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Cowboy Doctor
Rebecca Winters


A MAN WHO HEALSVet Roce Clayton is wondering if the woman of his dreams doesn't actually exist. So he's focusing on another dream – opening his own veterinary clinic on his family's land below Montana's Sapphire Mountains. When he's called to a nearby ranch to treat an injured horse, Roce is greeted by the most gorgeous woman he's ever seen.Tracey Marcroft hopes that a summer working with horses will help her forget losing her fiancé. Instead, she's confronted with a hostile ranch hand who's trying to scare her off…and who is definitely hiding something. But with Roce at her side, Tracey is discovering that this handsome cowboy doctor won't just protect her…he might heal her heart.







A COWBOY WHO HEALS

Veterinarian Roce Clayton is starting to wonder if the woman of his dreams doesn’t actually exist. So he’s focusing on another dream—opening his own veterinary clinic on his family’s land beneath Montana’s Sapphire Mountains. When he’s called to a nearby ranch to treat an injured horse, Roce is greeted by the most gorgeous woman he’s ever seen. Maybe dreams do come true.

Tracey Marcroft hopes that a summer working with horses will help her forget losing her fiancé. Instead, she’s confronted with a hostile ranch hand who’s trying to scare her off...and who is definitely hiding something. But with Roce at her side, Tracey is discovering that this handsome cowboy doctor won’t just protect her...he might just heal her broken heart.


“I can’t do a job if I’m being sabotaged...”

“Do you feel he is trying to get you to quit?”

Tracey swallowed the rest of her coffee. “I honestly don’t know, Roce, but my instincts are telling me yes.”

“Mine are saying the same thing. He needs watching, Tracey. Be careful.”

“I will. Tomorrow I’ll just play ‘I Spy’ games with the children on whatever trail we take. There’ll be nothing for him to criticize.”

“He’s picked the wrong woman to drive away. You’re a warrior.”

Their eyes held. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“Wish I could ride with you. I already know the prize I want,” he said with a half smile that sent a thrill racing through her body.

So do I.

Funny how a simple dinner had suddenly made her so breathless.


Cowboy Doctor

Rebecca Winters






www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)


REBECCA WINTERS, whose family of four children has now swelled to include five beautiful grandchildren, lives in Salt Lake City, Utah, in the land of the Rocky Mountains. Living near canyons and high alpine meadows full of wildflowers, she never runs out of places to explore. They, plus her favorite holiday spots in Europe, often end up as backgrounds for her romance novels, because writing is her passion, along with her family and church.

Rebecca loves to hear from readers. If you wish to email her, please visit her website, www.cleanromances.com (http://www.cleanromances.com).


To James Alfred “Alf” Wight, better known by the pen name James Herriot. He was a British veterinary surgeon and writer who used his many years of experience to write a series of books, each consisting of stories about animals and their owners. He’s best known for his semiautobiographical works beginning with All Creatures Great and Small. In 1972 a British television series was adapted from the books, also titled All Creatures Great and Small. Thanks to him, I was given hours and hours of sheer pleasure and developed an even greater appreciation of all God’s creatures.


Contents

Cover (#u6d68c8da-65e1-5f89-8c71-b2bd5595a640)

Back Cover Text (#ua690f284-fd23-5051-8857-ba7df5b57f3f)

Introduction (#u5216363d-7030-5077-9181-b9437441917c)

Title Page (#u59b16b2e-d490-58a4-b6ce-d90ba769a947)

About the Author (#u94bf52d8-4103-550e-8f70-2571b95f90db)

Dedication (#uaabdf4e4-094a-54ed-a7f9-cddd461c4183)

Chapter One (#u3d78819e-a171-59a8-bc4a-b741a5d98d2c)

Chapter Two (#uaf821f19-bd32-5806-8cec-6ae7e8073627)

Chapter Three (#uabd3965a-18ac-5503-bc76-08e60502fe65)

Chapter Four (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Five (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Six (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Seven (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eight (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Nine (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Ten (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eleven (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twelve (#litres_trial_promo)

Extract (#litres_trial_promo)

Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)


Chapter One (#ua26c428b-bac2-554a-ade0-6686e0f6624d)

“Last on the program is Dr. Rocelin Clayton, who worked closely with Hannah for the last three years, right up to her death.”

Pastor McKinney nodded to Roce, who walked to the lectern.

The Presbyterian church on Spruce Street was filled to overflowing. People from all over had come to pay their respects to the eighty-three-year-old veterinarian who’d practiced here in Missoula, Montana, for over fifty years.

Roce stood before the audience, some of whom he’d helped after Hannah had taken him into her practice. This was a sad day for him. The only other time he’d ever spoken at a funeral was at his father’s, almost two years ago. He was forced to clear his throat several times before speaking.

“A paragon has left us, and no one is more bereaved than I am. Dr. Hannah Larabee, owner of the Larabee Veterinarian Hospital, was not only a legend in these parts, she was the best boss a man could have hoped to work for right out of veterinary school.

“I didn’t get the opportunity to meet her beloved Tom, her veterinarian husband who started the hospital with her. He died two years before I was hired. Hannah’s sudden fatal heart attack is proof that she gave her all to the animals big and small that God put on this earth for our comfort and enjoyment.

“Not long ago she told me that she never met an animal she didn’t like, and that when she got to heaven, she planned to visit every one of those creatures who’d already passed on.”

His eyes smarted.

“I bet that right now they’re all standing in line to see her again. It’s possible that, at this very moment, she’s talking to them in her loving voice, commiserating with them about the ailments they’d suffered on earth.”

He heard gentle laughter from the audience and saw a lot of people wiping their eyes. The church was filled with animal lovers from western Montana who knew exactly what he was talking about.

“We’re all going to miss her and the great blessing she was to this community. Her family has to be so proud of what she accomplished on this earth.

“If we were all as good as Hannah, what a beautiful world this would be.”

When he took his seat, the pastor stood before them once more. “We’ll now sing our parting hymn—it was known to be Hannah’s favorite—‘Dear to the Heart of the Shepherd.’”

During the singing, one line stood out to Roce: “Dear are the sheep of His fold.” That sounded like Hannah.

After the prayer, everyone followed the funeral procession to the cemetery. Roce rode with his mother and Toly. His youngest brother had a rodeo to get back to in Omaha and was in town for only a few more hours. His other two brothers, Eli and Wymon, trailed them in their cars with their wives. Hannah had touched all their lives.

Roce hadn’t felt this lost since his father had died. With Hannah’s death, the time had come for him to go his own way and make decisions, whether he wanted to or not. This was a day he hadn’t thought would come for several more years. If Roce didn’t buy the veterinary hospital and take over, Hannah’s family would put it up for sale and someone else would be in charge. They might not want to keep Roce on. In order for him to buy the practice, he would have to take out a big loan.

But in his heart, his secret hope had been to open his own hospital on the Clayton Cattle Ranch outside Stevensville, Montana. Besides serving as vet to the ranch, as well as the people in Ravalli County, he could help out his mom and brothers with ranching activities. To do that, he would have to discuss it with the family, and he didn’t know how they would feel.

Even if it were possible, he had to consider that moving to the ranch would mean he’d lose clients who lived in Missoula, a half hour away. To start a new practice on the ranch would take time. And there was the question of where to build a new structure that wouldn’t impose on the family.

Whatever happened, he would have to put his small condo in Missoula up for sale. The location near the hospital had made life easier when there’d been emergencies that had called him out in the middle of the night. It wasn’t fully paid for, but he needed as much money as he could put together no matter what direction he chose to go. All these thoughts bombarded him as they drove away from the cemetery.

