Cowboy Seeks a Horse Whisperer by Marley Michaels
Jesse
“There’s one,” Beau points out from the back of the Gator as Miller drives the utility vehicle across the back of the paddock. The cows hear us coming and meander out of the way to make space, which tends to reveal any new calves that need tagging and noting down. We also take the opportunity to make sure they’re feeding properly and that the mamas are all doing well too.
Miller slows the Gator to a stop, and we all hop out to get our supplies. “Looks like there’s two,” Miller says, his green eyes focusing on the ground ahead as he extends his arm. “See that little one over there?”
I lean to the side and see a little bull calf drinking from his mama. “Oh yeah, I see him. Healthy and feedin’. I’ll go tag him while you two find out who this one belongs to.” I point to the lone calf.
“Sure thing,” he says as he and Beau head over to the calf that’s curled into a ball in an attempt to keep itself warm. Not that it’s doing a lot, because I can see it shivering from here. Most of the time the mother has just wandered a short distance because of the Gator coming, but sometimes a cow drops a calf and decides she doesn't want it. Which is when we need to intervene.
“Found mama cow?” I ask when I returned to them, the tagging gun in my hand. Both Miller and Beau are knelt beside the calf, building a windbreak out of hay.
“Not yet,” Beau looks up at me, shading his dark eyes from the direct sunlight. “Her temperature’s a little low, so I'm worried we're dealing with a rejection here. I reckon we give it thirty minutes to see if mama comes back for her baby, but I don't want to leave it much longer than that otherwise we'll be dealing with hypothermia.”
I nod sagely. “How about Miller and I finish checking the rest of the paddock then circle back to you?” I suggest, kneeling down with them and placing the tag on the little calf's ear. She barely even reacts, and the shivering is worse than I initially thought, which means we don't have a huge amount of leeway here. The hope is that mama just went for a walk to get some food and water and hasn't found her way back yet. And if that’s the case, it's always preferable to wait it out because mama and baby will reunite and bond, and we can just let nature do its thing. But if mama doesn’t come back, we'll be looking at a situation where we need to find a cow who was pregnant yesterday and isn't pregnant today, then bring them both back to the calving shed to force bonding. We've done it before and nine times out of ten it works just fine. But for that one time where the mama cow just outright rejects her baby, we hand raise the calf ourselves. It's not ideal, but these are all things we take in our stride here on Eagle Mountain Ranch.
“That's fine,” Beau says. “I'll just make this windbreak a bit bigger and keep an eye out for mom. I'll signal if I need you back sooner.”
“Sounds good.” I make a note of the calf’s tag number on my clipboard before heading back toward the Gator with Miller in tow. He gets in and starts her up.
“Saw Kendra's truck near the barn this morning,” he says, maneuvering the vehicle along the well-worn path. Normally we ride our horses through here, but when we've got a bunch of supplies to bring with us, the Gator is the better option. “Did you get much of a chance to talk to her? Or are you here avoidin’ her like you normally do?”
“If by talkin’ to her, you mean makin’ a fool of myself in front of her, then yeah, I sure did that.”
“It can’t have been that bad,” he says with a laugh. “You said just last week that you thought you might be hearing the Call with her. It’s stronger now, right?”
“Yeah. It is. And I think that's what's making things weird, because I don't fully understand what it is and why I'm feeling this way. It’s like I’m all worked up and can’t get myself to calm down. Then every time I find myself feeling attracted to her, I start to question whether it's really me who’s attracted to her or whether it's the Mountain making me attracted to her. And then I just start acting like an idiot and saying things I shouldn't say then pretending like they didn't mean anything. She's gonna think I'm a dick pretty soon and not want anything to do with me.”
He smirks as he glances my way. “Maybe this is when knowing a little more about the Call will help you out. I mean, I know that when my brother Brady heard it—he was the first of us to go through it—it was pretty confusing for him too. Then again, we had Gandalf to help smooth things out for us and show us the way, so to speak. And you, well, you just got me. So I guess it’s my job to help you out and answer any questions as best I can.”
I scrub a hand through my beard and let out a sigh. “I don’t even know where to start. I guess I need to know what it is, why it’s happening, and how the hell I’ll know if it’s real.”
“It’s your reward,” he says simply, pointing out another calf walking along with the herd in the distance.
