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  “Well, what have we here?” Monty Walker asked, catching the two of them red-handed. Guilt washed over Maddie in waves. She glanced at the floor. “Hi there, Monty.”

  Trey still had laughter in his voice when he volunteered, “Maddie was teaching me the finer points of plumbing.”

  Monty glanced from Trey to Maddie. “That so?” Then he added, “Well, somebody’s got to.” He winked at Maddie. “The man’s an expert horseman, but doesn’t know diddly about fixing a leak.”

  Trey stood next to Monty, putting an arm around his shoulder. “At least I know which way is…off.”

  “Oh, that. I was just funning with you.”

  Trey’s expression went bleak the second he realized what the older man had done.

  Maddie giggled again.

  “The woman loves to laugh at me,” Trey said to Monty. “But I’ll get back at her when I cook dinner tonight.”

  “Oh,” Maddie said, realizing she’d forgotten to tell Trey she wouldn’t be home tonight. “Guess I’m getting off easy then. I won’t be home for dinner.”

  Trey nodded. “A late-night house call?”

  Maddie shook her head. “Not tonight. I have a date.”

  Five

  Trey sat in a booth at the Hungry Wrangler Café with his uncle Monty and his cousin, Jack. He and Jack were about the same age and had been more like brothers than cousins while growing up. Trey pushed around his food on the plate, while the other two ate with gusto.

  “Ain’t you hungry, boy?” Uncle Monty asked, eyeing Trey’s half-eaten steak. The retired sheriff of Hope Wells pulled no punches. He spoke his mind. Most of the time, Trey enjoyed his uncle’s antics, but tonight he wasn’t in the mood. Common courtesy and a true measure of gratefulness had Trey offering to treat his uncle to dinner. He’d worked most of the morning and half the afternoon fixing that doggone leak.

  “Have at it,” he said, sliding the plate his way. “Guess I’m not that hungry after all.”

  Jack glanced up from his meal and cast him an inquisitive look. “You sick or something?”

  Jack Walker wore his uniform proudly. He’d just been reelected as sheriff of Hope Wells. First Monty, then Jack—between the two they had five decades of law enforcement under their belts.

  “No, I’m not sick, just not very hungry.” He sipped his iced tea.

  Uncle Monty grunted as he stabbed at Trey’s steak. “The man’s lovesick, if you ask me.”

  Jack’s brows rose, his expression none too subtle. “That pretty little Dr. Maddie getting under your skin?”

  Uncle Monty didn’t give him time to answer. He chimed in, “Under his skin? The boy wants her under his sheets. Should have seen his face when she told him she had a date tonight.”

  “Turned green, did he?” Jack jested.

  Trey slammed down his glass. They were having too much fun at his expense. “Enough!”

  Monty and Jack looked at one another then burst out laughing. Trey waited until their laughter died down. “You through now?”

  Both men nodded. “Good, because I’ll say this only once. Nothing’s going on between Maddie and me. We made a business deal and we’re sticking to it.”

  Uncle Monty lifted his fork and pointed it his way. “Yeah, monkey business. Looked like you two were having a wet T-shirt contest when I walked in this morning.”

  Trey ground his teeth. “That wouldn’t have happened if you had turned the water off.”

  Monty scratched behind his ear. “She sure is cute.”

  Jack nodded. “Is she seeing anyone in particular?”

  Trey shook his head. “I don’t know. We don’t discuss things like that.” But he had to admit he was dying to know where she was tonight and with whom.

  “Maybe I should give her a call,” Jack said, his expression thoughtful.

  “You don’t own any animals,” Trey reminded.

  Jack smiled. “Maybe it’s time I get one.”

  Trey glared at his cousin, but wouldn’t give an inch. He and Jack had had a friendly competition going ever since they were young boys. Trey hated to admit the sensations washing over him. He wouldn’t put a name to them and he wouldn’t get caught up in his cousin’s game. He shrugged. “Fine by me.”

  “It really cost you to say that, didn’t it?” Jack asked with a big grin. But before Trey could make a denial, Jack added, all manner of jesting aside, “Look, I’m not going to call her, but if you’re interested, I wouldn’t hesitate. Maddie’s got a lot going for her and some lucky guy is bound to discover that soon.”

