Accept Me

by Marion Ueckermann

  She clambered out of the Jeep before Riley could make it to her side. She slung her bag’s long strap across her body. That needed to stay with her—never knew when she’d get a chance to give Riley his surprise.

  As he shut the Jeep’s door behind her, a whinny floated on the air. Then another. Haddie’s heart squeezed at the sounds of home.

  “We’re at the stables?”

  “We are.” Taking her by the hand, Riley led the way to the carriage house. “You must be missing home, and I know you miss Perdy. Seeing as Kentucky’s too far to take you today, I thought I’d bring a little Kentucky to you.”

  Haddie rested her head on his shoulder, the lump in her throat preventing her words. This was the sweetest and most thoughtful thing anyone had ever done for her.

  Riley’s pulse thrummed. Holding Haddie’s hand, her nestling on his shoulder—even if only for a brief moment—felt like the most perfect thing in the world. No doubt in his mind that he was falling for this girl. Who would’ve thought? Thirty-seven years a bachelor, and in two weeks it seemed he had lost his heart. Was that even possible?

  He pushed open the single wooden door, painted dark green, matching the two arched double doors to Thornton’s Tack Shop, Riding School, and Stables. All manner of horse and rider things hung on the walls and filled the shelving inside. Saddles, crops, spurs, grooming brushes, riding gear, helmets. If Haddie had to name it, this shop probably stocked it.

  Beside the shelves to the left, a slender woman with long brown hair wearing beige jodhpurs and black riding boots straightened and turned.

  Riley took a few steps toward her then stuck out his hand. “Tash?”

  She shook it, offering them both a welcoming smile. “That’s me. And you must be Riley and Haddie,”

  Riley nodded. “That’s us.”

  “Fabulous. Well, everything is set up and ready as requested when we spoke on the phone on Wednesday. I’m sure you’re anxious to be on your way, so follow me.” Tash led them through a door at the back of the tack shop.

  It was only a short walk to the stables.

  Inside, two horses waited, saddled. A black Friesian and an Appaloosa. Both belonged to Tash, and she was more than happy to allow Riley and Haddie to ride them, especially after he’d told her that Haddie had grown up on a stud farm and assured her he’d ridden before. He just didn’t tell her how long ago, or that it hadn’t been often.

  He gazed down the wide concrete path lined with stalls. How many of these horses were Tash’s and how many were merely stabled there?

  Hand to her mouth, Haddie gasped. She hurried forward, dragging Riley with her. She slid her arms around the spotted horse’s neck. “Have I died and gone to heaven?” she whispered to Riley.

  Riley chuckled softly. “I hope not. I’d like to keep you around longer.” A whole lot longer. Like the rest of my life.

  “I guess Haddie is riding Freckles, the leopard Appaloosa.” Tash turned to Riley. “Which means you’ll be on Myrtle. Probably just as well. She’s so much larger than Freckles, and a lot more spirited.”

  Spirited? Oops, maybe Haddie should be the one on the big, black mare. She was the experienced rider, having grown up around horses.

  But he couldn’t show that he found riding the larger horse daunting. Surely climbing back on a horse after a decade or two was like riding a bike? A skill learned, never forgotten?

  He should’ve come to Tash for a few lessons before deciding to take off with Haddie into the forested hills. Too late for that now though.

  Lord, I’m going to need a little help today.

  Myrtle turned her head to stare at Riley. She snorted and stomped her back foot.

  Actually, make that a lot of help.

  Tash laughed and rubbed the Friesian’s side. “Never mind her, Riley. Myrtle’s just blowing off steam. She’s anxious to get out onto the trail. She doesn’t like waiting around.”

  “Well, neither do I.” With a wide grin, Haddie placed her left foot into the stirrup then swung her right leg over Freckles’s back. She settled into the saddle and gazed down at Riley. “C’mon slowpoke.”

  Riley mimicked Haddie, effortlessly easing into the saddle. At least he hadn’t forgotten how to get onto a horse.

  His hands wrapped around the reins as Tash cleared her throat. She stared up at him and extended her palm. “Aren’t you forgetting something? Our little arrangement?”

