Claiming Ana by Brynna Curry

 
    1
     
    “That’s a girl. Easy, Sunshine.” Ana stroked the mare’s neck while she watched the colt suckle his mother. Sunshine whinnied and dipped her head to touch Ana’s shoulder.
    The barn door opened and Bren Ross stepped inside. “She’s a character. Isn’t she?”
    “She sure is, just like Taylor. You’re up early.” She picked up her medical bag and dusted off the knees of her jeans.
    “Had to check on our girl here before I start chores. Is she doing okay?”
    “Yep. Right as rain.” She glanced at her watch. 5:33 AM. “I’m about through here. Any idea where I can find Cade this early? I figure he’ll want to give Taylor the good news himself.”
    “He and Jace are probably at Cooper’s. Then I imagine he’ll be heading into the station before school traffic duty.”
    “Still won’t delegate that chore, will he?”
    Bren turned toward the barn door. “Says it’s the most important part of the job. Why don’t you come on up to the house and have a cup of coffee.”
    “I’d like that.”
     
    * * * *
     
    Thirty minutes later, Ana parked her Jeep Cherokee at the pump outside of Cooper’s gas station and shut off the engine. She reached across the seat for her purse and dug out her wallet. Taking a deep breath before abandoning the cool of the air conditioning, she stepped into the muggy dawn air. Even in April, the days in Alabama could be hot as hell. The severe storms expected to roll in later in the evening had jacked the humidity to a miserable level. It was like trying to breathe through a hot, wet blanket.
    She twisted off the gas cap, flipped the pump lever and began filling the tank. Glancing around the parking lot, she noted the two old Chevy trucks. The blue one belonged to Jace Murphy. He’d had it since high school. Ana sighed, reminded of how well she knew the man. The Murphy brothers might be pretty to look at, with a knight’s code of honor, but they were hell on a woman’s heart. The chief’s Charger was parked near the diesel pumps . No doubt having another cup of coffee before turning on the 25 MPH school zone signs. Perfect. Just the man I needed to see. She twisted the gas cap closed and went in to pay.
    “Morning, Ana.” Cooper’s wife, Ruby, manned the counter. The older woman took Ana’s debit card and slid it through the machine before giving her a receipt to sign and closing the drawer.
    Ana quickly signed the slip of paper and pocketed the duplicate receipt. “Hi, Ruby. Where’s the breakfast crowd?” She smiled and leaned in to chat for a minute. No matter what the owner of Cooper’s had to say, it was bound to be entertaining.
    “About a half-hour gone. Severe storms are predicted for tonight. Everybody’s trying to get their errands done before the rain comes in. What about you? Opening the clinic today?”
    “Yes. I’ve got a full day of appointments scheduled, but I won’t be taking in any boarders over the weekend. Just in case. Even with the clinic attached to the cabin, I always worry I wouldn’t have enough time to get my charges into the basement if shelter was needed. Especially if the animals were upset by the weather.”
    “Good point. Well. Don’t get so busy you forget to bring in the hanging flowers. It’d be a shame to lose them to the wind this early on.”
    “I won’t.”
    “Town council meeting is tonight, if we’re still around to have one.”
    Ana nodded and turned toward the dining area and what she liked to call the round table. Usually occupied by the morning regulars who came in to gossip before starting their day, it was quiet today. Shady Creek’s police chief Cade Murphy sipped his coffee and listened to his brother Jace complain about coming weather. Cade’s semi-formal chief’s uniform only added to his already disarming good looks. Along with their brother Drew, the triplets shared the same jet-black hair, olive skin and deep green eyes.
    Jace preferred a farmer’s outfit of work boots, denim shirt with