Chance For Love (Colorado Blues)

by Harrison, Ann B

  He’d left Libby at the house after making sure her seat was booked for the afternoon flight and she’d sulkily agreed he would drive her.

  Callie was out on Sultan doing her check on the cows and calves and he knew she would be back soon, it was just a matter of waiting for her to get his story across. She had to come to her senses and believe him, she just had to. Callie was the only wife he wanted and he wouldn’t let her go without a fight; that much he knew.

  Chance leaned on the paddock gate, his gaze roving over the young bulls. A bark caught his attention and he looked over his shoulder to where Sherbet was running toward him. He could see his wife riding closer and he smiled. This had to work in his favor. He couldn’t lose her. He wouldn’t lose her.

  Sherbet sailed over the wire and ran toward Chance, pausing to sniff his leg before pushing through the fence toward the bull stomping one of his front feet in the dirt. Terror was standing still, his head hanging low. Sherbet ran toward him and slinked down low to the ground the closer she got. When the dog was ten meters away, she lay down and froze in position.

  Chance pushed his hat back and looked. The bull wasn’t worried about the dog which was strange in itself. He’d never seen Terror not attack anything that got too close to him. He climbed up on the fence to get a better look and saw the tangle of old wire wrapped around the bull’s back legs.

  Bloody hell. Without giving himself time to think, Chance acted on instinct and climbed the fence, making his way calmly toward the bull. Terror snorted but made no attempt to attack. Which means he knows he’s in trouble and needs help. His voice low and soothing, Chance walked toward the back of his bull but kept his distance until he reached the rear of the animal.

  The wire was rusted and tangled, both back legs caught up and bleeding. He wondered how long Terror had been caught like this.

  The beat of horse hooves sounded and he looked up. Callie was sitting on Sultan at the gate, watching him work the legs free from the discarded fencing wire. Chance lifted a bleeding leg and hurried to pull away the wire. He breathed a sigh of relief when Terror stamped his now free hooves and clutching the wire, Chance eased away from him.

  Sherbet made her way on her belly between the bull and the man, giving him time to make a break for the fence.

  Callie cried out as the sound of thundering hooves pounded the ground behind Chance. He turned to look over his shoulder to see the huge grey bull charging down on him. He threw himself down on the ground hoping to avoid the sharp horns angled his way. The last thing he remembered was sailing through the air and the scream coming from his wife.

  ***

  She watched in disbelief as Chance tried to get the wire from around the bull’s legs. She would have herded him into the small holding pen before attempting anything quite so foolish. After all, he was aggressive as Chance knew from experience. What the heck was he thinking? A scream rose in her throat as the bull charged Chance when he walked away. Even Sherbet tried to come between them but it made no difference.

  She looked on in horror as her husband threw himself on the ground only to be picked up and thrown through the air. He landed, hitting the ground hard. Callie waited for him to attempt to get up and escape the bull but he didn’t move. Terror pawed at the ground and ducked his head down, ready to attack again.

  Callie turned the horse, rode to the gate, and slipped the latch, pushing her way through. She kicked Sultan’s ribs and headed straight for the bull, waving her hat and screaming at the top of her lungs. She rode between bull and man, pushing the bull further away from the prone body lying still in the grass.

  “Move you big bastard. Move I say.” She herded Terror away from Chance toward the holding yard, not stopping until he was forced inside and the gate was shut behind him. She hurried back to Chance and jumped from the horse before it stilled. Callie crouched beside him. “Chance, please, please be alright.”

  Sherbet barked as a flash of red outside the fence caught her attention. Libby was standing there, her dress blowing in the breeze.

  “Go back to the house and call an ambulance. Now!” Callie screamed orders at her until the woman turned and did as she was told.

  Chance remained still and unconscious. There was a smear of blood across his temple but that was the only mark she could see on him. He was breathing, so there was nothing she could do but wait for help to come and pray that he lived.

