by Iris Abbott
She felt a gentle hand on her shoulder. She turned to see her mom standing there. She was fully dressed and had enough presence of mind to bring out a change of clothes for Mandy. It seemed like everyone had been thinking, but Mandy. She was still glad she’d rushed outside, or she might not know that Jackson was in the barn trying his best to save her horses.
“Here, darling put these on before the firemen get here. You won’t be much help to anyone dressed like that, I’m afraid.”
Mandy didn’t have to be told twice. She struggled into the jeans and then quickly lifted the nightgown over her head before sliding on the sweater. She struggled into the boots her mom had brought as well just as Jackson emerged from the barn with a neighing Magnolia.
He handed the horse’s reins to Mandy. “Get her away from the barn to a safe location before the fire gets any worse and causes her to bolt. We don’t want her getting in the way of the fire trucks. She could hinder their work or worse yet get hit.”
Mandy hesitated, “what about Rain Lily?”
“I’m going back in,” Jackson promised. “I still have time. The fire is contained in the hayloft for now, but the back wall could go anytime and when it does the rest of the barn will follow right behind.”
Mandy knew she was wasting time, but she couldn’t help it. She handed Magnolia’s reins to her mother, who was perfectly capable of managing the horse. “Mom, take her to the west pasture and stay there with her. I need to be here with Jackson. Please,” she implored when her mother looked like she might argue.
She didn’t wait to see what her mother would do. She trusted her mom to keep her head in a crisis. And she’d worked on the ranch and with horses for years now. Jackson was already headed back to the barn, and she rushed after him. She grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and pulled his mouth down to hers. The unpleasant smell of smoke didn’t even register, so intent was she on the man in front of her. “You were right before, Jackson. I do love you. Please be careful and if it gets too bad in there just get out. I couldn’t bear to lose you.”
Jackson wanted to revel in her admission but couldn’t take the time right then. He knew Rain Lily meant the world to her and he was determined to save that pony. He ran back into the barn. The smoke was thicker, and he used a towel by the sink to cover his mouth and nose. Rain Lily’s lungs would be more susceptible to smoke than the older horses. He had wanted to save her first, but he hadn’t been able to find the foal right away and rather than waste precious time looking for her he’d dragged a protesting Magnolia from the barn instead.
He made his way back to the stall Rain Lily shared with her mother, and there was still no sign of the horse. The filly must have gotten scared when the fire and smoke first appeared. He’d already checked the stalls at the front of the barn, so he gingerly made his way toward the back, closer to the thick smoke and increasing flames.
The hayloft at the opposite end of the barn collapsed about the same time he heard the soft whinny of a horse. One more door down and he found what he’d been looking for. Rain Lily was in a stall hiding behind the second mare Sage. Having been separated from her mother during the confusion of the fire, the filly must be trying to seek comfort from the other horse. Sage was having none of it, however. The horse was rearing up in fright, and Rain Lily was inches from being trampled.
Jackson threw a lead rope over Sage’s head. As much as he wanted to get the filly out of the barn, he had to remove the mare first. There was no getting around her to get to Rain Lily. Her hooves could really hurt the filly if they landed in the right spot. He was halfway to the door when he heard a whoosh and felt the heat intensify. He was out of time! He had to get Rain Lily out now. He slapped Sage’s rump hard and sent the mare barreling toward the door. He’d have to hope she didn’t get lost. He and Mandy would round her up later. He ran back to the stall and grabbed the scared filly by the mane and began pulling her out the door. There wasn’t enough time to get a lead rope or reigns. The horse must have felt his urgency because she didn’t struggle. Jackson ran as fast as he could, pulling the horse along with him.
Jackson and Rain Lily just barely cleared the entrance to the barn when the back section of the roof collapsed, and fire raced along the walls toward the rest of the structure. He ran into an anxious Mandy hovering too near the door. “Run,” he shouted as he picked up the pace. “The entire barn is about to come down. We need to get Rain Lily to her mother and try to find Sage. I hope she made it out of the barn.”
