Finding Home (Finding Series, Book 1) (5 page)

“What happened?” Rhys asked as he reached up and Callan gently handed the animal to him.

“Someone cut the fence,” Callan said with a snarl as he dismounted. “Found him hung up in it.”

Rhys felt blood seep into his shirt as he carried the animal into the barn. He guessed the calf weighed less than a hundred pounds, but the slick blood made it difficult to maneuver and he was glad when Callan appeared next to him and tossed a horse blanket on the cement floor of the aisle and helped him gently put the calf down on it. Finn appeared with a cordless phone in his hand. He was pale as he dropped down to the floor next to them.

“How long till he gets here?” Callan asked.

“He’s not coming. His office said he’s booked all day.”

Callan dropped his eyes and Finn crossed his arms as if in pain. “Did you tell them it was an emergency?” Rhys asked in growing irritation as they both just sat there.

“It won’t matter. He won’t come,” Callan said dejectedly. He got up and went back to his horse. He reappeared seconds later, a rifle in his hand.

“No! No fucking way,” Rhys snarled as he picked up the animal.

“Rhys,” Finn said softly.

“Get the truck, Finn,” Rhys ordered. When Finn didn’t move Rhys yelled, “Get the god damn truck!”

Finn shifted his eyes to Callan, but Rhys wasn’t sure if the other man gave his permission or not. Frankly, he didn’t care. He started walking toward the front of the barn. Finn pulled the truck up and Rhys hurried to the bed of the truck. Callan appeared next to him.

“Give him to me,” Callan said. Rhys hesitated, then passed him the calf so he could climb into the bed of the truck. Callan handed the animal back to him, then picked up the rifle from where he’d leaned it against the truck. He gave the gun to Finn and said, “Can you get the herd back and start on the fence? Only a few had crossed it when I found him,” Callan said, motioning to the calf.

Finn nodded and lifted his gaze to Rhys’. Rhys could see the regret in the other man’s eyes, but he forced himself to focus on the too quiet animal in his arms.

Rhys had to admire Callan’s driving skills because they managed to make it to the vet’s office on the outskirts of town within ten minutes, a trip that had taken much longer when Rhys had hitched his way out to the ranch two days ago.

The vet’s office was a ramshackle building with a small shed along the side and some dog kennels in back. There were only a few cars parked in the lot and Callan didn’t hesitate to pull right up to the front door, barely missing a little old lady that came out of the entrance, a small brown dog in her arms.

“Sorry ma’am,” Callan mumbled as he took the calf from Rhys so he could climb out of the bed of the truck. The woman opened her mouth in surprise as he and Callan brushed past her and he guessed that the sight of the calf along with the blood staining Rhys’ shirt weren’t an everyday occurrence.

Rhys opened the door and Callan hurried in, his voice bellowing, “Need some help here.” He’d expected people to jump into action, but he was sorely mistaken. Two patrons sat in the lobby, their eyes widening at the sight. A young woman - a technician Rhys guessed - started to come around to the lobby but the woman behind the desk stopped her with a sharp look, then turned her frosty gaze on Callan.

“Mr. Bale, as I explained to your…associate,” the receptionist said in distaste. “Dr. Sanders is completely booked up.”

Rhys had gone completely still when the woman had referred to Finn that way and the disgust actually had him reaching over the counter towards her when Callan used his body to stop him. “Are you for real?” he snapped at the woman. He glanced at the technician standing next to the woman, but she stood there mutely, her eyes wide and unsure.

Rhys started to go to the side door when it opened and an older man in a white coat stepped out, his thinning, silver hair slicked off to one side. His eyes narrowed when they settled on Callan.

“Is there a problem here, Anita?” he asked the receptionist, though his smug gaze never left Callan’s.

“I’ve informed Mr. Bale that you aren’t available,” the woman said snidely.

“Dr. Sanders,” Rhys said. The man’s haughty gaze settled on him. “As you can see, this animal is badly hurt-”

“Mrs. Parsons, why don’t you come on back?” Dr. Sanders said to one of the women sitting in the lobby, though his eyes remained on Rhys.

