved the Wilson Suite, a smaller, cozier room accented with dark wood fit for a dignified man.
“Dr. McGee isn’t going to like all of this fuss,” Kate whispered to her daughter. “At least on the surface.”
So many people gathered in the small space while Dr. McGee sat at the head table with his wife and closest staff members; she knew the man well enough to know that he was touched by the turnout, even though she had heard him blustering about all of his friends acting like he was about to be pushing-up daisies when he wasn’t ready to go quietly into that good night just yet.
“Is this seat taken?”
The minute Kate heard the sound of Liam’s voice, her body responded in the most unusual way. Her heart started to beat a little faster, and the hair on the back of her neck stood up.
“No.” Kate found herself smiling at the handsome vet. “Be our guest.”
Callie jumped out of her chair and threw her arms around Liam. “Hi, Dr. B-Brand!”
Kate watched Liam closely—he treated her daughter with so much respect and dignity, every time, that she couldn’t deny that this was a part of this new feeling she was experiencing for the man.
“Hi, Calico.” Liam started to take the seat on the other side of her daughter, but Callie shook her head and sat down in the chair instead.
“You should sit next to Mommy.”
“Callie.” Kate glanced around quickly, knowing that people were paying attention. “Let Dr. Brand sit where he wants.”
“Okay,” Callie said sullenly.
Liam took a moment, waited for the mother and daughter to negotiate the situation before he took the seat between them.
He leaned over to say, in that low, baritone voice of his, “This is where I wanted to sit.”
Kate wasn’t someone who embarrassed easily; she was a woman in a world still dominated by men. But she felt her cheeks grow hot, and she knew that if anyone was watching her face closely, the pleasure she felt by that simple comment was right there in her eyes and the small smile on her lips.
Two of the biggest gossips in Bozeman were sitting directly across from them at the banquet table. The Mendelsohn widows, Beatrice and Emma, were very interested in the new “dynamic” of the handsome eligible veterinarian and the relationship-skittish horse trainer.
“How long have the two of you been courting?” Beatrice got straight to the point.
“We aren’t.” Kate crinkled her brow a bit. Was it that obvious that she felt “something” akin to happy nerves sitting next to Liam?
“Not yet,” Liam added after he took a large sip of his water without ice.
“They make a very handsome couple,” Emma told her sister.
“They do,” Beatrice agreed. “Very handsome.”
“Everyone always said that about John and I,” Emma continued. “That we were a handsome couple. Of course, Beatrice was always the prettier one of the two of us. But even my sister has had to admit that my John was the most handsome man—so tall and straight.”
Beatrice put down her teacup with a small smile. “Don’t pay a bit of attention to Emma. I’ve never admitted to such a thing.”
Emma raised her eyebrows at her sister, puckered her lips a bit and then turned her attention back to them. “You make a very handsome couple. I approve of this match.”
“As do I.” Her sister agreed loudly enough for the people seated at the table behind them to hear.
Kate and Liam exchanged a quick look, both of them understanding that to make any more denials that they weren’t an “item” would only give the sisters more fodder for their gossip. So they both just nodded and smiled, and let the conversation naturally drift in a different direction.
The speeches given by the staff at Dr. McGee’s clinic were emotional; even though Kate didn’t show it on the outside, she felt such sadness that this amazing man was leaving the profession before his time. Mrs. McGee spoke and then by unanimous applause, Dr. McGee agreed to say a word or two.
“I don’t know what’s wrong with all of you,” Dr. McGee said in a gruff voice laced with an unusual undertone of emotion. “I’m not dead yet. But since y’all are probably the same folks who might make it to my funeral one day, this gets you off the hook for that shindig.”
That was the entire speech. That was Dr. McGee. After that brief speech, everyone started to leave. Liam stood, pulled out Callie’s chair first, and just as she was pushing back her own chair, she saw the vet reach out his hand to her.
Kate looked at that hand for a split second; it was such a small thing, taking an offered hand, but it seemed like a big deal to her.
Her hand slipped so easily into his—his hand, strong, rough from clinical work in the field, was a perfect fit for hers. She had big hands for a woman, and whenever she held hands with a man, as rare as that was, she always felt like the “dude.” With Liam, she felt like a woman holding the hand of a man.
They walked out together, the three of them, and Kate hated the feel of curious eyes on them. It was such a small town that no doubt word had gotten out that Liam had sat at her table two nights in a row and now they were sitting together at Dr. McGee’s retirement party. Gossip was a pastime for some in their town.
“You like Mommy, don’t you?” Callie asked Liam when they reached their truck.
Liam, as he always did, took Callie’s questions seriously, answered them directly. “Yes, Calico. I do.”
