by Paula Mabbel
After a short walk, they reached a small house just off the side of the stables. In fact, it wasn’t a small house… it was a tiny house. Ransom stopped just short of walking in, and looked awkwardly at Mellie as she unlocked the front door. When she turned around and saw him standing there, she laughed.
“I know it looks small, but I promise, it’s perfect. My hus… Two people lived in here with a dog while the ranch house was being renovated and it’s bigger than it looks.”
Mellie opened the door and Ransom followed behind, ducking in the small doorway, but when he stepped inside, he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. A cathedral ceiling gave him more than enough room to move around comfortably. A small kitchen took up the front entry way, and behind, there was a built-in couch that looked on to a window with a flat-screen TV underneath. A ladder against the wall led up to a lofted bed, and a door off the side opened up into a bathroom.
It was the first place Ransom had had that was entirely his own in his entire life.
“This is perfect, Mellie. More than I need. Thank you.”
Mellie gave a little bow and then made her way back to the door.
“I usually head over to the office around 7am. But the horses start rustling between six and seven, so you may want to plan on being up. We don’t have any dog hotel guests this week, so it’s just the horses. There are two riding lessons scheduled for the afternoon, but I have a feeling once word gets out that you’re working here… lessons will pick up.”
Ransom blushed. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
Mellie smiled as she left, and shut the door behind her, leaving Ransom in his new home. He dropped his bag on the floor and sat down on the couch with a thud, taking everything in. He’d gone from living day-to-day in a hotel, hoping he wouldn’t be kicked out, doing odd jobs for pocket change, to working on a farm and having his own, perfect little house.
Ransom reached into his bag and pulled out a tube of the cream he used to try and dull the ever-present pain in his left leg where shrapnel had blown away huge chunks of his calf muscle. Doctors had told him that pain pills would be better, but he refused to start down a road he’d seen so many of his brothers travel, and end up addicted. The pain was miserable, but it was better than the alternative.
With a long, slow sigh, Ransom pulled off his shirt, and lay back on the couch, where he fell into a deep, contented sleep for the first time in weeks.
* * *
Mellie walked into the ranch house and collapsed down on the couch in the living room. With a happy sigh, she did the same thing she had done every night for a year: flicked on the TV, kissed her fingers and pressed them to a picture of Emery, then picked up the phone to call Ulysses. He always knew it was her, because no one else called him with such regularity.
“Didn’t I just talk to you, angel?”
“Oh, shush pop. Someone came in after I talked to you. I hired him. I think he’ll be a good fit here,” Mellie said as she flipped through the channels.
“Oh yeah? How old of a guy?”
Mellie realized she had no idea. “You know; I didn’t even ask. But he can’t be much older than me. I think he’s probably around Emery’s… age.” So many days, she found herself talking about Emery like he was still there, like he was just away on a buy, and would walk through the door any moment. Her life had stopped when Emery died, and she hadn’t figured out how to make time start moving again. She knew that Ulysses’ silence on the other end meant he was thinking the same thing.
“Well, I think it will do you some good to have some real help around there, and not just an old man under your feet.”
“Oh, hush, Ulysses. Get yourself some sleep, and I’ll be over Sunday. Maybe I’ll bring the new guy over with me, so you can get a feel for him.”
“You do that, Mel. Love you, angel.”
Mellie’s heart swelled every time Ulysses talked to her like that. She’d never known her own father, and Emery’s dad had taken her in like she was his own. No matter what happened in the future, she couldn’t imagine a life without him. Her family was this farm, and as she looked out the curtain to the guest house, with only one light burning in the window, she couldn’t help but feel that maybe her family was expanding just a little more at last.
* * *
Mellie pulled on her denim jacket as she made her way out of the house to start the day. Normally she had to get up two hours earlier to take care of the farm work herself, so she wasn’t used to the luxury of waking up once the sun had already risen. Mellie was almost at the office when she caught sight of Ransom just outside of the stables, hauling hay from the barn. It wasn’t a warm morning, but he was shirtless, and his chest was glistening with the perspiration of his hard work. She knew she ogling, but she couldn’t help herself, even when Ransom stood up to wipe the sweat from his eyes and caught her. Mellie tried to cover her schoolgirl behavior with a wave, but she knew from the grin on Ransom’s face that he knew what she was up to.
“Morning, Mellie! Fine day we’re in for, huh?” he called out.
Mellie nodded with a smile before she hurried into the office and shut the door behind her.
What am I doing? she thought with a laugh as she leaned back against the cool wood. Keep it together, Melinda.
Mellie set about her chores for the day, calling to confirm appointments, scheduling check-ups for all the animals, and setting up the delivery of a horse that Hickory Pond would be stabling in its senior years. Mellie’s pet project had been providing senior care for race horses that were facing a less-than-ceremonious death once their owners thought they’d outlived their usefulness. They already had two horses on the farm who had become beloved training horses for the kids who visited Hickory Pond. The third horse meant they could have an extra session with special needs kids every month, which was exactly what Mellie had been hoping.
