Chapter 5
Lyle knelt in front of a padded stall gate, his hands steady and sure as they worked over the foreleg of a slight, trembling mare.
A ray of early morning sun filtering through the slats of the barn sent a cascade of dust motes dancing in the warm, manure-scented air.
Beside him, a teenage boy shifted from foot to foot, his ball cap pulled low over his eyes and his jaw set tightly against the tears that threatened to fall.
“She stepped wrong coming off the trailer,” the boy mumbled, his voice thick with worry. “I—I can’t tell if it’s broken.”
Lyle glanced up at him, his face calm but kind. “We’ll figure it out, Cole,” he said gently. “Let’s not go borrowing trouble, okay?”
The horse—a young chestnut mare with a white blaze running the length of her face—shivered under his touch, her nostrils flaring as though bracing for the worst. Lyle shifted his weight onto one knee, clicking his tongue softly in reassurance as he ran his hands down her leg, pausing to gently palpate the swollen area just above the fetlock.
“She’s in pain, but it doesn’t feel like a break,” he said after a moment, his voice steady and sure. “Swelling like this means it’s likely a sprain. Painful, yes, but nothing we can’t fix.”
“Really?” Cole’s voice cracked, hope breaking through his worry like a blade of grass in hard soil.
“Really,” Lyle said firmly, giving the boy a gentle smile before nodding toward the metal bucket just inside the stall door. “There’s a roll of vet wrap and some ice packs in there. Can you grab them for me?”
Cole scrambled to obey, the brim of his cap hiding the way his face flooded with relief. Lyle turned his attention back to the mare, running a calming hand down her quivering neck. “Easy, girl,” he murmured softly, his tone so low it was almost a hum. “You’re going be just fine.”
Behind him, the faint shuffle of boots on hay startled him for half a second before a familiar voice filtered through the warm air.
“Should’ve known you’d be here, in your element, calming the whole world one animal at a time.”
Lyle glanced over his shoulder and caught sight of Heather leaning casually against the barn doorframe, her arms crossed and a gentle smile playing at the corners of her mouth.
She looked effortlessly polished in a way that made it hard to take his eyes off her.
Snug jeans hugged her hips. Her smooth skin was free of makeup, her hair pulled back into a ponytail and threaded through the back of a bright orange ball cap.
She looked young and cute and so damned sexy.
“I’m not sure about the whole world,” Lyle replied, turning his focus back to the task at hand. “But this girl here? Yeah, I think I can manage her.”
Heather stepped in closer, her sharp green eyes taking in the scene with quiet curiosity.
Cole returned with the wrap and ice packs, thrusting them forward like lifelines. “Here, Dr. Watkins.”
“Thanks, bud.” Lyle took the supplies and methodically wrapped the mare’s leg, his fingers deftly securing the wrap over the ice pack with just the right amount of pressure.
“This’ll help reduce the inflammation for now,” he said, sparing a glance at the boy.
“I don’t recommend putting her through X-rays just yet.
We’ll watch her for a couple of days, then check her gait, make sure there isn’t any ligament damage. ”
“Thanks, Doc.” Cole pushed his cap up slightly as he dared to meet Lyle’s gaze full-on for the first time. His hazel eyes were slightly wet.
“I’ll write out some instructions for you and swing by your place tomorrow to check on her,” he said, the warmth in his voice causing the young man’s shoulders to relax a bit.
“But you’ve got to do your part. That means keeping her on stall rest, making sure her wraps stay snug, and no sneaking her any extra sugar cubes, all right? ”
Cole nodded fervently, his face lighting up with a mixture of gratitude and awe. “I’ll take real good care of her, Dr. Watkins. Promise.”
“I’m not just talking about her,” Lyle said, his voice softening as he placed a reassuring hand on the boy’s shoulder.
“I’m talkin’ about you too, Cole. Horses can feel everything we’re feeling.
So if you’re tied up in knots, she’s gonna feel that too.
It wasn’t your fault she tripped coming out of the trailer.
That happens to even the most experienced horse owners.
You stay steady, and she’ll stay steady. ”
Heather felt her chest tighten at Lyle’s words, the care woven so seamlessly into everything he did.
She’d always known Lyle Watkins was good with animals.
That was apparent even back when their lives barely overlapped beyond neighborly visits.
But seeing him in action now, helping not just the mare but her young owner...
it was something else entirely. Something deeper.