  Callie sat holding his hand until the siren sounded. The ambulance barreled up the driveway and she stood up, waving her arms as they drove past the house. She stood back as the paramedics drove through the paddock and jumped out. “He’s unconscious but breathing. The bull threw him. Please hurry.” Tears filled her eyes now the shock was setting in.

  “Don’t worry, miss. He’s in good hands.” They checked his pupils and his breathing before rolling him over to look for major injuries. It seemed like hours before they glanced at each other and lifted Chance onto a stretcher, strapping him down. As they pushed the gurney to the door of the ambulance, Libby hurried over.

  “I’m coming too. He’s my fiancé.” She glanced at Callie, a hard gleam in her eyes and climbed in beside Chance.

  The driver turned to look at her. “We’ll be taking him into town to the local hospital. They can decide what to do with him from there.” He slammed the door and with the sirens screaming, took off with her husband.

  Callie stood shell shocked. She should be the one at Chance’s side, not the woman who’d arrived this morning throwing her world into disarray. Making the decision galvanized her into action. She grabbed the horse and hurried to the barn, unsaddling him before letting him out into the paddock. She fed the calf, knowing he would survive if she missed the next feed now he was on his feet and warm and dry.

  Callie hurried to the house and changed into clean clothes before telling Sherbet to stay. On impulse she grabbed the phone book, checked for his number, and then rang Tyson, leaving a message on his answering machine. She snatched up the keys to Chance’s truck and headed into town to find the hospital. It wasn’t hard to follow signs in the small town. At the reception desk, she asked for him by name and was shown to a waiting room where Libby was sitting, her shredding a tissue on her lap.

  “What are you doing here?” She glared at Callie daring her to answer.

  “Have you heard anything? How is he?”

  “No. Not that it’s any of your business. If you’d done your job properly, he wouldn’t be in here. I hope he fires you and if doesn’t, I will.”

  “It’s not your place to do anything.” Callie wasn’t going to let go of her husband without a fight.

  “Now you look here. Chance and I have an understanding and we’re going to be—”

  She broke off as a doctor in green scrubs entered the waiting room. “Relatives of Chance Watson?”

  They both stepped forward. Libby spoke first. “I’m his fiancé. What can you tell me, doctor?”

  “We’ve done a scan. No broken bones but he has a bleed on the brain. We need to operate and release pressure. Are there no relatives close by?”

  “I called his brother and left a message.” Callie ignored the look from Libby. “Is there anything we can do for him?”

  “I need papers signed so we can go ahead and operate. Can you call him again? We don’t have much time.”

  “But, Doctor, can’t I sign being his fiancé?” Libby pushed her way in front of the doctor.

  He shook his head. “I’m afraid not. I need a legally binding agreement here.”

  “I can sign it.” Callie crossed her arms and looked the doctor in the eye. “I’m his wife.”

  “What, no you can’t be.” Libby paled and dropped into a chair.

  “We were married in Las Vegas a couple of weeks ago. Chance hasn’t had a chance to share the news with his family just yet.”

  “Fine. I’ll organize the paperwork and we can proceed.” The doctor looked between the two women and shaking his head in confusion, walked away leaving
them alone.

  “How could he do this to me?” Libby put a hand over her forehead and leaned back in the chair. “I had it all planned out. Where we would get married and the house we would buy. What am I going to do now? How am I going to tell my fans that my life has been ruined?”

  “Your fans? Look lady, I’m not giving up my husband without a fight but I will make sure he knows I’ll help him support your child. As far as your public life, I don’t give a toss about how you look to your fans. That’s your problem.” Callie turned away, horrified by the shallowness of the woman. She was more concerned than how she looked than her love for Chance. No wonder he wanted to get away from the shallowness of the people he was connected to on the circuit. It would have driven her crazy in no time. She placed more importance on genuine relationships than the woman flicking though her phone.