“Rhys, let’s go,” Callan said coldly, clearly unsurprised by the reception they were getting.

“Jesus, are you fucking kidding me?” Rhys shouted. “You’d actually let this animal die just to spite someone you don’t like?”

“Rhys!”

Rhys turned to look at Callan, frustrated that he wasn’t doing anything. But then reality set in – what was happening wasn’t new for him or for Finn. They lived this everyday – had been living it for two years.

“Mr. Bale?”

All heads turned to see the old woman from the parking lot standing just inside the doorway, the brown dog cradled lovingly in her withered arms. “You’re Dolly’s nephew, right?” she asked Callan.

He nodded stiffly, clearly readying himself for another attack.

“There’s a new vet who just moved to town last week. He’s not set up or anything yet, but maybe he can help you. Dr. Winters. He’s at the old Humphries place. You know it?” she asked.

Callan was already moving towards the door. “Yes ma’am. Thank you.”

“You go on now and I’ll give him a call to let him know you’re coming,” she ordered as she marched up to the reception desk and stood on her tip toes so she could reach the phone. She tucked her dog under one arm, then grabbed the whole phone with her free hand and pulled it up on the counter so she could dial.

“Mrs. Greene,” the vet began, but she quelled him with a sharp look and he snapped his mouth shut.

“Wendy, be a dear and find me the number for Dr. Winters,” she said sweetly to the technician who quickly moved to do her bidding.

Rhys followed Callan out the door and took the calf from him once he was once again settled in the bed of the truck. “Greene? Any relation to-”

Callan nodded stiffly. “She’s Hunter Greene’s grandmother.”

***

“You do it,” Rhys muttered as he resisted the urge to clap his hands over his ears to drown out the sound of the screaming baby. The last thing he’d expected when they arrived at Dr. Dane Winters’ house was to be handed a car seat with a sleeping baby girl in it.

“I don’t know the first thing about kids,” Callan snapped.

“And you think I do?” Rhys shot back as he used his boot to rock the car seat back and forth gently in hopes it would put the kid out again like she’d been when they’d gotten here.

Dane Winters hadn’t been anything like they’d expected, but Rhys had been relieved when the man had greeted them in the driveway and led them to a small building behind the old Victorian style house. Rhys hadn’t even noticed the vet was carrying the baby until he’d asked Rhys and Callan to watch the child while he got to work on the calf. Callan had managed to remember to wash his hands before he grabbed the car seat and they’d headed to the waiting room, or what Rhys guessed would someday be the waiting room since a couple of plastic, foldable chairs stuffed in the corner amidst a sea of boxes probably didn’t really count.

“He said to give her the bottle if she got fussy,” Callan said as he carefully searched the diaper bag that somehow Rhys had also missed. “Here,” he said, shoving the bag at him.

“What the hell are all these pockets for?” Rhys mumbled as he looked through the contents and finally found what he assumed was the baby’s milk.

Callan was trying to work the car seat straps free and asked, “Is there a towel or blanket in there or something?”

Callan rolled up the bloodied sleeves of his work shirt and took the fluffy blanket with pink and grey elephants on it that Rhys handed him and draped it over his shoulder so the baby wouldn’t come into contact with the dried blood on his shirt. It took him a couple of minutes to maneuver the squirming baby free of the seat, but he managed to get her cradled against his blanket-covered chest. Rhys handed him the bottle and nearly shouted for joy when the baby instantly started sucking on it and the room was drenched in blessed silence.

“Thank God,” he said as he lowered the diaper bag to the floor. He watched in amusement as the big man stood awkwardly as the baby stared up at him while she drank from the bottle.

“Looks good on you,” Rhys said with a smile, then nearly laughed at the horrified expression that crossed Callan’s face. “What, you never thought about kids before?”

“No,” Callan managed to choke out.

