Chapter 10
CHAPTER TEN
I t was pathetic how quickly her things were stowed away. Had she known she wouldn't be allowed back in her grandfather's house after moving out, she would have taken far more with her. A sigh slipped out. Spilled milk.
True to his word, Reilly had hired two men who hooked up temporary water and electrical lines. She hadn’t even considered those things, but he was right on the ball, thinking of everything as usual.
Exchanging her boots for work boots, she went to the barn to clean the stalls and cages. This and That had escaped their cages. That wasn’t good at all. If their droppings got mixed in with the horse feed, it could be dangerous.
Where could they be? After checking every enclosure, she was stumped. They were probably in the loft. If they contaminated the hay… She couldn’t afford to buy much more. So much for budgeting. Of course, the budget was based on her salary at the clinic, so that was a bust anyway.
Climbing the ladder was easy enough. She should have let them loose a few days ago. Saying goodbye to animals she’d hand-fed since they were young was hard.
The sound of their scampering drew her to the back corner of the loft. They were rolling around. It looked like they were playing. They saw her and stopped. They stared at her and didn’t run as she inched closer. In quick order, she had them both in her hands and breathed a sigh of relief. “You two…” she muttered but smiled as they stared up at her.
It wasn’t the easiest getting back down, but she managed. Carefully, she put them back in their cage and made sure the door was secure. They’d be let go in a little while.
Quickly, she emptied each stall and scrubbed them down, just in case. Next, she made sure the hay was untouched before tossing some into the stalls. Clean buckets were filled with water.
Ultimately, she found herself coated in fur, feathers, and spit. But one crisis had been avoided.
Now what? She needed to keep busy. It hurt too much to have time to think. So much wasted time. So many lies. His mother had right. Perhaps she hadn’t been good enough for the McKeegan name at one point, but she was a well-educated woman now. A doctor of veterinary medicine. Life would have been significantly different if Mrs. McKeegan hadn’t interfered.
“You didn’t have to dress up for me,” Reilly teased.
Whirling around, she put her hand to her chest. “You scared me. I didn’t even hear your car.”
“Deep in thought?” He nodded as though he knew exactly what she’d been thinking about, and he’d be right.
“This and That got out of their cages. The moment I realized they were gone, the search began. Did you know they could make horses sick? I sanitized everything after I captured my little friends.”
“No.” He shook his head. “I didn’t know. Are you going to put a lock on their cage?”
She shook her head. “No, it’s time to let them go. If I keep them much longer, they’ll never figure out how to survive in the wild. Can I borrow your car?”
“Of course. I’ve been meaning to ask you what happened to your car?”
Casually shrugging, her eyes locked with his. “I sold it. Can I have the keys?”
“No.” He grinned.
“Because I’m a woman? I remember many comments you used to make about women drivers.”
“No.” His tone was reasonable, patient. “I’m inviting myself to come along.”
He hoisted the cage, and she trailed behind to his car. After he set This and That in the back seat, she slid in beside them.
She tried everything to keep from looking into the rearview mirror and catching his gaze. It was all so painful. Stewart must have known. Mrs. McKeegan must have forbidden them from allowing her on the ranch. Made sense. From Reilly’s reaction, though, it seemed as though he didn’t know anything about it.
Once he had been unable to keep a straight face, especially when he lied, but that was before law school. She remembered him practicing showing no emotion, and he’d gotten good at it.
“How’s this place? It’s away from any livestock and there’s a creek,” he said.
“Excellent,” she declared, smiling. “This and That, you’re going to love it here.”
Reilly carried the cage to the creek bank and stepped back.
Before releasing them, Lynne gave each one a cuddle. For a moment, they appeared bewildered, but then they abruptly departed into some nearby bushes.
He smiled. They’d be fine. He turned to Lynne and his breath caught. “Hey, are you all right?”
Lynne's face was streaked with tears. There was only one thing he could do about that. He opened his arms, and she ran to him. He embraced her, drawing her against his chest. This feeling of complete connectedness was one he’d been missing. It surpassed even the victory of an almost impossible case. Somehow, she made him feel exceptional.
She made a hesitant move to back away, but he tightened his arms around her. When she slipped her arms around him, his heart stopped aching.
“Thank you for being here,” she whispered. This time, she stepped out of his embrace and he let her go.
“Is it like this with every animal?” he asked.
“No, never at the clinic. But This and That were babies, and I bottle fed them. It was like having twins. I knew not to get attached, but it happened. Mostly I want the animals to be well and able to return to the wild. I’m not sure about re-homing the horses. They would just be an extra mouth to feed. Spitten will eventually go to one of the Llama farms. When Lucky is ready, I’ll be proud to return him to the wild.”
“You're incredible,” he murmured. “Lynne and her menagerie of animals. If you need to add additional buildings or extra fencing, it’s fine. I just have to approve them, and of course, Stewart will have a say.”
Her radiant smile illuminated her entire face. “Reilly, you have such a kind heart. I’m so lucky to have you as my friend. However, I won't accept anything without offering something in return.”
“You’re paying rent.” He shrugged. “That’s enough for now. We can talk about growth later. How about we go home, get cleaned up, and head out to The Trail Blazer Tavern for dinner?”
She hesitated, her mouth working silently, and he understood she was wary.
“I’ll be there with you,” he encouraged.
Nodding, she touched his arm. “That sounds nice.”