Chapter 16
Chapter Sixteen
Jude
“Come on.” I drummed my fingers against my steering wheel, waiting for a tractor to mosey on down the road. I was on my way to Second Chance Ranch, and my patience felt as thin as the lining on my stomach. I’d been slightly queasy ever since my return trip with Carson.
In fact, merely thinking about Carson was enough to make my insides wobble and my attention drift from the slow-moving tractor to how in the hell I was supposed to make this thing between us work.
No clue. Today was the Thursday after our Sunday return, and I’d spent the week counting down to and dreading today’s appointment at the ranch in equal measure.
September loomed, and all the back-to-campus hubbub we’d seen in Fort Collins had transformed into the start of the school year for the younger crowd too.
Rodeo and town festival season was winding down, as was breeding season for horses.
The cattle season was also largely over, giving me a lull before winter calving started and horse fertility consults picked back up.
My work followed a fairly predictable pattern of peak months, and I should have welcomed the slower pace of September.
Instead, a weird restlessness had settled over me. Carson and I had texted all week, but neither of us had suggested meeting up. It was nice, however, to have someone ask how my day was. In keeping with his dry sense of humor, Carson proved adept at communicating via horse and military joke memes.
Today, though, I was determined to push beyond the weirdness and invite him to dinner tomorrow. I’d already bought steaks in anticipation of grilling. And him saying yes. Mainly that. I missed my usual confidence and wanted it back.
Finally, the tractor turned onto a private road leading to some fields, and traffic picked up to a normal pace.
Luckily, this was my last call of the day as well, so time was less of a factor.
At the ranch, Kat greeted me with no Carson in sight.
I couldn’t make my eagerness too obvious, so I forced myself to focus on the couple of early horse pregnancies we were monitoring.
I fetched my portable ultrasound device so we could confirm each mare had only one foal growing inside her.
Twins sounded all cute until one understood how deadly they could be to mares and foals, and I always held my breath during early ultrasounds.
These mares wouldn’t be due until next spring, but careful monitoring now meant fewer complications later.
As we finished up with the last of the mares, Kat rolled her shoulders, long braid bouncing, as relieved as I was that none of the pregnancies were twins.
“You need to see Linus while you are here.” Kat’s tone was conversational, not that of a dire emergency. “Carson’s been putting in a lot of extra hours with him.”
“That’s great.” I kept my voice measured as I clicked the last of my equipment bags shut. I didn’t want to let on that I already knew about Carson’s work from his text updates, which had included pictures. “I can’t wait to see.”
“He’s in the ring with him now.” Kat gestured beyond us toward the riding arena. “We’re pretty much done here. Why don’t you go check on them?”
“No other questions for me?” I tried not to sound too ready to be done and free to visit with Carson.
“No, Doc.” Kat patted my upper arm. “For once, it’s looking like a quiet night, and I’d like to keep it that way.”
“Amen to that.” My neck twinged. I hoped Kat wasn’t jinxing either of us.
“Go on now.” She shooed me toward the arena. I deposited my equipment back in my truck before making my way to the riding ring. I paused at the gate to watch Carson’s work. He was patiently urging Linus to step over a series of poles laid on the ground while the horse wore ankle weights.
The neurologist had talked in depth about increasing Linus’s limb awareness through physical therapy. The goal of exercises like this was to help improve his balance and stability, ultimately making it easier for him to walk in a straight line and reduce his anxiety around moving.
Something about my presence must have tipped Carson off because he turned my direction, a slow smile sweeping across his face. “Hey.”
“Hey.” I returned the greeting, feeling about as articulate as a teen with a crush. “Kat says you’re making progress with Linus.”
“Some.” Carson patted Linus on the nose. “Wish we had some of the…” Carson paused, mouth twisting to one side. “Hospital options. Making do.”
“I know. I’m sure hydrotherapy would help, but they sent you with a list of things to get for him, like a portable TENS unit and other options, right?”
“Yup.” Carson gestured toward a bin of supplies he’d set near the gate, which included squishy yoga-type blocks, a TENS unit, and other options for stimulating nerves and increasing limb awareness. More long poles lay near the box as well. “We’re trying.”
“Looks like it.” I stepped into the ring, approaching the horse slowly. Unlike a week ago, Linus didn’t balk at my approach, seeming much calmer and more settled. “He seems happier.”