“A reward? For what? Gettin’ to forty-two and still bein’ a bachelor?”
“For dedicating your life to the Mountain. Working with the land instead of against it. Back when the lore of the mountain spirits began, it was about protectin’ the balance of nature, preventin’ deforestation and stopping man from robbing the Mountains of precious minerals, preservin’ the earth for future generations. The Call started on Moose Mountain with Ellie-Mae’s distant cousins, the Coopers. Then shifted to the Homestead on Bear because we’ve spent generations learning to live harmoniously with our environment. And now it’s made its way to Eagle, where your family has spent years workin’ the plains, tendin’ to the soil and ensuring both the land and your animals are healthy and well cared for. It’s these things that the Mountain Spirit observes and rewards.”
I frown a little, letting his words sink in while we continue to work, tagging, checking, and noting down the new ranch additions. “What makes us more worthy than any other ranch near the mountain? I mean, we’re not the only ones practicin’ sustainable farmin’.”
“True. But you’re the only ones with an Ellie-Mae. She has Cooper blood in her, and that’s the special connection the Spirits seem to need to keep growing.”
“You know, any other bastard telling me this would be gettin’ a one-way ticket to the insane asylum, but since it’s you and I saw the effect this Call had on you and Ellie, I’m inclined to believe ya. It’s just a bit difficult to wrap my head around when I’ve been livin’ my life one way all this time, thinkin’ I’d forever be a bachelor. Now, all of a sudden, I’m s’posed to believe the Mountain has sent me the perfect woman? Do you have any idea how many relationships I’ve fucked up in my time?”
“Bro, I get it. We all felt the same way until our Ones showed up and we started to see it and experience it for ourselves. You’ve gotta know, it’s not just a woman you’re being rewarded with. The Mountain calls your soulmate to you; the one person in this world you are destined to be with and the reason none of those relationships ever worked out.”
I drop the tagging equipment into the back of the Gator and press my lips together. “My soulmate, huh?
Miller nods. “Based on your description of the way your body reacts when you’re around her, I can pretty confidently say that yeah, I think that’s exactly who Kendra is to you.”
A heavy breath eases its way out of my chest as I consider the deeper meaning of his words.
A soulmate.
The Mountain Spirit has brought my soulmate to the mountain to reward me for being good to the land and the animals.
Not only does that sound crazy, but it also sounds a hell of a lot like bullshit. Then again, how else do I explain the strange and desperate attraction I feel when I’m around her? That’s not normal either…
“So, assuming this is all real,” I start as I look up to meet his eyes. “How would I even broach the subject with her? I mean, I’ve heard stories about this Call for a while now and I'm struggling to believe it. If I went and told Kendra the Mountain brought her to me as a gift, she’ll probably take out a protective order against me.”
“She won’t,” he says with utmost confidence.
“How can you be so sure, Mills? This whole concept, real or imaginary, isn’t normal. We can’t just expect these women—intelligent women at that—to hear a story about this Mountain Lore then have blind faith in it. I may have spent my entire life around animals, but I know humans well enough to know that’s not how their minds work.”
“I don’t know how to explain it, man. It’s just never been an issue, so I guess the Mountain is communicating with your One too. There’s no denyin’ the irresistible need to be together with your One. It can’t be ignored, no matter how crazy or unlikely it seems.”
“I’m still not convinced.”
“OK. Well, take my twin, Mason’s Call journey. He didn’t think that Paige—a girl who’d been his best friend most of his life—could be his One, and she was convinced of the same. But when their time came, there was nothing that could keep those two apart. It was like watching Thor and his hammer flying into one another. And it was the same again with me and Ellie. When I first saw her, it was like my whole body said, ‘yes, finally.’ But even I dismissed that feeling because I didn’t expect it to happen off Bear Mountain, and you saw the struggle we went through. It was impossible to be apart.”
“I remember. OK, so explain this, if these women are our soulmates, why aren’t we just…I don’t know…together already? Why did Miller and Paige struggle to believe it, and why did you and Ellie have to dance around each other too?”
Miller tosses his head back and laughs. “Because it’s not that easy, my friend, and we wouldn’t recognize the Call for the true gift it is without a bit of a struggle. The Mountain draws your mate to you, but you've still gotta put in the work and sort your shit out before you can be together. The way Gandalf and Aster explain it—you’ve met them, they’re the seers of Bear and Moose—our mates are here to challenge us and help us become the best versions of ourselves and vice versa. For you, being the cocky bastard you are, maybe you’re being taught humility.” He bumps my shoulder with his and earns a jovial shove backward in return.
