12-Alarm Cowboys (35 page)

“You’re thirty-one. He’s twenty-five. You’re too old for him.”

She chanced a glance in his direction and answered his frown at her with one of her own toward him.

“I seriously have no idea what you’re talking about. Hold on. Zack’s turning.”

She slowed to sixty for her turn and wheeled the truck onto a paved road…finally. Zack pulled away from her and she increased her speed accordingly.

“Zack’s a great guy,” Tanner continued, “but he’s not right for you.”

“Not right for me? Really? And why is that?”

“I told you. You’re too—he’s too young for you.”

“I’m pretty sure you’ve lost your mind. Are you seeing a doctor for these delusions?”

“Watch out here,” he said. “There’s no shoulder and the bank in the road is totally wrong.”

She slowed slightly as they went into a curve. As he’d warned, it was a difficult curve to take. When she hit the straightaway, she punched the gas again.

“How much farther?”

“About ten miles.”

She nodded and concentrated on her driving. However the Zack’s-too-young-for-you discussion annoyed her and she didn’t know why.

“So,” she began, “you think Zack is too young for me. Did you have another man to throw in my path to distract me from my evil intentions with your baby brother?”

Did he just growl? She would have sworn he did.

“Wait. Are you throwing yourself at me to save him? Oh gosh, Tanner. I’m just so flattered.” She glanced over, batted her eyes at him and then looked back at the road. Luckily they were on a straight stretch. If they weren’t driving almost ninety, she might have taken the time to study the interesting cuts and angles of his high cheeks or maybe the slant of his nose which suggested he’d broken it sometime in the past.

And then again, lots of time could be allocated to staring into his semi-sweet, chocolate morsel eyes. Since chocolate chip cookies were a mainstay of her diet, his eyes held the potential to draw her into a hypnotizing haze.

All the more reason she should not look over again.

“Don’t be,” he said in a gruff tone, totally blowing the lust out of her eyes. “I’m not volunteering for the job, but if I did, I can guarantee you that I would make the thought of any other man disappear from your brain.”

The smile that’d threatened for the past ten minutes pushed onto her lips. A laugh bubbled up and out, popping the mounting tension in the van.

Before she could respond, black smoke and orange flames leapt over the hill in front of them. In response, Zack had slammed the truck to stop and pulled to the side of the road. Georgie did the same.

“Damn. Hold on. Let me call the chief.” Tanner pulled out his phone.

‡

Z
ack climbed from
the truck and walked back to the van. Georgina rolled down her window.

She tilted her head toward the passenger seat. “He’s on the phone with the chief,” she said.

Tanner ended his call with, “Yes, sir. If you think that’s where we’re needed.”

“What’s the deal?” Zack asked.

“Chief wants you to go on up to Happy Acres farm. There’s a team there that needs some help.”

Zack nodded. “Okay. Where you guys going?”

“Reeves’s Ranch. Got a problem with a horse there.”

“Know what kind of problem? I just sort of like to know what I’m getting into.”

Tanner shook his head. “Chief said Mrs. Reeves was screaming into the phone so he wasn’t sure. Zack, go on. I’ll catch up with you later either up on the ridge or at home.”

“Stay safe,” Zack said.

“You too,” Tanner said.

Georgina turned the van around and headed back the way she came. Tanner held on to the door as she took curves at breakneck speed. He didn’t know where she’d learned to drive, but he was impressed with her ability to control the van at such high speeds…not that he was going to mention that.

Pointing to a dirt road about a quarter of a mile ahead, he said, “Turn there.”

The sudden deceleration rocked his head forward. He held tight as she swung the lumbering vehicle into the Reeve’s driveway and flew up the narrow lane, spitting rocks and dirt behind her.

Becky Reeves was middle-aged with graying hair, an extra seventy-five pounds and the look of the woman hanging by a thread. As they parked the van, her already pale face grew a few shades lighter.

“I probably shouldn’t have called,” she said wringing her hands. “My husband is going to be upset with me.”

“What’s the problem, Mrs. Reeves?” Tanner asked.

“I asked the chief to send Doc Brian. Tommy is not going to like this.”