Later, after they’d dropped Toly off at the airport and he was alone with his mom on the drive back to the ranch, she turned to him and said, “Roce—your talk had everyone in tears. I’m so proud to be your mother. But now that we’re alone, I can tell there’s something serious on your mind, so let’s talk about it.”

He smiled. “What do you think you know?”

“That you’ve come to a fork in the road. Your dad hoped you’d become our ranch veterinarian. When the time came, he had a spot all picked out for you.”

Roce’s hands tightened on the steering wheel. This was the first he’d heard about it. “What area would that be?”

“The old sheep station house.”

His thoughts reeled. “The bungalow right off the highway?” Long ago there’d been no road there, only trampled ground from bringing through the sheep.

She nodded. “When they built the highway, the house was boarded up, and blocked off by the fencing.”

“Why didn’t Dad do something with it?”

“He wanted all our homes and outbuildings to be centered together, higher on the mountain. But when you became a vet, he told me he hoped to make renovations on the station so you could open up your practice on our property. As you can see, it would be the perfect place for a hospital, with easy access to the highway. Let’s take a look at it.”

Roce was in shock. He’d almost forgotten it was there. A bank of trees camouflaged most of it. At her urging he drove past the entrance to the ranch and on to the boundary of their property. After parking on the highway shoulder, he got out with his mom and walked over to the fence.

Roce rested his arms on top and took a good, long look at the one-story log house they could see through the leaves. His mother stood next to him. “All you’d have to do is remove part of this fencing and a few trees. Then a new road into the parking area could be constructed, with a sign that says Clayton Veterinary Hospital.”

While his mother kept talking, Roce’s heartbeat began to pick up speed.

“Besides equipping a new surgery, you’d have to put in new plumbing, and the building needs new paint. Your brothers and I have been talking. With their help, you could be in business in no time.”

He cleared his throat. “I couldn’t ask them to do that.”

But all the time she was talking, he could see adding an office next to the surgery. He would have to install electronic locks for the front and back doors because of the drugs he would have to keep on the premises.

“Your family has volunteered, Roce. Remember when you helped Wymon build a second story on his house? Now they want to pitch in for you on a second story. A bedroom and bathroom upstairs? I’m thinking you could live here a long time, and still keep your horse in the barn with ours. And at a future date, you may want to build your own ranch house for the family you’ll have one day.”

After all these years his mom was still holding out that he’d find the right woman for him, but Roce feared the woman of his dreams didn’t exist. He hated to shatter his mom’s hopes of that happening, though, especially when she’d just offered this gift out of the blue. So many emotions overwhelmed him. He pulled his mother into his arms and gave her a long hug.

Two months later

THE SATURDAY DRIVE from Polson to Hamilton, Montana, turned out to be beautiful. It was June 2, and the warm weather had arrived in Bitterroot Valley. Tracey Marcroft opened the window of her white Honda, drawing in a deep breath of pine-scented air.

As she took in the vision before her, she didn’t care that the breeze tangled her hair. After the last nine months, she was finally free from the responsibilities of teaching school, and was looking forward to her summer job at the Rocky Point Dude Ranch. She loved her sixth graders, but couldn’t wait to work with families who’d come out here on vacation to horseback ride, another one of her passions.

During spring break, she’d interviewed with John Hunter, a man who’d made it big in oil and owned the dude ranch. The patriarch of his large family had been a close friend of her grandpa Ben’s before moving from Polson. He’d been the one to show her the facilities and he’d made her feel very welcome. The stories he’d told about him and her grandfather in their younger years riding around Flathead country had fascinated her.

She liked John and his wife, Sylvia, a lot, and was thrilled when they offered her the job, along with her own little cabin. Besides the fact that John praised her for the way she rode and handled the horses during their ride, he’d seemed especially pleased to hear that she taught school and understood kids. They had plenty of families with younger children who could benefit from her expertise.

Tracey was indebted to her grandfather for suggesting she get in touch with John for the job. She’d always been close to her grandpa, who’d been living with her family for the last two years since her grandmother had died. Tracey wanted to be an asset to the dude ranch and make him proud. Hopefully, three months out here in a different part of Montana would give her a new lease on life.

A year ago this past Christmas, she’d expected her boyfriend, Jeff Atkins, to return from his deployment overseas so they could plan their wedding. They’d met in college at the University of Montana in Missoula.

But he’d been killed in an ambush, along with two other men in his platoon. Since then, she’d been trying to get over the pain. Her parents and her older brother, Max, had done what they could to comfort her. But time had to do the rest.

It was two in the afternoon when she reached Stevensville. She felt hunger pains and pulled into a drive-through behind a line of tourists to grab a hamburger and a soda.

While she waited, she phoned her best friend, Barb, who was married and worked as a paralegal in Polson. Tracey hadn’t had a chance to say goodbye to her. During their talk, Barb promised that she and her husband would come visit over the July Fourth holiday. Pleased that she’d be seeing her friend next month, Tracey hung up after getting her meal.

She drove out to the highway again for the last twenty-minute leg of her trip. While munching on her fries, Tracey rounded the long curve in the road, marveling at the sight of the magnificent Sapphire Mountains flanking the valley. In her mind’s eye, they were filled with heaps of dazzling blue gemstones. When she’d been a child, that image had delighted her imagination. It still did.

A little farther on she saw a sign for Clayton Veterinary Hospital, and slowed down while she finished off her fries. Funny that she hadn’t seen it in the spring, when she’d first driven this way. To her recollection, there’d been a bank of trees all along the highway.

Set against a backdrop of pines was a small, yet charming log cabin. There weren’t any cars in the parking lot, but she glimpsed a horse trailer at the side of the house before she sped up.

The setup reminded her of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s book Little House in the Big Woods, one of Tracey’s favorites in the series. She’d always been an avid reader. Throughout her young years she’d imagined herself as Laura, riding around on her own horse.

Tracey had gone through several horses in her life, her current one being Spirit, her gelding, who was getting very old and needed regular checkups with her family’s vet in Kalispell. Her mom and dad were taking care of him while she was gone this summer.

When she reached Hamilton, she took a left. She’d learned that the Hunter family lived in their own homes in town when they weren’t on duty at the ranch. It was only a two-mile commute to the dude ranch sitting on five hundred acres of prime land.

The large foyer with its office and check-in counter divided the big Western ranch house into two parts. One side contained the common areas, consisting of an activity room, dining room and kitchen, plus a great room with a fireplace that rose to the vaulted ceiling. The other side had been remodeled into bedrooms to house forty people at a time.

Tennis courts and a swimming pool with a cabana had been built at the side of the ranch house. The stable, barn and corral lay behind the whole facility. To the side of the corral were a dozen small cabins for the summer staff.

There were sheds housing fishing gear, white-water rafts—everything the vacationer could ask for. As John had explained, the Bitterroot River offered rafters and floaters a trip down one of the most scenic waterways in Montana, traveling through the Bitterroot and Sapphire mountains. From those vantage points, the view of the wide, lush valley was unforgettable.

The ideal setup appealed to Tracey, who pulled up in front of the ranch house to let John know she’d arrived. It wouldn’t be open for summer vacationers until the day after tomorrow. That gave her time to get more acquainted with the facilities, particularly the horses.

She got out of the car and walked inside. A cute brunette woman in her early twenties was manning the front desk. She broke out in a smile when she saw her approach.

