by Kristi Rose
The Anglo-Arab, named Coconut, Coco for short, slowed as she passed Meredith. When Meredith stuck out her arm, Coco stopped and let her stroke her muzzle.
“She likes you.”
“Because I feed her. Sometimes I bring her apples.” Meredith had taken to the horse the first time she had helped clean out the stalls. “She's very good natured.”
Pops nodded. "Yes, she is. Good range horse. Used to guns, stampeding cattle, and the odd wild animal that sneaks into the yard. You want to ride her?”
Meredith jerked her attention to Pops, her breath caught in her throat. “Can I?”
“Hell ya, you can. Come on, girl. Let’s get her saddled up.” Pops moved slowly, pushing off the fence with a groan. She’d spent some time researching his condition so she knew he tired easily and was gradually getting weaker. Meredith looped her arm through his, and together they walked to the barn.
Pops sat on the bench and told her where to find everything she’d need. “I’d love to get on a horse myself,” he said with a sad shake of his head.
“What if we could get you to where getting on wasn’t as much work?” From the saddle support she had to lift the saddle up and over and nearly buckled from the weight. Instead, she staggered back and dumped the saddle on the ground. “Holy crap, that's heavy. I'm used to sliding them off the horses. Not lifting them up.”
Pops laughed and slapped his knee. “Used to those English saddles? One day you'll be able to lift it.” He chuckled some more.
Groaning, Meredith hoisted the saddle and put it back on the saddle support, her arms screaming from the exertion. “I don't think I can do it, Pops.”
He wiped the smile from his face, though the corners of his mouth twitched every so often. “If you look in that back tack closet, there should be a few English saddles. One ought to fit Coco.”
That was when the idea struck her. From what she’d seen, his weakness was in his legs and arms, and yeah, he would need that to ride a horse, but his trunk was still strong, so balance wasn’t an issue. Marjory had mentioned the other night how she’d like to get out on a horse as well. “Which horse do you ride?”
“That one.” Pop pointed to Moses , a large but gentle quarter horse. “But I don’t think I can get on the animal.”
Inside the closet, Meredith selected two saddles and lugged them to where Pop's sat on the bench. “Don’t go anywhere. I’ll be right back.” She didn’t wait for Pops to say anything but ran to the cabin and knocked.
After sharing her idea, Marjory was more than up for it. They returned to the barn, and Meredith helped Marjory shove a large set of metal stairs out into the open space of the barn.
“I'd forgotten we had these,” Marjory said and attempted to shake the stairs, testing their construction. “They're in good shape.”
“They're perfect as a mounting block. What are they originally from?” Once the stairs were in place, Meredith moved to saddled Coco, while Marjory set a large saddle on Moses.
“Originally we didn't have the back deck. We added it a few years ago. These were the back stairs,” Pops answered.
“I hated them, but look how handy they are now,” said Marjory as she led Moses to stand next to the stairs. She patted the English saddle. “It's been years since I sat on one of these.”
“Hopefully it will be more comfortable than the Western saddle,” Meredith said, praying she was right. There would be no big horn for Pops to hold onto.
When they were good to go, Meredith stood on the other side of Moses while Marjory offered support as Pops climbed the stairs. It took two tries but he was able to swing his leg over the horse with Meredith offering stability. After Pops was situated, the stirrups adjusted, Marjory swung onto the saddle behind Pops.
“It’s like we’re kids again, right lover?” Pops asked as Marjory wrapped her arms around him.
“Only this time let’s not try to see how fast the horse can go and jump anything, please. These bones are getting old.” Over Pops’ shoulder, Marjory winked at Meredith.
Laughing while mounting, Meredith asked, “Where to?”
“What haven’t you seen?” asked Marjory.
“I’ve only seen this part.” She gestured to the house and barn. “And the far pastures by the foothills when we camped.”
“You haven’t had a tour yet?”