  Of course. He’d almost forgotten that he had to give Tash the keys to his Jeep.

  Letting go of the reins and shooting a prayer to heaven that Myrtle didn’t decide to take off without him, Riley dug inside his jeans’ pocket and pulled out the keys. He handed them to Tash.

  “Thank you.” Tash curled her fingers around the keys. “Off you go then. Enjoy the ride.”

  As Tash walked away, Haddie yanked on Freckles’s reins and walked the horse alongside Riley. “What was that all about? Was that your Jeep’s keys?”

  He couldn’t tell her. It would ruin the surprise.

  He laughed and shrugged. “Collateral? In case we ride off into the sunset with Myrtle and Freckles?”

  Chapter Fifteen

  HOW GOOD it felt to be back in the saddle again. And even though Freckles wasn’t Perdy, she was a graceful substitute. She complied without fuss to Haddie’s every nudge, tug, or command, just as Perdy had always done.

  Myrtle on the other hand… Well, Haddie was sure the horse was either having an off day or was super-sensitive to Riley’s apparent lack of riding skills. Oh, he had the confidence to ride—Haddie was certain that the man feared little. But, his balance left much to be desired.

  Maybe they should swap places.

  Haddie turned to look back at Riley.

  Or maybe they shouldn’t swap. He looked so good on that pitch black Friesian. And besides, he’d probably have the same riding experience on the Appaloosa. She needed to teach him how to balance and not yank on the reins. Horses’ tongues were sensitive, and Myrtle was clearly tense, not liking the way he was pulling on her mouth.

  She guided Freckles to a stop, waiting for Riley to come alongside her. Dear Jesus, please don’t let this horse buck or run. Hmm, her second prayer in as many days, she really hoped the Lord remembered her voice and was listening.

  “Have you ridden before?” she asked.

  “That obvious?” Riley skewed his mouth and widened his eyes. Then he laughed. “I have a couple of times, but a long time ago. I thought it would be like riding a bike.”

  “Hey, I’m sure that an absence from riding a bike would also take a little practice to feel comfortable again.” She smiled at him. “And that’s one big bike saddle you’re in. Just relax, sit upright, and keep your legs flat against the horse, relaxing the pressure in your calves once she’s moving. Don’t grip the reins firmer than needed. And as she walks, move up and down gently in the saddle. It’s so important to stay in sync with the horse’s rhythm.”

  Riley leaned forward in the saddle and stroked a hand down Myrtle’s neck. “I guess that’s true of any relationship, whether between an animal and its rider, or between a man and a woman.” Those soft, dark brown eyes held her gaze.

  Horse and rider relationships Haddie knew. The other… No. But she agreed with Riley wholeheartedly. “Absolutely.”

  A smile followed the burning gaze. “Should we try this again?” Riley straightened his back, and Haddie could see him loosen his grip on the reins. Already Myrtle looked more relaxed.

  “Yes. And in case you forgot, to turn right, press your left calf into the horse, and vice versa to turn the other way. Think of it as using blinkers on a car.”

  The rest of their ride through winding forest paths was tranquil and uneventful—for Haddie, Riley, and the horses. By the time the path had made a definite turn and they were heading back to the stables, Haddie was famished.

  Her stomach gave a soft growl and Freckles twitched her ears. Hopefully Riley hadn’t heard. Although, maybe it would be better if he had and of
fered to take her some place for lunch. But goodness, they still had to get back to the stables and his Jeep, drive into town, and then order food and wait for it to be prepared. Could she hold out that long?

  Haddie glanced up from staring at the black spots on the horse’s white ears. Through the trees, she caught a glimpse of something. Was that a house, here in the forest? Thoughts of hillbillies with shotguns brewing moonshine surfaced as Riley kept Myrtle heading in the direction of the homestead.

  As they broke through the trees into the clearing surrounding the house, Haddie gasped before exhaling a relieved sigh. She’d half-expected to see a ramshackle cottage made of wood with a rusty tin roof and tons of junk lying around. But the narrow, three-story Victorian homestead that filled her vision was no hillbilly’s home, not by a long shot. She admired the attractive roof shape indicating the third story was no more than one large room, possibly the main bedroom.