“You have to be Tracey Marcroft.”

“Yes.”

“I’m Fran Hunter. I’m married to Wes, who’s John’s grandson. At breakfast he said you’d be coming today. He told me and Wes, and I quote, ‘She’s the most beautiful young woman you ever saw, and she can ride a horse like nobody’s business!’”

Tracey chuckled. It was hard to know what to say after that. “He sounds as full of it as my grandpa Ben, but thank you. I’ve been looking forward to meeting the rest of your family.”

“We’re a big one.”

“So I’ve gathered. I’ll try to learn names fast.”

“Don’t worry about it. Granddad is waiting for you in his office. Just come around behind the counter.”

Pleased that she acted so friendly, Tracey did her bidding. The door at the end of the hallway had been left open. She saw John seated at his desk. He was on the phone but waved at her to come on in.

A lean, lanky man with a ton of energy, he had a wonderful head of salt-and-pepper hair. “Welcome, my dear,” he said, after hanging up the phone. “Sylvia and I are thrilled you’ve joined us.” He came around to give her a hug.

“I’m the one who’s excited. Grandpa Ben sends his love with this.” She put a brightly wrapped box on his desk. “He said it’s chocolate-covered cashews.”

“My favorite. He remembered. Thank you.” His eyes twinkled. “I plan to give him a call later and let him know you arrived. For the rest of today and tomorrow, I want you to get more acquainted with the place and staff. Fran, Wes’s wife, is a sweetheart and runs the front desk most of the time. She’ll take care of you. Go for a swim, visit the barn and stable. Do whatever you want.”

“Thank you.”

“My son Sheldon and his wife Janet organize the trail rides with the forest service and are in charge of procuring our horses. Among them we have six ponies for our littlest riders.”

“Oh—I can’t wait to see them!”

“They’re a hit with everyone. My grandson, Wes, Sheldon and Janet’s son, runs the stable. I’ve told Wes to let you pick out the horse you’d like to ride while you’re here this summer.”

“I can’t wait. Just so you know, I’ve brought my own saddle and gear.”

“Wonderful. Fran will give you the key to your cabin. It’s number two. My wife and I will see you at dinner at seven.”

“I’d love that.”

When she went back to the counter, Fran introduced her to another of John’s sons named Thad. You couldn’t mistake him for anyone else. He had the same lanky look as his dad. “Uncle Thad is head of security. He deals with any emergencies or illness situations, and maintains all our equipment and cabins.”

Tracey shook his hand. “It’s so nice to meet you.”

“We’re glad to have you on board. If you have any concerns, come see me.”

“I will.”

“See you at dinner.”

After he walked away, Fran said, “Later on I’ll introduce you to everyone else. Uncle Thad’s wife, Noreen, is head of housekeeping and laundry. You’ll also meet my grandma Sylvia and my aunt Deanna. They’re in charge of food and run the kitchen. Deanna’s husband, my uncle Paul, oversees all the other activities like fishing and river rafting.”

“I’m afraid my head is spinning with so many names.”

“There are more. Along with Wes, you’ll be doing trail rides with Colette, who’s married to Rod. He’s Uncle Paul and Deanna’s son. But you’ll figure it all out soon enough.”

“I understand you all live in town.”

“Yes, but we have a rotation system so we have plenty of staff on duty 24/7.”

“That’s good to know.”

“Let me assure you we’re close enough to the ranch to be here on a moment’s notice if necessary. Wes’s grandfather made it possible for Wes and me to get into a small house after we were first married. I had imagined we’d be living in an apartment for several years, so we’re very lucky.”

“My grandfather sings his praises. I think that’s wonderful.” Tracey and Jeff would have moved to an apartment first, but it didn’t happen, and she needed to stop living in the past. That’s why she’d wanted this new job here for the summer.

“Wes’s parents are so generous, too, and have made everything great for us. I’ve married into the best family in the world. But that’s enough talking about me. I hear you’re an elementary school teacher. I admire you for being able to handle a roomful of children all day long.”

“It’s a challenge, but I love it.”

“Do you have a boyfriend back home who’s going to miss you?”

Tracey’s eyes smarted. “I was engaged to be married, but my fiancé was killed while serving in the military. I’m still trying to get over it.”

A hand went to Fran’s throat. “I didn’t know. I’m sorry to have gone on and on about me and Wes.”

“Don’t you worry about anything. It happened eighteen months ago and I’m doing much better.”

“I’m glad to hear that. If you ever want to talk, I’m available. I met Wes at junior college. We dated and I fell in love with him. But there were several long periods when he didn’t call me. Both times I thought it was over and could hardly bear it. I remember those times, and I’m so sorry for your loss.”

“Don’t say another word. I’m just happy you two got back together.”

“It was like a miracle. One day he showed up at my dorm and we ended up getting married. But I’m keeping you from getting settled, so I’ll drive with you to your cabin. It’s number two.”

“Thank you.” Fran was a very compassionate person. Tracey liked her. They left the ranch house and got in her car. She started the engine and, following Fran’s directions, drove them past a corral holding half a dozen horses to the log cabins in the distance.

Only then did it dawn on Tracey how lucky she was to be working for the Hunter family. It made her realize how much John Hunter must revere her grandpa, letting her come work for them as he had. She would do everything she could to fit in, and Fran was already making it easy.

She pulled up in front of her designated cabin. Fran got out and opened the door while Tracey carried in her luggage. The first thing she saw in the little living-room-slash-kitchen was a yellow vase filled with white daisies placed on the round dinette table. A card peeked out of it. She put down her bags and opened the envelope.

“Welcome to the Rocky Point Dude Ranch. I hope the experience here will help mend your broken heart. —John.”

Hot tears burned her eyelids. Tracey didn’t know her grandfather had confided in John about Jeff. She was so touched she could hardly talk.

“How lovely.” Her voice faltered.

“Granddad says you’re the very special granddaughter of his oldest, best friend.”

Tracey turned around. “I can’t thank all of you enough for your kindness.”

“It’s a pleasure. Can I do anything else for you?”

“I’ll be fine. Do you want me to drive you back?”

“Oh, no. I need the walk. We’ll see you in the dining room at seven for a special dinner to kick off the summer season. And remember, come on over to the ranch house anytime if you need someone to talk to. I know there are times when I do.” Fran put the front door key on the table before leaving.

That sounded like a lonely statement to Tracey.

While mulling it over, she walked into the bedroom with its two twin beds, dressers and closet. The other door of the main room led to the bathroom. She liked the blue-green-and-white-plaid decor of the cabin.

A painting of the Sapphire Mountains hung on the log wall over the small couch. With a mini fridge, microwave, TV and internet, she would be perfectly happy here.

The first thing she did was sit down at the table and call her parents. Most of all she wanted to thank her grandpa and tell him about the daisies John had left for her. After a tearful conversation with him while she expressed her gratitude, Tracey freshened up and drove her car over to the barn to unload her saddle and gear.

A sandy-haired guy who looked to be college age caught sight of her. “Hey—need help?” He walked up to her with a smile you couldn’t miss. “I’m Grady Cox.”

“Hi, Grady. I’m Tracey Marcroft and will be helping on the trail rides. If you could show me the tack room?”

“Let me carry your saddle.”

“Thank you.” She brought the rest of the gear and followed him through the long barn to the end room. “Were you hired for the summer?”

“That’s right. I’m a student at Montana State. This will be my third year working with the horses. Occasionally I help on the trail rides, too. Are you from around here? In college?”