Mandy let out the breath she didn’t even realize she’d been holding. She never thought she’d be so glad to see anything as she had been to see Jackson running out of that barn with Rain Lily right next to him. “I saw Sage run past me like the hounds of hell were on her heels. She’ll probably make it several miles before she calms down, but we should be able to find her here or on your ranch. She was headed that way.”
They briskly walked to the west pasture where her mom was keeping Magnolia calm. As soon as the filly saw her mother, she yanked away from Jackson and cantered over to Magnolia. Mandy felt the tears pricking the back of her eyes at the sight of the mother and foal being reunited.
She threw herself into Jackson’s arms. “Thank you so much for saving them.” She wanted to say more, but she knew that right now was not the time. They still had to find shelter for the horses and the ranch wasn’t out of danger yet. It was too late to save the barn, but hopefully, the firemen would be able to put out the fire before it spread to any other outbuildings or heaven forbid the house. Thankfully there didn’t seem much danger of that since there wasn’t any wind.
“We need to get these horses to a shelter. They aren’t going to be using that building for a while. I think we should take them to the clinic and check them over for minor injuries. I don’t know how much smoke Rain Lily inhaled. We definitely need to check her lungs.” He let out a weary sigh. This was going to be a long night. “I also need to make sure my horse made it back to his barn, and we have to find Sage.”
Mandy nodded her head in agreement. “I’d like to stay at the clinic with the horses if you don’t mind. I’d feel better being close by.” She wanted to be close to the horses, but she wanted to be close to Jackson too. When she saw him run into that burning building tonight, it rammed home just how much he meant to her. It was time for her to stop fooling herself. She loved Jackson Walker, and soon she was going to show him just how much.
Jackson wanted to finish the conversation they’d started outside the barn, but he realized that would have to wait. He wasn’t having what could be the most important talk of his life within earshot of Mandy’s mother, and half a dozen firemen. He’d stay at the clinic with her, and they’d talk then. “That’s a good idea. Your mother is only going to worry about you and the horses if she stays here. I’ll call my mom to come pick her up and help her settle in one of the guest bedrooms while you and I take care of the horses.”
He unhooked the mobile phone attached to his belt and speed dialed the home phone at the Jackson ranch. Luckily his mother was a light sleeper. The sound of the sirens from the fire trucks already had her awake and pacing the floor. She agreed to pick up Barbara and sent her best wishes and love to Mandy.
Jackson ended the call with his mom and turned back to Mandy. “I’ll ride back with them to get the clinic’s horse trailer. You stay here with Magnolia and Rain Lily to make sure the firemen don’t spook them any more than they already are.”
Mandy silently agreed.
“That’s a great idea,” Barbara finally spoke up. She walked over to Jackson and gave him a friendly hug. “Thank you, Jackson. We haven’t had the easiest time of late, and losing those horses would have been a devastating blow to Mandy.” She hugged her daughter next. “I’m going to go to the house to pack an overnight bag. I love you, and I’ll see you sometime tomorrow. I know you and Jackson are in for a long night. I don’t expect to see you first thing in the morning. You’ll need some rest too once things have settled down
,” she warned in that mother hen way of hers.
The shock and numbness were beginning to replace the adrenaline now, and Mandy meekly nodded because she didn’t have the strength or will to argue. She hugged her mom hard. “I love you too, mom.” She watched her mom walk away and then turned back to Magnolia. The horse seemed to be soothed by Mandy’s touch, and that was important. As long as she was calm, her filly would probably remain calm as well.
She felt Jackson’s hand on her shoulder and leaned into his body for support. It was a brief calm in a chaotic storm. And she relished the feel of his strong body behind her. It gave her strength, and for that she was grateful. This night could have turned out a lot worse if not for Jackson.
