by Alana Terry
“Well, I guess it’s good she can control it to some degree,” Zach said, feeling somewhat impressed.
“About that.” Bernie looked a little uncomfortable. “She likes things a particular way. You’ll have control of the therapy sessions,” Bernie rushed to assure Zach. “But outside of those sessions, she has a strict schedule and a particular way of doing things that’ll help her feel more comfortable in unfamiliar settings.”
“Does she have a disorder beyond the anxiety?”
“Her father didn’t mention one, but after speaking to him, I knew you were the one. You work and move by a certain timetable, and I thought you’d understand her need for meticulousness.”
If Bernie only knew. His last two weeks had been anything but predictable. Zach knew he was exacting in some of the areas of his life. It made things a lot simpler, but he didn’t know it was so obvious.
“Anything else?”
Bernie leaned back again. “Yes, one more thing.” When he didn’t continue, Zach gave him back his full attention. “I also chose you because of your aloofness and overall unavailability when it comes to women.”
“What?” Zach was thoroughly surprised now.
“Her father wants to make sure this visit is without any emotional entanglements, and I assured him that you were just the man.”
Zach didn’t know whether to be insulted or complimented. He chose to ignore the comment to gain more information.
“Does she have a history of getting emotionally entangled?”
“I asked her father the same thing. He said it’s quite the opposite, and he wants to keep it that way.”
“No offense, but she sounds like a real nerd. Are you sure she can control her mount?”
“From what her father says, she’s an accomplished horsewoman. She could’ve chosen to compete in dressage riding, but decided instead to follow her father’s footsteps.”
“We’ll see,” Zach said, unconvinced. He knew how a parent’s pride in their child could blind them where their child’s flaws were concerned.
Bernie looked at his watch. “Yes, and soon. She’s due to arrive in about an hour and a half. Matthew will check them in and give them a tour of the ranch. You may see her come to your area in the afternoon, but you won’t begin with her until tomorrow.”
Zach nodded his agreement, but he had so many thoughts he couldn’t keep them straight. He figured he’d go over them later.
“Do you have any questions?” Bernie asked
“I have too many thoughts running around about the information you just gave me to formulate a decent question, but if I do come up with one, I will text you.”
“Fair enough.” Bernie prepared himself to stand. “I usually don’t do this, but I’m going to ask you to give me a daily report on your sessions with her. I promised her father I would as long as it fell outside of client/therapist privilege. He just wants to know if she experiences an attack or incident that would hinder her in any way.”
Zach nodded. “I’ll do my best.” Then stood.
“I know you will,” Bernie said, following and giving him a light pat on the shoulder.
“Will you and Jeff be going fishing anytime soon?” Bernie asked as they made their way to the door.
“Next month we were thinking of spending a couple of days at Gainesway Park in Lexington if this warm spell lasts. Why? Are you actually thinking of joining us this time?” Zach grinned at him.
“I might just. If things continue to run smoothly, I may have a lot more time on my hands.” Zach raised his brow at Bernie’s ambiguous statement.
A few minutes later, Zach had just finished cinching the last strap on Falyn’s saddle when he heard a familiar voice calling his name at the opening of the barn. He walked out of the stall to find Kimmy striding toward him.
“Great, I caught you. They said you were out for a ride, and I wanted to talk to you before I had to go to work.”
He took in her businesslike appearance with the sky-blue blouse and dark-gray skirt that fell just below her knees. It would’ve looked nice if the whole outfit was two sizes smaller.
“Good morning, Kimberly. You’re out early this morning.”
“I’ve come on business,” she said, getting right to the point. He wasn’t sure Kimberly knew what small talk was, which suited him just fine.
“You making house calls for delinquent books now?” he said with a smirk, subconsciously rubbing Falyn’s neck.
“Don’t be ridiculous. I have more important things to do than go around collecting late books. I need a favor,” she stated, breathing out.
Zach watched her intently. He took in the slight flush in her cheeks and the impatient way she shifted her weight back and forth. She was uncomfortable. He couldn’t blame her. He wasn’t the most sociable person at the ranch or in town, but he thought they had a decent enough rapport where she could come to him with a request.
“I would’ve called you, but I don’t have your number,” she said with a touch of irritation.
Or phone.
“If you’d called the ranch’s main number, I would’ve gotten the message.”
“They aren’t open, and I needed to talk to you now.”
Zach shrugged his shoulders and gestured for her to follow him and Falyn out of the barn. It was as much of an invitation as she’d get.
“A college friend of mine will be arriving later today. Her father booked her a few weeks of equine therapy under my recommendation. She’s had a rough time lately and needs a safe haven.” Zach wondered if this was just a really big coincidence or if Kimmy was talking about the Nathan woman. Rather than voice the telling question, he just nodded.
Kimberly squirmed a little before setting her shoulders. “I recommended her sessions be with you because you’re always so professional, and you’re good at what you do. She doesn’t need any kind of emotional stress while she’s here, and you’re about as safe in that department as anyone can get.”
