A soldier’s homecoming

A former foster kid and army soldier, Tyler Lynch doesn’t trust easily. In fact, the shy mutt who never leaves his side is his sole confidant. Tyler knows what it’s like to be a child in need, so he goes to work at an equine therapy ranch. He’s instantly surprised by the way lovely volunteer Beth McClure seems to understand scared children—and stubborn cowboys. Beth’s tenderness even wins his dog’s trust. But when Tyler faces his greatest fear, it’ll take Beth’s love—and one brave boy—to open the most guarded of hearts.

“I saw that panicked look on your face when I was sitting with Riley. You looked like I was fixin’ to scare the poor kid.”

“I knew from experience that the more you push a boy that age, the further you push him away,” Tyler said.

Beth heard the pain in his voice. “You’ve been there and done that.”

“I ran through five foster care homes in two years. I was known as a troublemaker until I got to the Olaskys. They didn’t ask me to open up. They gave me the room and the respect I needed.” He gave a soft laugh. “But I got toted to church and that’s where the Lord got a hold of me. After that, I was willing to talk.”

“Well, I hope we made a breakthrough with Riley.”

“We’ll see.”

Beth took a deep breath. Tyler had revealed another layer of himself and her heart whispered he was a good man. He’d slipped past the shield she’d erected around her heart. And oddly enough, that realization didn’t panic her.

Redemption Ranch

Leann Harris

MILLS & BOON

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Therefore, there is now no condemnation

for those who are in Christ Jesus.

—Romans 8:1

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Epilogue

Dear Reader

Questions for Discussion

Chapter One

“Oh, Charming, what’s wrong with me?” Beth McClure ran her hands down the gelding’s broad back. His warm coat and steady heartbeat calmed her.

Twenty minutes ago her brother and his wife, her best friend and former college roommate, had announced there would be a new McClure come spring. Friends and family gathered at the ranch cheered the news.

Beth was glad for them, really.

And sad.

It was selfish of her, but the news stabbed her in the heart, making her realize how alone she was. Oh, sure, she had family, friends, but there was not a prospect of a boyfriend in sight. In some ways she was content to be alone, but her heart still ached.

Charming raised his head and stepped back, knocking Beth into the back wall of the stall. She stumbled, her skirt tangling in her legs, and she twisted her ankle. Wearing heels out in the stables wasn’t smart, but she wasn’t worrying about that when she escaped.

“Charming, what’s wrong with you?” She pushed the horse away as she searched for her shoe. Charming danced again, bumping her a second time. She fell against the side of the stall, losing her other shoe.

“Stop.” She glanced over her shoulder to see what was making the horse so nervous. She spotted the black dog sitting outside the open stall door.

“Oh, sorry, guy.” Beth patted Charming on his back hip to quiet him. The black dog sat quietly, watching her. Beth recognized him. He belonged to the newest employee of Second Chance Ranch, Tyler Lynch. He was an Iraqi War veteran like her brother Zach. Tyler’s dog, Dogger, was known as a cautious critter who didn’t offer his friendship lightly, much like his owner. In the month Tyler had been at the equine therapy ranch, she’d never known his dog to allow anyone to pet him, and she only had a nodding acquaintance with the dog’s owner.

Tyler would politely nod his head or keep up his end of a conversation, but he’d subtly let a person know there was a wall between him and the world. Beth knew that “look.” Zach had worn the exact same expression when he came home from his tour of service.

Intrigued, Beth moved to the front of the stall. “Hey, guy, how are you?”

The dog cocked his head. He had the look of a mutt, short dark hair, mid-size, sleek and with white stockings on his back feet. He had a half-moon scar on the back of his head.

“Are you declaring a truce?” she asked, inching forward.

Charming stretched his neck down toward the dog. Beth reached under the horse’s neck and patted the other side. “What do you think, big guy? You think he wants to make friends?” She whispered the question out of the side of her mouth.

The horse raised his head and nodded.

Beth’s hand fell to her side. “You want me to pet you?” she asked, directing her question to the dog.

Dogger looked from Charming to Beth as if considering the question.

Beth laughed. She stepped out of the stall and held out her hand. The dog moved toward her and sniffed. He sat, waiting for her to oblige him.

Beth squatted and stroked the dog’s head. He accepted her affection. She’d tried to make friends with the dog a couple of times before, but he’d refused her overtures.

“You’re a mighty cagey boy. Did you decide to watch and wait to make sure I was worthy of your trust?”

The dog closed his eyes, enjoying the petting.

“Well, I be—”

Beth jerked at the sound of Tyler’s voice, losing her balance. She sprawled onto the floor, her skirt drifting gracefully around her knees.

“Sorry.” The corner of Tyler’s mouth twitched, making that hands-off look he normally wore melt away. Her stomach dipped.

It was nothing but embarrassment, she told herself as she looked up from the floor into his handsome face. “You startled me.”

He offered his hand.

There was no dignified way to get to her feet. She accepted his hand and he pulled her to her feet. Beth dusted off hay from the backside of her skirt. The laugh trying to escape her chest erupted. “You must think I’m a klutz.”

“No,” he said, his eyes twinkling.

At the change in his countenance, Beth’s mouth nearly fell open. Gone was his usual tired, weary expression, replaced with the look of a young, gorgeous man. Tyler Lynch had a headful of wavy brown locks, deep brown eyes that missed nothing and a scar on the right side of his mouth. She’d also noticed he had some scars on his left hand and forearm.

“What are you doing out here instead of inside at the party?” he asked.

The party she’d escaped. “I could ask the same thing of you.”

“Which means you’re avoiding answering my question?”

Aw, he was sharp, noticing her dodge, but she didn’t want to admit even to herself, let alone this man, why she’d escaped the party.

“I thought Charming here needed a heads-up to be extra gentle around Sophie, with her condition and all.”

His brow arched. “And what was his answer?”

“He’s been bobbing his head, agreeing with me. Besides, he’s also making friends with your dog, which surprised both of us.”

Dogger looked from her to Tyler as if trying to understand what was happening.

Tyler studied his dog. “Dogger doesn’t easily make friends.”

She ignored her embarrassment. “I know. I’ve tried to befriend him before, but he’s been very wary around me. What he normally does is give me the eye, turn around and walk off.” The words could’ve applied to Tyler himself. She glanced at him.

Tyler didn’t flinch, and Beth breathed a sigh of relief. Instead, he squatted down and ruffled the dog’s ears. “Dogger’s a survivor and cautious in all he does. Streets of Baghdad do that to a soul.”

Looking down at Tyler’s brown, wavy hair, Beth had a feeling that Dogger wasn’t the only one Tyler was talking about. “Well, I’m glad he’s feeling at home enough to invite me to pet him.”

Tyler stood and looked at her stocking feet.

“When Dogger sat down in front of Charming, the horse danced a bit, and I wasn’t looking and lost my shoes.” She ended her explanation in a whisper.

He leaned in to hear the last. Her eyes locked with his and her stomach did a jig. Tyler Lynch was one of the few men she’d known who could see eye to eye with her oldest brother, Ethan, who stood six-foot-three.

Dogger stood and walked closer to Charming, breaking the intimate moment between them. Dogger didn’t move while Charming inspected him. Beth knew the two animals were taking stock of each other, much like the man standing next to her. Charming lifted his head and nodded. The dog had passed the test.

Beth stroked Charming’s side. “Dogger’s on a roll today. Two friends.”

The dog glanced over his shoulder as if to say, c’mon, human owner, join me.

Tyler didn’t move. Dogger sent him another look.

