Christmas Kisses with My Cowboy. Kate Pearce

“And other organs,” he mused. “See you.”

      He turned to Teddie and gave another instruction. Then he went alongside her down the path that led to the road. Apparently, Katy thought, it was going to be a longer ride today. She went back inside to fix lunch. She could put the tuna salad in the fridge when she made it. It would keep nicely until they came back.

      She put pickled peach juice in the tuna, along with mayonnaise and sweet pickles. It was an odd way to prepare it, but she’d learned it from her grandfather, who made the best tuna salad she’d ever put in her mouth. The taste was unique.

      She finished her task and went to watch the latest news on TV.

      * * *

      Parker was riding beside Teddie as they wound around the ranch property. Both were wearing jackets, because there were actual snowflakes.

      “Snow!” Teddie sighed. She laughed as she lifted her face to let the flakes melt on her soft skin. “I love it!”

      “You wouldn’t if you were a poor cowboy who had to nursemaid pregnant heifers,” he teased. “It’s a twenty-four-hour a day job. Even in the snow.”

      “Gosh, ranching is complicated.”

      “That’s why I love it,” he confessed.

      She glanced at him and away. “My mom really likes you.”

      His heart jumped. “I really like your mom.”

      She grinned. “I noticed.”

      “We’re going slowly,” he said. “Nothing intense. We’re taking you to a movie tonight, if you want to go.”

      “Oh, boy!” she exclaimed. “What are we going to see?”

      “That new cartoon movie.” He named it.

      “I want to see that one so much!” she enthused.

      He chuckled. “You make the sun come out, kid. You’re always upbeat, always brimming over with optimism. I’d fallen into a deep place before I met you and your mother. I was so depressed that I didn’t care about much.”

      She beamed. “I’m a good influence, I am,” she teased.

      “You truly are, Teddie,” he replied. “I never thought I’d enjoy teaching anybody anything. But this is fun.”

      She grinned. “It is. I’m so glad you don’t mind teaching me about horses. But gosh, it’s complicated. There’s so much you have to learn, about what not to do. It’s a long list.”

      “You pretty much learn as you go along,” he pointed out. “It takes time to get used to an animal you’ve never been around. But you’re really getting the hang of it. You sit like a cowboy.”

      “Thanks. I love what you’re teaching me,” she told him. She ran her hand gently over Bartholomew’s mane. “I love Bart, too. He’s the nicest horse in the world.”

      Bartholomew actually seemed to understand what she was saying. He turned his head around toward her and made an odd snuffling sound.

      “Smart horse,” Parker remarked. He smiled. “I think he understands a lot more than we believe he does.”

      “He’s so easy to ride.”

      “He’s been through a lot,” Parker said. He didn’t add what he’d learned about the man who’d been so cruel to Bartholomew. It seemed that he’d escaped the abuse charge by daring them to prove it. It had maddened Parker, who knew the man was lying. But it was going to be hard to get any evidence that would stand up in court.

      However, Parker thought, he knew people in the community who would keep an eye on the horse’s former owner and tell Parker anything they learned. It might still be possible to put the man behind bars, where he belonged.

      “You’re awful quiet today,” Teddie remarked.

      He smiled. “I’m just thinking.”

      “You are?” She gave him a wicked smile. “Mom bought some lipstick that won’t come off. The saleslady teased her about you.”

      He felt a ruddy color climb up his cheeks, but he laughed in spite of it. He knew there would be gossip about him and Katy. He didn’t even mind.

      “You’re really nice, Parker,” Teddie added with a fond look. “You and Mom look good together.”

      “Dark and light,” he mused.

      “You aren’t that dark. But you look like a Crow. You really are handsome, like Mom says.”

      He whistled. “She thinks I’m handsome?” he asked, and laughed.

      “I do, too. Now what about trotting?” she replied.

      He jerked himself out of his ongoing daydreams about Katy and they went on to the next step in her riding education.

      Chapter Six

      While Katy was waiting at home for Parker and Teddie to come back, she had a telephone call from the vet who’d treated Bartholomew’s wounds.

      “I thought you needed to know that the man who abused Bartholomew had the charges against him dropped,” he said with some rancor. “He’s friends with the prosecutor, it seems, and since there were no witnesses, they dismissed the case. He’s out again.”

      “He should be tied up in a stable somewhere and doused with recycled grass,” she muttered.

      “I agree. He says he wants his horse back. If I were you, I’d think seriously about getting an attorney. You’re going to need help.”

      She drew in a long breath. “That’s good advice. Teddie’s so attached to the horse. It will kill her if they give him back to that . . . that animal. I won’t let him take Bart. I’ll fight him to the last ditch.”

      “I feel as if I should salute you,” he teased.

      “The army missed its chance when I didn’t enlist,” she said with a chuckle.

      “Well, I just wanted to tell you what happened.”

      “Thanks, Dr. Carr. I really appreciate it.”

      “No problem. How are Bart’s hooves?”

      “Looking good. We keep them cleaned and the farrier came over again this week to have a look. He says Bart’s healed nicely.”

      “Good news,” he said. “I’ll say good-bye. If you need me, night or day, you call.”

      “I will. Thanks again.”

      She hung up and thought about what the vet had said. She only knew one attorney, but he was very good. Despite her dislike for his relentless pursuit, Ron Woodley was a good attorney who won most of the cases he’d tried; and he was fairly famous, for a young attorney. He was sweet on Katy. It would be underhanded and unkind to play on that attraction, she told herself. Then she thought about Teddie and what it would mean to the little girl to have an abusive former owner try to reclaim his horse. She didn’t know any local attorneys, and she was afraid that if the abuser had plenty of money, local attorneys in a small town might not be anxious to go up against him publicly. She needed somebody high-powered and aggressive in the courtroom. Teddie didn’t like the lawyer, but she loved her horse. Katy thought about that.

      After which, she picked up the phone and made a long-distance call to Maryland.

      * * *

      When Parker and Teddie came up on the porch, both laughing, she felt a sudden pang of guilt. She should have first discussed with her daughter what she planned to do. She had an impulsive nature that sometimes got her into complicated situations. This one would certainly qualify.

      “I’ve got lunch ready,” she said, leading the way into the kitchen. “How’s Bart doing?”