He looked from the spot where his gaze had strayed, to over her shoulder and back to her eyes, without giving away anything. He hadn’t cared much before and still didn’t, but he was starting to wonder just how he came off to people. Obviously, he was a bit standoffish, but he didn’t consider himself antisocial. Well, not to the degree she and Bernie spoke of. He hadn’t been looking, but he was sure, given the right circumstances, he could find a woman attractive enough to approach her. Maybe he’d consider going into Lexington and visiting a bar in the future and interact with the opposite sex. Even before he finished the thought he was negating it. Maybe they were right to believe he was the emotional equivalent of a eunuch, but when one had experienced the best, there wasn’t really anywhere to go.
“I didn’t mean any offense by it. I just know that you can be aloof, which, in a way is what she needs. But I’d like to ask that you be even more careful with her. She’s pretty fragile right now, and her father is very concerned.”
“If she’s so fragile, why is she staying in a cabin at a horse ranch in the middle of nowhere?”
“She needed to disappear, and her father thought this might be the best place to do just that.”
“What’s her name, Kimberly?”
“Shauna Nathan.” Kimmy blinked up at him.
“I’ve been briefed on her already, but maybe you can give me a little more information,” Zach hinted.
Kimmy visibly relaxed. “I aim to please.”
Zach looked at her for a moment as the questions lined up in his head.
“Sorry, guy. Maybe later,” he whispered to Falyn and walked him back into the cool barn.
Chapter 10
SHAUNA SAT IN THE BACK of the black SUV watching the Lexington skyline fade from her view to the west into emerald-green pastures as far as her eyes could see. The sun had cleared the horizon nearly four hours before. She knew she should be tired, but she was full of energy. It felt like her reservations about the trip melted away with each mile that came between her and Chicag
o.
She began to look forward to her time in Chandlerville and she couldn’t wait to see her friend Kimberly again. She’d tried talking Michael into stopping at the library first, but he wanted to get her settled into her cabin before going into Bourbonville to check in with Jeremy Dirk at Bluegrass Security. They’d help keep a lookout for strangers who came into town.
Her mind wandered back to her conversation with Kimberly from a few nights ago. She’d been sitting on her couch sulking because nothing she’d tried worked to change her family’s mind about sending her to Kentucky. She was tempted to let her phone go to voicemail when she saw Kimmy’s name light up on the screen, but since she would spend the next month or so in the same town as her traitorous friend, she figured she’d answer.
“Hello,” she said as if she didn’t know who was calling her.
“Hi, Shaw. Please don’t hang up.” The last part was rushed.
“Kimmy, I have caller ID. I wouldn’t have picked up the phone if I didn’t want to hear the reasons why you betrayed me.”
The phone went silent. She brought it away from her ear to make sure they were still connected.
“So, go ahead and give me ‘what for’ and get it out of your system.”
“How are you going to tell me how to go off on you?”
“Because we were roommates for three years and I know that when you get angry, once you get it all out, you feel better and your attitude’s better.”
“We haven’t been roommates for at least seven years now.”
“I know. I don’t think that you’ve changed so much that going off on me won’t make you feel better.”
“You might have something there,” Shauna mused. “So, how could you?”
“How could I what?”
“How could you go behind my back and plan a trip for me with my dad?”
“You mean how could I answer your father’s phone call, hear from him, not you, that you’re in danger, and come up with a plan on how to keep you from being cornered by your stalker?” Shauna let the phone go quiet.
She wouldn’t respond; she knew that this was only Kimmy’s first try to come out from under the rug of shame.
“Or do you mean how could I receive your father’s phone call, drop everything, and give him ideas on how to get you out of town for the few weeks’ vacation I’m sure you’re overdue for, so you could get some equine therapy and spend time with me?”
The bluster went out of Shauna’s anger and her attitude was over. “Fine. Tell me what you’ve scheduled for us during my vacation and tell me about the horse ranch. Do they train for dressage as well?”
Since they hadn’t spoken to each other in at least six months, their conversation went on late into the evening, with Kimmy sharing her new position as head librarian in Chandlerville, and the plans the mayor had to build a state-of-the-art library.
“So, tell me about the equine therapy sessions. Is the therapist really good?”
“Yes. He’s one of the best. Children and adults come from miles around. He’s a bit intense though, so I wanted to warn you not to take his quietness personally.”
“Why are you telling me this?”
“Because he’s what you might think of as hot.”
“What about you?”
“What about me, what?”
“Do you think of him as ‘hot’?”
“I’ve known him since I was in elementary. He might as well be my older brother.”
“Well, you don’t have to worry. After Nicolas, the only way I will get close to a man over the next month is if he’s protecting me or if he’s on a horse.”
“Don’t underestimate the charm of a quiet man.”
“Is that a challenge?”
“Absolutely not. It’s a warning.”
“No need. I’m going there to hide and visit with you. My life is here.”
Shauna waited a couple of beats. She knew if she spoke too soon Kimmy wouldn’t believe her, and she needed Kimmy to believe her.