Beth laughed. “I don’t think he’s going to give up until you do.”

“Okay, okay,” Tyler said, holding up his hands. He walked to Charming and rubbed the horse’s nose. “I feel kinda funny having the dog introduce us.”

Grinning at Tyler’s surrender, Beth added, “Sometimes animals have better sense than humans.”

Tyler’s brow shot up.

She didn’t mean it as an insult and wanted to apologize, but decided the best way to correct the situation was to plow on. “How long have you had Dogger?”

His face closed down and his gaze dropped to his hand on Charming’s neck. He stroked the gelding’s black coat.

Had she gone too far? The man had been as stand-offish as his dog until today and now he was opening up.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean—”

“I found Dogger under the fender of a car used in a roadside bomb outside of Mosul. I think the poor pup was in the wrong place at the wrong time. We don’t know if he was hit by the fender or was in the street and crawled under the fender after it landed close to him.

“I heard the whimper and investigated. There was Dogger, a cute little shaver. He seemed okay except for the cut on the back of his head.” He pointed to the scar. “That was where the medic thinks the fender hit him. We adopted him and he became our company’s mascot.” Tyler glanced down at the dog. “I didn’t want to leave him in the country when I came home and none of the other guys at the base wanted to adopt him, so I made arrangements for him to come home with me.”

It explained a lot about the two of them. Dogger was never far from Tyler’s side.

“Well, I’m glad that he’s decided to make friends.” Beth leaned down and scratched the dog’s head. “I hope he’ll want to work with the kids we have coming here, or the other veterans who’ll be coming. I think those guys will identify with the dog. He’s another survivor.”

Tyler continued to stroke Charming. “I’m glad the Army decided to use you all. Anyone say when you’ll get your first patient?”

“Next week is when I think we’ll get a couple of soldiers. My older brother, Ethan, is training more horses at our parents’ ranch to work with adult males.”

A spark of interest flared in Tyler’s eyes. “Because?”

“Well, you’ve seen the horses here. Some are taller than others. Brownie is only fourteen hands tall, perfect for the kids who ride. But an adult male will be much too heavy for that little mare. Charming here is right for someone like you.”

He jerked. “What?”

“An adult male,” she quickly added.

He looked a little less offended.

“You could ride him, but if we have more than one adult male riding at the same time, we’ll have to have another horse for them to use.”

“Makes sense. It’s been a while since I’ve worked around the barn. When Ollie’s here, he’s good at directing me.”

Oh, goodness, Beth thought, he’d revealed another part of himself. They were on a roll. “Ollie’s good at giving orders.”

The ranch foreman had been taking chemo for his stomach cancer. Combined with her brother’s recent marriage to her college roommate, things had been crazy around the ranch. Beth had also been traveling a great deal as a clothing buyer for the largest independent department store in the state of New Mexico. “I’ve been praying for him.”

Tyler tensed up. It wasn’t a big move, just a tightening of his shoulders and expression.

Before she could question him about it, Sophie entered the stables. “Beth, Beth, what are you doing out here?” She looked from Beth to Tyler. “Oh, am I interrupting something?”

Beth flushed to the roots of her hair. Tyler’s expression looked like it was carved out of stone.

“Dogger decided to let me pet him. We were just marveling at it.”

Sophie took in the scene. “I came out here because I wanted to introduce you to one of the new military riders who’s going to start next week.”

“I’d love to meet him.”

Sophie grinned. “It’s a her.”

“You’re kidding, aren’t you?”

“Nope. C’mon and I’ll introduce you to Captain Brenda Kaye.”

Beth started toward the door but realized she had no shoes on. Sophie looked at her feet.

“You can thank Charming for that,” Beth explained. “He kept knocking me into the stall wall and I lost both of my shoes.” She hurried back into the stall, found her shoes and slipped them on. Closing the stall door behind her, Beth said, “Okay, I’m ready.”

At the stable door, Beth glanced over her shoulder and smiled at Tyler and Dogger.

With her heart light, she walked back to the house with Sophie.

Sophie linked arms with Beth. “What happened back there?”

“He offered his friendship.”

Sophie stopped. “Who—the dog or Tyler?”

Beth grinned. “Both.”

* * *

Tyler watched Beth and Sophie stroll up the curved walkway to the main house. From their body language, he could tell the women knew each other and were friends. Sophie’s dark head leaned close to Beth’s light brown curls and they laughed.

Sophie stopped, looked at her friend, then at the stables. Tyler resisted the urge to step back. What had Beth said? They resumed their stroll to the house.

Tyler turned around and walked to Charming’s stall where his dog sat. “So, bud, what’s going on?”

The dog looked at him, but didn’t move from his spot in front of the stall door. The horse stuck his head out and nodded. Tyler didn’t know how he felt, but the shock of seeing Dogger allowing Beth to pet him had rocked him back on his heels. Since Tyler had found the wounded pup on that rutted road outside Mosul, there had been a special bond between man and dog. They were both survivors. He’d survived the tornado that killed his parents, and Dogger survived the car explosion. Dogger befriended all the men of his unit, but when the chips were down, Dogger always settled in with Tyler. His best friend and fellow bomb tech, Paul Carter, teased Tyler about what his fiancée was going to think when he showed up in Oklahoma with the mutt who’d want to sleep in the bed between them. They found Dogger a few weeks before Paul died disarming a bomb.

His mind shied away from the painful memory.

Charming whinnied, bringing him back to the present.

Tyler stepped closer and stroked Charming’s nose. “Okay, big guy, I get the drift. You want some attention.” Tyler had a roll of Lifesavers in his shirt pocket. He grabbed the roll, peeled off one and popped it in his mouth. Charming butted him with his head.

“Want one?”

The horse nodded.

Tyler pulled another candy from the roll and offered it to the horse. He didn’t have to offer it twice.

The ghost of a smile curved Tyler’s lips.

This afternoon had been chock-full of revelations. Or maybe he should say bombs. When Zach announced at the impromptu party after church that he would become a father, his family and friends had cheered. But Tyler recalled that wounded look that filled Beth’s eyes before she quickly looked away. When she turned back, a smile lit her pretty face and she kissed both Sophie and Zach. But there’d been a sadness in her green eyes he’d identified with. He doubted her brother and sister-in-law had noticed it, as focused on their own joy as they were, but he saw it.

Tyler kept careful watch on Beth and saw her slip out of the house and head toward the barn. He tried to talk himself out of it, but followed her, anyway. To do what, he didn’t know, but he trusted his instincts. They’d served him well in Iraq.

When he walked into the stables a few minutes ago the shock of what he saw knocked him breathless. Of all the things he expected to see, maybe Beth crying or sitting in a corner having a pity party, her petting Dogger wasn’t on his list.

He glanced down at his dog.

“So what’s happening, old friend? How come you’ve decided to become a pal to the folks around here?” For the first time since they’d arrived back from Iraq, Dogger had offered his friendship to a new person. “Not only did you sidle up to Beth, but Charming, too? What’s going on?”

Dogger raised his head off his front paws and cocked his head.

It was hard to get used to the idea of Dogger making friends. He felt a slight shift in his feelings about being at the ranch. A little less of an outsider in this family-run business.

After his last tour ended, Tyler didn’t re-up, but went home to Oklahoma. It’d been a hard transition, and Dogger had become his lifeline. Tyler didn’t have to explain to his dog how he felt, why his moods were all over the map or give details of what happened while he was in theater.

His foster parents wanted to understand, but he felt as if there was a deep chasm between them. And his ex-fiancée didn’t want to know anything about his Army days and thought he should shake it off.

Shake it off.

