Page 16 of Saddles and Snowstorms
I’d been hoping to have a day to myself, but when the only rodeo training facility in town calls for the vet, I knew I had to answer. Besides, I’d heard a bit about them from Beau and Lucas and I was curious to meet everyone in person. Plus getting in good with a rodeo training facility was guaranteed work. There was always a horse, bull, or calf that needed care in that kind of sport.
The truck rattled over the gravel road as I wound my way through the countryside. I’d been in Sagebrush for just under a month, and the landscape still took my breath away sometimes. Even in the dead of winter, with everything brown and graying, it was still beautiful. Austin had nothing on Sagebrush in terms of scenery and I was getting used to the lack of nightlife. Not like I had any time for that kind of thing, anyway. I was happy to be busy either way, it kept my mind off the past.
As I pulled up to the Baker Ranch, I spotted two figures leaning againstthe metal fence surrounding the arena. One was distinctly feminine, a long braid running down her back. The other was a wide-shouldered man with light skin and a small tuft of red hair peeking out from under his cowboy hat. Thanks to Lucas’s descriptions, I knew exactly who I was looking at.
Caroline Baker squinted against the morning sun as I pulled up. She didn’t waste any time with pleasantries, pushing off from the fence as soon as my boots hit the ground.
“You’re the new vet?” Her drawl was thick, her eyes assessing me with the same critical gaze I imagined she used on her horses.
“Yes ma’am. Dr. Rowan Walsh.” I extended my hand, which she took with a firm grip that suggested years of ranch work.
“Caroline Baker. This here’s my business partner, Colt.” She nodded toward the man beside her, who offered a friendly smile and a tip of his hat.
“Nice to meet you both,” I nodded. “Heard a lot about you from Lucas and Beau.”
“Oh, have you now?” Colt’s grin widened, a mischievous glint in his green eyes. He pushed off the fence with an easy grace that belied his stocky frame. “Don’t believe everything those two queens tell you.”
“Especially about him,” Caroline added with a snort. “Colt’s reputation is about ninety percent his own making.”
Colt clutched his chest dramatically. “You wound me, Caroline.”
I couldn’t help but smile at their banter, though I kept my professional demeanor. “So, you have a lame horse?”
Caroline nodded, suddenly all business. “Our best barrel racer, Whiskey. Started favoring her right front yesterday during training. No visible swelling, but we found her hobbling around this morning. She won’t put weight on it.” She turned and beckoned me to follow. “This way.”
As we walked toward the stables, I noticed Colt studying me with interest.
“So, you’re the city boy turned country vet everyone is talking about,” he said, falling into step beside me. “How’re you finding Sagebrush?”
“Quieter than Austin,” I replied, adjusting my medical bag on my shoulder.
“Quieter’s one way to put it,” Colt chuckled, his voice low and warm. “Boring’s another, depending who you ask. But we make our own fun around here.”
The way he said it made me wonder exactly what kind of fun he was referring to, but I kept my expression neutral. Professional. That’s what I needed to be. But on the inside, I was dying to know more. Lucas told me about Eli and Colt, the town’s newest gay couple. An accountant and a rodeo star coming together? I wanted all the details.
“I’ve been too busy setting up the practice to notice either way, unfortunately.”
Caroline led us into a spacious barn, the smell of hay and horses filling my nostrils. The familiar scent was comforting. Animals had always made more sense to me than people. My ex liked to call it a character flaw. I called it a career choice.
“She’s in the last stall,” Caroline said, her braid swinging as she walked ahead.
I could feel Colt’s eyes on me as we moved down the center aisle of the barn. When I glanced his way, he didn’t bother to hide his appreciative gaze, instead offering a slow, confident smile that crinkled the corners of his eyes.
“So, you know Lucas and Beau pretty well then?” he asked.
“Went over the other night to treat Beau’s horse and they invited me to stay for a barbecue,” I nodded. “Probably put away a few too many beers, but it was fun. I needed the break from work.”
“Well, any friend of those two is a friend of mine,” Colt said, tipping his hat back slightly to reveal more of his face. The morning light streaming through the barn windows caught his red hair, making it glow like embers. “Though I reckon I could show you a better time than they did.”
Caroline rolled her eyes. “Down, boy. The man’s here to work, not flirt. And you’ve already got a man.”
“I can multitask,” Colt replied with a wink in my direction. “And Eli would join me on this one. This guy’s cute as hell.”
I felt a flush creep up my neck but kept my focus professional as we approached the stall where Whiskey was waiting. The mare was a beautiful palomino with a white blaze down her face, and I could seeimmediately she was favoring her right front leg, barely touching the hoof to the ground.
“Hey there, beautiful,” I murmured, letting her catch my scent before I moved closer. Her ears flicked forward, curious but cautious.
“She’s usually a firecracker,” Caroline said, leaning against the stall door. “Seeing her this subdued ain’t natural.”