“And whaddya think Kendra is being taught?”
Miller shrugs. “The only way to know that is to get to know her. And that, brother, is your job”
“OK. Here’s another question for you—how do I get to know her without my hard-on making it awkward?” That earns me another belly laugh.
“You ever heard the term ‘Mrs. Palmer and her five daughters’?”
“You’re sayin’ just jerk off until my balls are so empty my brain can focus?”
“Something like that,” Miller says, still laughing as he slaps me on my shoulder. “And if that fails, I hear Flex tape does a great job at holding things down too.”
“Why do I get the feelin’ you’re just pullin’ my leg here, mountain man?” I look at him with narrowed eyes, and he just continues laughing up a storm.
“I am and I’m not. The Call is a powerful thing and rushing it or forcing it will only make your journey harder. Take it slow and pay attention to the signs. They’re all around you. Now, how ‘bout we go see how Beau’s doing with finding that calf’s mom cause as much as I like ya, I’d rather not stand around talking about your dick. OK?”
I let him have that one as I try to process all the new information swirling around in my head. I’m still not sure if I’m more enlightened or more confused as we get back in the Gator and turn it around. “What happens if you decide you don’t want the Call at all?”
Miller shrugs. “Couldn’t tell you. None of us ever even wanted to deny it, not once we’d spent a little time with our mates. And to be honest, I don’t think you’d have a choice. You’re each other’s destiny, after all.”
Destiny… does that mean I have no choice but to go along with this? And what about Kendra? How is she going to feel about some Mountain stepping in and changing the course of her life?
* * *
With the mothercow nowhere to be seen, we get the separated calf loaded into the Gator and back to the shed as fast as possible. Beau hangs back to feed it some synthetic colostrum and keep it in the warmer, while Miller heads into the main house to see Ellie Mae and Whitney. I wander over to the barn, surprised to find Kendra out in the corral walking Buster in slow circles. She’s made great strides with him already, and I’m beyond impressed.
Not wanting to risk startling the gelding, I quietly approach the fence and rest my forearms along the post, watching Kendra at work. The first thing I notice is the way her body moves, like it alone calls to me, enticing me with the gentle sway of her hips as she walks. I’m starting to see some wisdom in Miller’s words and wonder if Flex tape would be worth real consideration as I adjust myself slightly so I don’t look like some leery asshole trying to get into some sweet girl’s pants. Then I force myself to stop thinking with my dick and notice how incredibly focused on her task Kendra is. If she sees me standing here, she doesn't let on. Everything she's doing is about making Buster feel comfortable in her presence. From the way she angles her body, to the soft words of encouragement she speaks into his ear. It's like she's completely in sync with the animal and it's amazing to observe. There's no way I could have gotten Buster this calm as fast as she has. Left to me, he’d still be banging and kicking in that stall, so I take my hat off to her. She’s everything the pamphlets she left around town suggested. And if I’m really lucky and everything Miller told me about the Call is true, she could also be my soulmate—not that I’ve fully wrapped my head around that part yet.
It's not until she walks Buster back into his stable that Kendra glances my way, giving me a slight smile and nod to acknowledge my presence. I take note of the way my heart speeds up and smile to myself, shaking my head at the absurdity of this situation as I wait where I am until Buster is safe and secure again and Kendra is out of harm's way should he spook. It’s only then that I approach her.
“Horse whisperer extraordinaire,” I start, grinning as she looks up at me from where she’s mixing some vitamin powder into Buster’s next feed.
“Not sure I’d go that far.” She laughs. “But we’re definitely making progress. A little gentle exercise is going to do wonders for him. Do you think you’ll keep him here when he’s rehabilitated?”
I swipe a hand across my chin. “I hadn’t thought that far to be honest. We have the space, so I guess I figured he’d just join the rest of the horses and work the ranch with us when he’s strong enough.”
“That’s good to hear,” she says, a smile teasing her lips as her warm chocolate eyes meet mine. “The less disruption in his life, the easier it’ll be for him to feel safe again.”
“Kinda what we all strive for, huh? Minimal disruption and safety.”