That’s why she was his ex-fiancée.

Of course, there was his embarrassing reaction at the Fourth of July picnic where some of the youth at the church pulled the prank of setting off cherry bomb firecrackers under the picnic tables where they were seated. He freaked out in front of all the church members, the town council and mayor of their little town. The noise was so similar to the bomb that killed his friend, his instant reaction was to duck. Afterward, when he spotted the boys laughing at everyone, he’d let go with a dressing down that brought the picnic to a halt and tears to the youthful offenders. The gathered witnesses understood Tyler’s reaction. No one scolded him, but his fiancée gave him such a look of disgust that Tyler knew the engagement was over, much to his relief.

The next morning Tyler had hugged his foster parents and told them he’d be in contact. His fiancée was nowhere to be seen after the picnic, but she’d left her engagement ring with his foster sister. In the ten months since he’d been gone, he’d called home once, but it didn’t go well.

He and Dogger roamed the country until he’d run into Zach McClure in that restaurant in Albuquerque over a month ago. The more he thought about it, the more he knew that “chance” meeting wasn’t just chance.

Since being here, something inside him had eased. Of course, that also could be credited to being in the same city as his best buddy’s family. He’d finally worked up the nerve to call Paul’s mom. She welcomed him with open arms, making him feel even guiltier for not saving Paul’s life. Tyler immediately saw the pain in Paul’s younger brother eyes and knew this was where he was supposed to be. Somehow, someway, he would try to make up Paul’s death to Riley.

Dogger’s move today surprised and unsettled Tyler, and yet, oddly enough, he trusted the dog’s instincts. Dogger seemed to be able to actually discern a person’s heart. Dogger didn’t like his ex-fiancée and had growled at her the first time they met. Things had not improved between them. Dogger had pegged her.

“I’m going to need your help with the kid tomorrow. He needs a friend.” Tyler squatted by the dog’s side and ran his hand over his head. “You’ll like him. You liked Paul, and I know you’ll like his kid brother.”

At least he prayed he would. Tyler would need all the help he could get to win over the reluctant boy.

* * *

Tyler sat on the edge of the bed and ran his fingers through his hair. The dream—no nightmare—had seized him again, but before it could end, Dogger woke him.

The dog jumped down from the bed and sat beside Tyler.

“Thanks, boy.”

Dogger cocked his head.

Why’d he have that dream tonight? He hadn’t had the nightmare since he’d started working at Second Chance.

He knew he couldn’t go back to sleep, so he slipped on his jeans, grabbed a can of soda from the refrigerator and walked out onto the porch. He parked himself on the top step. At one time, he would’ve grabbed a beer, but after a bender in Denver that landed him in the hospital, he knew he couldn’t drown his problems anymore.

Dogger settled by his side.

“Thanks, bud, for the heads-up.” Tyler stroked the dog’s head.

The dog had started alerting Tyler when he’d detected the dream and would wake Tyler. The first time Dogger did that they’d just returned stateside, and he was at home with his foster parents. Tyler had started dreaming about Paul’s death, but before the dream ramped up, Dogger had jumped on the bed and started licking his face. Tyler woke up with a jerk, coming face-to-face with the dog. It took a moment for his brain to clear and understand what the dog had done. Dogger lay down on the bed and looked at him. His foster parents had run into his room, panicked, and looked helpless. He explained it was just a bad dream. They reluctantly left.

From that time on, Dogger started to sleep beside Tyler. Dogger had been his guard against the nightmare. It also spared him from having his foster parents run into his room and witness him in the throes of the dream.

It had been months since he’d had the dream, so why now?

Popping up the can tab, he took a swallow and thought about what happened this afternoon with Beth. Was that it?

He’d noticed her the first day he’d been here at the ranch. Well, what man with breath wouldn’t notice her? With reddish-brown curls that touched her shoulders, intense green eyes and a joyous smile, she attracted people to her like a magnet. She did everything with an enthusiasm that was contagious. He’d seen her talk a grumpy child out of his pout and enjoy the riding lesson.

Her laughter made his heart ache, wanting things that he knew were beyond him now. But as he witnessed Zach’s and Sophie’s secret smiles and constant touches, it made him yearn for things that could never be. It also made him realize how far off that dream was for him.

Scratching the dog’s head, he said, “So you like her, huh? You think the lady needs to be your friend?”

Dogger sat up and cocked his head.

“So what do you see in her that deserves your trust?”

The dog ignored him and settled his head on his paws, leaving Tyler no closer to an answer than he was before.

When he dragged himself to bed an hour later, it was the question he fell asleep thinking about.

Chapter Two

Beth pulled her truck into one of the empty parking spaces behind the stables and grabbed the tote containing her ranch clothes, boots and cowboy hat. She’d been volunteering at the ranch long before Zach started attending therapy sessions for his war injuries. Eventually he fell in love and married the woman running the place, Sophie Powell. Once they bought New Hope Ranch, they renamed it Second Chance Ranch in honor of Zach.

Slipping the tote over her shoulder, she started toward the ranch office needing to change her clothes. She couldn’t work with the horses and kids in heels and a straight black skirt. Her quick trip to New York to review the department store’s purchases had only taken a few days, and she was glad to make it back for her favorite little girl, Chelsea, who came weekly for rehabilitation of her legs after the car accident she’d been in.

As Beth walked into the business office, she saw a young kid sitting on a bench by the stable doors. His thin arms were wrapped around his chest and his mouth was compressed into a stubborn line, daring anyone to mess with him.

“Hey, Sophie, how are you feeling today?”

Sophie looked up from her computer screen and took another bite of her banana covered in peanut butter. “Hungry. And the cravings are—let’s just say your brother can only shake his head in awe. He tried making a comment when I dipped a sweet pickle into some apricot jam. The fact that I burst out crying made him quickly apologize. Since then, he doesn’t comment. Kinda walks quietly around me.”

Beth laughed. “It serves him right.” She hurried into the bathroom and changed her clothes. Stuffing her heels and skirt into her bag, she walked outside the bathroom, holding her boots and socks. She sat down by Sophie and started to pull on her socks.

“Who’s the kid sitting outside the stable door with the don’t-talk-to-me look on his face?”

“He’s the new kid Tyler wanted to bring to hang around for a while. He’s the brother of one of the guys in his unit in Iraq.”

“And?”

Sophie shrugged. “Tyler said the kid needs to focus on something else besides his computer games.”

“That’s it? He didn’t offer any other explanation?”

Sophie put down her jar of peanut butter and gave Beth a look. “Tyler has that look on his face that Zach had when he first came here, which told me any other questions I had would be met with a grunt.” She shrugged and dipped her finger into the peanut butter. “So I decided not to push it.”

Pursuing her lips, Beth shifted them from side to side as she considered the situation. “His reasoning was the kid needs to do more than play computer games? Half the kids in this country fall into that category.”

“I know.” Sophie licked the peanut butter off her fingers. “There’s more to the story, but who was I going to ask? The grumpy kid or the tight-lipped adult?”

A laugh burst out of Beth’s mouth. Sophie grinned.

“So that’s the lay of the land?”

“Yup, so be careful.”

“You make it sound like I’m going to war.”

“That’s a good way to look at it.”

“Thanks, friend. I’ll be sure not to take the rejection personally.” Beth stepped outside, paused and leaned back through the doorway into the office. “When’s Captain Kaye scheduled to start?”

“Tomorrow afternoon. Zach’s going to work with her.”

“I’ll try to be here, too.” As Beth strode toward the open stable doors, she noticed the kid hadn’t moved, but Dogger had settled at the boy’s feet.