  “What a beautiful place. I absolutely adore the quaint little balconies. Pity it’s fallen into such disrepair and clearly needs a lot of TLC.”

  Riley rode beside her again. “I thought you’d like it. But yes, nobody has lived here for probably forty years or more, according to Tash. Once every couple of years, the owner sends in a cleaning crew, she says, and she wonders whether he’s getting ready to sell. But so far, nothing has happened.”

  “What a waste of a magnificent piece of architecture. If I had the money, I’d buy this place and restore it to its former splendor and glory.”

  A wide grin spread across Riley’s face. “Haddie Hayes, I’ve no doubt you would.”

  Haddie’s heart warmed. She gazed up at the house’s façade. “Thank you for bringing me here. This is so special.” She turned to Riley. “But how did you know I’d like it?”

  “I listen… Don’t you remember, on Tuesday night at Tía Irma’s you spoke of Ivy’s house and how much you loved classic architecture?”

  She had? A mere mention, perhaps, and yet he’d taken note. He truly was a special person.

  “When I heard you say that, I knew I needed to show you this place.”

  Not too far away, a horse neighed. Then another. Myrtle and Freckles returned the greetings.

  Haddie listened as the horses spoke to each other. “Is that—?”

  “The stables? Yes.”

  “I had no idea we were this close. Did you?”

  Riley tipped his head in a nod. “I’ve been to these parts a few times responding to 911 calls, hikers or riders trapped or injured on the trails. That’s how I knew about the house.”

  Riley slid off Myrtle. As his boots thudded to the ground, he turned and held out his arms to help Haddie down. “Do you want to look inside? I can’t promise it’ll be clean…in fact, I can guarantee it won’t be.”

  She could dismount all on her own, but why would she want to miss an opportunity to feel his arms around her?

  Haddie slid off Freckles and into Riley’s grasp. He held her a little longer than was necessary. Haddie’s heart began to thump wildly at the thought that perhaps he might just kiss her.

  To her disappointment, he didn’t. Instead, when he broke away, he took the horses’ reins and tied them to two posts at the end of the bannisters that framed the steep staircase leading up to the house.

  Immediately, Myrtle and Freckles began feeding on tall, unkempt gorse bushes, probably once part of the garden at the front of the house. In their day, the tough, green shrubs with small clusters of yellow flowers would have formed manicured hedges. The house having stood empty for over four decades, Haddie was surprised that the plants hadn’t invaded the yard even more. Perhaps Tash allowed the horses to roam and feed here as it was so close to the stables. Highly nutritious for horses, gorse was crammed full of protein, making it the perfect winter-feeding option.

  She stroked Myrtle’s lustrous coat. The Friesian paid her no mind and proceeded to nip off another branchlet, reminding Haddie again of her own growing hunger.

  “How can they munch on these prickly plants?” Riley smoothed his hand across Myrtle’s back, allowing his fingers to touch and remain beside Haddie’s.

  Tingles shot up her arm and down her spine once again.

  “Easy. They eat the plant backwards which prevents the spines from hurting their throat.”

  “Clever creatures.” Riley took Haddie’s hand then climbed the nine steps with her to the front door. He reached for the handle then turned it.

  The door swung open and musty air greeted them.

  Riley fanned the air in front of his nose. “Phew, if we stay here too long, we’ll need to first open some windows.”

  Why would they think of staying there long? In fact, she was about to tell Riley that she really needed to get lunch somewhere and was only up to a quick walk-through the place.

  As they entered what was probably the old parlor, Haddie’s gaze fell to the black and white plaid throw resting in the middle of the dusty, wooden floor. To one side perched a picnic basket. Bless his heart—Riley had thought of everything to make today special.

  “Did Tash do this? Is that why she needed your Jeep keys?”

  “Well…” Riley dragged out the word. “She didn’t do all this per se, but she did set the blanket and basket out. I’m relieved, because she voiced some concern when I asked her about picnicking here, inside. She said this old house had stood empty since before she was born. When I told Tash how much you love old houses, she promised to see if it was safe, and if it was, she’d set out the basket and blanket.”

