Jericho rubbed his freshly shaved chin. “Aren’t they helping with research for bioterrorism? They work with some pretty dangerous chemicals, from what I hear.”
She nodded. “Oh, yes. Everything they do there is very top secret.”
“Impressive, but I don’t rub shoulders with the doctor types there, so I don’t know why your last name would stick out.”
She pushed up her glasses. Then resumed tapping on her keyboard. “I have a sister who lives around here, too. Megan? She works on this Podunk farm near the outskirts of town.”
“It’s actually a ranch. Not a farm. I know the owner pretty well.”
She straightened the bracelets on her wrists. “Small world.”
“Does it look like everything will work out? There’s a lot of paperwork involved, and I want to get this rolling as soon as possible.”
“For now, things look great. But you do know, with this kind of undertaking, you’re going to need a lot more capital. Do you understand how much money this will take to run? That’s even if you can get it off the ground. That alone will take a significantly bigger sum than this loan. I’d hate to see you under water before your business has a fair chance.”
“Don’t worry. I have money coming to me.”
She stopped typing and quirked an eyebrow. “Coming to you? How intriguing, Mr. Freed. Well then, if that’s the case, I believe you’ll be able to start this project soon.”
“That’s good news.” He hooked his ankle on his knee, set it back on the floor then crossed his legs again.
“And might I say, this is a worthwhile endeavor. Even without the capital, I think there would be many individuals and organizations willing to donate to something like this.”
Jericho nodded. He didn’t need their money, but it was good to know the community would be behind him.
* * *
“More chicken salad, please.” Chance shuffled over, plate in hand.
“There’s plenty here.” Ali dished another serving onto one of the sweet rolls she’d baked that morning and handed him the sandwich. The branches of the cottonwood trees swayed above them as the river gurgled a calming tune. Chance squished against her side, and she slipped her arm around his shoulder. She dropped a kiss to the crown of his head while he munched.
“We should do this every day. I love our picnics.”
“I do too, bud.” Ali pulled a caramel brownie from the basket. “We have to eat these before they get too gooey to handle.”
Chance popped to his feet. “Hey, someone’s coming.”
Ali spun around. “That’s Chief.”
“It’s not just Chief. Someone is riding him.”
“I see that, Chance.” She squinted, then sucked in a ragged breath. “It’s Jericho.”
Chance charged into the clearing. Hopping, he waved like a distress signal. Jericho swung down from the giant strawberry roan and gave Chance’s shoulder a squeeze before tipping his hat to Ali.
She slunk against the tree and drew her knees to her chest. Why was he here? Did he remember it was their anniversary? Of course not. He never cared about keeping track of dates. He forgot her birthday that year they’d been married.
“Hey, pal, can you help me find a place to tie up Chief?” His voice awakened a flock of butterflies in her stomach.
“You don’t have to tie him up. Mom says Chief is better behaved than me sometimes. Isn’t that right, Mom?” Chance bobbed forward, his hand clasped in Jericho’s.
“That’s right, Chance.” She gave Jericho a stiff chin-up greeting. “If you loop his reins over the saddle horn, Chief will hang out near that clover patch. He’s been trained not to wander off.”
Jericho cleared his throat. “Good to know. You’ve worked wonders with him. I don’t remember Chief being so well behaved.”
Ali hugged her legs tighter. “Yeah, well, men like to take off.”
The blanket shifted as Jericho sat down. “Then that means Chief’s a testament that a man can learn to stay put.”
She uncoiled her body and ran her fingers against the stiff seams of the basket. “He’s a horse.” She took a deep breath. “What are you doing here?”
“Kate told me you guys were out here.”
“’Course she did.”
His work-worn hand covered hers, and he dropped his voice to a whisper. “Do you want me to leave?”
Chance grabbed Jericho’s hat and plopped it onto his own head. “We’re having a picnic, because today is our special day.”
Heat raced up Ali’s neck. She jerked her hand from under Jericho’s.
He raised a dark eyebrow. “Is it now? Do you want to hear the strangest thing in the world?”
Chance’s eyes widened, and he nodded vigorously.
“Today’s my special day, too.” He tapped Chance’s nose.
Ali’s gaze locked with Jericho’s. His eyes softened. A wave of warmth rushed through her heart. He knows. He remembered. A string of goose bumps raced up her arms, but just as quickly they vanished. Kate must have told him. Meddling sister.
Chance dropped to his knees. “Well, if it’s your special day, then you should share our picnic.”
Jericho kept staring at her. “What do you have there, bud?”
A crunching sound announced Chance’s effort to paw through the basket. “Chicken salad and pasta salad, but don’t worry. Just because they have ‘salad’ in their names doesn’t mean they have lettuce. I hate lettuce. And Mom says with all the mayo, they’re not even good for you. We have brownies, but they’re getting mushy. Maybe you should eat one of them first.”
Ali looked down, breaking the spell Jericho had over her. She swiped away auburn hair from her face and grabbed the basket when Chance pilfered a second brownie. “We only brought out two sets of plates and silverware. I hope you don’t mind using dirty ones.” She made Jericho two sandwiches, scooping a generous helping of pasta salad on the plate before handing him her utensils.