She chuckled. He worked fast. “I graduated from the University of Montana two years ago and teach elementary school in Polson.”

He shook his head. “I never remember having a schoolteacher who looked like you. This has to be my lucky day.”

She smiled, but she wasn’t attracted to him, and put her gear away, not wanting to give him any encouragement by responding. “Mr. Hunter told me Wes is in charge of the stable. Is he on duty? I need to pick out a horse I can ride while I’m here.”

“I’ll help you do that while he’s gone.”

“Will it be all right?”

“That’s my job. Do you have a preference?”

“Not really. I’m sure Mr. Hunter wouldn’t have anything but the best horses.”

“You’re right about that. Why don’t we walk to the corral? Any one of the quarter horses out there would be a great choice for you. I’ve been exercising them. Of course, we have more here in the barn if you want to look them over, too.”

“Thank you.”

She was glad he had other things to do and left her alone in the corral. For the next hour, Tracey examined each horse and walked it around. She took her measure of the three mares: a sorrel, a black and a bay. The three other horses were geldings, all of them buckskins.

When she’d finished, she walked into the barn to look over the other horses before she made a decision. When she came to the dun gelding, she knew the splendid horse was the one she wanted, and Tracey walked him out of his stall to the corral.

But as she was leading him around, she noticed his right front leg was limping a little. That wasn’t good. She lifted his hoof to inspect it. When she applied pressure to the sole, the horse let out a distressed grunt.

“You poor thing.” She patted his neck to settle him before calling to Grady, who’d gone out to the corral. “Come and look. This horse is in pain.”

He walked over with a frown. “That’s Wes’s horse.”

“Oh! I thought all the horses were available.”

“Sorry. Not Chief. I should have said something. He’s off-limits.”

“Still, he’s limping and needs attention.”

“I’ve never noticed him do that before. Are you sure?”

“Positive.”

“You’d better take him back to the stall. I’ll talk to Wes about it as soon as he shows up. He went to town several hours ago.”

“I’m afraid something should be done soon,” she said, as she slowly walked him back inside. “Chief needs a vet, don’t you, boy?” She hugged his neck.

Grady watched her, looking uncertain and upset. “I’m sure you’re right.”

“Tell you what. I’m going back to the ranch house now to talk to John about this.”

“Maybe you should wait for Wes.”

Why did he seem so hesitant? “What if he can’t get back right away? The horse needs help. John will know what to do.”

Surely Grady Cox didn’t want to see the horse suffer. You needed to be proactive to keep animals safe and healthy. She’d learned the same thing working with children. When something went wrong, you didn’t wait. “Thanks for your help, Grady. See you later.”

“For sure. I assume you’re staying in one of the cabins for the summer, too.” His eyes played over her with the kind of male interest she didn’t want. Since they’d be forced to work together over the summer, she needed to establish a boundary now.

“Yes. I’ve already settled in.”

Without hesitation, she hurried to her car and drove to the ranch house. When she walked in, no one was at the front desk. Tracey took the initiative and walked around the counter to John’s office. To her frustration, he wasn’t there, either.

She went back outside to her car. Dinner wouldn’t be for another hour. The only thing to do was return to her cabin and change. Because they were having a special welcome dinner, she decided to wear her denim skirt and a Western blouse with snaps.

Though she couldn’t bear to see an animal in pain, she had no choice but to wait until then. Hopefully, Wes might have returned and Grady would have already told him about Chief. By now she hoped their vet would have been called.

At five to seven she drove back to the ranch house, where the family had started to gather in the big dining room. She spotted John behind the counter and rushed over to talk to him.

He gave her a big smile. “Have you had a good afternoon?”

“It’s been terrific, but I’m worried about one of your horses.” She told him what she’d discovered. “Wes wasn’t there, but I pointed out the problem to Grady.”

His brows met. “Grady didn’t know he was limping?”

“No. He seemed surprised.”

“Well, you’re absolutely right. Chief needs a vet, but I don’t know that much about the one we’ve just inherited. Our old vet passed away recently. Still, I’ll call him now. Come in the office with me before we have dinner.”

Tracey followed him down the hall, gratified because he recognized the emergency situation and would take care of it. She sat down and listened while he looked up the number on his computer and made the phone call.

In a minute he hung up and shook his head. “Dr. Cruz isn’t available until Monday.”

“Does he practice here in Hamilton?”

“No. Darby. It’s only fifteen miles away, but I’m going to have to find someone else. There’s a good vet in Anaconda.”

“Isn’t that kind of far from here?”

“Yes, but I have to start somewhere.”

While he searched on the computer, she suddenly remembered something.

“John? On my way to Hamilton I passed a sign that said Clayton Veterinary Hospital. It’s right off the highway about fifteen minutes from here. Have you ever heard of it?”

He blinked. “I didn’t know it existed. You’re sure about that?”

“Yes. I slowed down because I didn’t remember seeing it when I came here for the interview in the spring. It has to be brand-new.”

“That’s very interesting. If that vet is a Clayton, then it’s probably their ranch’s vet who handles large animals.”

“What ranch is that?”

“The Clayton Cattle Ranch. They’re well-known around these parts. It’s worth a call to see if someone there can check out Chief this evening. He’s too valuable a horse to lose.”

John called information and before long she heard him talking to someone else. John outlined the situation before he handed her the phone. “Dr. Clayton wants you to tell him what you saw.”

With her heart pounding, she took it from him. “Hello? Dr. Clayton? This is Tracey Marcroft. I was out in the barn earlier. As I led Chief out to the corral, I noticed he was limping. I lifted his hoof and the second I touched the sole, he grunted in pain.”

“That sounds like it could be a solar abscess, a serious infection that can lead to acute or severe lameness,” he replied, in a deep male voice she felt resonate through her system. “Did you notice anything else?”

“No. At first I thought it might be something wrong with the shoe, but that wasn’t it.”

“Anything more you can think of?”

“His demeanor wasn’t normal. His ears weren’t up and he wouldn’t look at me.”

“Excellent observations. If that hoof can be healed in time, the horse owes its life to your quick thinking.” For no good reason his compliment caused a tingly sensation to sweep through her. “Let me talk to Mr. Hunter again.”

“Of course.”

She handed the phone to John. They talked a few more minutes and he gave the other man directions to the dude ranch before hanging up. “The doctor will be here in an hour.” He squeezed her hand. “Bless you for catching this, Tracey. Let’s hurry in to dinner, and then we’ll meet him at the barn.”


Chapter Two (#ua26c428b-bac2-554a-ade0-6686e0f6624d)

Roce hung up the phone and wheeled around on his stool. “Our first new patient, Daisy! Who would have thought it would happen on a Saturday night? It has to be some kind of miracle.”

He tossed the border collie–Lab mix a treat. Roce had inherited her from Hannah, whose family didn’t want the dog she’d adopted. After the funeral, Daisy had kept looking for her. It had torn his heart out and he’d decided to keep her for himself.

When he’d moved to the ranch, he’d brought her with him and they’d become fast friends. His whole family loved the dog, especially his brother Eli’s little girl, Libby. She was the daughter from his first marriage, before he’d married his present wife, Brianna.

Libby had regular visitation with her birth mother in town, but when she lived with Eli and Brianna on the ranch, she begged for her uncle Roce to bring his dog to the house.

After first leaving Missoula, Roce had stayed at the main ranch house with his mom. Libby came over all the time to play with Daisy. But when Roce moved into the renovated house down by the highway two months later, she’d wept buckets. He told her she could come to see Daisy anytime she wanted, but she couldn’t be consoled.