  Haddie cast her gaze across the room. Weak sunshine filtered through one of the large windows, and dust mites danced in the column of light.

  “I think we need to open some of those windows,” Riley said. “I just hope dust doesn’t set off your asthma.”

  Haddie shook her head. “Cold, stress, running… Thankfully, not dust or hay, or I wouldn’t have been able to grow up around horses. But even if it did, I have my rescue pump right here with me.” She patted the tote hanging at her side.

  “I wondered why you were clutching onto that bag as if your life depended on it.”

  Should she tell him now?

  No, not yet. Food first, surprise later.

  Releasing her hand, Riley strode across the room and unlatched the first hung window. He slid the sash upwards and the bottom pane of glass moved over the top one.

  He twisted around to Haddie. “Should I open another one, or will that be too cold?”

  “Another, please.” The fresh air was worth the coolness, not that it could make the empty house much colder than it already was. Besides, they had their jackets, hats and gloves to keep them warm.

  Her gaze drifted back to the black and white square in the middle of the floor. And who knew, maybe even each other.

  After they’d feasted on the contents of the basket—the biggest and juiciest grilled chicken sandwiches, tzatziki dip with fresh vegetables, and potato chips with sour cream and onion dip, washed down with raspberry iced tea—Haddie wiped her hands on a paper towel.

  “There’s still cheese and crackers.” Riley reached into the basket for yet another sealed container.

  “I couldn’t. Really.” For how hungry she’d been, she was now stuffed. That chicken sandwich had filled her.

  Riley’s head snapped up. “What? What about the blueberry picnic bars. Aileen will be very disappointed if you don’t have at least one.”

  “Aileen?”

  “From Aileen’s Pastries. Don’t tell me you haven’t visited her little shop yet? She’s Chapel Cove’s pastry queen.”

  Haddie shook her head. “I’m afraid not. To be honest, I haven’t really had time yet to explore Chapel Cove fully.”

  “You haven’t?” Riley’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Well then, you and I are going to do just that. This Saturday.”

  “I’d love to.”

  “Great, it’s a date then.”

  Date. There was that word again.

  Hope flickered in Had
die’s heart.

  And maybe while they were out, she’d meet more people, shop owners who might’ve been in business twenty-eight years ago. So far she hadn’t felt comfortable enough to ask anyone she’d met if they knew Kayleigh Scott. Soon she might broach the subject with Violet. Haddie still wasn’t sure if Violet would blab her story to every customer entering the bookstore once she knew. She didn’t want that happening, so had been reluctant to ask her purple-haired colleague. She needed to get to know her more, see whether she could be trusted.

  As for Riley’s asking the people of Chapel Cove, his questions had been fruitless so far, to his great disappointment. He’d stated more than once on the trail ride that he really wanted to help Haddie find her mother and felt as if he was letting her down.

  Haddie dipped her hand into the picnic basket, coming up with the last container. “Are these the blueberry picnic bars? I think I might have a little space for one. I wouldn’t want to disappoint Aileen—she sounds like someone I’d want to be on good terms with.”

  “She is, and not only because she makes the tastiest pastries and cakes—although that’s a pretty good motivation—but because she’s a wonderful person and I get the feeling she’s had a hard time in life. Before she came back to Chapel Cove and married her childhood sweetheart, of course.” Riley took the container from Haddie and opened it, offering her one. Then he began clearing the blanket as he packed the food back into the basket.

  Haddie sank her teeth into the blueberry bar. Mmm, delish. “Did Aileen help you with the other picnic fare?”

  “No. I did that all on my own.” Riley seemed proud that his food could be thought to have been prepared by the town’s pastry queen. “Surprised?”

  Haddie tipped her head back. Her laughter rushed toward the high ceiling. “Pleasantly. Although I’m beginning to realize that nothing should really surprise me about you.”

  Haddie reached for her bag, propped against the side of the picnic basket. “Speaking of surprises, I have one for you.” She pulled out the small gift bag and handed it to Riley.