Chance giggled around the brownie bits in his mouth. “Gross. You’re going to get my mom’s girl cooties.”
With a wink that sent Ali’s heart galloping, Jericho smirked. “I’m not too worried about sharing any of your mom’s cooties.”
* * *
Jericho lifted the basket and blanket from Ali’s arms when they walked back toward the ranch house. Chance bounded between them, clutching Chief’s reins in his hand. Jericho glanced over to Ali, but her gaze darted away. Discovering that she still celebrated their anniversary had given him cause to hope.
“What do you two have going on the rest of the day?”
“I have to go to Walmart with Aunt Kate.” Chance shuffled his feet.
Ali sighed. “There are three classes to teach this afternoon. It’s going to be a long day.”
Jericho switched the basket to his other hand. “I can stick around and help if you need more volunteers.”
Ali ran her hand over Chance’s head as they neared the house. “Can you put Chief in his stall for me so he’s ready for Brandon to ride?”
She started up the stairs to the house, then turned to take the blanket from Jericho. “I don’t know if it’s the best idea for you to stick around.”
“Are you still down volunteers?”
“Well, yes.”
“Then why not? I sure hope you don’t say I failed last time, because I thought my side-walking skills were legendary.” He tried to wink at her, but she turned and grabbed the railing.
Standing near the front door, she pressed her thumb and forefinger against her eyes. “Do you even know what day it is? How difficult this is?”
She whirled to walk into the house, but he captured her arm and made her face him. Setting down the basket, he placed his hands on her shoulders. “Today is the nine-year anniversary
of the day the girl of my dreams married me. It was the happiest day of my life. I could never forget.”
Tears made her eyes look like melted chocolate. His gut twisted. He never wanted to be the cause of this woman’s tears ever again.
She pushed up on his wrists. “You only know that because Kate reminded you.”
“Your anniversary gift is in there on the table.”
“My gift?”
“I owe you a heap more. I’ll make up for the lost years too, if you’ll let me.”
Her eyes widened. “You got me a gift?”
“Don’t get too excited. It’s not much. Go on in there. I know how you can’t wait to tear off the paper. Remember that Christmas when you found your presents early?” He chuckled at the memory of finding her in their front room with scraps of paper all over.
“I warned you that if I found them, they were fair game to open.” She pushed through the front door and beelined for the gift. She lifted the item in her hands before meeting his gaze.
“Go on. Open it.” He smiled.
She tore off the ribbons and shredded through the paper. Jericho laughed. Good thing he’d convinced the lady at the store to wrap it for him. Left to him, the thing would have been tossed in a bag and handed to Ali.
She pried open the box and peeked inside. Her gasp caused warmth to spread through his chest. She pulled out the horse statue and examined the sculpture from every angle. “Jericho, this is beautiful.”
He crossed the room and took a seat beside her on the couch. “I’m glad you like it.”
She traced a finger over each of the three horses carved in stone. Her favorite beasts were captured in a steady sprint together, hair flying. Free. “What is it made out of? I’ve never seen anything like it. Not this shade of red or with bands in these colors. It’s so unique.”
“It’s made from a block of Jasper. I saw it and knew I had to get it for you.” He’d searched for the perfect token for weeks. A diamond ring had been his first thought. As young as they were when they got married, he never gave her an engagement ring or wedding band. But Ali wouldn’t have accepted anything like that. Not yet.
She set the statue down and moved back, surveying it.
Jericho picked it back up and turned toward her. “See, I chose it because there are three horses. I figured they could be like you, me, and God. That’s what was wrong before. We left him out completely. But we can be like these horses. We can gallop together.”
He only wished there had been one with a smaller fourth horse so he could let Ali know that he wanted Chance, too. Staring at the statue again, Ali fanned her face, making Jericho smile. Just maybe they’d become a family after all.
* * *
Ali performed rapid-fire blinks to keep the moisture from leaving her eyes. Jericho Freed sat inches away, going on about dreaming together as she fought an urge to toss her arms around his neck and beg him to come back and truly be her husband. She watched his lips move over the words. Did his kisses still have the power to set her brain spinning? She leaned a little closer.
The front door jerked open. Megan appeared. “Are you doing lessons today?”
Bolting up, Ali looked at the clock. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize—yes, I’ll follow you out.” She skirted the couch. Jericho rose and followed her through the front door.
Ali forced herself to breathe. She needed to be careful. She didn’t know if she could handle any more time with Jericho without doing something she’d regret later.
Chapter Ten
“Can’t I go to Mark’s house? Puh-leaze, Mom?” Chance walked beside her, the shiny pail smacking against his calf with every step.
Ali racked her brain, trying to remember which one of the kids was Mark. The one whose parents let them ride the ATVs? Definitely not happening.
“No, pal, I need you to help me.” Straightening her glove, she swiped the back of her wrist against her forehead.
“This is the worst day ever. Mark’s parents don’t make him scoop poop.” He slammed the bucket on the ground of the training corral, releasing a puff of dust into the air. She coughed into her elbow then raked up manure, tipping it into the pail.