Mellie had been so busy with her administrative work, afternoon rolled up before she realized it and an SUV was pulling up the driveway. She looked at her books and saw it was Aimee Martin and her mom, Susan, arriving for Aimee’s riding lesson. Mellie couldn’t help but roll her eyes; Aimee was a sweet kid, but Susan was newly divorced and word was she was on the hunt for a new man. Mellie grabbed her walkie and buzzed Ransom.
“Hey, Ransom, pick up.”
There was static for a few seconds and then a brief humming. “I didn’t even know this thing worked. What’s up?”
“You might want to put your shirt on.”
Mellie could hear the smile in his voice when he answered, “Too much? Am I distracting you?”
Mellie didn’t hit the button until she was done laughing. “I think I’ll live. We have a 10-year-old here for her lesson and her mom is going to be on you like white on rice. So if you value your virtue, you should cover up.”
“Yes, boss.”
Mellie smiled as she tucked the walkie into her belt and left the office to greet Aimee and Susan. Aimee was twirling circles on the grass, looking cute as a button in her riding gear, while Susan leaned against her Escalade, in a crop top and jeans so tight, you could see the outline of the tattoo on her ass. Mellie tried to hide a snicker as she watched Susan’s heels sink into the mud of the driveway.
“Hey, little girl! Go get Possum saddled up. Your new riding instructor will meet you in the stable.”
Aimee put on a pout. “You’re not teaching me anymore, Miss Mellie?”
“I have so much work to do in the office, Aimee, that I had to get some help. But you’re going to like Ransom. He’s very nice and he’ll teach you all sorts of neat tricks I never could have. So run in there before we waste your hour talking!”
Aimee took off like a shot, and Mellie could already see Susan craning her neck, trying to get a look at Ransom.
“Got yourself a new stable boy, did you?” Susan said in a drawl that sounded fake.
“He’s a grown man, Susan, and he was in the military, so why don’t you show a little respect?” Mellie said as she turned o
n her heel and went back to the office. She could hear Susan grumbling, but she didn’t care. Once she was safely inside, Mellie peeked through the blinds to watch as Ransom walked Aimee out on her horse. She hadn’t noticed him limping the day before, but he had a very defined gait that made it obvious he’d injured his leg. No wonder he’d been careful to stay behind her when they were walking.
Mellie watched from her desk as Ransom worked with Aimee in the ring, and she saw how happy they both looked. Aimee seemed to really be enjoying her ride, and Ransom was definitely a skilled trainer. On top of how much work he’d already accomplished in the stables, there was no question she was keeping him on. Plus, she was sure that Susan would put out the word that an attractive man was now helping her on the farm, so just as she predicted, business would be picking up soon.
Once Aimee’s riding lesson was over, two more were scheduled for the afternoon, and then the day would wrap up with a quick walk-through the stables. Mellie was just turning off the computer when Ransom knocked on the door.
“Can I come in, boss?”
Mellie scowled at him, “Will you stop calling me boss?”
Ransom’s eyes sparkled, and she knew he was teasing her, which made her stomach flip-flop. He sat down in the chair across from her and leaned forward, elbows on knees.
“Aimee’s mom was a piece of work, huh? I wasn’t expecting… all of that.”
Mellie took off her reading glasses and set them on the desk. “Oh, god. What did she do?”
“Nothing horrible. She gave me her number on a piece of paper that smelled like it had been bathed in her perfume. I was almost grateful for the smell of the manure when I got back to the stables.”
Mellie felt a pang of totally irrational jealousy, but she tried to stamp it down. No need to act like a fool, she scolded herself.
“Yeah, well, that’s Susan for you. I think she’s made a play for every single man in Ashley, and a few not-so-single. You lit up on her “fresh meat” radar I’m sure. I apologize on her behalf.” She didn’t have the courage to ask him what he did with the number, but he seemed to be reading her mind.
“The chicken coop looked like it needed a little more lining. I just hope they don’t mind the Eau de Desperation.”
Mellie looked up, her eyes wide, and then burst into laughter, Ransom following behind. Once she got control of herself, she grabbed a tie from the desk and pulled her long hair back in a high ponytail, her way of signaling to herself that the day was officially done.
“I was just going to make some dinner up at the house. Care to join me? Nothing fancy, and I don’t eat meat. Living around all these four-legged lovies, I just couldn’t bring myself to do it anymore.”
Ransom smiled as he ran his hands through his hair. “I could go for some dinner, and I’m fine without meat. For this meal anyway,” he said with a wink.
* * *
Ransom followed Mellie up to the ranch house, trying not to betray his excitement at getting to spend more time with her. From the moment he’d seen her the day before, there had been something about her that woke him up, that stirred a part of his soul he’d thought long dead. Afraid he’d say something silly, he decided to fill the silence of the walk with work talk, while he tried to ignore the beautiful purples and oranges of the setting sun.
