“I don’t know. Too long.”
He lifted the tail. “Shit. Looks like the foal is breach.”
“I know. I’ve called Doc Stanton. He should be here shortly.” Not that she had the money to pay him either. “Dixie’s respiration has been getting faster and faster. I’m worried.”
Tank moved to Dixie’s head. The horse sat up, huffed then rolled back down. He rubbed the quarter horse’s forehead. Tammy couldn’t believe Dixie wasn’t freaking out having a stranger in the stall with her. But then again, Tank always did have great hands and a soothing voice.
“Tammy?” The shout came from the barn entrance.
Thank God the vet had arrived. “In here, Aiden.”
Aiden Stanton jogged in with his bag in hand. “Hey, Tank. Didn’t expect to see you here.”
In a moment of weakness she’d confided in Aiden that she was behind in her payments, and that she expected someone from the bank to tell her they were seizing her property. Tammy knew he and Tank had been best friends in school, and since they both went to Princeton, they must have kept in touch. Her stomach churned again at the potential foreclosure.
She hadn’t wanted to enlist help from anyone even remotely connected to Tank, but Aiden was the only big-animal vet in town. She had no choice but to use him.
Be honest.
Aiden was hot and single, and she’d had a small crush on him forever. Even in high school, she’d dreamed about him from afar. Half the women in the Pleasure felt the same way about the sexy doc, but so far, none had captured his attention. He’d wanted to go out with her right after the fire, but she’d turned him down. That might have been stupid, but she believed he’d asked only because he felt sorry for her.
“Let me move where you are.” He settled behind Dixie and Tammy moved over. He checked the mare’s heart rate and did a quick survey of her condition.
Tank seemed to have the sense to get out of the stall. “I’ll let Aiden do his deed. Tammy, but we still need to talk.”
She didn’t have the words to respond to the implied threat, despite the fact his tone came out with a touch of caring. All she could do was nod. Dixie whinnied again, drawing her attention back to her horse. When she looked up again, Tank had vanished.
A wave of depression settled on her shoulders. She’d have to find a way to give the bank some money so they’d stop bugging her. She had a jewelry show coming up next week. That should pay for part of one month’s mortgage payment. If Dixie and her foal pulled through, she made a silent pledge she’d stay up the rest of the night to work on her jewelry line. The Montana women seemed to crave her designs, but too often she hadn’t the time to make enough.
“How does she look?” Tammy failed to keep the fear from her voice. If she lost Dixie, she’d have no way to keep the ranch going.
“I see the legs,” Aiden announced with a hint of excitement. “Talk softly to her. She needs to hear your voice. Assure her.”
Thankful for something to do, she quietly moved to Dixie’s head. “Good girl. You can do this.”
Squatting, Aiden tugged on the foal’s legs. His gentle approach melted her heart. He cooed to Dixie, urging her to relax. How had he and Tank remained friends? One man was gentle and the other thought he was better than everyone else. Men. She’d never understand their relationships.
Despite the cool temperature outside, sweat had beaded on her forehead. She swiped a hand over her face with the back of her sleeve. Aiden’s stern concentration helped calm her, and she renewed her murmuring efforts. Slow and easy like the spring-fed creek bordering her property, the foal gave up its struggle and left the warm world inside its mom.
Relief washed over her when the black beauty’s lungs filled with air. Aiden got on his knees and peeled off the afterbirth.
“The foal’s beautiful.” The young one was sleek and black. “I can see some races in your future, little one.” Steam rolled off the baby in waves. Tammy wanted to touch the newborn but knew mom needed time to bond.
Dixie turned her head to look at her progeny, but she seemed too tired to move. Aiden gently dragged the newborn closer to the mare’s face. Once the foal was in sight, Dixie started to lick her baby.
Aiden smiled. “I think we did it!” He came over and stood next to her. “Watching a horse give birth never fails to amaze me.”
Despite the looming foreclosure, she smiled. “I couldn’t agree more.”