Once he’d made himself a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, he pulled on a navy long-sleeved hoodie over his jeans. After finding his doctor bag, he made certain he had all the necessary supplies, including Epsom salts and plenty of bandages.

Daisy made whimpering sounds because she knew he was going to leave. He tossed her another treat. “I’ll be back later.” He could hear her bark as he left the house and got in his dark red, four-door pickup truck.

Twenty minutes later, he turned onto the road leading up to the Rocky Point Dude Ranch. An impressive spread filled his vision. He wound around toward the barn he could see in the distance. As he pulled up to the entrance, he saw an older man and a woman with a knockout figure and long legs waiting for him.

Roce had gone through more attractive women in his life than he cared to admit. Maybe something was wrong with him that he hadn’t experienced that affair of the heart like his married brothers. But one thing was certain: when he jumped down from the cab and approached them, he knew that Tracey Marcroft was the most gorgeous woman he’d ever seen in his life.

In the fading light, her shoulder-length blond hair had a metallic sheen to it. Not silver, not gold, but something in between. Her eyes gleamed the lavender-blue color of larkspurs, flowers that grew in the meadows on the Clayton ranch. For a moment, his breath caught at the heavenly sight.

“Dr. Clayton.” The older man in the Stetson stepped forward and shook his hand. “I can’t thank you enough for coming. Wymon’s your brother, right?”

“Yes.”

“My son Sheldon and I met him at the rodeo last year.”

“Wymon’s head of the ranch now.”

“It’s a small world.” He shook his head. “Dr. Cruz, the veterinarian I’ve been using since our old one died, wasn’t available, so I took a chance on you.”

“Thank you for calling me. I’m pleased to be of help, Mr. Hunter.”

“I have Tracey here to thank for finding you. She just arrived for work today and happened to pass by your hospital on the way.”

Her gaze flicked to Roce. “It surprised me. I didn’t remember seeing it when I was here in the spring,” she explained.

“You wouldn’t have. I just set up my practice on the ranch last week, after moving from the hospital in Missoula.” He glanced at Mr. Hunter. “Why don’t you show me the horse so we can get him out of his pain?”

“Chief is in the third stall.”

As he followed the two of them inside the lighted barn, he found it impossible to keep his eyes off Tracey, and the way she moved wearing those cowboy boots.

Mr. Hunter showed him to the stall that housed the dun-colored animal. Roce lowered his bag and approached it. “Chief is a fine-looking quarter horse. They make ideal family horses, don’t they?”

“You’re right about that.”

Roce ran his hand gently over his back and down his right leg. “It’s all right, Chief.” He moved around in front of him. “Let’s take a look at that sore hoof.”

When he lifted it, the horse grunted, just as Tracey had said. By the way he held his body, Roce could tell he was in a serious amount of pain. His lower lip had gone tense and he didn’t blink. He was too uncomfortable.

With a little probing, Roce found the offending object. “This horse has a hot nail embedded in the wall. I have to get it out. If I could fill a bucket with warm water...and I’ll need my bag.”

“I’ll fill one,” Mr. Hunter declared.

“Here’s your bag.” Tracey brought it to him and knelt to open it. When she looked up, their eyes held. That’s when a wave of emotion foreign to anything he’d ever known swept through Roce’s body, with such power he was left shaken by the impact.

It was a miracle that he could concentrate on what he was doing while this beautiful woman, who smelled divine, stayed at his side and anticipated his needs.

He removed the nail, releasing the pus. It took a good hour to flush out the wound and soak the hoof in Epsom salts and water. Finally, Roce was able to wrap Chief’s foot.

“Do you think he’ll be all right?”

Their gazes fused. “That’s hard to tell at this point. He’s less tense since the pressure was relieved. I’m going to start him on medication.”

Reaching inside his bag, he drew out the balling gun with the antibiotic and placed it in the corner of Chief’s mouth. Very gently, he pushed the tip to the back of his tongue. He dispensed the tablet with the plunger and lifted Chief’s head to make certain he swallowed it.

“There you go, buddy. We’re going to get you better.”

“We are,” Tracey cooed, with her arms around his neck. “You poor darling.”

This woman was a true horse lover. In the background he heard voices. “What’s going on, Granddad?” Another male had joined Mr. Hunter.

“I phoned Dr. Clayton to take care of Chief’s hoof. It had a hot nail in it.”

“Since when? He was fine this morning.” The dark-haired younger man, probably in his midtwenties, sounded upset—as he ought to be, considering the pain the horse was in.

“Since Tracey Marcroft arrived this afternoon and noticed he was limping. We have her to thank for saving Chief from going lame, if it’s not too late. This is the first time you’ve had a chance to meet her, isn’t it? Tracey? This is my grandson, Wes. You’ve already met his wife, Fran.”

“I did. She’s darling. It’s nice to meet you, Wes.”

He nodded. “Welcome to the ranch.” In the next breath he eyed his grandfather. “Where’s Dr. Cruz?”

Wes’s behavior struck Roce as rude. The man exuded no warmth and hadn’t even acknowledged Ms. Marcroft’s contribution. The fact that he completely ignored Roce didn’t matter.

“I’m afraid he wasn’t available, Wes. You have no idea how fortunate we are that Dr. Clayton was on call and willing to come at a moment’s notice.”

Wes stood next to his grandfather, but made no comment as Roce put the things back in his bag and moved out of the stall. He addressed the older man. “I’ll come every day to soak his hoof until he gets rid of the infection. He’ll need a fresh poultice each visit. In ten days to two weeks we’ll know if he’s back to normal.”

“I’m indebted to you.” They shook hands. “Allow me to introduce my grandson, Wes, who’s in charge of the stable.”

“How do you do, Wes?”

The young man made a sound of acknowledgment, but lacked the older man’s good manners and didn’t extend a hand, prompting Mr. Hunter to speak up. “You’ll be seeing Wes when you come again tomorrow.”

“Very good.”

Roce looked around and saw Tracey Marcroft, who stood a little distance away.

She smiled at him. “I’m so glad you came when you did, Dr. Clayton. Chief seems more at peace already.”

“I agree. Getting that nail out did the trick. No animal should have to stay in pain.” He turned to Mr. Hunter. “I’ll say good-night.”

“Come to my office tomorrow after your visit and we’ll talk more, Dr. Clayton.”

“I’ll do that.”

Since the arrival of the grandson, the atmosphere had grown chilly.

Much as he would have liked to stay near the horse to observe him awhile longer, and talk to Ms. Marcroft alone for a few minutes, he realized now wasn’t the time. But he intended to seek her out tomorrow when he came again. On that happy note, he walked out to the truck and took off.

When he reached his house twenty minutes later and opened the door, Daisy launched herself at him. He let out a deep laugh. Life suddenly looked exciting in ways he couldn’t have imagined when he’d left several hours ago.

* * *

TRACEY TOOK A shower and got ready for bed, but knew she wouldn’t be going to sleep for a while. She was too angry at Wes Hunter, for a variety of reasons. She couldn’t comprehend him treating his grandfather like that, and he’d come close to ignoring her and Dr. Clayton. What in heaven’s name had been wrong with him?

Before driving to her cabin, she’d noticed John talking to his grandson in private after Dr. Clayton had left in his truck. The older man had shaken his head several times, indicating that they were having an intense conversation. If Wes was upset because he hadn’t seen Chief’s limp, it didn’t warrant his rudeness toward all of them.