Putting on her straw hat, she walked to the stable entrance. The boy tried not to look, but she noticed him peeking at her under his lashes. She stopped by his side and the kid tensed. She didn’t have two older brothers and not know how to approach a prickly male.

Beth knelt and held out her hand, and Dogger raised his head and welcomed the touch.

“How you doing?” she asked the dog.

The boy’s head came up, surprised that she wasn’t talking to him.

“Dogger, I’m jealous,” she whispered, leaning toward the dog. “It took you close to a month to offer me your friendship and here you are hanging out with a new person immediately.” She sighed. “What am I to think? That you like him more than me?” Continuing to stroke the dog’s head, she looked up. “He plays hard to get most of the time.”

The boy’s eyes widened.

Beth decided not to push her luck, patted Dogger’s head, stood and walked into the stables. She turned around to watch the boy’s reaction. He looked over his shoulder, a frown furrowing his brows.

She chuckled and turned around and ran smack-dab into a wide chest. She bounced off it, knocking her hat off. Instantly, the man’s hands shot out to steady her. She looked up into Tyler Lynch’s deep brown eyes.

“I need to put a bell on you, you know that?” The words popped out of her mouth before she thought.

Tyler’s eyes widened, then a deep-throated chuckle rumbled through his chest. The sound filled the dim interior of the stables.

Feeling the electricity to her toes, she smiled back. “I do seem to be in the wrong spot for you, don’t I?”

“I’d say so.”

He continued to hold her arms, and she wondered if he realized what he was doing. Sadly, his hands fell away and he stepped back.

“Sophie said you brought the young man who is sitting outside. What’s his name?”

The humor drained out of his face to be replaced with pain and sadness. “Riley Carter.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “His brother was in my unit in Iraq. He was killed disarming a bomb.” The words sucked the lightness from the air.

No wonder the kid had an attitude. “I’m so sorry, Tyler.”

“Riley took his brother’s death real hard. His mother is worried about him and troubled by the chip on his shoulder. Paul told me he was real close to Riley after their father’s death. I thought this place might help. I know I’ve seen some pretty amazing things over the weeks I’ve been here.” He shrugged. “It’s worth a shot.”

Admiration welled in Beth’s heart. His concern for his friend’s younger brother spoke well of Tyler. “I think you’ve got a bit of work ahead of you from the looks of things.”

Tyler looked out the open door, again, his expression turning grim. “Yeah, I know.”

“Take heart. This ranch is a miraculous place. If it could reach my brother with as bad an attitude as he had when I brought him here, it can work with anyone—” she looked over her shoulder out the open doors “—that young man included.”

“You brought Zach here?” Surprise rang in his voice.

Her brows wiggled. “I did. And a pricklier male you’ve never seen, but he promised me he would try once. I knew Sophie from college and knew she was helping to establish a program for veterans, and I kind of volunteered Zach.”

Tyler’s brow arched. “How’d he feel about that?”

Beth grinned. “Annoyed. But once he stepped through the breezeway and saw horses, he was hooked. And he got a wife in the bargain.”

“I hope it’s that easy with Riley—with the exception of the wife thing.”

“Ah, there were a few bumps. You might not realize it, but Riley’s bad attitude is encouraging. I think he’s fighting a battle within himself. He’s curious, but that male pride thingie is standing in his way. We’ve got to figure out a way he can save face and start exploring things here.”

“What do you mean, that ‘male pride thingie’?”

Beth laughed at his indignant tone and reached down, picking up her hat. “I rest my case.” With those words, she put on her hat and walked to the tack room to get Charming’s bridle. She’d let Mr. Macho wrestle with the ideas she just floated. Riley wasn’t the only prickly male around the stables.

* * *

Beth finished with her last rider of the day, Chelsea. The little girl had the heart of a lion, enduring surgery after surgery to correct the damage done in the car accident. Her legs, broken in multiple places, had healed, but her gait was still awkward. Since she’d started riding, her attitude had changed and her coordination had improved.

Beth helped Chelsea off the horse. The eight-year-old grinned from ear to ear.

“I love Brownie.” She patted the horse’s side.

“Why don’t you go get a carrot for her?” Beth asked.

The little girl hurried to the carrot barrel and grabbed a short one. She fed it to Brownie. Chelsea’s mother smiled at her daughter.

“It’s a miracle,” she said to Beth, her eyes glistening with emotion. “She can run, even if it is slowly.”

Beth knew the feeling. “It is.” She tied Brownie to the iron ring in the wall by the mounting stairs and walked out with mom and daughter. Turning, she expected to see a pouty Riley, but the bench stood empty. She’d tried several times this afternoon to involve Riley in some small way with the horses and riders. She suggested giving a carrot to one of the horses or getting bridles from the tack room, but the kid steadfastly refused to be interested in anything. She’d gotten only grunts and one-word answers.

Looking around the ring, Beth tried to spot Riley, thinking he might have broken down and gotten interested in something. He’d been a fixture on the bend for the past three hours, glaring at all the people who came close to him. She fought down the panic and rushed down the breezeway on the far side of the office that led to the parking lot. Scanning the cars, she saw no sign of the boy. Turning back to the yard, she realized she didn’t see Dogger, either.

Running back to the office, she opened the door. “Sophie, have you seen the kid that Tyler brought?”

Sophie stood and glanced out the office window. “No. Why?”

“Because he’s not over there, and I can’t find him anywhere.”

Sophie hurried out from behind the desk. “Okay, I’ll get Ollie and Zach and see if we can find him.”

“Great, I’ll check with Tyler. Maybe he took the kid home.”

The women headed in different directions. Sophie walked out into the ring where Zach worked with a rider, while Beth headed back into the stables. She found Tyler behind the stables moving sacks of feed into the storage room.

“I can’t find Riley. Is he with you?”

He stopped. “No.”

“He’s not sitting on the bench, and I’ve looked around and can’t find him. Dogger’s also missing.”

Tyler took off his leather gloves. “Are you sure?”

“Yes. I tried to get Riley to help this afternoon with some of the clients, but he refused. He was there when I started working with my last rider.”

Tyler shoved his gloves into his back pocket. The pulse in his neck throbbed, but his voice didn’t reflect any panic. “I’ll check the corral behind the stables. Have you looked through each stall in the stable?”

“No. I’ll check them.” She raced back to the stables, praying they’d find the boy.

* * *

Tyler fought back the alarm gripping his heart. Fear never led to good results, as the Army had taught him. He needed a clear head. His military training came flooding back. He surveyed the corral behind the stables sprawling out before him. He found himself whispering a prayer under his breath. He figured that God wouldn’t be offended if he prayed for the boy.

There were two horses out in the corral, but no sign of Riley or Dogger. Thinking of his dog, some of his alarm eased. Dogger would take care of the kid. The dog’s instincts had saved Tyler in the field more than once.

He walked down the path to the river beyond the riding corrals, making his way along the path. There was no sign of the boy.

He spotted Zach and Sophie through the trees. “You see anything?”

“Nothing,” Zach called back. “You know how long he’s been missing?”

“I saw him sitting on that bench less than twenty minutes ago.”

“He can’t have gone far.” Zach stepped on a rock and his artificial leg folded under him. He caught himself on a tree branch.

Sophie’s face lost all color. “Are you okay?” she asked, putting her arm around his back.

Zach nodded.

Tyler appeared by Zach’s side. He didn’t offer his help, but was there if Zach needed anything. Zach pushed away from the tree and met Tyler’s gaze. Zach nodded his thanks.