They must have stayed there watching the miracle for thirty minutes without saying anything until the foal struggled to stand.
Aiden stepped forward, looking as if he wanted to help. “Come on, big boy, you can do it.”
After about five tries, the foal stood on wobbly legs. Tammy might be more proud than Dixie right now. Her only regret was that she’d already sold the beautiful colt to another rancher for his daughter’s tenth birthday.
Aiden peeled off his gloves and turned them inside out. Moving closer, he slipped a hand around her waist. “Let’s give them some privacy. I’ll check on them before I leave. But first, I need to wash up.” He had blood on his shirt, arms and jeans. Gloves only covered so much.
“Come on inside. I’ll make us some cocoa.” The temperature had dropped and the sun had disappeared looking like it might rain. Even for the end of August, it was decidedly cool.
She hadn’t had time to tidy up the place, but even if she had, the plywood boarding the side of the house destroyed any illusion she had a nice home. She hadn’t had the money to rebuild the ranch house to its former glory. As it was, the place was barely inhabitable. With winter approaching, she had to figure out some way to keep the house warm or chance freezing to death. Literally.
Tammy wasn’t sure why her heart was pounding when she walked through the kitchen alongside Aiden. Maybe she didn’t want him to feel sorry for her when he saw how she had to live.
She waved to the kitchen sink. “Help yourself. I’ll wash up in the bathroom.”
They both probably smelled like horse, but the earthy scent represented all that was good in life.
He chuckled. “A shower would be best, but I’ll settle for a little hand washing.”
Damn him. The image of her being naked with Aiden in the shower, all wet and soapy, flashed in her mind’s eye.
Don’t go there.
As a compromise, she’d been about to suggest he take off his shirt so she could wash it for him, but decided she didn’t need the temptation.
After she cleaned up, she came back into the kitchen to make the cocoa. Aiden was leaning over the sink wiping the blood off his shirt. The poor man ruined a perfectly good shirt in order to help her. Why he hadn’t changed before coming to help, she didn’t know.
“Let me get you some hydrogen peroxide.”
He looked up. Before he could comment, she dashed back into the bathroom and retrieved the large brown bottle. She poured the liquid on some cotton balls and rubbed the bloodstains. He smelled of her lavender-scented hand soap. Only a man secure with his masculinity wouldn’t complain.
As she tended to his shirt, the intimacy struck her, and she swore her knees weakened. Damn. She should have given him the task. Being this near to him knocked her off kilter. It hadn’t helped that her heart had already flipped once at seeing Tank.
The spot bubbled up white, and his eyes widened. “That’s cool.”
She was sure he knew the trick of how to get the blood out of his clothes, but he was nice to pretend like this was new to him.
She continued to find more spots on his shirt and cleaned them with care. When her gaze traveled to his jeans and saw a few more blood spots close to his cock, her face heated up. “Here, I’ll let you finish up.”
Needing to make the promised cocoa, she moved to the cabinet and got out the pot. By the time she poured in the milk to heat, her composure had returned. She couldn’t delay any longer. She had to tell him about her inability to pay.
“Aiden, listen. At the moment I’m a little strapped for cash, but I
expect quite a windfall soon. Someone owes me a fair chunk of change.” Something flashed in his deep blue eyes, but she couldn’t name the look.
He waved a cotton ball. “Don’t worry about it.”
Now he made her feel bad, like she was some charity case. “I will pay you.” She just wasn’t sure when. “I’m having a jewelry show next week. I can pay you—”
“I have a better idea. I saw that your stalls were almost empty.”
Because most of the horses died in the fire, and except for Dixie, I had to sell the ones my parents saved. “So?”
“What would you say to boarding some of my sick animals? My small shed behind my office is totally full. It would really help me out.”
She studied him for a second, her heart jumping in her chest. Was he telling the truth? If so, it might be a way for her to save face. If Aiden would benefit, all the better. “That sounds great.”
He smiled and her body melted anew. “I’ll provide the feed. All I need is for you to keep an eye on them and call me if any one of the animal’s conditions worsens.”