Rhys leaned back in his chair. “Too bad Finn isn’t here. I bet he’d be a natural at this.” A flash of longing went through Callan’s eyes before he turned away and walked a few steps to the window. “Heard he gave his notice,” Rhys probed. Callan tensed slightly, but didn’t respond otherwise. “Probably for the best. Once he’s gone, all your problems go with him, right?” Still nothing.

Several minutes passed before Callan turned around and carried the now sleeping baby and gently placed her in the carrier. He didn’t bother with the straps, but he did turn the carrier around so that the baby was facing away from them. Then, without warning, Callan grabbed Rhys by the collar, dragged him out of the chair and slammed him back against the wall.

“You say shit like that to me again about Finn and we’re going to have a problem!” he said harshly, though Rhys suspected he kept his voice down for the baby’s benefit.

“You going to fire me again, big guy?” Rhys said lightly though his body was drawn tight with the adrenaline rush of having Callan’s body pressed against his, his big hand wrapped around Rhys’ throat. Rhys dared to drop his hand over the erection he suspected Callan was fighting and he wasn’t disappointed. “Or you going to do something else to me?” he drawled.

The need to drive this man to lose control was overwhelming and he actually stopped breathing when Callan’s eyes dropped to his mouth. Rhys stroked Callan through his pants and was rewarded with Callan grabbing his hand. But Callan didn’t stop him. He just covered Rhys’ fingers with his own, following the motion as Rhys rubbed his hardness over and over.

The sound of footsteps had Callan abruptly stepping away from Rhys and all the air rushed out of his lungs at once making him light headed.

“Mr. Bale,” the vet said as he came into the waiting room. His eyes darted from Callan to Rhys as he went to the baby’s car seat and leaned down to check her.

“Call me Callan,” Callan managed to get out, his voice sounding a bit shaky.

“The calf is doing as well as can be expected, considering the circumstances. I got him stitched up and the fluids are helping to ease the shock. He’s not out of the woods, but I think you guys got to him in time,” Dr. Winters said as he lifted the car seat from the floor and placed it on one of the chairs. His eyes softened as he gazed adoringly at the baby. Rhys guessed the man to be in his early forties and just the slightest hint of silver glinted in his chocolate brown hair. Dark brown eyes melted as he watched the baby snuggle further into the car seat.

“Thank you, Dr. Winters,” Callan said.

“It’s Dane, please,” the man responded. “Thanks for keeping an eye on Emma for me. We’re still trying to get settled and I haven’t had a chance to find someone to help me watch her yet.”

“We just appreciate you taking a look at the calf,” Rhys interjected as he reached out to shake Dane’s hand.

“Not a problem. I haven’t decided if I’m going to start a new practice right away, but I’m glad I was able to help.”

“Did you and your wife just move here?” Rhys asked.

“Yes, from L.A. But I’m not married anymore. I lost my husband four months ago,” Dane said matter-of-factly.

“Sorry,” Rhys managed to say, though truth be told, he was more than caught off guard by learning the man was gay.

“How old is she?” he heard Callan ask.

“Six months,” Dane said, a slight unevenness in his tone. He forced a smile to his lips and said, “I’d like to keep the calf overnight if that’s all right with you.”

Callan nodded, then pulled out his wallet. “How much do I owe you, Doctor?” Rhys watched as Callan nervously counted the few bills he had in his wallet.

The vet must have noticed too because he said, “Actually, I have a proposition for you. Mrs. Greene tells me you occasionally board horses and I was wondering if you might be willing to do a little trade?”

Rhys knew from talking with Finn that the only horses on Callan’s property were his own so if he did board them at one time, Rhys guessed the owners had removed them after Finn’s run in with Hunter Greene and his father.

“You need a horse boarded?” Callan asked somewhat suspiciously.

Dane nodded. “My husband inherited this property and everything that came with it when his aunt and uncle died last year in a car accident. Kirby’s a nice, quiet horse and I’ve decided to keep him for Emma,” he said, motioning towards his daughter who was blessedly still asleep. “The barn here is in pretty bad shape so I’m having it torn down next week and rebuilt. I hate for Kirby not to have a place to escape from the heat. What do you say?”