No one knew how long the nail had been embedded, but for some reason the infection had started hurting the horse that afternoon. Since she had to work with Wes and it was his horse, she had to hope he wouldn’t hold it against her for noticing the problem first. In a normal situation, the number one priority would be to get Chief back to perfect health. She couldn’t understand why Wes would be angry that Dr. Clayton had taken care of Chief in a crisis. None of it made sense to her.

But that wasn’t all that was bothering her.

When she’d watched the red pickup disappear, she’d wished the dark blond doctor wouldn’t have left so fast. The tall, hard-muscled veterinarian was incredibly handsome. Her reaction to him had shocked her. After losing Jeff, she’d thought her heart had died and would never come back to life. But something had gone on this evening when they’d glanced at each other, something she couldn’t explain.

It wasn’t just his good looks or the intelligence shining in those hazel eyes that appealed to her. He’d displayed a natural affinity for the horse. There was a quiet authority and assurance he possessed that had gentled Chief enough for him to operate on the animal. He was a man in touch with nature, a trait that ranked high with her.

The doctor didn’t wear a wedding ring. But maybe because he worked with his hands so much, he left it at home when he went out on calls. If he was married, she’d be a fool to give him another thought.

How uncanny was it that she’d noticed Dr. Clayton’s hospital while she’d been driving to the ranch? What were the chances of John calling him in desperation when he couldn’t reach his regular vet?

Surprised by her thoughts, after she’d felt dead inside for so long, she grabbed a quilt and made herself comfortable on the couch to watch TV.

At some point she must have fallen asleep, for the next thing she knew someone was knocking on her cabin door. And the sun was streaming in the window above the kitchen sink. Tracey sat up and looked at her watch. Eight-thirty. The knock sounded again.

“Who is it?” she called out.

“Grady Cox.”

Tracey silently groaned. He had to be at least three years younger than she.

“They’re serving Sunday brunch for all the employees this morning. Do you want to eat with me?”

No, but she couldn’t be rude to him. They’d be working together for the next three months. Thank goodness the cabins weren’t equipped with phones and he didn’t have her cell number. Only John and Fran had access to that information if they needed to get hold of her.

“I’m afraid I’m not up yet. No doubt we’ll be seeing each other at some point soon.”

“You can count on it. My cabin is number five. The one with the silver Chevy Malibu in front.”

“Got it.”

When he walked away, Tracey let out a sound of relief and hurried to get ready in jeans and a yellow pullover. Her priority this morning was to check on Chief. She’d planned to skip breakfast, and reached for the granola bar from her purse to eat later on.

After brushing her hair, she put on fresh lipstick and her cowboy hat, then pulled on her cowboy boots and left the cabin for the barn. There was no sign of Dr. Clayton’s truck. Maybe he’d already come and gone. She walked inside, hoping that wasn’t true.

“Good morning,” she said when she saw Wes coming out of the stall next to Chief’s. Last night she’d noticed that Fran’s husband was most likely twenty-four or twenty-five, just slightly older than his wife. But unlike Fran, he didn’t have her friendly disposition. Talk about opposites.

“Morning,” he muttered. “Sorry I wasn’t here when you arrived yesterday. I was in town checking on supplies to be delivered.”

“No problem.”

“I didn’t realize anyone else had been hired to go on the trail rides with the horses. Usually the family handles that.”

She supposed the talk his grandfather had given him last night had wrought a few changes. But though he’d said the right words to her just now, her intuition told her he still wasn’t happy with the situation.

“I think it was a last-minute decision between my grandfather and John for me to be given a job on the dude ranch.” Except that it wasn’t true. She’d been hired when she’d come to the dude ranch in the Spring, but it appeared John hadn’t said anything at that time. “It’s a great privilege for me.”

His head jerked up. “You know my grandfather?”

Why did that bother him so much? “He and mine were best friends growing up. John is doing me a favor letting me work here this summer and I’m very grateful.”

The other man couldn’t hide his irritation and didn’t try. She didn’t understand it, but knew to give him a wide berth. Tracey couldn’t help but wonder how Fran handled him at times like this. The answer, of course, was that his wife was in love with him, and Wes was attractive, like the other Hunter men.

“Everyone around here is at breakfast,” he reminded her. “If you haven’t eaten yet, now’s the time.”

Good grief. He wanted her to leave. “I realize that, but I thought I’d check on Chief first.”

“I’ve already done that, so it won’t be necessary. He’s fine.”

Tracey had to count to ten. “I understand it’ll be two weeks before we’ll find out if he’s fully recovered. Do you know if Dr. Clayton has been here yet?”

“Nope.” Wrong question. “It seems you’re the one who told Granddad there was a new vet in Ravalli County.”

Strike one against her. She wasn’t wrong about his antagonism toward her. The question was why he felt so threatened. Tracey had picked up a lot from teaching children. Wes had become very defensive and was blaming her. Though she probably couldn’t alleviate the problem, she decided to give it one more try.

“When your grandfather couldn’t reach Dr. Cruz, we were both desperate, because Chief was in pain. That’s when I mentioned passing the Clayton Veterinary Hospital after I left Stevensville.”

Wes’s brown eyes took on what she thought was a strange glitter, but maybe it was a trick of the light. “You’re new here and would be wise to realize Chief is my horse. I’m the one who determines his care and knows what’s best for him.”

Did Wes mean he actually owned the horse? John had told her she could pick out any one she wanted. “Grady mentioned as much.” Somewhere there’d been a disconnect.

“One more thing for you to know. Dr. Cruz is our dude ranch vet, Tracey. When he’s back in his office on Monday, he’ll be the one to finish Chief’s treatment.”

Whoa. If there was some problem between Wes and his grandfather over the choice of vet, she didn’t dare get into it, and changed the subject.

“Yesterday I got acquainted with most of the horses, but Grady told me there are several I still haven’t seen. Would you mind showing them to me so I can pick out one to ride?”

“Not at all. But I think I know the one for you. Fancy Pants is the bay and a great mare. I’ll be exercising them in the corral a little later where you can get a good look at her.”

Tracey had already done that. It appeared Wes was doing everything to put her in her place. She certainly hadn’t expected to meet this degree of animosity over the vet incident and knew she needed to tread carefully. “Then I’ll come back. Thank you.”

“Sure.”

Since he’d made it clear he didn’t want her looking at Chief or the other horses right now, she started walking back to her cabin and pulled the granola bar out of her pocket. While she munched on it, she saw a red truck in the distance coming toward the barn. Her steps slowed and her heart did a huge kick.

When Dr. Clayton reached her, he lowered his window. “Good morning.”

It was, now. “Good morning.”

“How’s our patient?”

“I haven’t seen him yet. Wes told me he was fine and suggested I go to breakfast before it was too late to be served.”

“That’s interesting.”

They could read each other’s minds. “I thought so, too.”

“Is that where you’re headed now?”

“No. I had a snack a few minutes ago.”

“If you have time, would you like to take a look at him with me? I could use your calming influence while I inspect his hoof.”

“I have plenty of time.”

“Do you mind if I call you Tracey?”

“As if I would.”

She knew her feelings for him were growing too fast. In the short time since meeting him—heavens, was it only last night?—Tracey had the impression she was suddenly experiencing life in glorious Technicolor. He seemed bigger than life to her, stronger, more wonderful.

Oh, yes. He was definitely wonderful.


