Chapter 12 #3
I leaned on the fence, enjoying watching Thor taunt the other two horses.
Creatures were nurturing souls, animals more so than most humans.
My mother used to say I had a baby soul, incapable of stabbing anyone in the back.
Maybe that was true then, but not any longer.
I was ready to be ferocious on both the inside and out.
At least the ranch was offering some peace and I’d thought I’d need to sell the place. Thank God I hadn’t.
Whatever the story with Viper, I was drawn to him like a magnet. There had to be something to say for that. Instinct or a woman’s intuition. He simply made me feel beautiful during a time in my life where I felt very plain.
With my eyes closed, I enjoyed the light breeze and scent of the rosebush my mother had babied from day one. White roses had been her favorite.
The crunch of tires on the driveway had a dual effect. Butterflies in my stomach and a sense of fear that something horrible was about to happen. With my fists clenched, I turned around and immediately frowned.
Landen.
Two times in a few days wasn’t necessarily in my best interest. Then I remembered what I was supposed to be doing on Sunday.
Baking a carrot cake and dropping by his house. Shit. Shit. Shit.
He was in his training uniform, which meant whatever he had to tell me couldn’t wait. He’d been an icon of the smokejumper group, continuing on with the path of fighting fires when my father hadn’t been able to tolerate the business after 9/11, his determination more about beating the evil of fire.
According to him, the element was a living and breathing animal as well.
I remained where I was, watching as Ellie May and Sailor greeted him. Sailor was already thriving even after only a couple of days. Maybe in my mind, I was fighting my own demons by saving lives that often had no voice.
At least doing so was something I could be very proud of.
My godfather was animated, allowing the pups to jump all over him, still managing to make his way toward me. When he was near the fence, he allowed himself a few seconds of watching the horses running in the field. “How’s the fawn?”
“You were right. Momma and her hubby along with another baby found us just this morning.”
His eyes lit up. “Does that mean she’s going to make it?”
“She’s already returned home.”
“Animals are often much smarter than humans.”
“You’re right.” I knew my godfather far too well. He was toying with whatever he needed to say to me. Why did I have a feeling he was just as concerned about Viper as everyone else? “Did Darlene call you?”
He chuckled. “She did. She said you were pretty angry.”
“You bet. Still am,” I huffed, grumbling under my breath. “I’m sorry about the carrot cake. I got busy on Sunday and completely forgot.”
“You’re a busy girl.”
“Yes, I’m finally starting to get more clients.”
“Does that include whoever owns the black pup or did you get another dog?” He removed his sunglasses and finally turned to face me. You bet he had his fatherly look in his eyes. “Viper. Right?”
“The emaciated dog was on the side of a road. Viper saved him and brought him to me for care, and I’m taking care of him for a little while. He’s doing much better.”
“The man or the dog?”
There was some ire in his voice, a slight lilt I knew far too well. “Both. Maybe.”
Landen shook his head. “So it’s true. Viper is staying here.”
“Let me guess. I could kill Darlene. Or maybe your good buddy Chief Taylor told you even before.”
His chuckle was one of confusion. “Sam Taylor is no friend of mine. We’ve clashed for years so he wouldn’t open up about anything personal to me.”
“So another reason to hate Darlene?” Not that it would last for long.
“I knew long before Darlene picked up the phone. Viper was required to fill out some paperwork in starting a job with the Zullies. He listed your address.”
I gritted my teeth, now forced to tell him the truth. A mixture of emotions was right under the surface. “He didn’t have any other place to go.”
“O-kay. How did you meet him?”
“Yelling at him for keeping his dog in his truck. One thing led to another and he ended up at my clinic Saturday. When he was tossed from his motel because of who he is or what he did in the past, he didn’t have anywhere else to go.”
“Oh, I see.”
I hated when he used his condescending voice.
“No, you don’t. It seems no one does. He’s not a bad person.
In fact, in the couple of days since he’s been here, he’s fixed several things.
See the fence? The gate latch? He even replaced half of the rotting boards on the front deck of the house.
He’s a good person being condemned for a mistake.
One mistake. Now, everyone is treating him like he’s a terrible person. He’s not.”
Not only was his smile growing, there was also a twinkle in his eyes. “Why don’t you take a deep breath for me.”
“I can’t. I won’t. The treatment isn’t fair.”
Landen allowed me to huff and puff as he knew I did when I was frustrated. Which lately was often. “How much did he tell you?”
“You haven’t spent much time with him. Have you?”
“No.”
“He doesn’t talk about his past. I was told he did something horrible, killing a man with his bare hands.
I know you’re my godfather. I know you love me.
Shannon loves me, but I do have a very good instinct about people.
At least for the most part. I can make decent decisions for myself and there has to be an acceptable reason for what he did.
So, please, do me the favor of allowing me to make this choice.
I know he needs to come clean and at least tell me about being incarcerated, but we barely known each other. I mean…”
Landen was so quiet, I groaned.
“And I’m rambling.”
“You are, but I know the woman inside of you, Grace. You’ll fight to the death for something, someone, or some creature than you believe in.
You were that way about Thor. You were determined he was the horse for you.
Sixteen hands high and you were all of four foot eleven at the time.
But you wouldn’t let your parents sleep until they promised Thor could belong to you. ”
“I forgot all about that.”
“Well, I didn’t and I know the girl and that you’ll do everything in your power to champion Viper, but he needs to do this for himself.”
“So you know what happened.”
As he glanced toward Thor, I could tell he was worried about betraying a confidence, even if only on paper. “Yes. When Stoker mentioned he had a perfect candidate, I demanded I learn what he was in prison for.”
“And?”
“And it’s his right to tell you himself.
Now, if he doesn’t then that should tell you something.
You can’t fix him, Grace. He’s not a dog with a broken leg or a fawn who’s been hit by a car.
He’s a man who went through his own horrific tragedy.
That’s something you need to keep in the back of your mind. ”
“Until then I should keep him at arm’s length.”
His laugh always made me feel safe. “As you said, you’re a big girl and can make your own decisions. I trust you’ll make the right one.”
When he started to walk away, I was shocked. I’d been loaded for bear, determined to defend myself and a man I didn’t know. With the wind knocked out of my sails, I slunk against the fence. “Wait. That’s all you have to say?”
He waited a couple of seconds before answering, doing so in passing. “Shannon will be expecting that carrot cake and you don’t want to disappoint her.”