Kate sighed at her daughter’s question. Callie was Callie, and no matter how many discussions they had about “polite questions,” there were just some things that her daughter wasn’t going to be able to change.
Callie giggled at Liam’s response, turning her head and covering her mouth with her hand.
“Do you want to come over for dinner tonight?” Her daughter threw out of invitation before she got into the truck.
Liam looked directly into Kate’s eyes before he said to Callie, “I really appreciate the invite, I really do. I’d love to eat some more of your good cookin,’ but the next time I come over for dinner, it’s gonna have to be your mom who invites me.”
That could have been a moment for her to invite him, but she just wasn’t ready. She was feeling things for Liam—she was—and he hadn’t been subtle about his attraction to her. But this was territory that hadn’t been explored in over a decade! Kate wasn’t the type of woman to make drastic changes in her life; she was a tugboat, not a speedboat.
“It was nice spending lunch with you,” Kate said, after she climbed behind the wheel.
“Likewise.” Liam had a way of looking at her in a way that no other man had in a very long time. Maybe not ever. It was as if he liked every
thing he saw when he looked at her face.
“I’m sad about Dr. McGee,” she admitted to him.
“So am I.” Liam had one hand tucked into a front pocket and the other holding her open door. “I could work a lifetime and not feel like half the vet that man is.”
“I don’t know about that,” Kate objected. “I was really impressed with how you handled Visa.”
Liam nodded and then shut the door for her. “I appreciate that. I hope to see you again real soon. You too Calico!”
They said their goodbyes then, and she drove away. In the rearview mirror, she saw Liam still standing in the parking lot watching them as they left.
“Mommy! Why didn’t you tell him he could come over for dinner?”
“I don’t know.” Kate told her daughter. But that wasn’t entirely true. There was something there between them—she felt it and she could tell that Liam could feel it too. It was something real, something tangible. And it genuinely scared the crap out of her.
* * *
A couple of days after Liam had seen Kate and Callie at Dr. McGee’s party, he had really struggled with his next move. He could tell that Kate felt the same attraction to him that he did with her. But he could also see that she wasn’t ready to jump into a relationship. If he wanted to explore his feelings for Kate, he was going to have to be strategic. Instead of calling, which he wanted to do, he decided to just give her some time to mull over the lunch, and the kiss, they had shared.
“He-llo!”
It was Kate King on the line.
“I can’t believe I forgot about this,” the trainer told him. “But I have a prepurchase vet check scheduled for tomorrow. The woman’s coming in from Helena, and she’s already called several vets...”
“I think she may have called me already,” Liam told her.
“She did. I know this is a big ask—but I’m really in a bind. The prospective buyer has no flexibility in her schedule.”
When he first got the call from the woman out of Helena, she had mentioned the King Ranch, but his scheduled was still overflowing because of Dr. McGee’s sudden retirement. Thankfully there were a couple of other vets in the area who were able to step up their game.
“I just can’t get out there today, Kate. I would if I could,” he said, and then added in the silence that followed, “I hope you know that.”
“No. I know,” Kate told him, her disappointment obvious to him. “I appreciate it.”
After another moment of odd silence, she asked, “Could you come out tonight? I know it’s a lot to ask, but the indoor riding ring has lights. We ride at night here all the time.”
She continued in a lowered voice. “Please, Liam. She’s a really big connection for me. If I get this deal done, there could be so much business for the Triple K.” After another pause, she added, “I really need this.”
The worry he heard in her voice convinced him that he had to find a way to help her. “Okay.”
“Okay?”
“I’ll be there. As soon as I can. It won’t be until six or seven. I already know that for sure.”
“Whenever you can get here. I’ll let the buyer know,” Kate said. “And, Dr. Brand... Liam...I can’t thank you enough.”
* * *
He was already exhausted when he parked his truck in front of Kate’s barn. The prospective buyer, a rather fancy-looking woman with platinum hair who was originally from Oklahoma, greeted him with Kate at her side. He was lucky that the exam was uncomplicated—the horse was sound, had good hooves, and had negative flexion tests and X-rays. Although a prepurchase vet check could take up to four hours, this exam went smoothly and he was wrapping up with the potential owner after two hours.
“You shouldn’t have any difficulty using this horse for the purposes you’ve stated,” he said to the client. “I should have a report to you by tomorrow afternoon. I won’t be able to get it out tonight.”
“Tomorrow will be just fine.” The woman with the heavy Oklahoma accent smiled at him.
Liam packed up his equipment, while Kate showed the woman to her car. They met back at his truck just as he was finished loading.
With a sigh, Kate, in cutoff shorts that showed off her long, slender legs, muscular from years of riding, leaned against the truck.
“Long day,” she said, her loose hair blowing in the gentle night breeze.
He nodded.
“Are you hungry?”