“Well, I’m afraid Mark won’t know a thing about running a ranch when his parents leave it to him, but you, sir, you’ll be able to do everything.”
“Maybe I don’t want to work on a ranch.” Chance stomped his boot, his eyebrows drawn.
Grabbing the handle, she pushed the bucket back at him. Her hands shook. Didn’t want to work on a ranch? “You can’t mean that. All this property will be yours one day.”
“I don’t want it. I want to move far away and never scoop poop again.”
“Who will take care of the horses and the cattle if you don’t?”
“This stinks,” he mumbled.
“Watch your attitude, mister.”
With eyes blazing thunder, Chance dropped the bucket again. “If I had a dad, he’d be here helping us, and we wouldn’t have to work so hard all the time.”
“Well, it’s just us so—”
“Where is my dad, huh? Why don’t you talk about him?”
Ali bit down on her lip. She reached for her son, but he yanked away. “Honey, we’ve talked about this a million times. You know the story.”
“No. Not really. You only told me you were too young and that my dad had to go. I heard you tell Aunt Kate that you should have never married him, that it was one big accident.” Chance trembled. Ali tried to reach for him again, but he shoved against her with so much force that she winced.
“My relationship with your father was a mistake, but you are not. Do you understand me, Chance? You’re the most important person to me in the whole world.”
“Everyone else has a dad. Why can’t I? Didn’t he want me? Is that why he’s gone?” He swiped at hot, angry tears.
Everything in Ali ached to take him in her arms, to kiss away the hurt and rejection revealed in the bent of his brow, but for once, she didn’t know how to cool his temper. This was exactly why Jericho couldn’t be told. Look what perceived rejection did to her son. If Jericho walked away from Chance after they both knew, the destruction would be irreversible.
“Chance.” She knelt down in front of him, the dry earth coating her jeans. “Your dad left because he didn’t want me.” The words sliced as they came out. “He didn’t even know about you, sweetheart.”
“Then maybe you should tell him. It’s not fair. He might not want you, but what if he wants me?” He spat out the words.
His little fists shook. Thin as a reed in the wind, his chest heaved. “Why do Jericho and me have the same eyes, huh?”
Bile crept up the back of Ali’s throat. “Blue eyes? A lot of people have blue eyes.”
“Not like these.” He jammed a finger toward the offending body part. “Our eyes are the same color as the slushies from the gas station. The electric blue ones.”
“Cha-ance.” She dragged out his name. “A lot of people have blue eyes. Tripp has blue eyes like yours, too. It doesn’t mean anything special.”
“But how come Jericho and I laugh the same?”
“You’re not making any sense, honey. Now grab that bucket, and let’s do the other side of the corral.”
With a growl, Chance kicked the metal bucket, sending manure into the air. Ali rocked back, throwing her arms over her head to block the raining mess.
“Chance Silver! Get to your room this instant.”
He started to stalk off, then whirled around. “Know what? I’m going to find my dad. He’ll be nicer than you, and he won’t lie to me like you do.” With that declaration, he charged off toward the house.
Ali tried to stand, but her knees wobbled. The handle of the metal bucket shuddered in her hand.
It started
already. She was losing her son, and she didn’t know how to get him back. She slumped to the ground. Her hands dropped into her lap, and she just stared at them, numb with swollen emotions.
* * *
Head in her hands, Ali didn’t look up from the kitchen table when the back door creaked open, followed by the telltale slap of the screen door against the house.
“Hey, I was looking for you. I want to talk... Are you okay?” Kate dropped into the chair beside her.
Ali sighed.
Kate ran her hand across the tabletop. “Huh. How’s that for bad timing?”
Ali leaned her cheek on her hands. “Bad timing?” She lifted her eyebrows.
“I was looking for you everywhere. Couldn’t find you or Chance.”
“Chance is in his bedroom. I’m considering keeping him locked up there until his eighteenth birthday. What do you think?”
Kate’s eyes widened. “Don’t tell me you caught him yanking feathers out of the chickens again?”
Ali offered a slight smile. “Worse. He wants to know who his father is.”
Kate whistled, long and low.
“That about says it.”
Pushing up from the table, Kate crossed the room to the fridge. “Well? Are you going to tell him?”
“I can’t. Chance doesn’t even know who his father is, and he already likes him more. Think if he found out for sure that it was Jericho.”
Popping open a take-out container, Kate gave it a sniff and pulled a face. “Do you seriously think Chance isn’t smart enough to find out? I mean, he might not figure it out today, but if Jericho is going to stay in Bitterroot Valley, and if he keeps hanging around here, Chance is bound to put it together.”
Ali grabbed the edge of the table with wrought-iron strength. “He asked why they have the same eyes.”
Dumping three offending containers from the fridge into the trash can, Kate shrugged. “I honestly don’t see why you keep lying to both of them.”
“I’m not lying.” Ali ran a hand through her hair. She didn’t like being called a liar twice in one day. “I’m just not telling them. That’s not the same.”
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