Cowboy Seeks a Horse Whisperer by Marley Michaels
Jesse
Buster continues to nicker and pace back and forth when Kendra steps outside the barn to make a phone call. She was hoping that in his exhausted state, he’d calm down enough to let her examine him properly, but after a few hours, with his fearful body language, and the fact he’s only sleeping in fits and spurts, we’ve both realized we’re in this for the long haul. So Kendra’s calling the veterinary clinic to cancel the rest of today's appointments.
I drop a little more feed into Buster's stall, then turn to the sound of Kendra’s footsteps returning. As she walks through the barn, I let my eyes slowly absorb her, telling my dick to behave as I do. I have no idea what it is about the woman, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't like what I see. On any other day, or about any other woman, I’d say she wasn’t anything special to look at—except…she is. My interest in her piqued the moment she got out of her truck, and I’ve been trying to understand why ever since. She’s not my normal type at all. But as far as my dick is concerned, she’s the only type I need right now.
She’s got a sea of dark, messy curls that keep escaping the ponytail she’s raked them up in, a set of big brown eyes framed with lashes so dark they could give Miller's favorite cow, Petunia, a run for her money. She’s not wearing a lick of makeup, nor does she wear any sort of revealing or pretentious clothes. It’s just worn jeans, a blue flannel, and a waterproof coat on top of a pair of hiking boots that have seen better days. But for some reason, my body is reacting like she’s one of those buckle bunnies who hang out at the rodeo, barely a scrap on them as they hunt for a cowboy of their very own to ride all the way home. Maybe it's the absence of anything fancy or revealing that’s making it hard to look away. I mean, I've seen some beautiful women in my day. But this here is a woman who is beautiful in nothing but the skin that God gave her. And not only that, she seems comfortable in it too. My blood quite literally feels hotter beneath my skin when she’s near, and on top of that, every time she looks at me, my chest gets tight and suddenly I’m like a bumbling teenager with his first crush, nervous as hell and trying to hide it behind bravado and witty quips. I’ve never felt like this before—even when I was a young rancher with a belt buckle bigger than the brains in my head.
“Everything OK at the office?” I ask as she approaches. Am I breaking out in a sweat? Is there a weather change coming? I rub my clammy palms against my jeans quickly, hoping she doesn’t notice.
“All taken care of. My receptionist, Molly, is calling in one of the other vets to cover for me,” she says, smiling as she slides her cell into her back pocket before she stops alongside me and checks in on our patient again. Buster neighs and snorts, stomping his hooves like he’s telling us to move back so he can eat in solitude. “He’s a fighter, this one. You got a good read on him straight away.”
“He’s surly and ornery and apparently likes to eat in peace.”
“Don’t we all,” she replies, making me grin.
We step back to let him eat and go back to sitting on the hay bales I dragged over and covered with a blanket so we could stay close. “You need more coffee?” I ask, picking up the flask and holding it up to her.
“If I drink any more of that magic concoction, I’ll be bouncing off the walls and I won’t sleep for a week,” she says with a laugh. “You were right about it packing a punch. I’ll have to ask your sister how to make it. I can just see my productivity levels going through the roof with this in my wheelhouse.”
“I’m sure Ellie-Mae’ll be happy to oblige. She takes great pride in keepin’ and feedin’ us all here on the ranch.”
“How many are you?” she asks, tapping her finger on her chin as she thinks. “Let’s see if I have this right. You mentioned a Randy, a…Beau, and a Sawyer. Now Ellie-Mae and someone else who owns this place?” Her eyes turn to mine, looking at me to fill in the blanks.
“Miller. He’s Ellie-Mae’s husband. He moved here a couple of years back from a place called Bear Mountain. You heard of that?”
“I sure have. There’s a Homestead up there that deals with biodiversity, and I like to read their blog. They talk about their animals a lot, and how they raise them in such a cold climate. It’s fascinating.”
A big grin takes over my face as I nod. “That’s exactly where he’s from. He came down here for a change of pace one year, stirred up a bunch of trouble, then decided to stay. He’s been a great asset to the ranch. See that bunkhouse over there? He designed and built that with his brothers. Then all the knowledge he brought from the Homestead helped us increase our ranch-grown supplies three-fold. Not to mention, he and Ellie-Mae created the cutest little cowgirl you’ve ever seen. My niece, Whitney, is the apple of every Barnes brother’s eye.”
