a couple vials and a syringe.
He moved with purpose, not rushed or panicked. This wasn’t the guy I’d just convinced to sing karaoke in a bar, this was the cool, calm doctor side of him.
I followed him through the barn, glancing at the horses as we walked by their stalls. I’d never touched a horse or a cow before I’d taken the job at Serenity Farms. I was still far from an animal expert, but I’d gotten more comfortable with their large size, and had become sort of fond of their big, caring eyes.
When we reached the other end, the owner brought the mare over and Cole stroked her neck as he put the plugs of his stethoscope in his ears. Her bay coat was darker around her flanks and along her chest. She was sweating.
I set the bucket down, and Cole glanced my way. “Madison, this is Cora, and this is her owner, Terry.”
Okay, there was something so sweet about him introducing the horse first. I offered an empathetic smile to Terry. “Nice to meet you. I’m sorry Cora isn’t feeling well.”
Terry nodded, running a hand down Cora’s face. “She’s been colicky all day.” Terry focused on me again. “Sorry I interrupted your date.”
“Oh, it wasn’t a date,” I blurted out. Or at least it hadn’t started out as one.
Cole stiffened and placed his stethoscope against the base of Cora’s bloated belly. He straightened and glanced at Terry. “Madison is the new ranch manager at Serenity Farms. We were meeting about their artificial insemination program over there.”
Smooth comeback, Dr. Vega. I looked over at Terry and added, “I’m still learning about the livestock so I offered to tag along and help.”
She seemed satisfied with our answers and kissed Cora’s muzzle. “Is she going to be all right?”
Cole listened to a few more places on Cora’s belly and then her chest. He came forward and lifted the mare’s upper lip, pressing his thumb against her gums before answering Terry. “Her vitals are still strong, but her gut is too quiet so the impaction still hasn’t passed through. I’m going to give her one more dose of mineral oil and dipyrone.”
“Thanks, Dr. Vega.”
I stayed out of his way while he plunged the syringe of medication into the mare’s thick neck. He was all business now, filling the stainless-steel bucket with mineral oil up to the four-quart line. Next, he hooked the plastic tubing to the end of the pump, then unrolled the tubing and put a squirt of lubricant on the end.
“Can you hold her head up?” he asked Terry.
She propped Cora’s head on her shoulder while Cole murmured comforting words to the mare in such a low tone I couldn’t make out what he was saying. He slid the tubing into one of her large nostrils. She fussed once as he fished more tubing down until he was satisfied it was placed in her stomach.
“Can you bring the bucket closer?” he asked me without taking his eyes off the mare.
I carefully lifted the bucket and carried it to his side. Cole pumped the mineral oil slow and steady until the bucket was empty. He disconnected the tube from the pump and held it up over the mare’s head until all the fluid drained into her. Slowly, he pulled the tubing free, whispering into Cora’s ear. He lifted her head off Terry’s shoulder allowing her to drop her head.
“That’s a good girl.” He stroked his fingers down her neck. “You’ll feel better now.”
Seeing this tender, gentle side of Cole gave me a clearer picture of who he was. He had a natural ability with animals. He was a true healer. It made me wonder what he’d wanted to be before he got his degree in veterinary medicine. This seemed like such a good fit for him.
He turned to Terry. Her eyes shone with tears as she threaded her fingers through Cora’s forelock. His tone was gentle. “Keep her up on her feet. We don’t want her to lay down and roll over. Give the oil time to work.”
Terry’s voice broke as she spoke. “Shouldn’t it have worked by now? This is her second dose today.”
He continued to pat the mare’s neck. “Sometimes the impaction is stubborn. If she has an appetite at all, you could offer her some bran mash. That might help, too.”
“Okay.” Terry sniffled.
Cole could have walked back to his truck then, left, and e-mailed her a bill. He’d completed the treatment, after all. But he didn’t. Instead, he