  Callie signed the papers when they were brought out, then sat down in the chair to wait. Each time the door opened she would stand up, hoping for good news. After a couple of muffled phone calls, Libby gave her a deadly glare, tossed her head, and walked out muttering to herself. Callie sighed with relief and took advantage of the solitude. She ran over the conversations she’d had with Chance and the plans they’d made for their together, hoping to get a rein on her emotions before Libby came back but an hour passed and she didn’t return.

  Footsteps pounded down the hallway and Callie looked up expectantly. Tyson strode into the room. “What the hell’s going on? I got your message and then a mad phone call from Libby to tell me you just about got Chance killed.”

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  Callie took a deep breath. She wasn’t going to take anymore insults from her brother in law, no matter how angry he got. “Chance did it by himself.”

  “Don’t give me that. He knows how dangerous that damned bull is. Libby told me you were in the paddock first, Chance came in to save your sorry ass. I knew he’d made a mistake hiring you on. Nothing but bloody trouble.” He took a step closer to her and poked out his finger as if winding up for another attack.

  The door opened and the doctor walked out, pulling off his surgical cap. “Mrs. Watson. He came through okay, still a bit groggy but he’s asking to see you. I’ll let you have five minutes and then he needs to rest.”

  “What the heck?”

  Callie stood up and walked past Tyson but he grabbed her arm. “This isn’t over and so help me, if you’ve duped my brother, you will be on the next plane out of here.” She wrenched herself free and followed the doctor. He led her into a darkened room where a nurse was checking vitals and Chance was lying still, a bandage around his head and a drip snaked into his arm. His face was pale and his eyes closed.

  Tears filled Callie’s eyes and she stepped forward, pulling up the chair beside his bed. She reached for his hand, gripping it tight. His skin was cold and clammy. She brought his hand up to her face, kissing the cool skin before cradling it against her cheek. His eyelids fluttered and he focused on her.

  “Callie…”

  “Shh, it’s okay. You’re in hospital, Chance. Terror gave you a hiding and they had to operate to release the pressure on your brain.” She reached over to take his other hand. “The doctor said you’re going to be fine. Rest up and get better, okay?”

  He licked his lips and tried to focus on her face. “About Libby, she’s lying, I know she is.” He blinked and focused on her again. “I called her out on it. She’s not pregnant, never was. Just wants what she can’t have.”

  “Chance, don’t worry about that now. We can deal with her when you’re better.”

  “I need to tell you. I don’t want you to leave me.”

  “I had no intention of leaving you even if she was pregnant. I’d stand by you. I decided that when I was out riding the paddock. I even convinced myself I’d help you raise the kid if it came to that. I couldn’t let that come between us, Chance. I love you.”

  “Love you more.” He squeezed her fingers and closed his eyes.

  “He’ll sleep now. Probably go home and come back in the morning.” The nurse gave her a gentle smile. “Don’t worry about him. Cowboys have hard heads and this one is no different. You look like you need a sleep anyway.”

  “Thanks. It’s been an eventful day to say the least.”

  “Hospital has your phone number if he needs you during the night, but you’re better off getting some rest and coming back after breakfast.”

  “Thanks.” She leaned over and kissed her husband before walking out and heading for the car park. There was no sign of Tyson or Libby and for that she was relieved. The drive home gave her time to reflect. She believed Chance and wondered why Libby thought her plan to waltz in and take over would work. He would have found out sooner or later she was lying unless she planned on becoming pregnant right away which was fine if Mother Nature was on her side.

  Callie parked the truck down by the barn and saw to the animals before walking over to the holding pen where Terror was snorting his displeasure of being locked up. She crouched down and looked at his leg, deciding whether or not to call the vet or clean it up herself. It really wasn’t that bad and probably wouldn’t need stitching up either. A shot of antibiotics would be a good idea.

  Using the enticement of food to lure him into a race to make her job easier, Callie shook a bucket of chaff in front of his face, happy when he lifted his nose to sniff the offering. She dumped it on the ground and climbed on the railing, the needle in her hand ready and waiting. When he dipped his head to eat, she plunged the needle into the muscle on his back and depressed the plunger, whipping back before he could move. Terror lifted his head and glared at her but continued to eat her offering.