Chapter Three (#ua26c428b-bac2-554a-ade0-6686e0f6624d)

Doctor Clayton’s eyes roamed over her features. “What a beautiful day.”

“Isn’t it?” Sunshine filled a blue sky. Her heart wouldn’t stop thudding.

Thrilled that he wanted her with him, she waited while he parked the truck and got out with his bag. In a black Stetson, jeans and a blue denim shirt he was so striking, she was in danger of staring. Together they walked into the barn toward the third stall.

Wes came out of another stall a little farther down. “Dr. Clayton...” By the tautness of his features, Tracey could tell he hadn’t expected to see the vet show up this soon.

“Good morning, Mr. Hunter. As you know, I’m here on your grandfather’s orders to soak Chief’s hoof and put on a new poultice. Tracey’s going to help me.” He turned to her. “I’ll fill this bucket with some warm water and get started.”

“I’ll do it for you.”

“Thanks.” He handed it to her. She could tell Wes didn’t want her doing anything, but he couldn’t very well interfere.

When she came back, she set it next to the vet, who’d unwrapped the soiled poultice. She squatted next to him. “It drained a lot during the night.”

“That’s exactly the result we wanted.” His smile sent a wave of warmth through her body. “The infection has built up, but we’re getting rid of it now.” He reached for more Epsom salts to put in the water, then lowered the hoof into the bucket. “That feels good, doesn’t it, buddy?” he said to the horse.

His gentleness and professionalism mesmerized Tracey. “Look at that,” she said softly. “His ears are up. You’ve made a friend.”

“My former boss, Hannah, used to say it was one of the perks of being a vet. I discovered she was right.”

“Chief is the horse I would have liked to ride while I’m here this summer, but I understand he belongs to Wes. In any case I hope he has a full recovery.”

“For both your sakes, I want the same thing. We’ll know soon enough.” The vet shot her a sideways glance. “Tell me about yourself. How did you happen to start working here?” he asked in a quiet voice.

“My grandfather and Mr. Hunter grew up in Polson and are still best friends.”

“The Flathead area is one of my favorite places.”

“I was born there and I love it. But after teaching sixth grade all year, I wanted to get away for the summer. Riding is my passion. Grandpa suggested I try to get hired here to help on the trail rides.”

“I met with Mr. Hunter this morning. He’s very grateful he took you on.”

“That’s good to hear.”

“I learned that Chief happens to be his favorite and most expensive horse. He didn’t mention that Wes owned him.”

“One of the other staff told me that before Wes told me himself this morning.”

“Maybe it’s just the horse he prefers while he’s working at the stable.”

“Maybe.” But both of them knew there was a lot more to the story.

“John told me you’re a valuable employee for noticing the limp.”

“I don’t know about that.” She studied his arresting profile. “Why did you leave your practice in Missoula?”

“The owner died a little over two months ago.”

“Oh, dear.”

“Though I could have bought her practice, I preferred to set up my own on our family’s ranch. Unfortunately, I’ve lost a fair number of patients by moving.”

“But I don’t blame you for wanting to be with your family. John told me yours is a big cattle ranch. You’d have enough patients without ever having to leave the property.”

He chuckled. “You’re right about that. We’ll see. These things take time. It might interest you to know Mr. Hunter is my first new client since my move. That’s thanks to you.”

She bet John didn’t know that, and if Wes had his way, today’s visit would be the end of it. “What a coincidence that I happened to notice your hospital yesterday. I’m happy John called you.”

“Frankly, so am I.”

Tracey couldn’t learn enough about him. “Do you come from a big family?”

“Three brothers. Two of them are married. What about you?”

“I have one married brother who’s a forest ranger. My grandfather lives with my parents now.”

“You’re very fortunate they’re alive. My own dad passed away, but I’m lucky to still have my mother.”

“I’m sorry for your loss,” Tracey whispered. “How long ago was it?”

“Several years. He had the most influence on me to become a vet.” With that revelation, Roce lifted Chief’s hoof from the bucket and prepared a new poultice. After wrapping it, he glanced at her. “Thanks for helping me.”

“I wanted to make sure he was healing. Until we know how he fares, I’ll have to pick another horse. My job starts in the morning when the first tourists arrive.”

The vet put things back in his bag and got to his feet. “What will you do with the rest of your day?”

“Not a lot. I’m new to this area and plan to look around. I’ll probably drive into Hamilton to do a few errands.”

“If you’re free, would you like to go to lunch? I don’t need to get back to the hospital until this afternoon.”

Tracey was so excited she didn’t know how to contain it. “Let me empty this bucket and I’ll meet you out in front.”

She had to pass Wes to reach the drain. He ignored her. Under normal circumstances he ought to have been the one to take care of it, but he’d elected not to go near the vet. After she’d rinsed out the bucket and put it back in Chief’s stall, she walked outside.

To her surprise, Grady came hurrying up to her. “There you are! I was hoping to catch up with you. Do you want to go for a horseback ride? It would be the perfect time to try out the horse you’ll be riding all summer.”

He meant the mare Wes had already picked out for her. “Thanks, but I have other plans for today. Grady Cox? I guess you haven’t met Dr. Clayton, who’s been treating Chief’s hoof. He runs a veterinary hospital near Stevensville.” She turned to the doctor. “Grady’s a college student in Missoula who has worked here several summers, managing the horses.”

“Lucky you, Grady. It’s nice to meet you.”

“You, too.”

The younger man switched his gaze to Tracey. “Maybe we can go riding another time then.”

“Of course.”

Once he’d headed for the barn, Tracey followed the vet around to the passenger side of his truck. He opened the door so she could climb in the cab. When their eyes met, she knew something earthshaking was happening to her.

After getting in his side and starting the engine, he turned to her. “What are you in the mood for?”

“I missed breakfast, so I’m starting to get an appetite. A granola bar doesn’t last all that long.”

She heard a chuckle. “Since I wanted to talk to Mr. Hunter early, I left the house without eating, so I’m hungry, too. Let’s drive into town and see what we can find.”

He drove by farms and orchards until they entered the town of five thousand. After passing different stores and businesses, they both suddenly cried out as they spotted a sign that said Breakfast All Day. After they’d broken into laughter, he pulled up in front of the family-style restaurant. “That was easy.”

They both went to the restroom to wash their hands before finding a table. The waitress poured them coffee and took their order. Tracey hadn’t been this happy for over two and a half years. Though Jeff had been killed eighteen months ago, she’d worried about him for the entire year he’d first been deployed.

Today she felt a new lightness in her heart. It had everything to do with the gorgeous man seated across from her. His hazel eyes shone like gemstones. He’d removed his hat, revealing his dark blond hair. A large-animal vet like him spent a lot of time in the sun, as evidenced by his bronzed complexion. His male beauty was something to behold.

The waitress obviously thought so, too. Tracey might as well have not existed while the other woman chatted about how she’d never seen him in here before. After dropping her name, she said she hoped he’d come again.

“Maybe since you’ll be treating Chief for another ten days, ‘Cassie’ will get her wish,” Tracey teased after the woman walked away.

A half smile broke out on his face. “It could happen, as long as you’re with me.”

Her breath caught at his comment, but there was something he needed to know. At first she hadn’t intended to tell him, because she didn’t want to interfere with John and his grandson, but this was too important.

“Dr. Clayton—” she began.

“Call me Roce. It’s pronounced like Rossi, but spelled with an e.

“That’s good to know. I’ve never heard that name before.”

“It’s short for Rocelin, an old English name.”