  “She deserves to be happy,” Trey said truthfully.

  “Dang it, Trey. You’re holding on to that ‘Walker Curse’ thing, aren’t you?”

  Trey stared at his cousin. Jack had no idea how many women had been hurt by the Walker men in his family. His cousin had no idea how bad Trey was at commitment. He had no idea how strongly he felt about this subject. Trey’s mind was made up. He spoke with slow deliberation. “You come from a family who uphold the law. Your heritage is different than mine, cousin. I come from a long line of men who break hearts. True, we have the same grandfather, but his traits didn’t seem to rub off on you.”

  “We don’t know that yet.”

  Jack was true blue. Jack wouldn’t ever let down anyone he loved. Trey was sure of his cousin. “I know you. You’re as loyal as they come. And besides, you both have it all wrong. Yes, I’m in a sour mood tonight, but not because of anything having to do with Maddie.”

  “Then why?” Jack asked.

  Trey frowned. “Because your father told me this afternoon that eventually, sooner more than later, I’m going to have to replace all the old galvanized pipes at the house with copper. Seems my plumbing is somewhat out of date.”

  Monty grinned, his gray-blue eyes twinkling. “Hell boy, that’s what we’ve been trying to tell you.”

  Maddie stood by Storm’s corral, eyeing the stallion in the moonlight. She’d noticed once again that Trey wasn’t home, giving her the perfect chance to work with the feisty horse. She’d been sneaking out here for the past four nights, ever since her dinner date with Caroline and little Annabelle last Saturday night. And during those nights, Storm had been guarded but every so often Maddie would see a spark of change, a subtle softening in Storm’s demeanor that had encouraged Maddie to continue to gain the horse’s trust.

  Maddie had used treats, but she also depended on her innate ability to read an animal and she sensed that Storm was getting ready to accept her. Each night, Maddie approached with caution. Storm, too, approached warily. Last night, Storm had actually taken the sugar cubes from her hand.

  Tonight, she merely stood by the fence and watched as Storm pranced, snorted and then raced around the perimeter of the corral, all the while communicating with Maddie in a language she truly did understand.

  When he’d finished his exercise, he stopped and stared. Then ever so slowly, he approached the fence where Maddie stood. “Are you glad to see me again?” she asked softly. “Well, I’m sure glad to see you.”

  He came right up to the fence and Maddie stepped upon the bottom rung in order to reach him. “Hey, boy,” she whispered into the still night and reached her hand out to stroke his ink black mane. Then bravely, and only because she sensed he was ready, she ran her hand smoothly down his snout.

  The horse lifted his head in a quick movement, but he didn’t back away. Maddie stroked him once more, continuing to speak to him in a soft soothing tone.

  When Maddie heard Trey’s truck in the distance, she jumped down from the fence and said farewell to Storm. “See you tomorrow night.” Unable to make her escape into the house without seeming obvious, she stood by the front porch as the truck came to a stop a short distance away. To her surprise, a pretty young woman who was at least six months pregnant exited the driver’s seat. Trey got out of the passenger’s side, and the woman strolled over to him and reached for his hand. They stood there speaking quietly for a few minutes.

  Maddie
’s heart took an elevator ride down to her toes. Her gut clenched involuntarily and feelings she thought she had under control emerged with raw clarity. Seeing Trey with another woman, one he might have an involvement with, knocked her for a giant-size loop. All sorts of images popped into her head, and none of the scenarios she came up with helped to ease her mind. She didn’t know who this woman was and she decided she couldn’t bear to know. Not tonight. Not with the realization that Trey hadn’t come home for dinner in the past four nights.

  Maddie made a move to enter the house, but the woman caught sight of her and called out, “Hi there.”

  Maddie turned to find the woman heading her way, with Trey beside her. “Hello.”

  The woman was even prettier up close, a young Texas lady through and through, with deep blue eyes and long blond hair. “I’ve been meaning to get out here to say hello. Sorry to hear about your office burning down. My name is Brittany Fuller. I’m a friend of Trey’s.”