“I think my dog’s with Riley,” Tyler said getting back to the subject. “He’ll take care of the kid.”

“How did this happen?” Sophie asked. “How could he have disappeared so quickly? I looked out the office window not ten minutes ago, and he was there, his frown firmly in place.”

Sophie glanced at Tyler, her embarrassment clear in her blush. “Ugh—sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Tyler reassured her. “It’s the truth. I’d hoped…” There was no point in explaining.

They turned and walked back to the stables. Tyler heard Beth’s voice floating outside through the open doors.

“There you are, Dogger. Have you taken up with your new friend?”

Tyler hurried into the dark interior of the building, dread riding him hard. He understood Riley’s heart, understood the fear and resentment the boy held on to as if it were a talisman. Riley hadn’t verbally said how he felt, but Tyler recognized the emotions coloring the boy’s eyes. And Tyler knew if Beth rained all over the kid, he’d retreat further into himself, where no one would be able to reach him.

Tyler strode down the center aisle like an avenging angel, ready to do battle to protect the boy. He scanned the area for Beth and Riley. He heard Beth, but didn’t see her.

“I missed you guarding that doorway,” she continued. “Then you went off, wandering around with Tyler’s friend.”

Her voice came from the second to last stall before the open double doors, leading to the back corral. He made it close enough to see the floor of the stall. Beth sat beside Dogger. Riley sat on the other side of the dog.

He opened his mouth, but Beth beat him. “You’ve got to be a great guy,” she told Riley as she scratched the dog’s head.

Riley glanced at her, his mouth hanging open.

“I told you Dogger’s might-y selective about his friends, and if he’s hanging with you, I’d say you have his seal of approval. Can you tell me your secret?”

The youth’s eyes widened.

“You see, I’ve got other kids coming here to ride, and I’m hoping that Dogger can help them as much as the horses do. You seem to have charmed him, so what’s your secret?”

Her question surprised Tyler as much as it did Riley. What happened next surprised Tyler even more. The boy smiled shyly and glanced at her. He shrugged his thin shoulders. “Don’t know.”

Beth scratched Dogger’s side and he rolled onto his back to give her better access to his belly. The dog did that with Tyler or Paul, but with the other guys in Tyler’s unit the dog never showed them that level of trust.

He heard another person enter the stables. Glancing over his shoulder, he spotted Zach. When Zach opened his mouth, Tyler shook his head.

“C’mon,” Beth urged. “Think about it. You’ve got a talent, so maybe you can share it with others.”

Riley reached out and rubbed Dogger’s stomach. One rub, then he snatched his hand back. “I let Dogger come to me.”

Beth nodded her head. “That makes sense. Come to think of it, I did that, too. I didn’t try to pet him at first, but let him think about it, and when he was ready, he approached me.” Beth’s smile brought light to this corner of the stables. “So, I’ll warn the kids to let Dogger approach them.” She rested her back against the wall. “Thank you for that insight.”

Another miracle occurred. Riley’s chest puffed out and he reached out again and rubbed Dogger’s stomach.

“How she does that I don’t know,” Zach whispered.

Tyler glanced at his friend. Zach motioned for Tyler to join him outside. The two men walked out into the sunlight.

“Does your sister do that often?” Tyler asked, impressed by how Beth had handled the exchange between Riley and herself.

Shaking his head, Zach laughed. “When we were growing up, she had a talent to read Ethan and me, then rat us out to my folks. Of course, when it came to the guys she dated, she was useless, but that may be the brother in me talking.”

Before Tyler could comment, Susan Carter rounded the corner of the office. “How’s it going?”

Tyler didn’t have the heart to explain about losing her son for a brief time. “I think we’ve made a little progress. My dog’s attached himself to Riley. And Riley smiled.”

“Really,” she whispered, relief lighting her face. Her gaze went from Tyler to Zach. He nodded the truth of Tyler’s statement. “Oh, I’ve prayed and prayed.”

Tyler swallowed. “Come with me and I’ll show you.”

* * *

“Are you upset?” Beth asked as she stopped by Tyler’s side. He was brushing down Charming. Susan and Riley had left close to a half hour ago.

His hand stilled on the horse’s flank. “What are you talking about?”

“Are you upset about me talking to Riley?” She craned her neck so she could see his eyes. Her head almost rested on Charming’s side. Tyler met her gaze.

“No.”

Oh, that male mind-set, say as little as you can to get yourself out of trouble. “Would you care to expand on that?”

He went back to brushing the horse.

She didn’t move, blocking his access to the horse’s front shoulder. She had two brothers and knew how to outwait a stubborn male, and she wanted an answer.

“What do you want me to say?”

Progress. “I saw that panicked look on your face when I was sitting with Riley. You looked like I was fixin’ to put my foot in it and scare the poor kid.”

He flushed. “You saw that?”

“I did.”

Shrugging, he gave Charming a final stroke, then put the brush on the shelf. “I knew from experience that the more you push with a boy that age, the further you push them away.”

Beth heard the pain in his voice, startling her. What had happened to this man that he could identify with Riley’s situation? “You’ve been there and done that.”

He remained silent for so long that she feared she’d pushed him too hard. “I’m s—”

“Yeah.”

She knew this time to give the man room, but he surprised her.

“When I went into foster care, the social worker wanted me to spill my guts.” He untied Charming from the ring on the wall and led him back to his stall.

Beth stared after his retreating form. He starts to spill his guts and then walks away?

She hurried after him. “You can’t leave me hanging there. What happened?”

“Why do you care?”

If he’d slapped her, she couldn’t have been more startled. Instinctively, she stepped back. Scrambling to come up with an answer, she said, “I want to understand how to help Riley. You have an insight that will help me to help him.”

Tyler put Charming in his stall, then slipped the halter off of the horse’s head. He paused, studying her. “Makes sense. I ran through five foster care homes in two years. I think I held the record for that part of Oklahoma. I was known as a troublemaker until I got to the Olaskys.” His gaze turned inward. “They didn’t ask me to open up. They gave me the room I needed and respected me.” He gave a soft laugh. “But I got toted to church and that’s where the Lord got ahold of me. After that, I was willing to talk.”

Working hard not to show her surprise, Beth said, “You had some wise foster parents.”

He paused. “I did.”

“When was the last time you saw them? Are they still alive?”

His expression closed down. “They are still alive.”

It didn’t take a genius to realize she’d touched a raw nerve. The glacial change in him happened so fast it took her breath away. Redirect him.

“Well, I hope we made a breakthrough with Riley. Of course, it’s my experience that boys his age can change in an instant. Oh, I remember one time when I asked Ethan if I could borrow his western bolo tie to wear to the rodeo. He said yes. We watched him at the steer-wrestling competition that afternoon.” She remembered how the little calf had dragged her brother around the arena. “He was the only one who didn’t wrestle down his cow and he ate a lot of dirt. Well, after the rodeo, the first person he saw was me, wearing his tie. He pitched a fit and demanded his tie back there at the arena. So let’s pray that Riley will be feeling cheerful the next time we see him.”

Tyler tried not to smile, but her story broke the ice. “We’ll see.”

She took a deep breath, knowing she’d averted disaster. “I’ll check the horses on the other side of the row and make sure they have fresh hay.” Not waiting for his reply, she walked down the aisle.

Tyler had revealed another layer of himself and her heart whispered he was a good man. He’d slipped past the shield she’d erected around her heart. And oddly enough, that realization didn’t panic her.

* * *

Tyler snapped his fingers, calling for Dogger. The dog raced out of the stall and joined him at the door.

“What’s come over you, friend? Suddenly you’re Mr. Social, rolling over and letting anyone scratch your belly.”

