Chapter Six

Reba

Instead of paying attention to what her boss Diane was talking about in the morning meeting, Reba was thinking about how she should have invited Shane to stay over last night. A part of her felt guilty for daydreaming, but Diane was probably saying the same old thing she said at the beginning of every rodeo.

Keep your walkie talkie on and your phone charged.

Stick to the schedule.

Call for backup if you need it.

If you see something, say something.

Besides, the job assignments were already on the white erasable board in their portable vet trailer. Their mobile veterinarian lab contained essential diagnostic equipment for conducting tests and analyses. It had an exam room with a platform for examining smaller animals and storage for their medical supplies and equipment, such as their portable X-ray machines and ultrasound unit. As the senior veterinarian, Reba was in charge of the bull testing again and on call for any horses that needed assistance. Dr. Victor Lance, the second vet, took care of the other wellness checks. The rest of the vet techs were assigned all over the place.

As Diane droned on about things to remain alert for, Reba's mind wandered back to Shane. She had a really good time last night. It had been a while since she had a first date that wasn't a torturous two hours of awkwardness. They had really connected over the kittens and talking about their families. And those kisses… Reba smiled, feeling her cheeks heat in a blush. She hadn't thought about Dr. Kilgore. She hadn't panicked. It was so natural the way his lips brushed against hers. And then they had just moved on with their discussion, as if they had all the time in the world to get to know each other.

After they polished off the pizza and beer, they played gin rummy while talking smack to each other. He had helped her settle in the kittens and Reba could tell that he really hated to leave Huginn and Muninn, or was it Hildr and Sigrun?

Crazy Norse names. Reba couldn't keep them straight.

"What are you grinning like a lunatic for?" Dolly asked.

Reba blinked. At some point, Diane had finished her speech, and everyone had started their day. Dolly must have come in when Diane had left. Reba shook her head. It wasn't like her to be lost in daydreaming.

"Can't a person be happy?" Reba said defensively.

Dolly stared into Reba's coffee cup. "Isn't it a little early to start drinking?"

"Coffee?"

"Whiskey."

"I don't drink on the job," Reba said primly.

"You don't smile on it either. So what gives?"

Her sister wasn't going to let this go. Reba grabbed her by the arm and tugged her outside. The fewer people who knew her business the better.

"If you must know, I had a nice dinner last night with Shane Calland."

Dolly's eyes grew wide, and she whistled. "Good for you. Just dinner?"

"I wouldn't tell you even if it hadn't been just dinner."

"It was more than dinner," she said knowingly.

Reba just shook her head. "We didn't sleep together."

"Why not?" Dolly asked.

"It was our first date."

"Don't tell me you're going to wait until the third date or something like that. You're not in high school, you know."

"It's not like that," Reba said. Dolly could be so outrageous sometimes.

When Shane had said he was fixing to go, he had helped her clean up. Then they had paused in the doorway before Reba decided to walk him out to his truck. Then they held hands and looked up at the stars.

After a few minutes, he had squeezed her hand and said that he had enjoyed himself. Then he gave her another one of those slow kisses and left her standing there debating if she should ask him to stay. She wound up watching him driving away and trying to work up the courage to text him to turn around. Reba explained all that to Dolly.

"It sounds really sweet. Why were you hesitating?"

"I'm not sure," Reba said. She had been asking herself the same question. It could have been that she was afraid of freaking out about Dr. Kilgore at an inopportune instance. But that was just an excuse.

"Take the cowboy for a ride. No one says you have to get married."

Dolly could be painfully blunt at times, but she only said what Reba had been thinking.

"Maybe." Reba didn't want to make a fool out of herself, but she had to admit she wanted to spend more time with Shane and less time thinking about Dr. Kilgore. "Anyway, I've got to head over to the bulls."

"I'll hitch a ride, if you don't mind. I'm trying to get some interest going for Nash Weaver."

"Who's he?" Reba said, grabbing the keys to one of the golf carts that the vet staff used. The name sounded familiar.

"He's the worst bull rider I've ever seen." Dolly shook her head at her phone as she daintily climbed into the golf cart.

At least she was wearing decent boots today. Sometimes, Dolly came to the rodeo with heels and tight skirts. The professional cheerleader in her died hard.

"Everybody wrecks," Reba said. She remembered him now. He was the one who had been surprised she wanted his autograph on the program.

"Yeah, but as far as I can tell, he's never gone eight seconds. And he didn't exist before last year."

That did sound strange. "Is he someone's cousin or secret baby or something?"

"I don't know, but I need to find out before it leaks to social media and causes negative press." She gave a big sigh.