Firemen rushed around behind them trying to contain the fire to the one building. Shouts filled the night air as men communicated with each other while fighting the hungry flames devouring the dry wood. The sound of snapping and crackling filled the night air interspersed between the sounds of the firemen. Rushing water from the fire hoses hit the wood and flames and added a sizzling sound to the morbid symphony as well.
Mandy continued to rub down Magnolia and Rain Lily while taking in the frightening sounds. Finally, she and Jackson were approached by one of the firemen. They both recognized Bruce Thompson, Landon James’s new brother-in-law. He gave them a somber look and shook hands with Jackson before turning his attention to Mandy.
“We’re going to have to perform an official investigation, but it looks like the fire was caused by a lightning strike from the storm we had earlier this evening. It smoldered in the rafters for a couple of hours until it really caught hold. You’re lucky you woke up in time to save the horses. I’ve been doing this a few years, and I’ve seen a lot worse.”
Jackson felt a kick in his gut. He never thought he’d be grateful for a sleepless night, but he was. “I couldn’t sleep and was out for a ride when I smelled the smoke,” Jackson explained to both Mandy and Bruce. Headlights slashed into the darkness and cleared a path to the ranch house. He turned toward Mandy and lightly brushed his lips across hers. “Are you going to be all right here by yourself while I get the horse trailer?”
Mandy’s eyes widened at the show of affection in front of Bruce and his mother but just nodded in response. She watched his figure disappear into the darkness and returned her attention to her beloved horses. Thank God Jackson had shown up in time to save them. He’d been there when she needed him the most. It only served to strengthen the growing feeling she had for him. She’d been terrified when he was in that burning barn. She’d held her breath almost the whole time he’d been in there. In fact, she’d held it until she couldn’t hold it anymore. Then she’d greedily gulped in the air trying to catch her breath and had accidentally inhaled too much smoke during the process. And her throat and lungs were actually sore from the strain.
Firemen continued to mill about the yard and barn. The fire appeared to be out, but they wanted to make sure before they left. The last thing anyone wanted was a drifting ember to make its way to the main ranch house even if it was going to be empty for the night. Luckily the weather was on their side, and there was absolutely no breeze to speak of.
Mandy’s throat was still feeling a little prickly, and she let out a harsh cough that caused both Magnolia and Rain Lily to flinch.
Bruce just happened to be wandering by and heard the cough. He ran to one of the fire trucks and returned with a large bottle of water. He handed it to Mandy. “I didn’t grow up on a ranch, but I’ve heard the fear in the voices of Landon and Lynn when they mention just the possibility of a fire.” He gave her a close look. “That cough didn’t sound too good, do you need me to call a paramedic?”
“No,” Mandy was quick to answer. She opened the bottle of water and took a couple of sips. Her parched throat instantly felt better. “I didn’t go in the barn, but I did breathe in some smoke.” She tipped the bottle of water toward him. “I’ll be fine now, thanks to the water. I knew I needed it, but I didn’t want to leave the horses.”
Bruce had seen the way Mandy and Jackson looked at each other. He didn’t live in Rancher’s Bend six years ago when those two had been the main topic of conversation around the town, but even he’d heard about some of Mandy’s exploits. Well, it looked like she’d finally managed to capture her cowboy. “The horses’ wellbeing is important, but make sure you and Jackson take care of each other too.” He nodded once and then gathered with the other firemen sifting through the ruins of the barn making sure there weren’t any hidden pockets of smoldering embers waiting to catch and cause trouble.
TWELVE
Jackson was tired, dirty, and he smelled like smoke. It was a stench he didn’t think he’d ever forget. He felt like he could shower for two days, and the smell would still be there, ingrained in his very cells. It had only been hours since the barn fire on the Tyler ranch, but it felt like days. Man, he couldn’t wait to stand under the cool, refreshing water of a stinging shower and then fall into his bed.
He and Mandy had searched for Sage for over an hour before finally corralling the horse and checking her for injuries. After that, they had examined Sampson, Magnolia, and Rain Lily. Luckily all the horses were just fine. They were probably in better shape than he was. He was feeling every one of his thirty-one years right now.