Her grin grows wider as she nods. “Some of us like a little disruption. Keeps us on our toes.”
Huffing out a laugh, I pull my hat off my head and run a hand through my thick dark hair, noting the nervous tension I keep falling prey to when I’m in her presence. It’s like I have no idea how to talk to women anymore. “How’s your, ah…” I indicate her ass before sticking my hat back on my head. “Any aches and pains after your fall?”
“My ass cushioned me just fine, thanks for asking,” she says, moving to Buster’s stall and dropping in his feed. He blows out a contented breath and I think it’s the happiest sound I’ve heard him make. No matter what happens going forward, I don’t need a mountain or a mystical Call to tell me Kendra is special. I can see that with my own eyes. “How’d the calf tagging go? Were many born overnight?”
“One short of a dozen,” I say, noting with confusion the quick shift from playful to business.
“They all healthy?”
“Yeah. One was rejected though. Beau has it in the warmer now and we’ll go out to hunt down the mother shortly.”
“Sounds like you have your hands full for today. I actually have to get back to the clinic, but if you need me to check on the calf I can.”
I shake my head and take a step back, disappointed over our short interaction. “No need. We’ve done this enough times to know the drill. We’re old hands at this now.”
“OK then.” She presses her lips together and picks up her backpack, slinging it over her shoulder. “I guess I’ll be off then.”
“Will I see you tomorrow?” I rush out, a little too eagerly. But fuck it, there’s only one way to find out if Kendra is my One, right?
She pauses and takes a deep breath. “I have a pretty full day tomorrow. Surgery on an Australian Sheppard who’s been eating stones, then I have clinic time. I’m a bit behind but I wouldn’t have it any other way seeing how well Buster is doing.”
“Apologies if we took up too much of your time this past week. I never wanted to make anyone’s life harder.”
Glancing toward Buster who’s happily munching away at his food, she smiles then shakes her head slightly. “I live for stuff like this, so it’s been my pleasure, Jesse. And don’t think for a minute that I’m done here yet. You’re gonna see me so much you’ll get sick of the sight of me.”
“I don’t think that’s possible,” I say without thinking, earning myself a chuckle and a slight pinking of her cheeks.
“Good luck finding that calf’s mother, Jesse,” she says, squeezing my arm on her way past. “I’ll see you soon.”
* * *
Another week later,I’m walking out of the barn with Kendra after having put time aside each day to spend time around her whenever she’s working with Buster. I feel like each day brings us a little closer to each other, our friendship solidifying while we do this little dance around each other, flirting like two nervous high school kids, letting the other one know we’re interested without overtly coming out and saying it. I don’t know why I can’t just come straight out and tell her I want her, but it’s like I’m stuck in a loop of wanting, getting close, and then retreating. But on the upside, Buster is growing healthier and happier with every passing day, finally giving up that blood sample so Kendra could give him a clean bill of health.
“I think another week of close work and Buster will be ready to assimilate into the herd,” Kendra says, smiling up at me as the sunlight touches her slightly freckled skin.
“A week?” I ask, my breath catching in my chest as time feels like it’s falling through my fingers. “Won’t that be a little too soon?”
“Well, he’s putting on weight and he’s listening when we talk to him. So I can’t see him needing this level of training much longer. This is a good thing, Jesse. It’s what we wanted, right?” she says, reaching out and touching my bicep before giving my arm a comforting rub.
“Yeah,” I say, taking my hat from my head. “Yeah. It’s great. I just...”
“You just what?”
I release a nervous chuckle as I rub the back of my neck. “I’m gonna miss workin’ with you, doc.”
A big smile curves her mouth as her eyes shine from deep within. “Oh, you’re not getting rid of me yet. I’m still going to check in from time to time. But, you know you can see me round town too. I do live on the mountain. And we’re friends, right?” She tilts her head to the side and I frown slightly while I twist the brim of my hand between my fingers.
“Right. Friends,” I say, the word echoing in the hollow of my heart as I lift my eyes to meet hers. Friends? Is that really how she sees us?
“Well, I should go. House calls to be made and all that. I think I might be performing a c-section on a cow later, so that’s always fun.” She laughs as she steps away. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Jesse.”
“Yeah.” I lift my hat and stick it back on my head and frown. “See you tomorrow.” Just friends?