"Are you all right?" Reba asked. Dolly usually lived for this shit.

Dolly rubbed her forehead. "I'm getting a lot of pressure from Shelby and Jackson."

"About this Nash guy?"

"No. About getting butts in seats. I'm trying to drum up excitement."

Reba looked around at the people in the arena as they zipped along to get to the bullpens. The rodeo hadn't officially opened but there were tons of people wandering around and she saw many trucks in the parking lot tailgating. She almost stopped for breakfast at one of them because the smell of grilled onions and sausage had her mouth watering.

"Are ticket sales down?"

"I don't think so. It's our first year as a joint company, though, so maybe they're not making the numbers they'd like. But the events so far have looked busy to me."

"Me, too," Reba said. "I've heard they're looking at cutting some costs." She told Dolly about what Shane had said about the UPRC only using a few bull breeders.

"That's just plain dumb," Dolly said. "No one is going to want to see the same thirty or so bulls rotating in and out."

Reba shrugged. "I'm just worried about my job."

"They'll always going to need a good vet." Dolly placed a hand on her shoulder.

And then Reba told her about Dr. Kilgore trying to be one of the bull breeders.

"I'll see if I can put a bug in Shelby's ear that we don't want to do business with the likes of him. I don't know how influential it'll be. But she should know the type of man Kilgore is."

And Dolly didn't even know the full story. Maybe someday Reba would tell her.

"Thanks." Reba parked the golf cart and pocketed the keys. "I've got to get these tests started. Come find me if you need a ride back. But before you go…" Reba said trying to sound casual.

Dolly put her hand on her hip, and cocked a sarcastic look at her. "Don't tell me you want another VIP package? It's not even eight o'clock in the morning yet. Who the heck did you manage to piss off today?"

"No, no. It's nothing like that. Yet," Reba added truthfully. Who knew what the day would bring? "Shane found four little kittens…"

"Absolutely not." Dolly didn't even let her finish before she started shaking her head.

"You didn't even know what I was going to say."

"Yes, I do. I cannot be responsible for an animal. I can barely be responsible for myself."

"I was thinking it would keep you company when you were back in your apartment in Dallas and when you had to travel, you could ask your neighbors to take a look in on the kitten."

Dolly was still shaking her head. "Sometimes I don't know how long I'm going to be gone for. Not to mention, I don't like any of my neighbors."

"Well, maybe you could travel with the kitten."

"That's a large pain in the ass. I'm sorry, Reba. I've always loved your kind heart when it comes to strays. And one day, when I'm a little bit more settled, I'll let you load me up with every half-starved dog, cat, or pig you come across. But right now, with my life the way it is, I wouldn't be able to give the kitten a good home."

Reba knew that her sister was wrong, that she would take very good care of a kitten. But she also knew that she had to respect Dolly's choice in the matter. The last thing Reba wanted to do was give Dolly more stress in her life.

"No problem," Reba said. "I get it."

Dolly bit her lower lip. "Maybe we could raffle the kittens off?"

Reba chuckled. "No. I don't want to adopt them out at the rodeo. Too much impulse purchasing. That could lead to the kittens being abandoned again. Don't worry, I'll find homes for them."

"You always do," Dolly said, waving before turning away to hurry off somewhere, while she typed furiously on her phone.

Reba wasn't too surprised to see Lou and Shane in the bullpens, observing the set-up situation as the other bull owners and the rodeo staff milled around the paddocks where the bulls were waiting for her and the vet staff.

She and Shane exchanged a glance. She gave him a tiny finger wave, feeling a little ridiculous. Part of her wanted to go up to him and give him a good morning kiss, but he was in business mode and she didn't want anyone to start gossiping about them.

Grabbing her kit, she headed to the first section of bulls to get the blood samples she needed. She worked her way down the list and was just about done when one of the bull riders came jogging up to her.

"Ma'am, I need your help."

Reba recognized Taylor Keating. He had been more than happy to sign the rodeo program for her the other day because he said he was normally one of the bullfighters and no one ever asked for his signature before. He said he was trying to pick up some rodeo gigs in between bullfighting to make some extra cash.

Reba had told him there was a steadier paycheck bartending after the rodeos, and it didn't require risking a broken arm or leg. Taylor had just laughed at her and said he would probably drink up all of the profits. He was a handsome cowboy, with golden hair and dark brown eyes. Usually, he had an easy smile, but right now he looked worried.

"Can it wait, Taylor? I'm almost done here."

"Sure," he said wiping his palms on his jeans.