Liam slipped his keys into his pocket with a nod.
“Callie made chili again. You seemed to really like it the last time.”
“As a matter of fact, I loved it.”
Kate tucked her hair behind her ear. “Join us for dinner?”
Liam sent her a tired smile. “That’s the best offer I’ve had all week.”
Chapter Four
“Man oh man.” Liam sank onto one of the rocking chairs on the porch. “Your daughter is an amazing cook. I swear I haven’t tasted any better.”
Kate took the seat next to him, liking the feel of the hot mug of coffee in her hand, enjoying the night view of the land she loved. And, yes, having this new person in her life to talk about the events of the day. A person who seemed to appreciate her daughter in a way that she didn’t often see. It didn’t feel normal or certain, but it was a change. Perhaps a genuinely good one.
“She puts a lot of love into her food.” She took that wonderful first sip from the hot, black coffee.
She caught Liam looking at her profile out of the corner of her eye as he said, “I believe that. You can taste when someone has put their heart into their cookin’.”
It wasn’t awkward, the frequent silences. Both of them were exhausted from their busy days, and speaking seemed like a chore. After Liam finished his coffee, he sighed heavily, and she understood exactly what that meant. He still had a long drive and reports to write.
“Well...” he finally said, “I suppose it’s time for me to hit the road.”
Kate stood as well and held out her hand for his empty cup. She put the cups on a small table just outside the front door before walking with the veterinarian to his truck.
“I feel like I’ve had an awful lot to thank you for these last couple of weeks,” she said, her eyes looking off into the distance.
They were standing closer than usual, Liam by his open driver’s door and she facing him.
“I feel the same way.” He reached out and tucked her hair behind her ear.
She looked at him then, drawn in by the kindness she saw in his bright blue eyes. “All we did was feed you a couple of times.”
“No.” Liam was slow to withdraw his hand as if he enjoyed touching her as much as she realized she liked being touched by him. “You’ve given me much more than just a couple of meals. I feel like I belong somewhere again.”
He added with a laugh, “But don’t give me wrong—the food matters too.”
Kate felt a knot form in the pit of her stomach—was she ready to encourage Liam to feel like a part of the Triple K? It seemed too fast.
“Hey.” Liam drew her back to the conversation, back to the present. “Go out with me.”
Kate crossed her arms in front of her body, hunched her shoulders forward protectively. “Won’t that be a conflict of interest? You being my vet, me being your client?”
Liam, who usually laughed off things like that, didn’t crack a smile. “Did you hire me just so you could keep me an arm’s length away?”
“No.” She laughed in a way that made it sound like a lie. “I hired you because you are a damn good vet, and I need a damn good vet.”
For a second time, Liam seemed to want to jump several spaces on a game board. He put his hands on her face and kissed her. This time, it wasn’t a peck. He took his time, explored her lips with his. And she let him. And she liked it.
Slowly, the
most eligible bachelor in the greater Bozeman area lifted his lips from hers. But he didn’t step away from her. His hands resting on either side of her neck, Liam waited until she was looking at him once again.
“I’ll promise not to overcharge you, you promise to pay me on time. How’s about that?”
“I always pay my bills on time,” Kate said.
“And I never overcharge.”
Any retort she was formulating in this oddly flirtatious banter was cut off by another kiss. Kate felt this kiss all over her body—little lightning bolts fired in her stomach, on her spine and between her legs. By the time Liam moved his head away, her head naturally followed.
When she opened her eyes, he was smiling at her, so fondly, and with a little humor.
“Where do you want to take me?” she asked him, knowing now that what they were feeling between them—this pull, this chemistry—wasn’t something that she wanted to deny or ignore.
“Let me think on it.” Liam gave her a final kiss on the lips. “I want it to be something real special for you.”
* * *
“I think that’s awesome.” Lorrie had trailered one of her horses to the ranch for training. “You realized you’ve just bagged a man who has a high bounty on his head.”
“I didn’t bag him.” Kate laughed. “He came willingly.”
“That’s the best way.” Lorrie swung a Western saddle on her Appaloosa’s back. “If I weren’t already married, I’d have been all over that a long time ago.”
That seemed to be the general consensus on Liam Brand. She knew that he was smart and handsome and successful, but she didn’t know just how sought after he was. There were going to be a lot of sad bachelorettes if this “thing” with Liam worked out. Kate knew that the town was talking about them, and she didn’t like it. What was there to be done about it?
“Hey, he likes you.” Lorrie slipped a bitless bridle onto her horse’s head. “They lost, you won. That’s how the cookie crumbles.”
Kate walked with her friend out to the nearby round pen where they would work for the next hour. Once Lorrie mounted and walked her horse into the pen, Kate followed and shut the gate behind them.