Follow a Wild Heart: A Christian Contemporary Western Romance Series by Natalie Bright (macos ebook reader .txt) 📕

“Make it quick,” Carli instructed as the wiggly ball of fur hopped and spun in front of the door. For the life of her, she couldn’t remember its name. R.J.? L.J.? Lank had called her something else besides the initials. Lily! That was it.

“C’mon, Lily. Let’s go out. Now don’t run off. Just pee pee and right back in. Okay?”

The dog was so excited—jumping, whirling, wagging, panting, smiling.

Carli couldn’t help but smile also. This pup was super cute. How could anyone witnessing this explosion of life not smile? As a kid she had asked for a dog but the Fitzgeralds always said no. “They make such a mess,” her foster mom had said. “Dog hair everywhere. Usually not even housebroken. Who’s going to take care of a dog? Surely not me.”

Just about every child she knew—in school, at church, at the horse barn, everyone—had a dog, cat, gerbil, goldfish, some kind of animal. Not her. As much as she begged, Carli never won the debate. So, she stopped asking. Stopped hoping for a dog, instead focused on her horseback riding and dreamt of the day she could afford a horse of her own.

She followed the bouncing fur ball out into a bright, late afternoon. If it hadn’t been for the worry about Buck in the back of her mind, she would've lingered on the porch for a while. As she admired the white clouds drifting across the bright blue Texas sky, the jingle of spurs approaching jolted her attention. She turned around as the dog scampered towards Lank. Oh, geez! Carli clutched her sweatshirt closer across her chest and hustled to gather up the frisky pup. “Why is your dog in my house?”

Lank scooped L.J. up into his arms. “She ran off. I found her on your front porch, but she kept begging to go in, so I let her.”

“You opened my house and let your dog in? Into my house? What is wrong with you?” Forgetting about modesty as she only focused on picking up the dog, she stomped closer, which left her sweatshirt to its own devices, flying open.

Lank’s eyes surveyed her cuteness. “You never lock your door. Nice outfit, cowgirl. Frogs? And could you find a pinker pair of slippers?”

“The pinker the better is my motto.” She had really come to dislike that silly, smart aleck grin. So why did it make her heart flutter? She bent down to grab hold of the rambunctious animal that was all wiggles, tongue, and sharky teeth. Lily spun around and around between them, nipping at the toes of Carli's house shoes.

“Owww!” The pup nipped right through the slipper into Carli’s toe. “I’m just trying to get my dog. I don’t have enough hands!”

“Your dog? Is that what you just said, Ms. Jameson?” Now he chuckled.

“Uh, huh. I don’t know. I guess she’s your dog.” Shaking her head, Carli punched his arm and turned towards her house. “Take your dog, Lank. I’ve got to get dressed and find out if Lola needs anything. Can you manage without Buck for a few days? Or however long the doc says. When Lola calls, I’ll go pick them up.”

“Aye, aye, captain,” he saluted with a grin, wiggly pup in his arms.

Inside she poured a mug of coffee, started to check her iPad for emails, when she noticed her cellphone buzzing. The hospital, and she had missed it. Darn. She tried the main number and asked for Buck’s room, but no one answered.

Out of her stretchy frog pants, teeth brushed, dab of lip gloss, hair drawn up into a ponytail, she threw on jeans, Tee-shirt, and boots—and flew out the door.

As she walked to her vehicle, she looked across the compound and first saw his strong back stretching a white Tee-shirt to its limits, his long denim-clad legs kneeling, torso bent at the waist as he maneuvered a tool on the tractor. His voice reached her ears in the calm air. Was he praying? Talking to the tractor? She heard a one-sided conversation.

“Now, lady, don’t you worry. You’re very important to me. I’d do anything for you. You know that don’t you?”

Heat rose in Carli’s chest, up through her neck, eyes squinting. What did he say? He’d do anything for her? She was about to turn and leave when he noticed her standing there.

Grease-covered hands, he crooked a shoulder to cradle a cellphone to his ear. “Okay, Lola, I’ll tell her. She’s right here. You guys take it easy and we’ll see tomorrow.”

Lola? She tried to hide any surprise or awkwardness so he wouldn’t see it plastered all over her face. Was it jealousy? Wonder if it had been a girl? What about earlier this afternoon and how she felt in the safety of his arms at the hospital when she nearly collapsed and lost it right there in the parking lot?

He looked at her, and they stood in an awkward moment of silence. An idea made his face light up and he walked closer. “Are you jealous, Ms. Jameson? You thought I was talking to another girl?”

“No. Why would you say that? It doesn’t surprise me you talk to our equipment, though.” She giggled. “I missed Lola’s call. What time should I leave to pick them up?”

“You don’t have to go now, Carli.” He stood and faced her. “She has everything she needs, and Buck is demanding to go home, so he’s much better. That’s why Lola called. Some members from their church wanted to help so they’ve got a ride home in the morning.”

Carli wanted to outline exercises for the riding school students. That hug from Jared had motivated her. But then she looked at Lank and thought of how he had held her so tight, so comforting in the hospital parking lot and let her cry. She needed to say something to him about that.

Lank knelt down again next to the tractor and got back to his