“Are you expecting him to answer you?” Zach asked, walking up to the stables.

“I’ve gotta stop talking out loud.”

“Yeah, my sister can drive any male to talk to himself.”

Tyler threw a grin at his friend. “What I don’t understand is why Dogger’s decided to make friends with your sister and Riley. It’s put me off my stride, so why shouldn’t I expect him to answer me?” Tyler had discussed with Zach what he wanted to do with Riley. They both agreed that horses would benefit the boy.

Zach stepped to the fence enclosing the ring in front of the stables. He rested his forearms on the top rail. “This place changed me, so maybe Dogger’s following suit.”

Tyler joined him. “So I heard.”

With a laugh, Zach said, “That’s the trouble with sisters. They volunteer your secrets along with advice on how to fix things.”

Tyler tried to keep a straight face, but didn’t manage it. “That’s true.”

“When I came here, the first time I rode I tired myself out. Too much pride to tell anyone about my weakness, so when I got off Charming, I fell and my brother caught me. Afterward, Beth asked, ‘How do you feel?’” He shook his head. “I wanted to snarl ‘how do you think?’ but then I looked at that sincere face and knew I couldn’t dump on her.” He grinned and glanced at Tyler. “Of course, it was the stupidest question she’d ever asked.”

Tyler understood exactly how Zach felt. “I’ve got my share of stupid, too.”

Zach didn’t say anything for several minutes, but they looked out over the corrals and down the hill toward the setting sun. There was a stillness and a peacefulness here that called to Tyler’s soul.

“Beth might be pushy, but you know if it hadn’t been for her, I’d still be stewing in my pity. Of course, she doesn’t know when to mind her own business and back off. She means well and her heart is in the right place.” Zach pushed away from the fence. “You’ll just have to take her actions as trying to help. She’s dealt with me. Brace yourself, because it’s going to happen again. Ignore it.”

“Will ignoring her help?”

Zach’s mouth twitched. “No. And my brother Ethan can second me.”

“Thanks for the warning.”

As Zach walked away, Tyler didn’t know how he felt. So Beth wasn’t going to quit. It didn’t make sense, but Tyler was grateful Beth McClure wasn’t going to give up her fight.

Yeah, he was glad that little dynamo wouldn’t quit. Not only for Riley’s sake, but his. The thought unsettled him.

Walking up to the foreman’s house, Riley knew deep in his spirit that God had put her in his life.

He didn’t know how he felt about that, but he found himself smiling.

Tyler looked down at Dogger. “So what do you think? You like her, too?”

Dogger ran up the stairs and faced his master, his tongue out.

“You’re not going to answer until I feed you. Okay, chow, then I expect an answer.”

* * *

“I’m glad you stayed for dinner,” Sophie told Beth.

Both Zach and Beth cleared the dishes. Sophie put the leftover lasagna in a plastic container.

“Well, you twisted my arm until I yelled uncle.” Beth popped one of the cherry tomatoes in her mouth as she carried the remains of the salad to the kitchen.

Stepping to her side, Zach pulled a strand of her hair just as he had so often in the past when they were growing up. She could only thank God for restoring her brother after he lost his leg.

“What were you going to have, sis? A burger purchased in a drive-thru or a frozen dinner?” He wagged his brows.

She could act outraged or admit Zach had nailed it on the head. “If you must know, it was going to be a burger.”

Zach hugged her and glanced at Sophie. “Do I know my sister or what?”

Sophie shooed him away with her hands. “Go, before I let your sister smack you with one of the skillets.”

Grinning unrepentantly, he escaped into the living room and turned on the news.

Beth and Sophie worked together to clean up the kitchen.

“This reminds me of college,” Sophie said as she filled the sink with soapy water. She rubbed the small of her back.

“Go and sit. Or exchange places with my brother. You need to get off your feet.”

When Sophie didn’t argue, Beth knew she’d read her friend correctly. Sophie settled at the table and put her feet on a chair. “You remember that party we went to our sophomore year at Janelle’s apartment? And remember she got so sick on the chicken?”

The memory of that disastrous party flashed before Beth’s eyes. Janelle had brought some chicken from a local hole-in-the wall café and the stuff had given everyone food poisoning. Beth and Sophie were the only two who stayed with the pizza and the only ones not moaning and throwing up. “That was bad.”

“And you remember your date got it, too.”

“Yeah, he turned green, heaved and left the apartment without any explanation.”

“Well, consider yourself lucky, ’cause my date, who was his roommate, if you remember, heaved on my shoes while telling me they were going home.” Once their dates split, Beth and Sophie were stuck at the apartment without a car. “We lucked out that Janelle lived close to the bus line that ran by our dorm.”

Sophie studied her and frowned. “You know.” Sophie cocked her head as if a revelation occurred to her. “There were always guys around you, but we all went together as a group. I can’t think of—”

Beth looked up from the sink. “Of what?”

Sophie’s eyes narrowed. “Of any man you dated more than once while we were in college.”

Putting the last dish in the drainer, Beth dried her hands. She settled across the table from Sophie. “I never found anyone who could live up to my standards. I have a wonderful, generous father who is perfect.”

“True. But you have a couple of brothers with flaws.”

“I won’t argue there.”

“But you never—”

The direction of this conversation made Beth uncomfortable. Back then, the lack of a boyfriend had been intentional. “You know, your pregnancy is making you want to mother everyone.”

Sophie leaned across the table and took Beth’s hand. “Be careful, friend. Remember, lots of our soldiers return to civilian life with baggage, and Tyler has his share.”

Beth jerked her hand away. “I know that. Remember who hauled Zach here.”

“True, but I see something in your eyes, Beth. Please be careful.”

Sophie’s comment cut too close to the truth. “Sophie, I understand the man has issues. I’m not sure he can carry on a conversation. I’ve only heard one-word answers or grunts.” Beth’s mind flashed to the conversations she’d had with Tyler. Those were exceptions, she told herself.

Sophie laughed, making Beth chuckle.

“You’ve got that nailed, but there’s something—” Sophie shook her head.

Beth opened her mouth to protest, but Sophie held up her hand.

“I’m just warning you.”

Beth couldn’t hold her friend’s words against her. She came around the table and kissed Sophie’s cheek. “Thank you.”

“You’ll pay attention to my warning?”

“I will.”

Later that night as Beth drifted off to sleep, she tried to tell herself that because Sophie was pregnant she was seeing things.

Deep inside, Beth knew Sophie had been right.

Chapter Three

It had been the longest ten days of Beth’s life. She used to love to travel for work, seeing different cities, flying off at the drop of a hat, but this last trip to London, then to Dallas, had been more than tedious. Her heart had stayed at Second Chance Ranch with a silent man, his dog and a troubled boy. In the quiet of morning when she had her coffee and read her Bible, she found herself praying for Tyler and Riley and longing to see how things were progressing with them.

It occurred to Beth that this was the first time since her disastrous relationship with her high school boyfriend ended that she found herself overwhelmed by attraction. She tried to chalk her feelings up to compassion for a hurt child and an emotionally wounded soldier. Would she be that intense with each new military rider? She ignored the uncomfortable question.

What had happened in Tyler’s life that caused him to be put into foster care? That question rumbled around her brain the entire time she was on her business trip and she planned to see if Zach knew about Tyler’s past.

Parking in the ranch’s lot, she planned her strategy—corner Zach and put the screws on. When she reached the ranch office, she found no one there. After changing, Beth walked to the stables. Two riders were out in the two rings. Sophie supervised one rider and Tyler was in the second ring, walking beside a new boy who looked terrified. Observing from his regular perch by the door sat Riley.