“Are they contagious? I can’t have them near Dixie and her foal.”
He ran a finger down her jaw. “I’d never do that to you. For the most part, these animals have something physically wrong with them and just need to be exercised. I’ll keep the weakest ones.”
Could she feel any more like a fool for suspecting he’d put her in a bad position?
“Oh.” A hint of burnt milk reached her, giving her an excuse to walk away.
She rushed over to the stove, lifted the pot off the burner, and poured the liquid into the best two cups she could find. Too bad the best still had cracks in them. After adding the cocoa and stirring, she handed him the drink. She would have suggested they sit in the living room, but it was getting chilly in there because of all the gaps in the wall. The only room to escape the fire had been her bedroom, and she certainly wasn’t going to suggest they sit in there.
“Let’s take a seat at the kitchen table.” This conversation was not how she imagined their first up-close-and-personal interaction since the fire to be. She’d been out of touch with people for so long she seemed to have lost her ability to make decent conversation.
“Tammy.” He encircled the cup with his large hands. “I’ve been meaning to ask, how are you holding up? It’s got to be tough going it alone.”
She appreciated the sympathy in his voice, but it almost bordered on pity. “I’m fine.”
He reached across the table and squeezed her hand. “You know us Montana folk are always willing to lend a hand.”
It took all her willpower not to rip her hand from his. “I don’t need any help. Once the money comes in from Jasper, I’ll have enough to fix up the rest of the house, and I’ll be good to go.”
“And after that?”
Why was he digging so deep? Did he really care? Surely, he was acting the role of the kind country doc. It didn’t seem to matter he was but two years older than her.
Ever since the fire, she’d tried to keep to herself for this very reason. “I’m selling some of my handmade jewelry on a regular basis. The extra income helps. Not to mention, I’m cooking at the Mountain View Bar & Grill twice a week.”
“Sounds like you have your hands full.” He seemed to study her for a long time before finishing the cocoa. He pushed back his chair. “Thanks for letting me clean up and for the drink. I’ll be in touch about bringing over the animals.” He placed his cup in the sink. “And Tammy?” He moved closer to her.
“Yes?” She, too, stood, not comfortable having someone a foot taller tower above her.
“There’s nothing wrong with asking for help.”
Easy for him to say. She’d been in his house. While not huge, the one-acre spread had a neat lawn and a house that sat back from the road, surrounded by tall pines.
She probably should have defended her need for independence, but he ran a hand down her arm, tossed her a small smile, and left. Long after his truck disappeared down her drive, she went to check on Dixie, wondering if maybe the decisions she was making might cause her downfall.
Chapter Two
Determined to finish as many pieces of jewelry as she could, Tammy fell asleep on the sofa around 3:00 a.m. Light streamed in through the cracks in the sidewall and woke her a few hours later. When she realized where she was, she was chilled and thirsty. It was almost 6:30 a.m., time to get up and check on Dixie and her newborn again.
Glancing at the coffee table, she counted she’d made three necklaces last night, each of which should bring in about fifty bucks profit. Not bad for an evening’s worth of work. She picked up her favorite and studied it. She’d used a large piece of purple agate wrapped in a silver wire for the centerpiece, and surrounded it with Chinese azurite beads.
Her shoulders sagged. “Crap.” Today was Tuesday, which meant she had to work the late shift at the restaurant. Tomorrow night she would be showing the ladies in Pleasure her own jewelry line. Her body ached thinking about the late hours and lack of sleep.
With a hot coffee in hand, she headed out to the barn. The wind whipped around her shoulders, and she rubbed the goose bumps with her non-coffee-holding hand. Winter would be setting in a couple of months, and she had to figure out a way to finish off the house or else be willing to freeze each night.
Earl rounded the corner. “Hey, Tammy.”