But Reba got the sense that it really couldn't wait. If an animal was truly in danger, she would never forgive herself if she had put off seeing it.

"What seems to be the trouble?"

"It's my horse," Taylor said, his voice shaking. "I think there's something really wrong with her."

"Okay," Reba said. "Let's take a look."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive." The bulls could wait a few more minutes.

"Thank you so much," Taylor said and took off at a fast walk.

"Hold on," she said. "We'll take the golf cart. It's quicker."

They piled in and Taylor gave her directions to the barn where he was keeping his horse.

"Can you tell me a bit about what's been going on?" she asked, keeping her tone gentle and reassuring.

"She's been off her food for a couple of days now and she's been restless in the stable," he said. "I didn't think anything of it at first. But today she's sweating and shaking and I'm real worried."

Reba nodded, taking mental notes. "Okay, and has she had any changes in her diet or recent medical issues?"

Taylor shook his head. "No, nothing that I can think of. She's been eating the same feed as usual and she hasn't been sick before this."

When they got to the barn, Reba saw that there were a few other cowboys lingering around. The air was one of nervous concern. That didn't bode well, and Reba was glad she listened to her instincts to come and help right away. When she walked into the barn and saw the horse, she knew she'd made the right decision.

"What's her name?" Reba asked.

"Dale," Taylor said. "She's gonna be all right, right?"

"Let me give her an examination." Reba was glad she always kept full kit with her when she was at events. In the back of the golf cart there was everything from chains used to deliver a calf that didn't want to come out of his mama, to thermometers, gloves, and other medical equipment.

"I need you to stand over there," Reba said, pointing to the front of stall. "Out of my way."

"Okay," he said. Taylor couldn't resist putting a comforting hand on his horse's neck before he left the stall.

Reba proceeded to examine Dale, checking for any signs of abdominal distention or bloating. The horse's heartbeat was elevated. She suspected Dale was suffering from colic.

"I'd like to perform a diagnostic test called a nasogastric intubation. It involves passing a tube through her nose and down into her stomach to check for any signs of blockage or impaction."

Taylor nodded, clearly not understanding because once Reba began the process, he gagged and turned away. Dale wasn't too thrilled either, tossing her head and pawing at the ground. Reba remained calm and persistent, speaking softly to her as she worked.

Finally, with a gentle hand and steady movements, Reba managed to pass the tube successfully. As she observed the fluid that flowed through the tube, Reba noticed that it was cloudy and contained undigested food. This was a clear indication that the horse was suffering from a blockage in its digestive system.

While Reba worked, she tried to ignore the chatter around her, but Shane's name made her ears perk up.

"Shand Calland's bulls are the best," a cowboy she didn't know said.

"I don't know about that," another cowboy she didn't recognize replied. "It's too soon to tell if his bulls can go the distance. This is his first year here."

"He's been around a lot longer than that," Taylor said.

"Yeah, he was a pretty good bull rider a couple years ago," someone else said.

"Now, I remember him. He sure knew how to party. He was always good for buying a round or two."

"When he was in the bar," another cowboy said, elbowing his friend. "Most the time he had girls all over him, and it wasn't drinking he was interested in doing."

Reba made a face as the boys laughed and jostled each other. It wasn't as if she didn't know what Shane's reputation was. But it was still a little annoying to hear about it through the bro-dude network.

"Okay, I'm pretty sure Dale has colic," Reba interrupted, turning to Taylor to explain the findings. "I'd like to perform rectal palpation next. It involves inserting my gloved hand through the horse's rectum to feel for any abnormalities."

"I need to…" Taylor gagged again.

"It's okay," Reba said. "I got this."

As she performed the rectal palpation, Dale was clearly uncomfortable, shifting her weight and tossing her head. Reba worked quickly and methodically, feeling for any signs of impaction or other obstructions.

After completing her assessment, Reba explained to Taylor the next steps in treating the colic. As she administered pain medication and fluids through an intravenous drip and closely monitored Dale's vital signs, the conversation started up again.

"One time on a bet," Taylor said, "Shane and my dad climbed up on the roof of the Cheyenne Bank and took pictures of themselves riding the bronze horse statue up there."

Reba's laugh snorted out of her unexpectedly.

"Pics or it didn't happen."

"Yeah, I don't remember seeing that on Insta or Snapchat."

Reba finished up with Dale, disposing the arm sleeve glove into the trash. She gave Taylor a pat on the chest. "She should be okay but let me give you my number in case something else goes wrong. If I don't answer right away, I'm not ignoring you. I probably just have my hands full, probably literally, with some shit."

