Follow a Wild Heart: A Christian Contemporary Western Romance Series by Natalie Bright (top reads .TXT) 📗

“I accept your apology. As far as the rest, I am flattered that you expressed your... uhmmm, interest. You are a great friend, but I don’t know what I want right now. Everything is moving too fast.”

“It’s all right. You don’t have to decide anything. Yet. But that doesn’t mean I’m not gonna try to convince you otherwise.” He pushed off the pipe rail and walked away to help the young boy Jared with his saddle.

The morning passed in a blur. Carli didn’t take the kids on a trail ride because of the two youngest but instead kept them close in the corral working on going and stopping. From the looks on their faces, the kids had a blast. And Lexi even seemed to be enjoying herself.

After horses and tack were put away, Carli stood with the new boy Jared as they waited for someone to pick him up.

“Your mom must be running late.”

“She’s not my real mom.” He answered with a deep frown. “She’s my foster mom.”

Carli hesitated. She didn’t want to pry but was curious about this quiet young man.

“Did you have fun today?”

“I guess,” was his short reply.

“I’m glad.” She had the same problem reading him as the other kids. They didn’t show much excitement or joy about being at the ranch, other than the light in their eyes when they worked with the horses. She did see that, but still questioned her efforts. Was she making a difference in their lives? Could she make a difference?

He suddenly turned his face to her and smiled a snaggle-toothed smile. “My dad knocked my teeth out.”

Carli’s heart dropped to her knees and she was stunned into silence. She didn’t know what to say, or how to respond. Before she could think of anything, a car topped the hill and drove into ranch headquarters. A mix of emotions and thoughts were rambling through her brain.

Before Jared reached the car, he stopped and turned to Carli. “Can I come back here?”

With relief and tears burning the backs of her eyes, she smiled at him. “Of course, you can. You’re welcome here anytime, Jared.” The little boy wrapped his arms around Carli’s waist. He squeezed her tight. She felt as though she might burst out crying before he let go of her. Through misty eyes she waved and watched them drive away.

Lola and Buck came out of saddle house with Nathan.

“Thanks for your help this morning,” Carli glanced at her ranch foreman, but Buck suddenly stopped, his face turning a shade of ashen gray. Lola didn’t notice. She kept walking.

“Buck!” Carli ran towards him. “Buck, are you okay?”

Nathan caught the ranch foreman just before he hit the ground.

Chapter Thirty-Three

Lola spun around in the corral at the Wild Cow Ranch and dropped to her knees next to her husband. “Buck. Tell me what hurts.” She gently patted his cheeks, but he didn’t open his eyes. “Thanks for catching him, Nathan.”

“I’ll bring my truck around. Let’s get him to the hospital.” Nathan ran to the fence and flung himself over it in one fluid motion, not taking the time to unlatch the gate.

“What’s going on? Is he okay?” Carli grabbed hold of Lola’s arm who was cradling Buck around his shoulders.

Lola’s eyes were glassy from unshed tears, but she was also in “take charge” mode.

“I dun want no hors-pi-tal.” Buck’s eyes fluttered open for a minute as he leaned on Lola.

Lola held her husband. “You just hush, old man. We’re taking you to the ER. No argument.”

“Carli’s eyes glistened, her heart raced, and her hands trembled. This place couldn’t run without Buck. And she couldn't lose him.

About that time Lank ambled out of the saddle house, but then broke into a run dropping to his knees next to Buck. “What happened?”

“Here's Nathan with his truck now. We’ve got to get Buck to town. Can you follow us, Lank? Carli, you can ride with us.” Then looking from Lank back to Carli, Lola asked, “Would that be okay?”

Both of them simultaneously nodded. “Sure. Sure.”

With Nathan on one side and Lank on the other, they gently eased Buck to his feet. He got a little agitated and fought them, trying to regain his balance. “I can walk on my own.” But then doubled over in pain. “I’m fine. Y’all don’t need to fuss over me.”

“Yeah, you look real fine.” Lola shot her husband an angry glance. “Put him in the pickup, boys.”

They half-carried Buck to Nathan’s vehicle, loaded him in the front seat, and Carli and Lola piled in the back. “My purse!” Lola hollered.

“I can bring whatever you need to the hospital later. Let’s just get Buck to town.” Lank shut her door and nodded to Nathan who peeled out before Carli’s door was even shut. She leaned towards the middle using the momentum of her body to swing the door closed, thankful she didn’t end up in a heap on the gravel. She leaned up to look at Buck. His face was gray, his eyes closed, but he didn’t seem to be in too much pain.

On the drive, Lola didn’t cry but stared off into the distance through the window. “I don’t know what I’d do if I lost Buck. He’s my life, my world, my best friend. Please, God, please heal him and keep him safe.”

“Yes, we’ll pray, Lola.” Carli grabbed her hand and they locked fingers.

“We’ve got to think positive, have faith.” Nathan maneuvered through an intersection with horn honking and turned onto the blacktop towards town.

Carli tried to hold her emotions in check. She couldn't lose Buck. Eyes closed she mustered the strongest internal prayer she could. He was the only real father figure in her life.

Growing up with the Fitzgeralds hadn’t been that bad. As a toddler, it was comforting for Carli to be tucked in at night and cared for by them. She couldn’t remember, and didn’t really know, her birth mother who had given her up.

Looking back on her childhood, Carli was very grateful to the