His name was as unique as the man himself. “What I wanted to say was that this morning Wes confronted me in the barn.”

His expression sobered. “In what regard?”

“I wanted to check on Chief, but he said he’d already done it. He also told me that Dr. Cruz was the vet and would be taking care of Chief from now on.”

Roce nodded. “I appreciate you telling me, but I was already aware there was a problem. Suffice it to say Mr. Hunter made it clear he employed me. I’m afraid Wes will have to deal with his grandfather if he’s unhappy.”

“I’m relieved then, because we both know he’s unhappy and isn’t worried about showing it.”

“How true. That’s one troubled young man.”

“I couldn’t agree more.” They left the conversation there.

After enjoying another cup of coffee, Cassie brought them, Roce put some bills on the table. “You said you had errands to run. Ready to do them?”

“All I really wanted to do was buy some treats for the horses. Today I’ve got to choose the one I want to ride this summer. Wes informed me this morning he’s already chosen one for me. She’s a bay mare, his pick.”

“He likes being in charge.”

“True. If she’s the one I ride to keep the peace, a treat might help us become friends sooner.”

“Then let’s do it.”

They left the restaurant and walked to the truck. He drove to the feed store they’d passed earlier and he took her inside. They wandered around until they found what she was looking for.

“My horse, Spirit, loves Paddock Cakes,” Tracey commented.

Roce darted an amused glance her way. “Of course he does. Let’s add some lactose-free Probio snacks to aid the digestion of those gummy frogs.” She laughed as he reached for them, and they walked to the counter to pay for everything.

Soon they headed back to the ranch. She put the sack of treats in her purse.

“Where do you want me to drop you?”

“If you would let me off by the corral, that would be perfect. Wes said he’d be exercising the horses I haven’t seen yet. I’ll have to find one to ride before morning. He’ll expect me to pick the bay, of course.”

“Want some help?”

She took a quick breath. “I’d be thrilled, but I don’t dare impose on your time.”

“I’m not in a hurry.”

He pulled to a stop and they got out. Tracey counted seven horses in the corral. She saw Wes standing against the corral fencing. In a whisper she said, “Yup. There’s the mare.”

“Let’s take a look at her first.”

There was no question Wes was glaring at them when they entered the corral. Without being asked, he deliberately reached for the bay and led her over to Tracey, ignoring Roce. “This is Fancy Pants.”

She’d already examined her yesterday, but made a pretense of doing it again. While Roce did his own inspection afterward, she turned to Wes, who’d been watching them like a cat ready to pounce on a mouse.

“Before dinner I’ll take Fancy Pants for a ride.” If Tracey had said anything else, there would have been an ugly scene. She could almost taste the venom coming from Wes. She didn’t want that. “See you later.”

Once again Roce nodded to the other man before the two of them headed for his truck. After he climbed in behind the wheel, he looked down at her from the open window as he’d done earlier. “The mare appears in good health. You’ll know a lot more about her when you take her for a ride.”

“You’re right. Thank you for breakfast.”

“My pleasure. I’ll be back here at six thirty in the morning.”

Tracey would be living for it.

“If I’m held up for some reason, let’s exchange cell phone numbers so we can stay in touch.”

She nodded, thrilled he’d suggested it. They traded phones to put in their numbers.

“See you soon, Tracey.”

As he drove off, she walked to her cabin, hoping Grady wouldn’t see her and try to monopolize her time. Before long she would have to have a heart-to-heart talk with her grandfather over the situation brewing between Wes and John. If he had any advice, she wanted to hear it, but that conversation could wait another day.

For a little while all she wanted to do was savor the time she’d just spent with Roce Clayton.

* * *

ROCE KNEW TROUBLE from the first moment Wes Hunter had exploded on the scene in the barn last evening. He feared Tracey was caught in the middle of an unpleasant situation. After watching Wes in action just now, he made up his mind to keep a close eye on what was going on behind the scenes.

Once he’d reached the house, he let Daisy outside, then brought her back in. After pouring more water in her dish, he worked in his office. He had some phone calls to return from patients in the Missoula area. There was also a mountain of mail to go through that he’d retrieved from his box at the post office in Stevensville.

An hour later he came across a letter from the Bitterroot-Sapphire Animal Festival being held in a few days in Hamilton.

Dear Dr. Clayton,

Our committee is hoping to assemble as many local veterinarians as possible who would be willing to help or be on call during our three-day festival over the June 8-10 weekend. If you could give us the times you might be available, there will be a small remuneration for your service.

That was four days away. Roce’s mind was already racing ahead.

Festival organizers have put out the following health advisory to those who bring animals, asking that they be conscious of the risks and take simple precautions.

Roce read the advisory. But the fact that decided him to help out lay at the feet of a certain enticing female working on the Rocky Point Dude Ranch. After being with her today, he knew in his gut she was attracted to him, too, and he thought he would invite her to attend some of the festival events with him.

Excited to have another reason to see her away from the dude ranch, he emailed his response, then took Daisy with him to his mom’s for Sunday dinner.

Everyone had congregated except their youngest brother, Toly, who was still single and on the rodeo circuit. When Roce walked into the living room, Libby shouted for joy and ran over to play with Daisy.

Eli sat on the couch with Brianna and Jasmine, the wife of their oldest brother, Wymon. Everyone fought to hold Eli and Brianna’s new baby. Just two weeks old, little Stephen, named after their father, Stephen Clayton, was adorable, and the family was overjoyed.

“How’s the new Clayton Ranch vet?” Wymon asked, giving Roce a hug.

“That depends. Since Mom hasn’t announced dinner yet, let’s go in the den for a minute. I want to talk to you about something.”

“Sounds serious.”

“It could be.”

They went into their father’s study and he shut the doors. “You know the ranchers around here better than anyone. What can you tell me about John Hunter? He made it big in oil and owns the Rocky Point Dude Ranch outside Hamilton. He said he met you at a rodeo last year.”

“That’s right.” Wymon sat on a corner of the old oak desk. “He’s well-known and revered. I’m biased, from a personal standpoint, because he was an early contributor to our coalition’s agenda to reintroduce grizzly bears to the Sapphire Mountains.”

“I’m glad to hear it. Do you know anything about his family?”

“I’ve met Sheldon, who helps his father buy the horses they use on the ranch. We’ve talked several times. He seems like a good man, too.” Wymon cocked his head. “What’s this all about?”

Roce wasted no time telling him what had happened last evening. “Wes is Sheldon’s son and married to a girl named Fran. Wes told me under no uncertain terms that Dr. Cruz, who’s from Darby, will be taking over Chief’s care starting tomorrow. That goes exactly against what John told me.”

Wymon shook his head. “Obviously, the grandson is making trouble for you already. I wonder why. How old is he?”

“Mid-twenties maybe. In my opinion he was irrationally upset that Tracey was the one who noticed Chief’s limp in the first place. He claims it’s his horse, and he was in town when she went to the corral to check out the horse she wanted to ride.”

“Tracey?”

“Yes. Tracey Marcroft. She’s an elementary schoolteacher from Polson. She was hired to help with the trail rides this summer. I learned that she grew up around horses and even did a little barrel racing. She picked out Chief as the best of the lot. Her grandfather is close friends with John. That’s how she got the job.

“But instead of Wes being glad she saw what was wrong with the horse, he was so cold. Dr. Cruz wasn’t available, so John Hunter called me. Now I have to ask why Wes is that intent on Dr. Cruz taking over, when it’s John’s decision. Something doesn’t feel right.”




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