Taylor cracked a smile and programmed her number into his phone. "I really appreciate this, Doc."

"I'll check in on her later, too." Reba cleaned up a bit more from the outside spigot and then put her equipment away. She took the golf cart back to the bullpens and saw that the bulls had all been marked as being tested.

"What the heck?" She got on the walkie-talkie. "Who finished up for me in the bullpens?"

The radio hissed static and one of the vet techs picked up the call. "I thought you had missed a few, so I sent Doctor Victor over to finish."

"I just stepped away for a moment," Reba said, ticked off.

"You were gone over an hour and we had to get these tests in. I'm so sorry," the tech said, sounding panicked.

"That was because I was busy looking at one of the cowboy's horses who was suffering from colic."

"I'm not accusing you of not doing the job." Now, the vet tech sounded scared.

Reba cursed to herself. "Shit, I know that. I'm not mad at you. I'm mad at myself for not calling in and letting you guys know where I was. You did a great job." Reba knew more than anyone how hard the vet techs worked, and she also knew that they didn't need shit from doctors having a snit. "You got the job done. That was great. I didn't want to cause Victor or anyone else any more work."

"He was fine with it," the tech said. "We're all part of a team here. You would help him out in a second, if he needed it."

That was true, but Reba wasn't used to the teamwork. It wasn't as if she had any altercations with any of the other doctors. And her boss, Diane, was always fair. It would take more time, Reba guessed, until she stopped second-guessing herself and getting defensive. She hadn't told her about her suspicions that Vidar had been whipped. What if Diane had investigated it and a bull rider contradicted her and said it was a fence injury? Reba didn't want to be thought of as a troublemaker. If it happened again, she would definitely say something. Or if she had better proof of it being a whip wound.

She was disappointed in herself. She should have filed a report. This cowardice was another thing to thank Dr. Kilgore for. Reba was just glad she was able to assure the vet tech that she hadn't been angry with her.

The rest of the morning was spent doing routine check-ups and confirming the bulls' test results. They were good to go, and she was on to her next project. Reba made it a point to catch up to LeAnn and Garth before their events.

"How's my best boy doing?" Reba said, giving Garth's mane a loving stroke. She touched her forehead to his when the horse came in to nuzzle her fingers. "I don't have anything for you. You're going to have to wait until you're done with work."

"That's what I keep telling him," LeAnn said, smiling as she came up to them.

She looked sharp, like she always did. Her new duds from Cowboy Couture, however, brought her star level up a few notches as Dolly would say. While Reba didn't miss being crammed into the RV with her sisters, she did miss seeing her baby sister shine in the arena.

"I know you're busy," Reba said. "But I wanted to ask you a question."

"If it's about taking the kittens, we can't do that."

Telephone, telegraph, tell Dolly. "You could at least let me get the sales pitch out of the way."

LeAnn shook her head vigorously. "Hell no. I'd wind up taking them if I did. You know I love kittens. I'm not even going to go and visit them."

"They are really cute," Reba said. "I'm on my way over there right now to let them out and play with them a little bit. I want to make sure they have enough food and water to get through the long day until I get back."

"Mom and Dad are going to kill you if they wreck the Winnebago."

"They'll be fine. They're in a carrier." Reba felt a little guilty about that, but it was the safest place for them. And as long as she kept checking on them, and taking them out throughout the day, they should be all right. The RV was climate-controlled so they wouldn't be out in the Texas heat. They were safe, well fed, and sitting on soft towels. Still, Reba would make a few extra trips to the RV and back on the golf cart throughout the rodeo to check on them. "Are you sure you don't want to see them? Hold them?"

"No," LeAnn said, but she looked tempted. "I have to get ready for my ride."

"What about Dylan?" LeAnn's husband couldn't deny her anything.

"Dylan would cave, too," LeAnn said. "He's afraid that the barn cats wouldn't take to the babies. And Lou isn't going to pay any attention to that sort of thing, even if he was around."

"What about his wife?"

"She's too busy to have kittens underfoot."

Reba nodded. "Sure, I understand.

Leanne leaned in conspiratorially. "Take lots of pictures of them, though."

"I will."

"Are you going to watch my ride today?" Leanne asked.

"Sorry, all my free time and breaks are going to be spent taking care of the kittens," Reba said apologetically. "But I know you'll do great. Any concerns about the bulls or the broncs?"

LeAnn shook her head. "Competition is fierce, but I got my eyes on the prize."

"You always do," Reba said, giving her baby sister a big hug. "Good luck and give them hell."

Reba took a turn by the RV to check on the kittens before going back to work.