Meredith blushed. “No, there hasn’t been that much time.” It was a lie, and Meredith wasn’t very good at lying so she looked away in an effort to hide her face. She and Jace had talked about riding out, him showing her the land, but then they’d talk and touch. One thing would lead to another, and they’d end up in bed promising to make an attempt the next day.
“Hell, that boy is slacking on the job.” Pops shook his head. “Meredith, hon, go inside and grab a shotgun. We’re going to ride out far.”
She slid from Coco and made quick work of grabbing the shotgun, a few extra shells she stuffed in her coat pocket. She took a small backpack from the closet then filled it with bottles of water and power bars. Just in case.
Back on the horse, she followed the Shepards at a slow, easy trot. They headed away from the ranch toward the burning sun, the mountains at their back. They rode across the plains and over a small creek, the land flat and easy for riding. The scenery was stunning, from every angle. No matter which way she looked, the view only improved, and many times she was caught staring slack-jaw at the endless beauty before her. Knowing all this was within an easy ride from the house pleased Meredith. She could see herself and Jace, too, riding out to enjoy and explore.
“Look over there. There’s Jace and Tuck.” Marjory pointed to a tributary where several cattle were drinking and Jace’s truck was parked in the flood land.
Meredith scanned the area, but didn’t find him until the wading cattle shifted away from the stream. Jace and Tuck were bent over a cow that looked to be in the process of giving birth. With Pops in the lead they rode their horses down to Jace and Tuck.
“How many like this this year?” Pops called.
Jace stood, looking between his parents and Meredith, but said nothing. He walked to the large quarter horse and rubbed his neck before answering. “This is the second that we’ve seen.”
“How many more you got out there?” Pops looked across the valley.
“We estimate five.” Jace had explained to her at dinner last night that prior to birthing season, the heifers that were expecting were brought down to the lower pasture, the one closer to home, but a few always slipped through the cracks.
“That’s good. The tracking system sure makes things easier.” Pops took off his hat and wiped his forehead. Sweat had soaked his hair. From behind him, Marjory was making quick hand gestures to Jace who was staring at her, brows furrowed.
Pop's tried to twist in his seat to look at Marjory.
“I’m getting a tour of the land,” Meredith said, shifting Jace’s focus from his father to her. She hoped he wouldn’t say anything about his dad being on a horse or the fatigue it was obviously causing. Picking up on Marjory’s intention with her signs, Meredith said, “We’re headed back now, though. I don’t know about Pops or Marjory, but I’m starving.”
“Tuck’s headed back as well to grab a few things if anyone wants to ride with him.” He glanced at his parents, then Tuck, who looked surprised.
Pops huffed. “If you’re referring to me, I think I’ll pass. This might be the last time I’m able to get on and stay on a horse, and I’ll be damned if I’m going to get off now. I may be tired, but I’m riding this here beast back to the house. Understand?”
Jace nodded.
Pops shifted in the saddle. “Understand Marjory? I know you’re back there trying to communicate with Jace by glaring or using gestures or whatever, but I’ll be the one who decides what’s best for me.”
Marjory snorted. “A stubborn ass like you? I don’t see it. But I’m always open to find out. I love saying I told you so, and this sounds like one of those times I mig
ht get to say that.”
Meredith squirmed, uncomfortable with witnessing their fight, but startled when Pops laughed.
“Damn, bossy woman. Between you and Meredith, I don’t stand a chance.”
Marjory hugged him. Not a fight, just familiar banter between people who loved each other.
Jace raised his brows, his attention on Meredith.
“I, ah…” Would this cause a fight between them? She was anxious for the time when she understood Jace's moods the way Marjory did Pops.
“She was the one who got Pops on the horse. Clever girl,” Marjory said.
Jace crossed his arms. “Is that so?” Yep, he was not happy. His eyes narrowed. Meredith shifted in her saddle and waited for the tightening of anxiety to take over. Yes, this wouldn’t be their first fight, but it would be the first one where the anger was directed at her, not coming from her.