When I lift my eyes to hers, she’s grinning, her eyes twinkling like she’s highly amused. “Does Miller know you have a crush on him?” She elbows me lightly in the side and I laugh.
“Oh yeah. And it’s totally reciprocated. When he first moved here, he tried to grow a beard just like mine.” I take a moment to stroke my chin, and for a brief second, I wonder if the doc likes facial hair. I shake my head at the thought. I mean, who wouldn’t like a bit of scruff on a man, right?
“And how did that go? Did he succeed?”
“Nope. He’s too fair to make it work, blond as the summer sun in the sky, that one. Besides, I had to tell him I drew the line at dating a man who couldn’t grow a beard. So, we settled on bein’ best friends instead. Especially since I could see how taken Ellie was with him. Couldn’t cut my little sister’s grass and all.”
“I bet she appreciates that,” she says, snickering a little as she sits up a little higher and peeks in at Buster who appears to be dozing again.
We fall into silence for a moment before I frown slightly, wishing I could smack myself around the ears when I realize exactly what I just said out loud. “Just so we’re clear, that was all just a joke. I don’t have a crush on the mountain man.”
She smiles. “I know.”
“Do you? I mean, you don’t think I’m…ah…”
“Gay?” She laughs as I nod slightly in acknowledgment. “No, Jesse. I did not get that vibe off you at all. Crazy as it may seem, I understood it was a joke too,” she says with a wink. “Gotta be a smart cookie to be a vet, you know. You’re looking at the product of many many years at college right now.” She taps a finger to her head and I wince.
“I wasn’t trying to insinuate you were simple, doc. Shit. I mean, shoot. I mean…” I let out a slow breath to try to stop putting my foot in my mouth. “I never feel this awkward talkin’ to women, Kendra. I’m not quite sure what’s goin’ on here.” A nervous laugh bubbles out of me as I shake my head slowly. “Bein’ around you is makin’ me feel stupid, if I'm honest. Like I'm worried you're not gonna wanna help me if I say the wrong thing.”
She turns to me and studies me for a long moment, understanding in her gaze before she speaks. “Sometimes when we have to admit we’re in over our heads, it's easy to feel that way. Hell, I've been feeling like that ever since I moved to Eagle Mountain. I've been in Alaska all my life, but here it’s just so different.”
“What made you decide to come to Eagle Mountain?” I ask.
“I don't know, really. It was like it just... called to me.”
My eyes bug out a little as I process her words. “Did you just say... that the mountain called to you?” I blurt out, zero filter, zero finesse, and I do it knowing she must think I’m an idiot now.
“Yeah,” she says, a smile spreading across her face as she nods and lifts her eyes skyward. “Ever since I was a kid I wanted to set up a purpose-built center to rescue horses who have been treated poorly like Buster here. And for some reason, I just knew that this was the place to make it happen. So here I am. And lo-and-behold, here’s Buster, my first equine patient.”
“Because the mountain called to you.”
She laughs as she frowns a little. “Yeah. I know it sounds crazy, but it did. And I’m glad because it means I got to be here today. I’ve always had a thing for mountains and being able to wake up every morning and look out my window to the beautiful vision of Eagle Mountain is the stuff dreams are made of.”
I just stare at her in response, my mouth open as my heart hammers in my chest while information I’d half accepted, half ignored starts swirling through my brain. The mountain called her…
Back when Miller and Ellie-Mae got married, there was an old wizard-looking man who insisted this thing called ‘The Call’ was coming to Eagle Mountain. He said there was a spirit awakening in our mountain since Miller and Ellie had fulfilled some prophecy by bridging his mountain and our mountain together—something crazy like that. I don’t get how any of it works, but I do know that this is the thing that drove Miller away from Bear Mountain. I also know that the wizard guy said I was next. He said that the Mountain would call my soulmate here and that when I saw her, I’d know. My body would somehow tell me. Holy shit on a chocolate sundae. Does this mean she’s my—
“Jesse?” Kendra waves her fingers in front of my face, making me realize I’ve been staring for far too long, like I’m in some sort of trance. “Are you OK? Surely the cowboy brew isn’t wearing off already?”
“Errr,” I start, my heart thundering in my ears as I look from her to the open barn door and back again. “I um…” I pause and swallow hard before grabbing the thermos and shooting to my feet. “You’re right. I need more coffee,” I blurt, and then I’m power walking out the door, needing air and a little distance so I can wrap my head around this. Could The Call really be here?