  “Nice to meet you, Brittany. I’m Maddie Brooks.”

  “I know. Trey’s always talking about you. He says you’re a real good veterinarian.”

  Maddie glanced at Trey who appeared darn uncomfortable, his tanned face taking on color. She shrugged. “I love working with animals.”

  “I had to drive Trey home,” the pregnant woman offered, smiling at him. “No offense, Trey. But you’re one stubborn man.” Then she explained to Maddie, “He hurt his hand working on my baby’s new room. A beam of wood fell down and when Trey tried to catch it he got splintered up.”

  For the first time since he’d walked up, Maddie took a really good look at Trey. And suddenly she understood the expression on his face. Pain. She peered down at his right hand. “Oh! That doesn’t look good at all.”

  Gently she reached for his hand to get a better look. Holding his hand in her palm, she noted where five or six long splinters had been hastily removed, the hand puffy, swollen and red.

  “Paul and I wouldn’t let Trey drive home. Though he did argue some.”

  Maddie glanced up. “Paul?”

  “My husband. He’ll be here in a minute. Paul and Trey have been friends just about forever, I guess. And when Paul hurt his back a few days ago, Trey came over first thing to help finish up the room.” She patted her rounded belly. “Our baby will be here before you know it.”

  “Oh,” Maddie said, dumbfounded. This was almost too much information to digest all at once. All of her initial suspicions about Trey and this woman were unfounded. She’d let jealousy rule out over reason. This woman and her husband were his friends. Trey had been doing a good deed and Brittany had driven him home because he’d gotten hurt. “Well, congratulations on the baby. Do you know what you’re having?”

  She shook her head. “We want to be surprised.”

  “That’s nice. I wouldn’t want to know, either,” she said, realizing this was the first time she’d really given any thought to having a child. Suddenly it was clear that she did want children. And she too wanted to be surprised. “I hope your husband’s back injury isn’t too serious.”

  “The doctor told him to rest up a bit, but Paul’s a stubborn one, too, and wouldn’t stop, so Trey decided to come over and do the heavy work. Wouldn’t take no for an answer. Even my thrown-together suppers didn’t scare him away.”

  “Your suppers are delicious, Brit,” Trey said with sincerity.

  She smiled softly. “But now you’re hurt, too.”

  “It’s not that bad.”

  Maddie disagreed, “It looks kind of bad, Trey. Maybe you should see a doctor.”

  He twisted his mouth, lifting his hand up. “For this? No way.”

  “I was hoping…” Brittany said to Maddie, a look of concern on her face.

  “Of course,” Maddie said instantly, fully comprehending. “I’ll patch him up.”

  Trey shook his head. “There’s nothing to patch up.”

  “Yes, there is,” both women chorused.

  And before Trey could argue, Brittany’s husband pulled up in a white Ford Explorer. “Looks like my ride’s here,” she said, and after Maddie had been introduced to Paul, Brittany got into the car and waved farewell.

  Maddie turned back to Trey.

  “There’s nothing to patch up,” he said stubbornly.

  “Sit down, Trey, and don’t be a baby,” Maddie said softly, pointing to the kitchen chair. She’d gathered up her medical supplies and was ready.

  “I don’t need any doctoring, Maddie,” he said again, but the woman wouldn’t take no for an answer.

  She stared at him with expectant eyes, so pretty, so dewy-grass-green, so determined. She’d accused him of packing a wallop the other day, but she was guilty of the same. One look at her sweetly concerned face had him sitting, obeying like a small puppy at obedience school.

  Trey didn’t want her to doctor him. He didn’t want her anywhere near him. She was too much of a temptation, too much of a distraction. He’d been trying to keep his distance, but living under the same roof with her made it damn difficult. Every time he got close to Maddie, he would do something stupid, like taking her into his arms and kissing her.

  Maddie set a bowl of warm water down on the table then took a seat close to him and the subtle scent of raspberries wafted by. She lifted his hand and set it into the water. “We’ll let it soak for a while.”

  She opened his hand carefully and with delicate care massaged his fingers. She stroked gently, easing soreness and bringing back circulation. It felt good, damn good. Trey closed his eyes and let the sensations run through his body. Maddie had a great touch. Maybe too great, he thought, because circulation began to build in another area of his body as well. He cursed under his breath.