Beth stopped by Riley’s side. “How’s it going?”

The boy shrugged.

Hadn’t they got past this? “Where’s Dogger?”

Another shrug.

“Do you know the boy Tyler’s helping?”

“No.”

What had happened to put Riley back to square one? She walked into the stables, hoping to find Zach. Two other volunteers were inside working on different horses. She waved to them, and then spotted Ollie coming out of the tack room. He’d just about finished his chemo, and he was looking good and starting to gain back some weight.

“Ollie, have you seen Zach?”

“He’s out back with Ethan, checking out the new horse the ranch got.”

“That’s good news. Where did we get it?”

“Ask your brother.”

“Which one, Zach or Ethan?”

“Zach.”

What she needed to do was to talk to Sophie to know what was really going on at the ranch instead of wasting time trying to get info from Zach. “You’re looking good.”

“I’ll say I don’t feel like dirt no more, so that’s an improvement.”

“Quit charming me with your words.”

“Get out of here.” Affection laced his words.

Stepping out the side doors of the stables, she saw Zach on a new horse, riding the gelding around the corral. The bay had a black mane and tail and black stockings on all four feet. Ethan stood at the fence, watching.

“Where’d you get that handsome horse?” Beth called out.

Ethan turned and smiled at Beth. “Hey, girl. Good to see you home.” He opened his arms, and she walked into them.

“I’m glad to be home. What are you doing here? Is this your day to volunteer?”

He shook his head. “Zach called and wanted me to see our newest mount. To evaluate him.”

“So, where’d the horse come from?”

Ethan turned back to watch Zach. “You want to tell her, Zach, since the guy talked to you?”

Zach brought the horse up to the gate. “A rancher in the west of the state read about our new program for veterans, and since he’s a Vietnam vet, he wanted to help. He thought Dusty here would be perfect. He dropped him off yesterday.”

“He’s a good-looking horse. Perfect for the soldiers.”

Zach dismounted easily. If you didn’t know the man, you would never guess his right leg was artificial. “You’re right.”

Beth watched him for a minute, then asked, “What’s with Riley?”

Zach threw his brother a look, opened the corral gate and walked the horse out.

She knew Zach had ignored her question about Riley. “Why’s Riley sitting outside on the bench pouting again? Did something happen?”

Rubbing the horse’s nose, Zach glanced at her. “Nothing that I know about.”

“That doesn’t make sense.”

“Sis, he’s a thirteen-year-old boy,” Ethan answered. “He doesn’t need a reason to glare and have a bad attitude. You should know, having grown up with brothers.”

Beth looked from one brother to the other. “True enough, but I thought we got over that hump.”

Ethan grinned. “I think that’s my cue to leave. I wanted to tell you all that the doctor got a bad kick from one of the horses he was examining on our last horse rescue. He’s limping badly. Pray for him.”

Doctor Adams had been the vet for her parents’ ranch for the past twenty years. He was the only vet for the ranches around that part of the state. He also came out to Second Chance to care for the horses. “I’m sorry to hear that. Has Doc thought about getting a new associate? I mean Doc doesn’t move as fast as he did twenty years ago and can’t dodge the kicks from the stock as quickly as he once could.”

The brothers exchanged an unvoiced message.

“It’s the truth,” Beth defended herself.

Ethan kissed her cheek. “I’m out of here.” He walked toward his truck.

Beth knew a strategic retreat when she saw one.

Zach didn’t comment, but walked the new horse into the stables. Sophie trailed him inside and helped unsaddle the horse.

“You said his name was Dusty.” She nodded toward the horse.

“That’s right.” Zach pulled the saddle off the gelding’s broad back. Beth got the saddle blanket and put it on the stand beside the saddle.

“What do you want?”

Beth wanted to grind her teeth. Her strategy wasn’t working. “What makes you think I want something?”

Her brother stared at her over the horse’s back. “The last time you helped me unsaddle a horse, you were eleven and wanted to pump me for information about what Mom and Dad knew about your adventure in the barn when you dropped the paint from the loft.”

Sometimes it didn’t pay to have a smart brother. “What do you know about Tyler’s background?”

“Why do you want to know?” He grabbed a curry brush and started to work on the horse’s back.

“He mentioned going from foster home to foster home.” She picked up the other brush and started on Dusty’s other side.

“Butt out, Sis. Tyler doesn’t need you to understand him. He’s doing a great job, and he’ll handle Riley.”

Zach had that look that told her she wasn’t going to get any more answers out of him. “Okay.” She put the brush back on the shelf and started to walk out of the grooming area.

Zach’s hand shot out, stopping her. “That’s it? You’re giving up?”

She rubbed Dusty’s forehead and smiled at her brother. “What do you think?”

He shook his head and turned back to the horse. “You’re not going to listen to me.”

“Remember who dragged you here.”

“That’s what I was afraid of,” he mumbled as he continued brushing the horse.

* * *

After Beth finished working with her first rider, she knew she couldn’t let Riley pout the rest of the afternoon. It went against her grain. She remembered what her mother said to her father the day after her brothers had a major fight. She didn’t worry about their attitude. Just keep them busy, and the attitude would fix itself. Well, if it worked with her two stubborn brothers, it couldn’t hurt trying it with Riley. Of course, her brother would accuse her of meddling, but her heart wouldn’t allow her to ignore a child in pain, no matter how her brothers would interpret it.

Walking to the bench, she said, “Hey, Riley, I need some help.”

“Huh?”

Boys were so articulate. “C’mon, I need you to help me.”

He straightened. Dogger, who rested at his feet, sat on his haunches. “I don’t know nothin’ about horses.”

“We can change that.”

He looked around, seeing if anyone was watching.

“Just imagine all the things you can tell the kids at school. You can impress them. Brag and be the expert. And girls adore horses and the men who know about them.”

She watched him think about it, then he nodded, stood and walked into the stables.

“Okay, let’s get Brownie’s tack.”

“What?”

“Her bridle, reins and saddle blanket. We’re going to get her ready for the next rider.”

Beth explained to the boy what was needed and showed him where the little horse’s equipment was stored. She took her time to explain everything to him. Riley, in spite of himself, showed interest. When he found himself being eager, he fixed the scowl on his face.

He put the bridle on the horse, then settled the blanket on the horse’s back.

“Okay, since our rider, Chelsea is her name, is going to be riding Brownie, let’s attach each stirrup to the blanket. Remember, she’s not a tall girl.”

The boy buckled the stirrup to the blanket.

“Hey, what’s going on here?” Tyler stood behind Riley.

Beth stabbed Tyler with her gaze. “We’re getting Brownie ready for her rider. I asked Riley for his help. He’s done a great job.”

Riley tried to appear bored, but his eyes twinkled.

Beth didn’t let Tyler’s questioning look stop her, and pulled Brownie’s lead reins. “C’mon, Riley, let me show you how we use side walkers to help the riders who need it.”

“I don’t know—”

She waved off the rest of the comment. “I know a little girl who’d like a young man like you to help her.”

Riley glanced over his shoulder. Tyler shrugged. Turning back to Beth, he said, “I guess I can try.”

Swallowing the grin that fought to erupt, Beth led Riley and Brownie to the mounting steps, but she could feel Tyler’s gaze burning into her back.

* * *

Tyler watched as Riley followed Beth like a puppy. He couldn’t quite believe how she charmed the kid again. The other day she got a smile out of him and now she had him out helping with one of the riders. The woman had a touch, and not only with Riley. He felt himself opening up to her, looking forward to seeing her again.