Tommy was her husband—rumored to be the most sour and unpleasant man in the county. Reeves was always right, no matter how wrong he was.

“Dr. Brian isn’t available, Mrs. Reeves,” Georgina said. “I’m Dr. Greyson. How can I help you?”

Tanner noticed the calming tone of Georgina’s voice. She took a couple of steps toward the fretting Becky Reeves and touched her arm.

“The chief said you had a problem. Something you needed a vet for? That’s why I’m here.”

“Oh, Tommy isn’t going to be happy with me. He…” She looked at Georgina and blushed. “It’s just he don’t believe any woman should be doing a man’s job.”

Georgina nodded. “I understand. I really do. But I’m here. I can help.”

Tanner had to restrain himself from grabbing the foolish woman and shaking some sense into her. Her husband had filled her brain with some total nonsense.

“Mrs. Reeves,” he said. “I know you and your family just moved to the area and you don’t know me but I bet you’ve heard of our family ranch, Flying Eagle Cattle Ranch. Right?”

She nodded.

“And you know I’d never let anything happen to my family’s cattle or horses, right?”

She nodded again, this time drawing her thumbnail to her mouth to chew on the cuticle.

“Then trust me when I say Dr. Greyson is one of the best animal doctors I’ve ever seen. She’s the only one I trust with my mare, who’s going to foal soon. Only her. She’s good. Talk to her.”

The woman, obviously scared of her husband’s ire, licked her lips. “The fire was coming fast. A few sparks got carried in the wind. One of them hit Pablo and startled him.”

“Pablo?” Georgina asked.

“My son’s horse. Pablo is young. The sparks scared him and he ran.” She gulped in a breath. “He’s caught in a barbed wire fence.”

Georgina nodded. “Okay. We need to get to him so I can check him out.”

Mrs. Reeves’s gaze shifted around the yard, finally landing on the drive. “Maybe I’d better wait for Tommy to get home.”

Georgina took hold the woman’s forearms and turned her. “Mrs. Reeves. I need to check on your horse now. Not two hours from now. Not twenty minutes from now. I need to see how much damage he’s done and how much blood loss he’s had. Do you understand?”

The woman nodded and her face was a study in fear.

“Tell you what, Mrs. Reeves,” Tanner said. “You tell Tommy I forced you to let the female doctor examine Pablo, okay? It’ll all be my fault.”

She swallowed loudly and then nodded. “Yes. Okay. Follow me.”

Georgia grabbed a bag of medical supplies and hurried after Mrs. Reeves and Tanner.

“Wait, y’all,” Georgina called. “Don’t rush up on Pablo. I don’t want to startle him.”

She caught up with them at the gate. “Who’s with him?” Georgina asked. “Anyone?”

“My son. Tommy, Jr.”

“Good. Mrs. Reeves, can you stay back while Tanner and I approach? Horses are so sensitive to humans. I want Pablo as calm as possible and he’s going to know you’re upset about him.”

“Okay.” Mrs. Reeves opened the gate but didn’t walk through with them.

“Can I carry something for you?” Tanner asked. The three bags she had tossed over her shoulders were bulging and appeared heavy on Georgina’s shoulders. Plus, his mother would kick his ass if she saw him empty handed while this petite wisp of woman carried everything.

“No, no. I’m fine,” she insisted. “I’m kind of weight balanced. If you take anything, it’ll screw up the weight distribution.”

She flashed him a grin. “Don’t worry. I won’t tell anyone that you let me do all the heavy lifting.”

A petite wisp with a mouth on her. Funny. She was exactly the type of woman he wasn’t usually attracted to, except there was something about her that drew him.

They made their approach to the gelding slowly. A dark-haired boy stood holding the horse’s halter by the cheek strap. His wide-eyed expression shouted fear and helplessness.

“Hi,” Georgina said in the calming voice he’d just heard. “I’m Dr. Greyson. Are you Tommy, Jr?”

He nodded.

“Can I call you Tommy?”

“TJ. Everybody calls me TJ.”

“Okay then, TJ. You’re doing a great job with Pablo. He seems calm.”

