Chapter 1: Calm Before the Storm

"Ready to go?"

Amy looked up at her husband. "All set," she replied, taking in Ty's slim build in a nicely tailored suit.

"You look great, by the way," Ty complimented her, giving her a quick peck on the cheek.

"Thank you," Amy said with a smile, basking in his words of admiration. "You don't look so bad yourself, Dr. Borden."

Ty grinned back. "I'll carry Lyndy down to the house and catch up with you in the truck, okay?"

"Sure."

"Come on, kid," Ty whispered to the sleeping child, "let's get you down to your Grandpa Tim and cousin Katie." He gently lifted Lyndy from the crib, making sure to bring the stuffed rabbit Grandma Lily had given as a gift.

Amy listened to Ty's retreating steps as he descended the loft stairs into the barn below. The late March evening was mild enough that she would not need a heavy winter coat over her evening dress, as Hudson was enjoying a welcome dose of spring-like weather. A minute later, she was outside, opening the passenger-side door to their truck.

A similarly dressed-up Jack and Lisa waved to them across the yard before climbing into Lisa's Porsche. Both couples would be heading into town to attend a celebration hosted by Dr. Scott Cardinal; Lou and Georgie had gone ahead a few hours before. The party was going to be a small one, but Amy figured dressing up felt good for a change.

Ever since Scott hired Cassandra, now married to Ty's best friend Caleb, Amy had regarded the other woman as a threat. First, for Ty's affections—however irrational that fear—then for his job and position as partner at the veterinary clinic. As Ty drove down the familiar track and under the gallows gate, the thought crossed Amy's mind that she could not pinpoint the moment she ceased thinking of Cass as a rival. Somewhere along the way, the two had managed to forge a bond, and tried to carve out time in their busy schedules to socialize. The fact Cass and Caleb were Lyndy's godparents was a testament to that friendship.

"How did Cass react to the news?" Amy asked her husband.

"Like she was on cloud nine," Ty replied with a wide smile. "Practically floated out the door at the end of her shift when Scott told her last week."

"Well, I'm glad for her," said Amy, smiling at the mental image of an ecstatic Cassandra. "Not that I'm complaining, but I've been wondering: how can Scott afford having two partners now?"

"I'm not really supposed to say anything about it yet," Ty said, "but a group of local investors stepped in. They're interested in supporting businesses in Hudson, especially since so many of them had a rough time recovering after the flooding back in 2013... Anyway, somehow Scott's clinic came to their attention. Apart from run-of-the-mill puppy and kitty stuff, you know he's got steady work with the Polo Club."

"Right," Amy said with a slight nod.

"He's Tim's go-to guy at the rodeo school, and Hillhurst picked him for their on-call veterinarian, too," Ty added. "Plus, he's most likely going to be getting that coveted position of resident veterinarian at Spruce Meadows. So, things are looking really good for him and his new investors."

"I'm happy things are working out for him," Amy said. "He's come such a long way from the day Clint brought him to Heartland and Mom sponsored him."

"Yeah, he's worked hard for it," Ty acknowledged. "Personally, I'm humbled to be part of it. He's a great boss."

"Partner," Amy corrected.

"Oh, he still signs the paycheques," Ty chortled. "But you're right. He's a good partner—and boss."

Jack noticed Lisa's unusually reticent demeanour on the drive in to Hudson. He guessed it had something to do with the one-year anniversary of the deaths of Lanny and Paige Barick, with whom she had been acquainted. There had been a memorial in Calgary for the couple along with a press conference earlier that day which Lisa attended. Family members gave an impassioned plea for justice and for closure to the whole tragic affair. Business friends and associates that included Lisa pledged a monetary reward in exchange for information leading to an arrest and conviction since all leads had gone cold.

Though a year had gone by, the fact no one had been apprehended in the crime weighed heavily on the hearts and minds of all who knew Lanny and Paige. The case hit even closer to home, as Lou had been questioned by Calgary detectives about her role dealing with Lanny's investment portfolio. There had not been any irregularities Lou could identify from her end, and the law enforcement officers moved on to different avenues of investigation.

Instead of letting Lisa stew in her silence, Jack chose to pay her a compliment as a way of breaking the ice. On more than one occasion he had been compelled to call her out on not confiding in him when she could have used his emotional support.

"If I haven't already said so tonight, you look beautiful," he said, gently rubbing her knee.

This brought a quick smile to her face. She cast a brief, sideways glance in his direction. The sound of his voice and that simple touch had the much-needed effect of lifting her out of her pensive mood. Jack was right: the reminder about Lanny and Paige had upset her more than she was willing to admit. Her mind had been occupied with the way police had initially been tight-lipped about the investigation, and how the rumour mill had churned out all kinds of wild, sordid theories.

"Thank you," she managed to reply, dragging her thoughts back to the present moment. "You don't look so bad yourself, Cowboy." She adored how handsome and dignified he looked in the combination of the suit she had custom-made for him, bolo tie, and pristine white hat. He cut an impressive figure with his height and his build. While he would be considered a senior in terms of chronological age, Jack Bartlett was far from a stereotypical frail and doddering old man. "I know you don't like getting dressed up, but I'm glad you did."

"Well, when my gorgeous wife goes to the trouble of getting dolled-up for a celebration, I guess I have to make sure her husband isn't the goat in the room."

The two of them shared a light laugh at his old, personal self-deprecating description; Jack gave himself a mental pat on the back for managing to lighten Lisa's mood. Now he could be assured they would enjoy the evening without some dark cloud hanging overhead.