“Hope so.” Carson gave me a look loaded with meaning that I couldn’t quite decipher. He turned back to Linus, taking a gentle hold of his lead. “Watch.”
He led Linus forward with painstaking patience, having him step over one of the poles, murmuring encouragement the whole time. I’d never wished more to be a horse. Being on the receiving end of all that praise and petting sounded mighty fine.
“There’s definite improvement.” I smiled encouragingly as Carson had Linus take another step.
“There is.” Carson beamed. He was all happy and pleased with a near-childlike enthusiasm.
“You seem happier too,” I teased. I wanted to see him like this more and couldn’t help but wonder what else might get him in a similar mood.
“Maybe.” He shot me another of those hard-to-read looks before he bent to remove Linus’s ankle weights. “Time to put him back.”
“I can help.” I picked up the weights and added them to the bin of PT supplies as Carson soothed Linus, guiding him back to the gate. He’d been moved to the stall closest to the arena, and I followed along.
Cynthia had put Linus on a medication that gave him a rather pungent sulfur odor, which was intensified by the fan in his new stall.
It helped minimize overheating due to temperature regulation difficulties.
The stall was as pristine as a luxury hotel room.
No one could argue with the job Carson was doing with the horse.
“You’re doing good work,” I said as Carson removed Linus’s halter and gave him a careful brush down. “Kat said you’re doing some of it off the clock too?”
“Some.” Carson shrugged, mouth pursing like he wasn’t sure what to do with the praise. “Nothing else to do.”
I knew perfectly well that this project was far more than a time filler for Carson. One look at him and the horse revealed their deep bond. However, this was also an opening for my invitation.
“You want something else to do?”
“Got ideas?” Carson gave me a look so heated that a flush swept up my neck to sear my cheeks.
“Some.” I swallowed hard. “I was thinking you might want to come over for dinner tomorrow. That rare steak I promised you. Maybe some gaming.”
That we might have more sex was implied, but my desire to spend time with Carson vastly outweighed my desire for a hookup. Much as I didn’t want to admit it, this thing was so much more complicated than merely a physical connection.
“Reckon I could.” Nodding, Carson held my gaze, more heat zooming between us, raising the temperature in the stall despite the fan’s breeze.
Damn. I wanted him in the worst way. We were alone in the barn, no one else around, and no sounds coming from other stalls or the offices. Surely I could get away with a fast touch. Maybe even a kiss. The way Carson was staring at me said he might welcome—
Buzz. Buzz. My phone chose that moment to vibrate with the pattern I’d assigned the answering service that routed all emergency calls to my cell. Damn it. Kat had indeed jinxed me with the quiet night comment.
“Gotta take this. Sorry.” I stepped outside the stall, body already tensing for bad news and mind halfway to my truck.
The call and subsequent message with pictures confirmed my fears that I had a late night ahead.
I ended the call as Carson finished with Linus and joined me in the aisle between stalls.
“What’s wrong?” He tilted his head toward me, and his gentle concern had me briefly closing my eyes and taking a steadying breath.
“Got a horse injury on a nearby hobby ranch. Flank snagged on a loose piece of barbed wire on a trail ride. Stitches likely. Squeamish owners with a tendency to hover.” The last bit was the part I was most dreading.
The Youngs were a wealthy couple in their late fifties.
They ran right to worst-case scenarios, and neither was likely to be much help in an emergency.
“Damn.” Carson patted me on the arm. “Anything I can do?”
I opened my mouth to say no, but his unexpected touch had me reconsidering. Warmth spread upward from his hand, reminding me how good it felt to be supported.
“Actually, yes,” I said slowly as I worked out a plan. “Would you want to come along? You’re so good at keeping horses calm. And you seem to have a strong stomach.”
“I do.” Carson dropped his hand to pull out his phone. “Let me tell Kat.”
“Thanks.” It was toward the end of the workday, so I was reasonably certain Kat would agree to Carson coming with me.
“Anytime.” Carson’s expression softened with an unexpected vulnerability.
As much as it pained me to need help, he seemed grateful to be asked. Having someone I could count on was a novelty. Worry for the coming emergency churned in my gut, but my shoulders were far looser knowing Carson would be along to assist.