Following them to the mounting steps, he watched Beth instruct Riley. There was another adult standing ready by the steps, but she showed Riley how to help guide the girl’s shoe into the stirrup. It was too short, so Beth had Riley readjust the stirrup. The boy’s chest puffed out.

How’d the woman do it? She’d certainly captivated Dogger. Since that day, he found himself thinking about her. What was it about the woman that drew hi—Dogger. His dog didn’t offer his friendship to just anyone. He recalled the guys in his unit. Dogger accepted them all and allowed them to pet him, but the guys who were a little out of control, the dog stayed away from. And, of course, Dogger loved Paul. Dogger grieved for Paul, too.

Not only had Tyler been thinking about Beth, but he had been thinking of God, too, and his relationship with Him. Tyler had seen the Bible in the bookcase and pulled it out. He hadn’t opened it, but he’d left it on the coffee table.

Watching Riley now, Tyler saw reflections of Paul. Riley’s expression of concentration mirrored Paul’s. How often had they disarmed bombs or worked an explosion, trying to analyze how the bomb, car or pipe, was constructed.

He closed his eyes, wanting to shut out the pain. If Paul had only waited a few more seconds for him to get the right pliers…but he was sure he knew how to disarm it. In the end, it wouldn’t have mattered, since the timer was a decoy. The bomber had been in the restaurant and waited until he knew the Americans were there before he hit the remote trigger, detonating it.

The sorrow and regret slammed into Tyler, robbing him of breath. Turning, he walked through the stables and out the side door. Maybe he could outrun the pain. He’d tried to drink away the memories, but they never went away. After his last round with the drink where he landed in the hospital, the VA doctors told him if he didn’t stop, he wouldn’t have a liver. They recommended counseling to deal with the survivor’s guilt.

That afternoon he wandered into the VFW post in Denver. One of the older guys fed him and gave him milk to drink. He hadn’t had milk in years, but it reminded Tyler of his mom and dad and the farm they owned before the tornado destroyed it, killing both of them.

What would his mother think of her son if she saw him a homeless drunk? Or his grandmother who took him in after his parents’ death?

Then the veteran did the most amazing thing. He prayed with Tyler. He didn’t know how he felt about that. He’d been saved when he was in his teens, but after Paul’s death, he couldn’t pray. How could a merciful God allow his entire family to die, one by one, and then his best friend? The last thing the old guy said was, until Tyler settled his anger with God, nothing would be right, and he invited him to chapel that night. Tyler wasn’t ready to hear from God and didn’t go. That day, he quit drinking, but his spirit remained unsettled.

A bark broke into Tyler’s thoughts. Glancing down, he found Dogger at his feet.

“What?”

The dog settled his chin on Tyler’s foot. Tyler squatted and ran his hand over the dog’s head. “Are you telling me to snap out of it?”

The dog’s eyes met his master’s.

“Okay. I need to think about what I can do to help Riley.” He scratched the dog’s head. “But it still hurts, friend.”

“What hurts?”

Tyler looked up at Sophie.

“Did you strain something? Or are you feeling sick?”

Tamping down his embarrassment, Tyler slowly stood. “No, I’m not sick, but you did catch me talking to my dog, which could make you wonder about my sanity.”

She waved the comment away. “Then I’d have to wonder about Zach and myself. I spent more time talking to Charming than anyone when Zach started coming here. Charming helped me a lot of nights.”

Tyler breathed a sigh of relief. Sophie didn’t think he needed a shrink.

“The reason I’m here is Riley’s mom is on the phone.”

“Is anything wrong?”

“I don’t know. She didn’t seem too panicked.”

Tyler’s heart slowed down and followed Sophie to the phone by the entrance to the stables.

“She’s on line two.”

He picked up the hand set and pushed line two. “Tyler here.”

“I’m so glad I got you, Tyler. I have a favor to ask. My business meeting is running late, and I’m not going to make it over there before about eight. Could Riley stay with you until I’m finished?”

He didn’t know how he felt, but he couldn’t refuse. “Sure.”

“Thank you. This meeting got delayed and there’s no way I can leave.”

“It’s okay, Susan. We’ll get something to eat.”

“Oh, you don’t have to do that.”

He laughed. “Susan, he’s a thirteen-year-old boy. Yes, I do.”

“You’ve got a point. He’s eating everything in the kitchen, even fruit.”

“Don’t worry. I’ve got it covered.”

“Thank you, Tyler.” Her voiced vibrated with emotions.

“I’m happy to do it.”

“I’ll give you a call when I’m on the way to pick Riley up.”

“You’re covered.” He hung up. Well, it didn’t matter if he or Riley were prepared to do this. They were about to bond.

* * *

When he knew he wasn’t being watched, excitement shone in Riley’s eyes. Beth wanted to laugh with delight, but knew the move would shut the boy down.

But the excitement she felt nearly overwhelmed her. Riley stood taller as he walked beside the rider. He tried to act cool, but his excitement and pride bubbled up.

Chelsea carefully made her way down the steps. Once on the ground, she smiled. “Did you see that?” she crowed. “I did it myself.”

Riley’s shoulders went back.

“I did see that,” Beth replied. “What an improvement.”

She walked into her mother’s arms. “I did it, Momma.”

Mother and daughter hugged, thanked them and left.

“Okay, Riley, let me show you how to care for Brownie now. You’re Brownie’s caretaker and need to be responsible to unsaddle her, rub her down and make sure she has feed.”

He nodded and followed Beth.

They were settling Brownie in her stall when Tyler found them.

“How’d the afternoon go?”

Riley shrugged.

“He was great.” Beth volunteered the praise. The boy deserved it. “I think he’s going to be a natural.”

Riley rolled his eyes, but Beth could tell the words pleased him when the corner of his mouth curved up.

Tyler glanced at her and they shared a moment of pride. “Riley, I just got a call from your mother. She has a meeting that is running late and told me it might be eight before she gets here.”

“What?” Riley’s eyes grew large and he glanced around. “I’ve got to get home and—” His stomach growled and a red stain crept up his neck. “And I’m hungry. What does she think I’m going to do for food?”

Signs of his panic screamed at Beth and she wanted to head off disaster. “I’m hungry, too.”

Riley’s mouth hung open and he stared at her.

“How about you, Tyler? You hungry, too?” Beth prayed he understood her effort to divert the boy.

“I am.”

Stepping toward Riley, she asked, “How about we go to the burger place down the road? That little place has the best burgers within fifty miles. When I want to treat myself, I go there.”

Riley looked from Beth to Tyler. The alarm drained out of his expression. “Yeah, okay, that sounds good.”

She slipped her arm around Riley’s skinny shoulders. “Thank you for agreeing to go. I can’t tell you how much I needed an excuse to stop there.” Grinning, she whispered, “None of the trendy people go there. It’s got big, greasy burgers in giant buns and the fries are to die for—” she closed her eyes and moved her head from side to side “—and my friends are all health nuts, wanting me to eat alfalfa sprouts and wheatgrass and all the things my cows eat. I can simply tell them I’m helping feed a young man who worked hard.”

Riley’s chin came up. “Sure.”

Beth smiled at Tyler. The man simply shook his head.

“Then let’s finish with this horse, get the truck and go get burgers.”

“Okay.” Riley went to put up Brownie’s bridle.

Tyler stood staring at the boy.

“You’re welcome,” Beth whispered in his ear.

He jerked back. “What?”

“I was simply responding to your thank-you.”

“But I didn’t say anything,” he protested.

She gave him a look that said “I know” and walked off, chuckling to herself.

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