“Good. If you want, maybe we can go shopping in Lexington next Sunday or the Sunday after. Meanwhile, there are a few really good eateries in Chandlerville. Cassie’s Café: Cookies, Cakes, and Crafts have adorable homemade items, and the desserts are to die for. Do you still like pecan pie?”
“Is Lanthanum still the fifty-seventh element on the periodic table?” Shauna replied with enthusiasm.
“Uh, can I get that answer in English and not in science geek?”
“Listen to the pot calling the kettle black.”
“Have you ever heard of Louisa May Alcott, Henry David Thoreau, or Robert Browning?”
“Yes.”
“You’re the bigger nerd. You just proved the subjects I’m knowledgeable about are more popular than yours.”
“It’s the periodic table. Every child is taught the basics in elementary or junior high.”
“Yes,” Kimmy whispered. “But do people still know them in college if they aren’t science geeks?”
“Kimmy?”
“Yep?”
“Shut up.”
The laughter on the other side of the line told her that her friend took her order as seriously as a cute post about playing with puppies on a social media site.
THE RINGING OF HER phone drew her out of her daydream. She looked down to see "Dad" on her display.
“Hi, Dad.”
“Hi, honey. How are you feeling?”
“Good.”
“So, you’re almost there. Are you excited about staying at the horse ranch?”
Shauna smothered the impulse to look up at the sky through the window to see if there was some type of air surveillance hovering over the car. She knew all it took was a text or call to Michael.
“Um, a little. I’m looking forward to seeing what kinds of horses they have.”
“Well, good.” He paused.
“I know you were less than thrilled about going away at first, but I think you’ll find it beneficial in a few ways.”
She found it interesting that her tantrum, flat-out refusal, and silent treatment would be considered ‘less than thrilled’ in her father’s book. If she could’ve found a way to weasel out of it, she would have.
“Mmm hmm,” she mumbled just because she knew it irritated her father. “That isn’t an answer. It’s a sound,” he’d say when she was younger and took her mother’s lead on how to passively irk him.
“I see you’re still pouting. I hope you let go of your grudge long enough to enjoy yourself.”
“You’ll know before I will.”
There was a long pause before her father spoke. “Shauna, I just want to keep you safe. You’re my baby girl.”
She huffed. If she said, “Exactly,” he’d misunderstand her, but she was tired of his overbearing ways. “I know, Dad. One day, I’d like to grow up to be your independent daughter.”
“Why can’t you be both?”
She went silent. He just didn’t understand. He thought he was compromising, but it was a veil he used to lull her into a sense of independence until she found out differently.
When after a few moments she didn’t respond, he did.
“Will you let me know if you like the equestrian center? I had a tour about a week and a half ago, and I was impressed by their facility and the owner. He has a good eye for business and the respect of his employees. All the horses look well taken care of, and the barns, training areas, paddocks, bunkhouse, and eating area were organized and spotless. They have an on-site veterinarian and at least fifteen stable hands. I was even able to take a look at one of the cabins and it was more spacious than I originally thought it would be. I really think you’ll enjoy your stay.”
Shauna had learned to listen for what her father didn’t say. And in this instance, he’d talked about everything except the horses and trainers.
“What about the horses, Dad?”
“What?”
“Did you see any of the horses? Did any of them look trained for dressag
e or jumping?”
“Honey, you know I don’t know anything about horses, but what I do know is that your equine therapist comes highly recommended. While you’re there, you may think about discussing your anxiety issues with him.”
“I thought that was one of the reasons why you booked a cabin at an equestrian training center/ranch instead of the town’s best hotel.”
Her father’s voice cooled. “The reason I booked you a cabin at the Murphy Equestrian Therapy Center/Ranch close to Chandlerville is that I thought you’d like to visit your friend and do something you loved.”
She’d crossed the line. She wasn’t normally so ungrateful. She’d chalk it up to the stress and frustration. She blew out a breath.
“Dad.”
“What, Shauna?”
She swallowed back the pride that rose up anytime she felt slighted. “Thank you.”
She heard silence for one, two, three beats before he spoke. “I love you, Shauna.”
“I love you too, Dad.” She looked out the window and watched as white picket fencing came into view on a hill. “I’ll call you later?”
“Please do so, Shauna.”
“Okay.” She barely heard the connection drop, her attention was so riveted to the green lawn leading up to the fencing. She followed the fencing with her eyes to the center of the ranch where the big house rose majestically above the other buildings.
The truck turned off the highway onto a paved, two-lane road. About a mile up the lane, she saw the entranceway. From what she could tell so far, Murphy Equestrian Therapy Center/Ranch was at the higher end of ranches, but then she shouldn’t have expected anything less if her father approved. The wrought-iron, rounded black gate with huge letters resting along the top edge was both elegant and spoke of the prestige of the ranch. Shauna rolled down the privacy window between Michael and herself so she could get a better look straight on. Michael rolled up next to one of the two gray stone pillars adjoining the gate and pressed a button. A voice came through the box requesting his reason for coming, and then her name and a five-digit code she knew nothing about. The gates opened, separating the M-U-R from the P-H-Y that rested atop its highest rounded edge.