She lifts a hand to wave, then I watch her get into her truck and drive away, my hand resting on my arm, right where she touched as I acknowledge the electric heat that’s still there and the steady yearning rhythm of my heart. Thump, thump. Thump, thump.
What does she mean friends? This damn Call is making me crazy.
“This is nuts,” I say to myself with a shake of my head, because surely she didn't mean that. This is the Call we’re dealing with. We’re way more than just friends already—I just need to get my head out of my ass and do something about it. But I think it’s the sheer finality of what Kendra and I could become that’s making me hold back and take my time. I want to be really fucking sure before I drag her into all this.
“What’s nuts is the fact you haven’t asked that girl out yet,” Beau says from behind me, scaring the life out of me because I have no idea when he got there. “Haven’t seen that kind of tension between two people since Ellie-Mae and Miller were tip-toein’ around each other.”
“Miller says it’s the Call,” I say.
“The Call?” Beau’s brow shoots up and disappears under his Stetson. “Is that the thing Miller and Ellie-Mae were supposed to bring here with them?”
I nod. “At their wedding, Gandalf said I was gonna be the first of us to hear it. Supposedly, this—me meeting Kendra—is it.”
Beau bunches his forehead up in thought. “What’s it do?”
“Brings your soulmate to you.”
“So…Kendra is your…”
“Soulmate, yeah,” I finish for him, sighing because I feel all twisted up inside.
“That’s pretty fuckin’ heavy. How do you even know it’s real?”
“I can’t believe I’m sayin’ this out loud, but it’s like I feel it. Like there’s this voice I can’t really hear telling me that I need Kendra in my life. I can feel it in my blood and underneath my skin and ever since she showed up, it’s like my heart is beating out her name. It’s fucking nuts and I feel a bit messed up over it. No idea how I’m s’posed to tell her about it.”
Beau takes a deep breath and places a hand on my shoulder, looking me dead in the eye. “You’re right,” he says. “That does sound nuts. But we all see how happy Ellie and Mills are together, so I reckon you’ve only got one real choice here. You have to go for it.”
“I realize that. But what do I do? Say, hey, Kendra, the mountain wants us to fuck. How ‘bout it?”
He drops his arm and gives me an unimpressed look. “I think I’ve seen you sweet talk enough girls to know you’re classier than that.”
“I don’t feel too classy right now. I tell ya, all this thing does is make me feel primal toward her.”
“Then maybe what you need is a distraction. One in public so you’re forced to refrain from humping her leg like a randy bull during mating season.”
“And go where? We’re forever on this ranch, and I don’t think the animals are judgin’ me for my filthy thoughts.”
Beau laughs and nods toward the calving shed, indicating I should follow him. “Ask her to come dancin’ at Lion’s Lair next Friday. I’ll come and chaperone your dirty-minded ass and prevent you makin’ a fool of yourself. It’ll be the perfect low-pressure environment. You can relax outside of work and get to know her with your big head instead of your little one.”
“Watch who you’re callin’ little,” I growl, landing a teasing punch on his arm.
He laughs it off. “I’m serious. We’ll tell the others we’re goin’ too. Make it a group thing. Low-key, easy.”
“I guess,” I say, walking beside him quietly for a moment. “I hate to admit it, but she makes me real nervous, Beau.”
“You? Nervous? Never thought I'd see the day.”
“Exactly!” I say, finally feeling understood. “Which is why I want you with me when I ask her to come dancin’. I don’t want you to say anything, but I think I need a wingman so I don’t put my foot in it, clam up or back off like I have every other time.”
Beau stops walking and laughs. “You can’t be serious? You want me—the guy who barely gets two words out around any woman—to help you get a date?”
“Yes, please,” I say in earnest.
He shakes his head, laughing in wonder. “In that case, I reckon she’s definitely your other half, brother. Ain’t nobody on this earth capable of makin’ a cocky bastard like you second guess yourself.”
“Does that mean you’ll do it?”
Letting out his breath, he nods. “Sure. I’ll hold your hand so you can ask a girl to the dance.”
“Yes! Thank you.” I’m so happy to hear those words that I wrap him in a tight hug before releasing him and looking around. “Where are we going, anyway?”
“Back to the Gator. I think I have an idea who the calf belongs to.”
“Who’s that?”
“If those long lashes and big eyes are anything to go by. It’s Petunia.”