* * * * *
Caleb stepped out of the shower the next morning and reached for a towel. After dragging on a pair of jeans and brushing his teeth, he grabbed a long-sleeved Henley from one of his duffle bags. He pulled it on as he walked into the kitchen, the rich scent of coffee drawing his attention.
He found Reese at the counter. “‘Mornin’, darlin’.”
She turned and he planted a kiss on her. The move seemed to take her aback, as though she was surprised he hadn’t hesitated to show her affection. Maybe the ex hadn’t been so forthcoming with intimate gestures.
“Good morning,” she said, a blush creeping up on her. “I have no idea what you want for breakfast, so I cooked a bit of everything.” Removing the foil from a serving platter, she said, “Help yourself.”
The plate was piled high with scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, breakfast potatoes, French toast and silver-dollar pancakes. His stomach growled.
“That’s for both of us, right?”
“I have to run,” she told him with a furrowed brow that expressed her disappointment. “Ginger had a wedding dream last night that resulted in some sort of dramatic change in direction for the design of her dress—not the first time, mind you, and for sure not the last. Anyway, she needs to see her seamstress immediately. She just called to ask me to open the shop for her.”
“We’re still on for dinner?”
One corner of her mouth dipped, as though she was having second thoughts. “I’m so sorry about last night.”
“Put it out of your mind, Reese. I’m not the least bit spooked.” He gave her a pointed look. “Tell me we’re still on for this evening.”
She nodded. “Of course.” After collecting her purse and keys, she added, “Don’t worry about the dish
es or your bed. I’ll take care of everything when I get back.”
She left the kitchen and he heard the front door close behind her. Knowing Reese, she’d already set the table for him, so he took the platter and a cup of coffee into the great room and had breakfast alone. Not an uncommon occurrence, since he’d kept an apartment in Dallas that he hadn’t shared with anyone, but he would have enjoyed eating with her.
Despite her instructions, when he was done, he wrapped up the leftovers and put them in the fridge, then rinsed off the dishes and placed them in the dishwasher. He made his own bed, as he’d done since he was a kid, despite his parents having house staff. Then he headed to the Painted Horse to meet with various people who’d graciously given up their Saturday for him.
Don Peters was his first appointment. The good-natured vet arrived just minutes after Caleb.
They shook hands and Don said, “Nice setup you’ve got here. I like it already.”
“Plenty of space, that’s for sure. Thanks for helping me draw up the plans for the med facility. My crew will break ground in a week. We’re supposed to have a mild winter, so I don’t anticipate any delays.”
“I’m impressed by how much you’ve accomplished in such a short time.”
With a laugh, Caleb said, “Doesn’t seem like a short period of time to me. Took a while to find the right location, file all the paperwork and start collecting donations. I had to work with the IRS to determine how much I could contribute monetarily to the project. I don’t want to mess around with outdated equipment. The horses we’ll rescue deserve better.”
Don nodded. “I’ve had a passion for equines since I was a kid too. That’s why I was so pleased you contacted me. Wish I could give more of my time, but you can count on me being here two afternoons a week. And I’m perfectly fine with being on call for emergencies.”He had his own practice to maintain in Austin, though he’d told Caleb he had other vets on staff full-time.
“I appreciate that. I believe we’ll be able to swing it. I’m mostly concerned about taking in several dire cases at once. I wouldn’t want to turn them away, but I need to make sure they’re all receiving the attention they need—and that they’re getting the best care possible.”
“You still thinking of rescuing twenty at a time?”
“The existing stalls only hold twelve horses, so I’m constructing another stable for eight more, plus tack storage.”
“And the house?”
Caleb’s glance slid to the enormous, two-story structure. The design was modern, the building well maintained. But what use did a single man have for over nine thousand square feet?
“I haven’t decided what to do with it just yet.” The clinic would sit west of the house, the stables sat to the east. A circular, gravel drive with a fountain in the center lay before the house, trimmed with decorative edging and flowerbeds. The previous owner had hired a company to manage the upkeep of the grounds and Caleb intended to stick with them, since he wouldn’t have time for mowing lawns and watering flowers.
In fact, now that he surveyed the ranch, he wondered when he’d have time for Reese.
But that wasn’t something he wanted to dwell on at the moment. Nor did he want to believe he could only have one or the other—his dream or her.
To distract himself from his wayward thoughts, he said, “Why don’t I show you the stalls and the three corrals?”