Free AlmostHome by India Masters

sigh. “I’ll go make the call. Y’all
want some tea while I’m inside?”
    Wyatt moved to hold Fancy’s halter while Dooley trimmed
around the frog. “Tea sounds good. Dooley?”
    “That’d be fine, Miss Haley.”
    Haley smiled. “Dooley. I ain’t the schoolmarm. Plain ol’
Haley is just fine.”
    “Whatever you say, boss.” Fancy struggled to free her foot
and Dooley crooned to her. “Whoa now, Miss Fancy.”
    Wyatt chuckled when Haley rolled her eyes. “I’ll be back.”
He watched her walk away, enjoying the way her jeans hugged her backside just
right.
    “Boy, you got it bad,” Dooley said.
    Wyatt wasn’t ready to admit to anything. “You don’t know
what you’re talking about, old man. Just tend to your own knitting.”
    “Hooo-we, son. It’s worse than I thought if the idea makes
you that crotchety.”
    “I ain’t crotchety.” But he had the good grace to offer up
an apologetic grin.
    “Hell, it ain’t nothing to get all swole up about. She’s a
fine woman and good-looking to boot.”
    Wyatt raised an eyebrow. “You’re a married man, Dooley.”
    Dooley gave him wink. “Yup. But I ain’t dead.” He finished
with the first foot and moved on to the next. “I’m gonna say somethin’ and I
don’t want you to get your back up.” Wyatt waited. “That girl, she’s had a hard
life. She and my Maria been talking and appears her pa and brother used her as
a meal ticket these past years. That little gal’s trying to make a life for
herself and to hear Maria tell it, she ain’t looking to get tangled up with
anybody. Don’t you be pressing her to do something she ain’t ready for. If all
you want is a piece a tail, best you look someplace else. Miss Haley don’t need
another ordeal to get through.”
    Wyatt didn’t know whether to be mad or happy that Haley had
someone like Dooley watching out for her.
    “You make me sound like some cowboy Cassanova and I ain’t.
And I’ve had my own ordeals to get through.”
    Dooley released the horse’s leg and stood, stretching his
back. “I know that, son. But that one’s got a real tender spot around her
heart. All I’m saying is take it slow and be sure she’s what you want before it
goes any further.” He leaned back, groaning as his spine cracked. “Ah, that’s
better. Here she comes with the tea.”
    Wyatt and Dooley hopped up on the fence and took the tea
Haley brought them. Strong and sweet, just the way he liked it. Liked his women
that way, too, if he was to be honest, and Haley Kilpatrick fit that bill to a
T.
    “Fancy behavin’ herself?” Haley asked.
    “She don’t much like having her feet messed with but she’s
tolerating it.”
    She took a drink of tea. “Gruber’ll be here first of the
week. Says he’ll use a CVP gasket pad.” At Wyatt’s raised eyebrows, she
elaborated. “That’s copper sulfate, Venice turpentine, and polypropylene felt.
He’ll pack her hooves with the felt soaked in copper sulfate and turpentine.
It’ll kill any leftover bacteria and stop the moisture from gettin’ to the
hoof. He’ll leave it on until it’s time for re-shoein’ and she’ll be right as
rain.”
    Wyatt shook his head. “I thought I knew horses but I’m a
kindergartner compared to you. Where’d you learn this stuff?”
    “Picked it up over the years. When you’re a kid growin’ up
on other people’s ranches, you learn to make yourself useful. I took to horses
from the time I was little so I gravitated toward the wranglers. Made a point
of watchin’ and askin’ questions. By the time I was sixteen and old enough to
earn a paycheck, wasn’t much about horses I didn’t know. You’re like that with
cattle, I expect.”
    “Yes ma’am, I surely am.” He drained his tea and hopped off
the fence. “Speaking of which, I’d best head on back home and make sure the
hands ain’t rustled the herd.”
    Haley nodded. “I’ll walk you to your truck.” The way she was
wringing her hands, he knew she was struggling