He could have called Daniel to come to the clinic for an extra set of hands, but he had been loath to disturb the other veterinarian. Daniel would need to pull his full weight in the morning. Jackson would show up at the clinic as soon as he could, but he was going to insist that Mandy take at least half the day off.
Speaking of Mandy, where was she? Jackson knew there was unfinished business between them. He had expected her to wait for him to finish his rounds, but she was nowhere in sight. He felt disappointment twist his gut. Maybe her spoken declaration of love had been nothing more than gratitude because he’d risked his life to save her horses. And now that things had calmed down she regretted the words and was hiding out hoping he would forget.
But he wouldn’t forget. He couldn’t forget. It was as if fate had given him a second chance with Mandy and he wasn’t going to blow it. First things first, he needed a shower to get rid of the grime and smoke before he could do anything else. Hopefully, the shower would invigorate him as well. He needed to resolve this matter with Mandy once and for all, but right now he was on his last leg. A brisk shower would have to come first.
Jackson stripped off the smelly clothes and stuffed them in an empty bag inside the mudroom. He had a feeling they were going to find their way into the nearest trashcan tomorrow. He leaned over the huge double sink which was mostly used for cleaning muddy shoes and equipment. He turned the faucet on full strength and briskly rubbed the soot, sweat, and dirt from his arms and hands. Then he leaned down and stuck his face under the running water and briskly rubbed.
Feeling marginally better, he grabbed a towel from the rail and walked to the shower in the full bathroom he’d had installed in the back of the clinic for those times someone needed to stay overnight with a patient. He stood under the running water for probably thirty minutes. He washed his hair and his body three times before he was satisfied with the results. Finally, the water started to run cold, and he stepped out of the shower. He didn’t quite feel like his normal self, but he did feel much better now that the smell of smoke no longer seemed to be entrenched in every fiber of his being.
He changed into the spare clothes he kept in his office and trudged toward the ranch house. He could have taken a shower in his own bedroom, but he hadn’t wanted to drag reminders of the fire into his living domain. He checked his watch and realized it was already after three a.m. No lights were coming from the guest wing of the house where his mother now resided. He figured his mom and Mrs. Tyler had long since gone to sleep.
Her mother was staying at his house, but he had no idea if Mandy was sleeping inside a guest room at his house or if she’d made her way back to the Tyler ranch. To say he was surpr
ised to find Mandy sleeping in his bedroom right in the middle of his king size bed was an understatement. His steps felt one hundred pounds lighter when he walked toward her and sat down on the edge of the bed.
Mandy jerked awake when she felt the mattress under her move. She waited momentarily for her eyes to adjust and finally spotted Jackson sitting next to her on the bed. She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and smiled up at the man who had just been starring in her dream. She sat up and made sure to keep the covers held tightly under her arms. She wasn’t naked, but she was nervous, and she was gripping the sheet like it was a lifeline.
She cleared her throat and gathered her courage. “I hope you don’t mind that I waited for you in your room. I was dead tired, and the bed was inviting,” she shrugged. “I couldn’t resist taking a nap, but I couldn’t leave without talking to you.”
The surprise Jackson felt at finding such a lovely and unexpected guest in his bed was giving way to relief. Mandy hadn’t left. She was in his house and in his bed where she belonged. Now he just had to make sure she realized that and stayed put!
“I’m glad you’re here,” he assured her. “But trust me when I say I would have gone looking for you at first light if you hadn’t been here waiting for me. I just needed to rest for a couple of hours first.”
Mandy looked at the possessive glint in his whiskey-colored eyes and knew he meant it. Her body tingled all over from that look. It was time for her to own her feelings and do something about them. “I meant what I said by the horse barn, Jackson. I do love you. In fact, I never stopped loving you. You have always been the one for me, my other half. I’m just sorry it took both of us this long to figure it out.”