“Looks like you have everything under control here, Jace. We’ll see you at home later.” Pops pulled the reins, and the horse turned and ambled away. “Come on, Meredith. I can’t get off this mountain without you,” Pops called over his shoulder.
“Ah…” She didn’t know what to say so she tugged the reins and followed suit.
The ride back was quick, and once Pops was off the horse, he gave her a hug. “Thank you for not treating me like an invalid.” He squeezed her shoulders before turning to Marjory. “I’m gonna take a nap, lover.”
“You want something to eat first?”
Pops shook his head. “No, but how about you lay down with me. You ain’t no spring chicken and need to rest those old bones.”
Marjory smiled. “Is that so?” She took his arms and kissed his cheek. Together they ambled slowly back to the cabin.
Meredith gave the horses a good rub down and fed them extra oats before she headed to the big house to make lunch. With a sandwich and ice tea, she sat outside on the back deck and stared at the garden, wondering what Jace would say to her. A knot of apprehension sat in the center of her gut, making her food unappetizing. Willow and one of her mindless conversations would be the perfect distraction, but Willow had gone into town and Meredith had nothing but her thoughts. She hated not knowing what he might be upset about. Was it getting Pops on a horse? If it had been such a bad idea, why had Marjory gone along with it? That would be her argument.
Leaving most of her sandwich on the plate, she watered the garden, taking pride in the little seedlings popping through the ground and finding a sense of success with her hard work. Meredith wanted to stomp her foot. Yeah, Jace could be mad at her, but Pops and Marjory had been all for the ride, and his father had never stopped smiling. So there! That was what she would hold on to, and if he was angry, like she thought he was, he could just go pound sand or something. When she turned to cutoff the water, Jace was standing there. She hadn’t heard him come up.
With his hand on the water spigot, he asked, “You done?” The question seemed loaded, about more than watering the garden.
She nodded, the hose going slack in her hand. She let go as he reeled it in and moved to the deck to sit at the table. She would not try to anticipate him. She’d done that with her father and hated it about herself.
When he finished with the hose, he faced her, one hand on his hip. “About my dad.”
“He looked happy, didn’t he?” To hide her nervousness, she peeled the crust from her sandwich.
Jace sucked in a breath, as if pulling back the words he was going to say with an inhalation, and nodded. “He did look real happy, but it’s not your place—”
“Oh, Meredith,” Marjory called as she stepped out from inside the house. “I’ve been looking for you. Pops is out like a light, exhausted.”
Meredith cut her eyes to Jace and saw the thin press of his lips.
“But he’s over the moon with happiness. What you did for him today, getting him on that horse, it was good for him. Good for his soul.” Marjory crossed the deck. She pulled Meredith from the chair, the sandwich falling on the plate, and wrapped Meredith in a tight hug. “I cannot thank you enough. I knew he’d been wanting to do it, just didn’t know how, and your solution was so simple. I feel like an idiot for not thinking of it. Thank you, child. Thank you.”
Meredith hugged her back, not looking at Jace.
“I’m glad Pops was happy, Ma, but it was real dangerous of him to get up there. We might not want to do that again.”
With surprising force, Marjory pushed her away and spun to her son. “You listen here, Jace Shepard. If your father wants to do it tomorrow, he’ll do it again tomorrow. Soon, he won’t be able to move, and that will destroy him, so you give him what he wants. You understand me?”
Jace ducked his head. “Yes, ma’am.”
She stepped up to him and put her hand on his arms. “I know you’re worried. I am, too. But we have to let him live his life as scared as we may be. You understand, son?”
Jace nodded and stood like a petulant child as his mother hugged him. “I’m going to struggle with things that could put him danger,” he said.
“Taking a shower puts him in danger, but your father has been very good at knowing his limits.”
Meredith averted her eyes, feeling very much like a voyeur. The air was thick with emotion, so she decided to take her plate and cup inside. Unfortunately, they followed her.