  Callie opened the race so the bull could go back into the holding yard when he was finished. That way she could keep an eye on his legs for a couple of days and then she headed for the house with Sherbet by her side.

  She tossed and turned in the big bed by herself and looked at the clock between feeding times for the calf. When morning came around, Callie was ready to go and see Chance, hoping he was feeling better than he looked last night. She drove down the road toward town, glancing at Tyson’s ranch as she passed. She would be ready for him today if and when he launched into a tirade against her. Now her husband was okay, there would be no holding back about her feelings for him.

  The nurse smiled as Callie walked past reception and headed to Chance’s room. She could hear him moaning about being in bed before she got to the door. A nurse walked out and shook her head. “Must be better cause he’s complaining up a storm in there. Hope you can handle him better than I can.”

  Callie smiled and walked to the door, peering in. “Is it safe or are you going to snap my head off too?”

  He was propped up against the pillows, and his face changed when he heard her voice. His color was better than it was the night before and Chance held out his arms to her. “I’ve been waiting for you to come in. You have to get me out of this place. I want to go home.”

  “Uh, don’t you think you ought to wait for the doctor to tell you it’s okay to leave? You had surgery, Chance.” She sat on the edge of the bed and leaned into him, kissing his lips gently.

  Chance grabbed Callie and held her tight to his chest. “Didn’t I tell you not to go anywhere near that bull?”

  “I knew it was your fault. You can pack your bags and get the hell of the ranch.” Tyson strode into the room, his face dark and thunderous.

  “Tyson, wait.” Chance tried to speak but his brother went over him anyway, his anger going full steam ahead.

  “No. This time I’m having my say, Chance. You let her take over and look where it got you. I admit some of the people you’ve had on the ranch while you’ve been away haven’t been ideal, but I’ve found someone who can take over starting tomorrow. I’m not letting this woman put you in danger anymore. Rory agrees, he’s on his way home now.”

  Chance leaned forward and threw the blankets back, ready to climb out. “Now you listen here�
��”

  Callie held out her hand. “No, let me deal with this. I can only take so much crap before I blow my top and it’s just about there now.” She stood up and walked over to Tyson. Poking a finger into his chest she spoke. “For your information, pal, I will be staying on. You see, my husband needs me. If it wasn’t for me being there, that bull would have made more of a mess than it did. Chance was in the paddock before I got there undoing wire trapped around Terror’s back legs.” She paused for breath while noticing the color of Tyson’s skin pale further.

  “It was fine until he turned his back on the bull and that’s when things got ugly. But not as ugly as your damned attitude toward me. I didn’t ask for your opinion of my work ethics or my personality. I don’t rightly care how you feel about me, but it was your brother who asked me to marry him, not the other way around so I’m asking you to respect his choices. You don’t have to like me one little bit, but kindly keep your opinion to yourself when he is around. Want to take it out on me, fine, do it later when there’s just the two of us.” She poked his chest once more to make her point before stepping back.

  “Is she telling the truth, Chance? Did you ask her to marry you?” He stood with his hands on his hips, glancing between the two of them.

  ***

  “Yes I did. And if you have a problem with that, you can take it up with me later, not with my wife.” Chance grabbed her hand and pulled her down to sit on the bed. “Give me a couple of days and I’m all yours.”

  Tyson scratched his head. “I don’t get it. Libby said you guys were engaged and hinted that she was pregnant. What the hell’s going on with that? And why would you keep your marriage a secret anyway?”

  “Libby is one of the women I hung around with on the circuit. It was fun while it lasted but it was nothing more than that. There’s no baby and no marriage. It was all wishful thinking on her part.” He squeezed Callie’s hand. “As to why I kept my wife a secret, well I didn’t think you would believe me. I wanted you to get to know her before we told you.”