Page 6 of Love in the Wild

“Hold still, girl. I’m trying to help,” Jess said as she reached for the leg again.

“She’s a lot easier to manage than some of the kids. Getting them to line up is like herding cats sometimes.”

Jess looked up at Hadley with a crease between her brow. Her blonde hair was expertly curled and falling out of the fancy up-do she’d worn to Colt and Remi’s wedding a few hours ago. “Why would you need to herd cats?”

Hadley held up her hands. “Just an expression. It means something is difficult, like herding cats would be.”

Jess went back to studying the hoof. It was easy to forget that Jess took everything at face value, and Hadley tried her best to keep any figures of speech to a minimum.

Jess let Star’s hoof fall and stood with a huff. “Infection. I’ll call Tucker, but I think I have the antibiotic she needs.” Huffing, Jess pulled out her phone and called the veterinarian. He answered quickly, and while Jess’s words relayed the necessary information, her tone was harsh and sharp.

When the call ended, Jess stormed off and returned a few minutes later and tossed a tube of cream at Hadley. “He said use this.”

Hadley caught it and read the active ingredients. None of it was familiar. “Um, are you sure you’re okay? You seem extra irritated tonight.”

Jess huffed and pulled at the hair at her temples. “Brett is so stupid.” She paced in front of Star, throwing her arms around. “Five years ago, some girl ruined our lives, and now she’s back and Brett is acting like hanging out with her is a good idea!”

“Who? And she ruined your lives? That’s a little extreme. You have a pretty good life now.”

Jess stopped her pacing and glared at Hadley. “Brett almost went to prison. Our dad was murdered. Thea was his girlfriend, and she turned her back on him when he needed help. Yeah, I’d say she tried to ruin our lives.”

“Okay, well, that sounds like a great bedtime story. Forget I asked.”

Jess resumed her stomping around. “I mean, she just left him. Her stupid uncle killed our dad and got away with it. Thea showed up at the wedding tonight, and Brett went with her. He just left with her!”

Hadley looked around. Was there an escape somewhere around here? This was one web she didn’t want to get tangled in. “Do we know if he’ll be showing up for work in the morning?”

“Probably not. He’s at the hospital in Cody fawning over that traitor.”

Hadley straightened. “The hospital? Is he okay?”

“It’s her. She was hurt, and he went with her.”

“That sounds…nice of him.”

“It’s not nice! She’s a Howard. We’re Pattons. Our families like to kill each other for sport, and he’s acting like he isn’t walking right into a trap tonight.” Jess’s head jerked from one side to the other like a cornered animal. “I’m going outside for a minute.”

“I’m sure things will be okay,” Hadley said as Jess speed-walked out of the stables.

“Wow. Did you hear that, Star? It kinda sounds like Brett would do anything for that woman.” Hadley picked up a brush and started working on the horse’s mane. Her thoughts kept turning back to Brett and the mystery woman. She wasn’t a gossip, but was it bad that she wished Jess would come back in and talk some more?

Fifteen minutes later, Jess stormed back into the stables and straight to her office.

“Looks like the conversation is over.” Hadley picked up the hoof pick and started on the horse’s first hoof. “If I was Brett, I wouldn’t show up for work tomorrow. It might not be good for his health if Jess is still stomping around.”

Jess wasn’t prone to exaggeration, and if the situation was as serious as she made it out to be, Brett must really care about that woman to put his safety on the line like that.

If Brett and Thea dated in the past, did he love her? Was that why he’d be willing to face the risk?

“I’ve never been in love. Well, I love Mom and Cheyenne, but I’ve never loved a man before.” Even the thought of getting that close to a man and trusting him to care for her without hurting her sent a chill up her spine.

The men she worked with on the ranch were pretty good, but she didn’t have to work in close quarters with them often. Some of them had girlfriends or even wives, and they were always sweet to each other whenever she saw the couples together.

Even her sister had found love. Though, Hadley still wasn’t sure she’d know true love if it hit her in the face. They hadn’t grown up with a good example of a loving relationship.

It was for the best. Better to have no dad at all than to live with an abusive one.

Cheyenne not only found love but found out that her dad who left them hadn’t actually left them at all. He hadn’t known he had a daughter.

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