the ranch again. Surely there’s another vet in the area.”
Gray nodded. “I’m sure there is. Dad always used Doc Springer so it never occurred to me to go looking for anyone else.”
Ram handed back Lady’s file before returning his attention to the pregnant mare. “Kyle told me she didn’t want to go outside this morning. Looking at her now, I’m worried she’s getting ready to abort, although I didn’t see any signs of bleeding or discharge.” He rubbed the horse’s extended abdomen again. “If they’d done another ultrasound they could’ve aborted the twin before it had time to attach.”
“I’ll go make some calls,” Gray replied.
After looking around, Ram stepped forward and reached for Gray’s hand. “Sorry if I was out of line earlier.”
“I’m not. You just proved to me that I hired the right man for the job.”
Chapter Five
Gray waited on the front porch for Ben Moore, a veterinarian his neighbour had recommended. The guilt over Lady’s twin pregnancy was eating him alive. How could he call himself a responsible horse breeder if something like this could happen right under his nose?
The phone call with Doc Springer had got ugly. By the end of their conversation, Georgia had come into Gray’s office to see what all the commotion was about. It wasn’t often that Gray raised his voice. Arguing at the top of his lungs was completely unheard of for Gray, but he’d let his temper get the better of him.
A white Ford F-350 Super Duty pickup turned into the long drive. Gray hoped like hell Dr Moore was as good as his recommendation.
The truck slowed as it neared the house, but Gray motioned towards the stable where Ram waited impatiently. Ram was another issue. Gray couldn’t help but feel he’d let his new manager down. Although Ram had told Gray he didn’t blame him for Lady’s condition, they both knew it wouldn’t have happened if Gray had been more involved in the daily running of the ranch.
Ben parked his truck and opened the door before Gray had a chance to make it to the stable. Damn. Ben’s long legs and broad chest looked better suited to a football uniform than a black Stetson and Wranglers. The blond ponytail hanging down his back seemed even more out of place for the conservative area they lived in.
Gray smiled. He hadn’t even met the man and already he could tell he was going to like him. “Thanks for coming on such short notice,” Gray said, reaching out his hand.
Ben shook Gray’s hand and peered down at him. “I’m glad you called. I’ve driven by Sunset Ridge for a couple of years now and always admired the place.”
“I appreciate that.” Gray spotted Ram standing in the doorway. “Ben, I’d like you to meet Jack Ramsdale, my ranch manager.”
Ram stepped forward and shook Ben’s hand. “Ram, please.”
“Nice to meet you,” Ben replied. “I hear you have twins on the way.”
“Well, that’s what we’re afraid of,” Ram began, leading Ben into the stable.
Gray held back. It wasn’t that he was uninterested in the conversation, Lady was like a member of the family, but Ram still seemed mad at him for running after Raleigh instead of spending the night in the cabin. Maybe it was better to let Ram cool off for a while. Gray already knew enough about Ram to know the man didn’t stay mad for long. He suspected it was a trait that made Ram a good manager.
He stood outside the stall while Ram and Ben checked on Lady. Within minutes, Ben came to the same conclusion. “Let me get my ultrasound machine out of the truck so we can see exactly what we’re dealing with.”
As soon as Ben left, Ram walked over to stand in front of Gray with the stall between them. “Does Lady have a history of conceiving twins?”
Gray shook his head. “She’s never been pregnant. Dad didn’t believe in breeding the work horses, so we always kept the mares away from the stallions.” He ran a hand over his face. “I can’t say that I’m not concerned
Gray nodded. “I’m sure there is. Dad always used Doc Springer so it never occurred to me to go looking for anyone else.”
Ram handed back Lady’s file before returning his attention to the pregnant mare. “Kyle told me she didn’t want to go outside this morning. Looking at her now, I’m worried she’s getting ready to abort, although I didn’t see any signs of bleeding or discharge.” He rubbed the horse’s extended abdomen again. “If they’d done another ultrasound they could’ve aborted the twin before it had time to attach.”
“I’ll go make some calls,” Gray replied.
After looking around, Ram stepped forward and reached for Gray’s hand. “Sorry if I was out of line earlier.”
“I’m not. You just proved to me that I hired the right man for the job.”
Chapter Five
Gray waited on the front porch for Ben Moore, a veterinarian his neighbour had recommended. The guilt over Lady’s twin pregnancy was eating him alive. How could he call himself a responsible horse breeder if something like this could happen right under his nose?
The phone call with Doc Springer had got ugly. By the end of their conversation, Georgia had come into Gray’s office to see what all the commotion was about. It wasn’t often that Gray raised his voice. Arguing at the top of his lungs was completely unheard of for Gray, but he’d let his temper get the better of him.
A white Ford F-350 Super Duty pickup turned into the long drive. Gray hoped like hell Dr Moore was as good as his recommendation.
The truck slowed as it neared the house, but Gray motioned towards the stable where Ram waited impatiently. Ram was another issue. Gray couldn’t help but feel he’d let his new manager down. Although Ram had told Gray he didn’t blame him for Lady’s condition, they both knew it wouldn’t have happened if Gray had been more involved in the daily running of the ranch.
Ben parked his truck and opened the door before Gray had a chance to make it to the stable. Damn. Ben’s long legs and broad chest looked better suited to a football uniform than a black Stetson and Wranglers. The blond ponytail hanging down his back seemed even more out of place for the conservative area they lived in.
Gray smiled. He hadn’t even met the man and already he could tell he was going to like him. “Thanks for coming on such short notice,” Gray said, reaching out his hand.
Ben shook Gray’s hand and peered down at him. “I’m glad you called. I’ve driven by Sunset Ridge for a couple of years now and always admired the place.”
“I appreciate that.” Gray spotted Ram standing in the doorway. “Ben, I’d like you to meet Jack Ramsdale, my ranch manager.”
Ram stepped forward and shook Ben’s hand. “Ram, please.”
“Nice to meet you,” Ben replied. “I hear you have twins on the way.”
“Well, that’s what we’re afraid of,” Ram began, leading Ben into the stable.
Gray held back. It wasn’t that he was uninterested in the conversation, Lady was like a member of the family, but Ram still seemed mad at him for running after Raleigh instead of spending the night in the cabin. Maybe it was better to let Ram cool off for a while. Gray already knew enough about Ram to know the man didn’t stay mad for long. He suspected it was a trait that made Ram a good manager.
He stood outside the stall while Ram and Ben checked on Lady. Within minutes, Ben came to the same conclusion. “Let me get my ultrasound machine out of the truck so we can see exactly what we’re dealing with.”
As soon as Ben left, Ram walked over to stand in front of Gray with the stall between them. “Does Lady have a history of conceiving twins?”
Gray shook his head. “She’s never been pregnant. Dad didn’t believe in breeding the work horses, so we always kept the mares away from the stallions.” He ran a hand over his face. “I can’t say that I’m not concerned
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