Along Came Merrie by Beth D. Carter

for God’s sake!”
    “I don’t do this for him,” Leo stated. “I do it for that poor beast tangled up in metal that’s cutting into her skin. Come on.”
    Dried mud splattered the ATV and it looked weather worn. Leo stowed his medical bag in the attached basket, straddled the machine, turned on the engine then waited as she got on behind him. He laid on the throttle with one hand. A moment later, wind blew her hair back as they raced over the land, headed toward the hurt cow.
    Merrie didn’t like the idea of anyone looking down on Leo. His people had more right to this land than assholes like Chuck Johnson did and she wished she could give the hateful little man a piece of her mind. But as soon as she saw the wounded animal lying on its side, she promptly forgot about everything but helping the poor creature.
    She and Leo spent close to two hours untangling the wire from the cow’s front hoof then bandaging it. Somehow, the cow had stepped through the opening of the fence line, but when she’d pulled it back, the wire had dug into the skin, crippling her.
    “Poor baby.” Merrie petted the animal on the forehead.
    “I’ll tell Chuck to bring her in, keep her in the barn for a few days. The bastard should’ve already untangled the poor beast instead of relying on me.”
    “Can we arrest him for animal cruelty?”
    Leo shook his head grimly. “I’ve already measured the fence. The wire is strung properly at fifteen inches apart, which is the Wyoming livestock law. This cow was just unlucky.”
    He patted the cow’s head soothingly before grabbing some antibacterial wipes to clean up.
    “Ready to go?” he asked.
    She gave the cow one last pat and stood. “Yes.”
    They drove back and parked the four-wheeler in its spot. While Leo went to talk with Chuck, Merrie walked toward the truck. She feared she’d say something bad to Chuck Johnson. Soon, Leo followed. He stored his medical bag in the bed then slid behind the wheel.
    “That man is a jerk,” he muttered, clearly frustrated. “He said he’ll go check on the cow later but doesn’t have a way to get her back to the barn. Damn fool. How does he not have a flatbed? Or a trailer?”
    She rubbed his hand where he gripped the steering wheel. Leo had such a loving soul. He really cared about his animal patients and she loved that about him. They drove back to the office in silence. He unlocked the door and turned off the alarm before holding the door open for her.
    “By the way,” Leo said, digging in his pocket and producing a key. “I want you to have this.”
    “What is it?” she asked as she took it from him.
    “The key to the office,” he said. “Let me show you how to deactivate and set the alarm.”
    “Surely I don’t need to know how to do that,” she said. “Patty will be back in a few days.”
    Leo shook his head. “She called saying that she’s pregnant and her OB wants her to stay home. She’s older and it has been a difficult road for her to conceive, but I’m happy for her. She and Steve have been trying for a while, even before they got married.”
    “Oh. Then I’m very happy for her, as well.”
    Leo grinned. “It’s okay, really. I have you now and I’m hoping this job is enough to convince you not to head to Cheyenne.”
    Something squeezed inside Merrie’s chest and her heart pounded heavily with excitement. Dare she believe? “You want me to stay?”
    He brushed a finger over her cheek. “Very much.”
    “Okay.” Merrie nodded. She felt like she’d just won the lottery. “You sure Patty left voluntarily and you didn’t fire her?”
    “Honest to God,” Leo said with a chuckle. “In fact, Patty was upset about abandoning me until I told her about you. Now, let me show you how the code works.”
    Merrie was a little hesitant to embrace how her dreams seemed to be coming true. She’d left her hometown to find a place to belong—a job she could care about and a place to call home. It seemed fantastical that