“He’s a good horse,” TJ said. “Don’t kill him.”

Georgina smiled. “I’m not going to kill him. Mr. Marshall…” she indicated Tanner with a tilt of her head, “and I are going to get him out of that wire. And then I’ll have a look at the cuts. Okay?”

The boy’s lips were shaking when he muttered, “Okay. Just don’t hurt him.”

“I’ll be a gentle as I can be with him.”

She and Tanner stood next to the large gelding. He was easily fourteen or fifteen hands. Georgina quietly lowered her bags to the dirt.

“Okay, Pablo. Let’s see what you’ve gotten yourself into.”

“What do you need, Georgina?” Tanner asked.

“Get me wire cutters out of bag number two and a pair of tongs. Oh and leather gloves. Those should be in bag one.”

He did as she’d requested.

“Well, TJ,” she said after examining the horse. “This isn’t too bad. You have done an excellent job keeping Pablo calm and still. If you can keep that up, I should have him out of this mess pretty quickly.”

She’d clipped a couple of places and removed the wire when an old, rusted-out truck came flying up the drive, dust kicking up in its wake. A man with dark tanned flesh and black hair climbed out.

“What the hell is going on?” he shouted. “Becky. What the hell is that woman doing? TJ. Come here, boy.”

Georgina caught Tanner’s gaze and then looked toward the man and back. Message received, Tanner said, “I’ll be right back.”

TJ shifted his feet. “Don’t move too much,” Georgina said. “Just keep on talking quietly to Pablo.”

“But my dad…”

“I’ll explain,” Tanner said. “Stay here and do what the doctor says.”

After a final glance at the wire and realization that Georgina was doing a great job releasing the trapped horse, he went back to the gate in time to stop Hector Reeves from coming in.

“Mr. Reeves. I’m Tanner Marshall.”

Reeves snarled. “I know who you are. Git that woman away from my horse.”

“That
woman
is Dr. Greyson. And your horse is wrapped in barbed wire, which Dr. Greyson is removing piece by piece.”

“Ain’t no woman doctor good enough to take care of horses and cattle. She needs to be caring for puppies and kittens, and such. Becky,” he shouted. “Call Doc Brian.” He looked at Tanner. “We need Doc Brian, not some chickie playing at being a doctor.”

“First, Dr. Brian isn’t available to come,” Tanner explained. “And second, Dr. Greyson is more than qualified to work with your large animals. In fact. She’s very good with them. And most importantly, Dr. Greyson is here and making progress.”

Reeves huffed his displeasure and remained silent. For the next few minutes, they watched as Georgina snipped and removed heavy barbed wire from around the horse’s left rear leg. Pablo lifted his left leg and stepped free, and TJ wrapped his thin arms around the horse’s neck. Georgina said something that they couldn’t hear from where they stood but the boy nodded and retook hold of the check strap.

“What’s the fool woman doing now?” Reeves asked.

“I suspect cleaning the damaged area.”

Georgie waved at them, and Reeves shoved the gate open with a loud crash. Tanner was tall with a long stride but he had to stretch his usual gait to keep up with the man who was charging across the pen.

When Reeves reached the horse, he dropped to his knee to examine the wound.

“Nice job,” he said in a quiet voice.

“Thank you, but honestly, it was your son who had the foresight to keep the horse calm and still until help could come. Without TJ, I fear Pablo might have panicked or fought against the restraint. In that case, those barbs could have sawed into the flesh much deeper. As it is, Pablo has some cuts, but nothing that won’t heal. Keep them clean and he will be fine.”

“Bah,” Reeves said. “I knew that damned demon wire needed to be replaced but I just haven’t had the time.”

“Tell you what,” Tanner said. “Why don’t I bring a couple of guys over here tomorrow and we’ll give you a hand. Between three or four of us, we’ll get this restrung in no time.”

“Why would you do that?” Reeves asked. “You don’t even know me.”

Tanner put his hand on Reeves’s shoulder. “Because that’s what neighbors do.”

After Georgina made sure the Reeves family understood what care needed to be given to Pablo, Tanner and she loaded into the clinic van and started down the drive. His cell phone rang before they got to the road.