“You didn’t tell me one of your horses was pregnant.”
Mellie nodded, her ponytail bouncing. “Skychaser. She came to us that way ten months ago from a farm out east, a place that went bankrupt. She’s due any day now.”
When they got to the door of the ranch house, Mellie opened it and let Ransom go in ahead of her as she turned on the lights.
“Go grab a seat in the living room and I’ll get the oven going. I have a casserole thing I made a few nights ago that should heat up pretty well. Is that okay?”
Ransom nodded and starting wandering through the downstairs, looking at paintings and pictures that were scattered all over. The first thing he noticed was that there were pictures everywhere of Mellie with other women about her age, laughing and smiling, and several of her with an older man in a cowboy hat, that could have been her father.
But next to the couch, on a side table, set by an orchid, was a black and white picture of a man who looked about Ransom’s age. He was standing next to one of the horses, a huge grin on his face and crinkles by his eyes that showed off years of smiling. He was insanely tall and thin, with swept back hair and a smattering of facial hair, that gave him the look of a cowboy, but maybe one from Ireland. Ransom was so transfixed by the picture; he didn’t even hear Mellie walk up behind him.
“That’s my husband… was my husband, Emery.”
Ransom spun around so fast he almost dropped the picture, but he managed to grab hold of it again at the last second. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to snoop, I was just…”
“No, it’s fine. It’s not like I was hiding it. He died about a year and a half ago, a motorcycle accident while I was out of town.”
Ransom’s face dropped. “I’m so sorry. I had no idea.”
“How could you? I don’t wear a badge that says ‘widow’ on my shirt. This was his farm, and he left it to me and his dad to run together. But Ulysses has his own place on the other side of town, so I’ve pretty much been taking care of everything here by myself.”
Ransom set the picture down and took a seat on the sofa. Mellie sat on the floor in front of the fire place and gave him a serious stare. He felt something deep coming.
“So, Ransom. Now that you know my story, how about you tell me yours.”
“My story?”
“I’m a little more perceptive than you seem to give me credit for,” Mellie said as she gestured toward his leg. Ransom looked down and sighed.
“Ah, that.” With a shrug, he rolled up the leg of his jeans and showed Mellie what had happened to him in Kandahar. Mellie tried to hide her shock, but Ransom’s calf muscle looked like it had been chopped to pieces, then sewn back together by someone who couldn’t actually see what they were doing. She didn’t even know what to say, so once again, Ransom filled the silence.
“It was an ambush, totally out of nowhere. A friend got trapped under some rubble, and when I went to help her, something exploded nearby, and my leg took the bulk of the shrapnel. It never quite healed.”
Mellie felt her eyes well up with tears, and Ransom saw it coming. “No, no. Don’t do that. It’s fine. I’m fine. I’ll be fine. Would you want people crying every time you told them about your husband?”
Mellie sniffled and wiped her nose with the sleeve of her shirt.
“It happens more than you’d think. Does it hurt?”
“Yeah, a lot. But I push through. It’s not like we have a choice right?”
Mellie jumped up from the floor and gave Ransom her hand to pull up from the couch. “We sure don’t. Come on. Dinner should be ready.”
* * *
Mellie and Ransom ate dinner in relative quiet, mostly talking about the food, and their plans for the next day. Mellie could feel a magnetic pull, drawing her to his side, but she fought it back, intent on keeping things professional. Plus, in the back of head, she couldn’t fathom what Ulysses would say if she started dating her ranch hand. But it would definitely involve cursing.
She stood up from the table and started clearing away the dishes when Ransom grabbed a hold of her wrist. She stopped dead in her tracks.
“Ransom, I don’t think…”
He shook his head, “No, Mellie. Do you hear that?”
Mellie stopped moving and listened. There was a groaning sound coming from the stables. Mellie dropped the plates and ran for the front door, grabbing her coat off the hook. “Did Skychaser eat tonight?”
“No, she pushed the food around, but I didn’t see her eat.”
“Come on, she’s in labor.”
Ransom jumped from the chair, and winced in pain as he tried to move faster than his leg would allow, but he still tried to chase after Mellie as
she ran for the barn, her long legs carrying her faster than he could move on his best day. By the time he got to the stables, Mellie was already standing outside Skychaser’s stall, watching the horse intently.
“Is everything okay?”
Mellie looked nervous. “I’m not sure. Something’s not right. Can you call the vet? His number is next to the phone. Dr. Bressack. Tell him I think the foal is stuck.”
Ransom’s jaw dropped, but he rushed over to the phone. Mellie continued to watch as Skychaser strained, only the foal’s hooves visible. After what felt like hours, Ransom came back with the phone.
“He’s in Bismarck at a convention, but he said to give you the phone and he’d talk you through helping her deliver.”