  “Does it hurt?” she asked immediately, lifting her head from the task.

  “No.”

  “I thought I heard you groan.”

  Trey kept silent.

  “I’m going to dry your hand, put on an antiseptic and wrap it.”

  “I can’t work with it wrapped.”

  Maddie smiled. “So you’ll take the day off tomorrow.”

  “I don’t take days off, Maddie. Not when I’m running the ranch on a shoestring.”

  Maddie shook her head, her doctoring instincts taking hold. She spoke in a stern voice, one Trey had never heard before. “You’re lucky you don’t need stitches, Trey. Those wood bits ripped your hand up real good going in, and whoever yanked them out ripped your hand up again.”

  Again, Trey was silent.

  Maddie read straight through his poker face.

  “Let me guess, you’re the one who pulled out those splinters.”

  “Good guess.”

  She sighed. “Trey.”

  Trey leaned back in the chair, crossing his leg over his knee and watched as Maddie administered to his hand. With her head bent to the task, Trey stared at her coppery hair falling in soft waves onto her shoulders. She held him so carefully, mindful when the antiseptic stung and lifting apologetic eyes his way. She took gauze out of her medical bag, placing it over the wound then wrapped his hand with surgical tape, taking her time, using her skills as a healer.

  Whenever he looked at Maddie, he saw his future. But the vision was false, a deception of the mind, because Trey wasn’t the man for her. She deserved someone she could trust not to wound her gentle soul. He chalked up these unwelcome sentiments to being around Paul and Brittany all week. With the new baby coming, their excitement had rubbed off on him. He found himself longing for the same, a wife and family. And being with Kit wasn’t much help, either. That man was so doggone smitten with his new wife he barely spoke a sentence without mentioning her name.

  Trey knew people with successful relationships. That’s all it was—this wanting he’d been experiencing lately. But his father’s words haunted him daily. And Trey had vowed not to make those same mistakes. Trey was smart enough to realize that wanting and having were two different things. He wasn’t cut out for family life. He’d tried that
once and had failed miserably.

  “Promise me something, Trey,” Maddie said when she was all through with the bandaging. “You won’t go busting up this hand I worked so hard on tonight. You won’t injure yourself again.” She held his wrapped hand in both of hers and stared at him with softness in her eyes.

  “Hell, Maddie,” he whispered, leaning close, beckoned by her caring nature and her sweet, tentative smile. “When you ask me like that, there isn’t anything I wouldn’t promise you.”

  Maddie leaned in also, coming dangerously close, their eyes meeting. “There isn’t?” she asked breathlessly.

  Raspberry sweet and red-haired sexy, Trey had a mind to kiss her again, the need so strong that he couldn’t pull away. He stared at her heart-shaped mouth, glossy and full, parting slightly. He wanted to lift her out of the chair, put her onto his lap and brush his lips over hers until kissing wasn’t enough.

  Hell, who was he kidding? He wanted to lay her down on the kitchen table and…

  And then the phone rang.

  Trey jerked back in his chair and into reality. He’d almost made another mistake and although it would take his body a moment to adjust, he was glad for the interruption. He bounded up and answered the wall phone by the refrigerator. “Hello.”

  A few seconds later, he brought the receiver over to Maddie, stretching out the long cord. “Do you know a Nick Spencer?”

  Maddie’s face beamed with joy. She stood up, practically standing on her toes. “It’s Nick? Really?”

  “That’s what he said,” Trey answered, handing her the phone.

  “Nick, I can’t believe it’s you.” Maddie twirled the cord around her fingers. “How did you find me?”

  Trey walked out the back door and into the night air, giving Maddie some privacy and him a place to cool off. He told himself over and over he was glad he hadn’t kissed her again. He told himself he was glad Maddie had a personal life outside of her work. He told himself he was glad this guy Nick had called, interrupting the wild fantasy Trey had entertained.

  He glanced down at his bandaged hand, flexing his fingers and feeling no pain. He took a deep crisp breath, realizing that most of all, he was glad he hadn’t made any promises to Maddie.