"I think it's a fine thing you and those other investors have done for the vet clinic," Jack said, sensing he could now talk freely about any topic. He did not know all the details, but was marginally aware of Lisa's involvement in the group's decision to boost Scott's operating capital.

"Scott has done so much for so many people in Hudson, including Fairfield," Lisa commented. "He was a safe investment; a total no-brainer. And now that he can afford to bring Cassandra on as a partner, I think Ty feels better about his own choice to cut back on his hours there to build his practice with Amy at Heartland. Everybody wins in this one."

Jack was brimming with pride. "You just think of everything, don't you?"

"At least when it comes to the people I love."

Maggie's Diner, though by no means high-class in terms of decor or dining fare, was Scott's choice in venue for the small celebration. After all, as he put it, he had "an in" with the owner, and Lou was only too happy to oblige his request.

The guest of honour stood with Caleb; the happy pair were chatting with a few other guests when the Bartlett-Fleming-Borden clan arrived.

"Cassandra, congratulations on making partner at the clinic!" Amy declared upon seeing the other woman, moving in for a friendly hug.

"Thank you!" Cass said, beaming. She accepted the embrace before returning to her husband's side. Caleb mirrored her smile as he snaked his arm around her waist.

At the appropriate time in the evening's festivities, Scott took to the small stage area, palmed the microphone, and began reading from a speech he had prepared.

"I'd like to thank all of you for coming tonight," he started. "I've been so lucky to be able to mentor such a great young veterinarian like Cassandra. I'll say a few words about her, in case some of you don't know. She's not only an excellent veterinary surgeon, but she also specializes in veterinary acupuncture, a procedure you would have had to go to Calgary for if you wanted it—before she started working with me."

Light applause ensued, and Cassandra gave a demure smile at this praise.

"Let's not forget all the crappy graveyard and weekend shifts; all the thankless times she picked up the slack when my other partner took side-trips to Mongolia and B.C. with Vets Without Borders…" Scott continued. "Make no mistake: she's more than paid her dues. It's not always easy running a 'country' vet practice. But having Cass on staff is a fantastic asset, and I wish I could have made her a full partner sooner. Now, thanks to our new private investors, I can finally afford it!"

Scott glanced over at Lisa with a broad smile at that moment. She sent a wink in tacit reply. Few would have known she was attending the party not only as a long-time client and friend, but also as the official representative of the investor's group that made Cassandra's partnership fiscally possible.

"Please put your hands together to congratulate my newest Hudson Veterinary Clinic partner, Dr. Cassandra Fay Odell!"

Cass basked in the adulation.

Someone called "Speech!" which was followed by a few guffaws. But Cass seemed game, so she boldly approached Scott on the small stage. He passed the microphone to her outstretched hand before bringing her in for a hug.

"Thank you, Scott," she said as she looked out among those gathered. "This has been an amazing evening, and I am so proud to be working for such a great mentor and boss. I love my job, and I am thrilled to be accepted into the practice as a full partner."

Polite applause followed these words, but Cass was not finished.

"Scott mentioned his other partner—Dr. Ty Borden. For those of you who don't know, he's the adventurer of our little veterinary trio. He's been to far-flung places with names I can't even pronounce with Vets Without Borders. We started out as pretty fierce competitors, but over the years, Ty and his wife Amy have become close friends with me and my husband, Caleb.

"In fact, we're godparents to their little girl, Lyndy. This is particularly meaningful to me and Caleb, because we've been trying to start a family for a while but haven't really been having much success. Watching Lyndy grow from babyhood into the adorable toddler she is has been a real joy."

Amy and Ty grinned up at Cass, though the rest of the party-goers were starting to wonder where this discussion was leading.

"Now, there's a tiny announcement that needs to be made," Cass continued. "Amy and Ty were a little concerned that this announcement would have stolen my thunder, but I told them it would be a perfect opportunity, since we're here with so many friends and loved ones, so... Amy; Ty, get on up here."

Ty grasped Amy's hand to lead her up towards Cass. Lisa glanced up at Jack as if to ask What's going on? but he seemed equally puzzled; Georgie and Lou likewise shrugged at each other.

"Uh, thanks, Cass," Ty shyly spoke into the mike before passing it to Amy.

"Stay up here, Cass," Amy said to her friend. "Anyway, it's so good to see all of you here tonight; our family members and good friends. It's actually a double-announcement, by the way."

Ty leaned close to the mike and added: "Yeah, Cass talked about our little girl, Lyndy, who's two years old and growing bigger every day."

"So, the reason we're up here is to tell you all that we are, in fact, going to be having another baby," Amy said, as Ty draped an arm around her shoulders.

Applause filled the diner, with Jack, Lisa, Lou and Georgie staring up at the young couple in happy wonder.

"But like Amy said, it's really a double-announcement," Ty uttered when the clapping petered out. "Caleb, man, you need to get up here."

"Get up there?" a confused Caleb repeated. "Why?"

"Just get up here, you goof," Cass called.

"All right," he said, dazedly walking up to his wife.

Cass took the microphone from Amy while smiling slyly at her husband. "I mentioned before Caleb and I were hoping to start a family," she began to tell the crowd. "Well, it looks like the Bordens and the Odells will have to start planning for a joint baby shower, because I'm pregnant, too!"

"Whoa!" Caleb cawed as a million-watt smile brightened his face. "Babe, so that's why you've been so secretive this week... and I thought it was all about your partnership announcement. But this announcement is even better."

"It is!" Cass replied, matching his smile, and the couple shared a deep kiss, which resulted in more clapping, hooting, and cheering from the crowd.

TBC