“Your wife really fits in here, Jace.” Marjory said from behind her.
Meredith smiled. It was a high compliment indeed.
“Why do you sound so surprised, Ma?“ Jace asked.
Meredith had heard the wonder in Marjory's statement as well but had decided to let it go. She wished Jace would have too.
“I'll admit I was surprised and well...suspicious when Meredith showed up,” Marjory said, coming alongside Meredith as they walked to the kitchen. “You have to admit the timing was perfect considering what Pop's had said to you, Jace.”
Meredith put her dishes in the sink and began to wash them, her back to Jace and Marjory.
An excruciating moment of silence passed.
Jace sighed heavily. “Ah, well...”
Meredith longed for more dishes to wash as she finished hers. She did not want to lie to his mother, a woman who had become her friend.
“But,” Marjory boomed. “You two are so well suited it doesn't matter to me how Meredith came to be here. You both are good complements to each other, and having you here, Meredith”––Marjory came to stand next to her––“is a blessing to this family. A true blessing. I am so proud you're a Shepard.”
Marjory flung and arm around Meredith's shoulder and tugged her close. “You're an easy person to love,” she whispered in Meredith's ear.
For the first time ever, Meredith was glad her father's demands and lifestyle choices for her had put her through an emotional gauntlet. She called upon those previously over-taxed coping skills to not burst into tears.
Chapter 23
Jace and Meredith never talked about what Marjory had said that day in the kitchen. Their arrangement was easily forgotten as the day-to-day activities never allowed for downtime and wandering thoughts. Life around the ranch was fast paced, and when Willow returned to school, it meant one less hand to help out.
Pops decided it was his job to armchair quarterback and help with the new calves. He'd sit on the porch and belt out instructions while scrutinizing each step in the locate and tag process. Jace found working beside him bittersweet. Something he’d always taken for granted, Jace now wanted to press pause and enjoy. Whenever possible, he picked his father’s brain about the best times to supplement feed and about the kind they should use. One day he wouldn’t have his old man guiding him through the business, but Jace tried not to let that crippling pain consume him. It was hard enough watching Pops grow weaker.
While that was happening, Meredith was blossoming. She fit in among them snugly, much like the way he fit inside her. Perfectly. Her days were spent canning and freezing fruits and vegetables from the garden and then t
urning it over for next year’s crops. As fall crept up on them, she decided to try her hand at gourds, pumpkins, and an autumn harvest with parsnips, onions, and peas. Sometimes, she brought the Farmer’s Almanac to bed––having never moved out after Willow left–– and would question him about frost and composting. Lord knows they had enough manure around to help with that, but each time she’d start a discussion about the ranch, they’d end up sweaty. He liked it.
All her talk of what she wanted to do around the place made him horny. Jeez, the things he found sexy. Tuck would laugh if he knew they’d made love the other night after an invigorating discussion about growing butternut squash. Then yesterday she’d found another snake in the chicken coop and had handled it herself. Instant wood. Watching her carry the shotgun had done it. Getting her target in two shots, those firing lessons paying off, had cinched it. He was falling for her.
He liked that her days revolved more around the house and with his mom and Pops than coming out into the pasture or corral. She’d invaded enough of his space that he wasn’t ready to relinquish that part, too.
On the first morning of autumn, he took her out to watch the sunrise, a tradition they’d started and kept with each solstice. He could see them doing it every year, but fantasies like that were hazardous.
It was just as easy to picture them doing the barn dance every year. A family tradition that went back nearly a hundred years, the Shepard’s put on an annual hoedown in their barn. Many of the locals were done with their crops or had finished at auction with their livestock. Now the resetting for next year would begin, but not before they blew off a little steam and energy.
Tonight was the night. Willow was home for the event, and the three Shepard woman had been cooking for three days solid.
Jace moved a few bales of hay to the floor to offer more seating, then looked around the space. They were ready. He watched Meredith set up a table, smoothing the tablecloth before setting the vase of flowers in the center.