Chapter 3
CHAPTER THREE
A tremor ran through Lynne as she approached Reilly’s house, and she pulled to a stop where the driveway began. Dared she hope he was out for the day? Why did he want to live up in the mountains, anyway? There were other empty houses he could have chosen.
Dare she hope he was out for the day? Sighing, she climbed off the motorcycle and pushed it up the long drive. Maybe he wouldn’t hear her.
Things hadn’t been meant to get so complex. Marriage and a family had been within reach for her. She was foolish not to realize someone had been playing with her feelings. The scars of some hurts ran too deep to ever fade. Reilly's presence hadn't improved the situation. Even after three years, the memory continued to wound her deeply.
The house was lit up, dashing her hopes that Reilly was not home.
Usually, she changed into old clothes before working in the barn, but not today. Going straight to Spike, she accepted his head-butt and rubbed his nose. At least someone was happy to see her. “You seem chipper. I hope that means your leg is healing more.”
Walking past two more horses, Paint and Bay, she gave each a rub on the forehead.
Paint’s back bore so many scars, and when she’d found him, he had open wounds. Someone had used a crop on him. It had taken a while to get him to trust her.
Bay was pregnant with twins. Survival for the mother and foals didn’t have the greatest odds. The owner had planned to sell her to a slaughterhouse.
Mini raced to the stall door, and Lynne laughed softly. “Happy to see me?” A supposedly grumpy and nasty miniature horse, Mini turned out to be sweet as sugar when Lynne got to know her.
The potbelly pig had been left on the clinic doorstep. West wanted to call animal control, but she adopted her instead. “How are you today, Tuni?”
Spitten, the llama, was next. The llama had walked down the center of town one day, and no one claimed him.
She’d named the opossums This and That. She couldn’t tell them apart. When they were a bit older, she’d release them.
The wolf was Lucky. He’d been shot and left to die. She’d found him on McKeegan land. He’d be healed up soon.
Then there was the hawk. She’d named him One Wing, but soon she’d have to change it to Two Wings. He was healing nicely.
What was she going to do with them all? The horses would be sold and killed. She’d tried to find Tuni a home, but no one wanted a pet potbelly pig.
She cleaned their stalls and then fed and watered them. It was a project born of passion, and it was killing her inside to consider their fates now that she could no longer help them.
The metallic clatter of rain against the roof broke her reverie. The bike! Running out into the deluge didn’t faze her. The motorcycle was about all she had left unless she counted the trailer that was about to deplete her bank account. She was soaked in seconds as she pushed her bike into the barn, but she ignored her discomfort and began to dry the motorcycle. Sometimes it didn’t start as well after a storm.
A lightning strike illuminated the dark sky, quickly followed by a rumble of thunder that made the house tremble. Surely Lynne would stay in the barn, wouldn't she?
He broke into a smile and chuckled. She didn’t have enough sense not to start a zoo in the barn. He peered out the window, watching as another lightning flash brightened the surroundings. Movement caught his attention. What was she doing with her motorcycle? Why couldn’t she just have stayed in the barn?
Against his better judgement, he put on his raincoat and Stetson and then made a run for it. He entered the barn as another tremendous boom rattled the earth.
“What are you doing here?” she asked. She was busy wiping down the motorcycle.
“Just checking on you. The storm is bad.”
She nodded. “The lightning strikes sounded close. But I always enjoy thunderstorms. I feel a unique sense of aliveness when I am in them.”
Reilly smiled. “I remember. So, how is the zoo today?” He walked over to the llama, and the contentious animal spit on his raincoat. “I forgot about the spitting.” He removed his coat.
“That’s why his name is Spitten.” Her smile was wide and her eyes full of mischief.
“A fitting name.” He pointed at the pig. “What did you name this animal? Piglet? Bellybutton?” He couldn’t keep his lips from twitching.
“Of course not! That’s Tuni, short for Petunia.” Pausing in her wipe-down of the motorcycle, she made a face. “What’s so funny?”
“Nothing. What about the short horse? Shortie perhaps?”
“You’re making fun of me. That is Mini, and before you ask, the opossums are This and That, The hawk is One Wing and the wolf is Lucky. The horses are Spike, Paint, and Bay. Any questions?”
“Spike?”
“He had a spike in his hoof. This and That—I can’t tell them apart. One Wing only has one wing working. The wolf was shot and, well, Paint and Bay are self-explanatory.” She narrowed her gaze.
A booming thunderclap caused her to jump.
"Exactly how long have you called this home?"
“Long enough to have put the utilities in my name. I just need a little while longer.” She released a sigh. “Oh, and I got fired today.”
“Fired? How?” West couldn’t just fire her.
“The door to the clinic was locked, and I saw West’s truck outside The Morning Glory, so I went and asked him about it. He said he sold the practice. My reputation was driving his clients away. He also accused me of killing Stewart McKeegan’s prize bull, a fact seemingly known to everyone.” Another sigh escaped her lips; she looked deflated.
“I’ve never heard about a dead bull.”
“I was hearing about it for the first time.” She settled down on a bale of hay. “I had just enough money for the trailer, but I’ll need to move it, and— Never mind, it doesn’t matter.”
“It does matter. If he sold the practice, he owes you money from the sale. Did you sign any other contract when he started paying you less?”
“No. But I was distraught over Stewart and his ability to ruin my career. I felt lucky to have a job.” Her eyes grew moist with unshed tears. “Then Grandpa died. You know the rest. I did have a lead on a job in Billings, but I foolishly put West down as a reference. Now it’s clear to me why I didn't receive a call back.”
“Lynne—”
Her hand went up. “This is my problem. I've been independently solving problems for quite some time. I don’t need rescuing. I assure you, I'm not interested in your family's wealth or reputation. My greatest desires were to be loved and have children. I wanted a veterinarian practice.” She stood up. “Since I don’t have any of those, I have some things to figure out. Thanks for not kicking me out, Reilly. Good night. She ran out into the rain without a jacket.
He kept watching her until she got inside. He sensed something was amiss, and now more than ever, he was determined to uncover the truth.