She watched as he led the mare out to Cole’s trailer and walked the horse inside, helping Cole secure the young chestnut for the ride home.
Once the trailer was secure, he joined her just outside the barn door and together they watched Cole slowly pull his rig out of the driveway, creeping along at a snail’s pace lest the smallest bump hurt his sweet horse even more.
She nudged her shoulder against Lyles, her voice soft but teasing. “You know, there are professionals who charge for pep talks like that.”
Lyle shot her a quick grin. “What can I say? I’m an overachiever.”
The barn fell silent for a moment, save for the faint rustle of hay carried on the breeze.
Heather watched as Lyle dusted off his jeans with a slow, practiced motion.
But there was something in the way his shoulders subtly sagged once Cole was out of sight that hinted at the weight he carried beneath his easy charm.
“You’re good at this,” she said quietly, stepping closer.
“Good at what? My job?”
“At giving people—or animals—something to hang on to when they’re scared.”
He glanced at her, and this time, his handsome features softened into something almost sheepish. “Guess I’ve had plenty of practice.”
Heather tilted her head. “With the animals? Or the people?”
“A little of both,” he admitted, shrugging slightly.
“You forget I was raised by a preacher. Plus, I figured out pretty fast in the Marines that a steady hand does more good than a loud voice ever will.” He paused, his gaze dropping to his boots for a heartbeat before rising again.
“Not sure I’ve got everything figured out, though. Especially not where it counts.”
“You’re doing darn well where it counts,” she said, surprising even herself with the firmness of her tone.
The blush that crossed his cheeks was almost imperceptible, but Heather caught it. And this time, she didn’t bother trying to hide the smile blooming on her face.
“You make people feel safe, Lyle,” she continued, her voice soft enough to drift like the breeze. “Like Charlotte. Like Cole. That’s a gift.”
He held her gaze for a moment, the silence stretching just long enough for Heather to feel it in her chest and not just her ears. She had an insane urge to rise up on tiptoe and kiss him. And as though they were connected on some subliminal wavelength, he seemed to feel it too.
But before Lyle could respond, a sharp bark from outside the barn door broke the spell, and they both turned to see Biscuit trotting in, his ears perked up and his tongue lolling happily.
Heather laughed softly, nervously, bending to give the dog a quick pat. Thank goodness for distractions. “Looks like my shift’s starting early.”
“What brought you by in the first place? We don’t usually see you over here in the mornings.”
“I’m developing an addiction for your brother’s coffee—or a laziness in getting to the store to buy my own.”
“I’m sure Mike’s happy to show off his fancy machine.”
“It is quite impressive.” She ducked inside the barn and came back out with a mug. “And since I detoured to watch you at work, I ended up finishing my coffee.” She held out the cup. “Mind returning this to the kitchen for me?”
“I can do that.” He tipped his hat and flashed her a grin that somehow made her feel both steadied and unmoored at the same time. “Guess I better get things cleaned up here. Kenny’s got a stallion he wants me to look at.”
Heather clipped a leash to Biscuit’s collar. “Yep, I’m behind a bit too, but it was worth it to watch you work.”
He grinned. “Glad you got to see me.” He reached out and tugged at the sleek ponytail she’d threaded through her ball cap. It was a familiar gesture, something he’d done countless times when they were young.
But they weren’t kids anymore.
Heather stood frozen in the barn’s shadowed doorway, watched him saunter away as though he hadn’t just sent her heart soaring straight to her throat. The longing that swamped her made her hands shake.
Goodness!
Later that afternoon, Heather sent Lyle a quick text:
**Taking the dogs to the senior assisted living center for a visit. Thought Charlotte might enjoy coming along. Let me know.**
The reply came almost instantly.
**Charlotte says I don’t have a choice. Be there in ten.**
Heather smiled, her thumb lingering over the keyboard. She decided against a response and instead began loading her trained service dogs into the back of her truck, trying to tell herself she wasn’t half giddy over the thought of seeing Lyle again—even if he was just dropping off his Goddaughter.
Biscuit wagged his tail furiously, thrilled at the prospect of an outing, while Muffin watched from her kennel, calmer but equally attentive. Heather double-checked their vests, ensuring they were prepped to play their role as morale boosters for Bear Valley’s senior residents.
True to his word, Lyle arrived exactly ten minutes later, his truck rumbling to a stop beside hers. Charlotte was already climbing out of her booster seat before he could get to her, Pudge cradled in her arms once again.
“Whoa, there, missy. Give me a sec.”