Bless his soul. The old man worked for free, claiming he enjoyed puttering around, taking care of the chickens and doing odd chores. She told him to take as many eggs as he wanted. Someday, she’d pay him all she owed him. Given the times he’d counseled her, she’d have to win the lottery to come close to even the score. “Good morning, Earl. How’s your daughter doing this morning?” She’d been down with a cold.
“Getting better. Now that the great grand kids are starting school, she should be able to get some peace and quiet.”
“That’s good.”
“How’s Dixie doing?”
“I was just coming to check her out.” He followed her into the barn. Dixie and the young one seemed to have fared well. “Hi, boy.” She didn’t dare name the colt as she didn’t want to get too attached.
“I better get to my chores.”
Earl was so like her dad. He never stopped moving and loved every living creature.
Once she finished her coffee, she took care of Dixie’s needs. When Aiden brought over his animals, she would ask him to check out Dixie. Her eye roamed to the empty stalls. Her heart ached thinking about all the cutting horses that had died in the fire. The ones that had survived, she’d had to sell to keep the ranch afloat. All that was left after her parents’ death was ten head of cattle and six chickens. She prayed the money from Jasper would come in soon.
Her stomach grumbled, and she strode back into the house to eat then shower. As long as the sun shone and heated the solar panels on the roof, she wouldn’t feel guilty about using as much hot water as she wanted.
No sooner had she wrapped her wet hair in a towel and pulled on her jeans and an old, grubby sweatshirt, when someone knocked on her door. Who the hell would come this early in the morning? She’d just spoken to Earl.
“Coming.” Maybe Aiden was here with his animals. The thought of filling her barn with all that life thrilled her.
She pulled open the door and stilled. “Tank.”
He was dressed in low-slung jeans and a plain white T-shirt. He couldn’t have looked sexier if he’d tried. Was that his plan? It would do him no good to attempt to seduce her. She couldn’t cough up the money if she tried.
Or was he looking for sex? Didn’t he realize that even if he were the last man on earth, she wouldn’t succumb to his charms again? Did he actually think that if he dressed casually, she’d let down her guard?
Absolutely not. Never ever.
Liar.
“May I come in?”
She didn’t want to say yes, but she had little choice. “Sure.”
He glanced aro
und, and from the way his eyes slightly widened, he was a bit horrified at her home. Well, too damned bad.
“Let’s sit in the living room,” she suggested. The space was cold and damp. Perfect. She didn’t want to make him comfortable.
She couldn’t detect any more reaction when he spotted the plywood walls. He took the chair opposite the sofa, and she sat as far from him as possible. If only her damn body would stop reacting to him, she might be able to have a civil conversation. Her father preached that the best defense was a good offense.
“I know why you’re here, Tank. I owe the bank money.” She held up a hand. “I will pay what I owe just as soon as Jasper Cummins pays me for the cows I sold him.”
His lips thinned. “You didn’t hear?”
His solemn tone made her stomach clench. “No. What?”
“Some of my coworkers were talking about it. Mr. Cummins had a heart attack last week and is in the ICU up in Bozeman.”
Her mouth turned dry. “Heart attack? He can’t be more than sixty-five.”
Tank shrugged. “It’s a real shame.” From the way he glanced at the ceiling for a second, the news saddened him, too.
Her mind reeled. If he died, she might never see the cash. Probate could take months, if not years, to clear. Dear God. She had to believe his children would honor their father’s debt, but since they lived out of town, they might not even know of the transaction. “Do you know his prognosis?”
“No.”
With her shoulders straight, she faced him. “Somehow I will find a way to repay the bank.”
He cast his gaze downward for a moment. “I believe you. As an employee of the bank, however, I need to tell you that once you fall six months behind, the bank will begin foreclosure proceedings. I’m sorry.” He might look contrite, but did he really care about tossing her out?
While she’d suspected this to be the bank’s reaction, hearing it firsthand ate a hole in her gut. She stood. “Thank you for letting me know.” She couldn’t look him in the eye. Pity killed the soul.
Monroe, Melody Snow - Taming Tammy [Pleasure, Montana 5] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 2