A Call Away

by KC Richardson

  Syd looked at her watch when the room started to darken, and she was amazed to realize she’d spent over two hours going through the albums. She placed them back in the cabinet, stood, and stretched, making her back and joints pop and crack in relief. She checked her phone and was disappointed there wasn’t a text from Abby. Was she still at the shelter, or was she home having dinner with Bernice? She decided to text Abby, just to say hi. She missed her.

  I hope you had a great day. I spent some time in town, ate an amazing cheeseburger for lunch, and found Virginia’s photo albums. Can’t wait to show you. Are we on for dinner tomorrow night?

  * * *

  Abby checked her phone when the text notification came up from Syd. She’d had a great morning at the animal shelter, taking the dogs for walks and playing fetch with them in the fenced yard behind the building. This weekend was an adoption event, and she hoped some, if not all, the dogs would find their forever homes. Abby was hoping to be there Saturday to help with paperwork and other miscellaneous things they might need her to do, although she hadn’t made a commitment to be there.

  When she got home earlier that afternoon, she ate a quick lunch, then headed to her office to work on her latest manuscript. She’d been neglectful in her writing since Syd had been in town, but she didn’t regret the time she’d spent with her. Abby enjoyed getting to know more about her, hearing about the work she did with the kids, eating the delicious food she’d prepared. And if Abby were being completely honest, it didn’t hurt that Sydney Carter was very easy on the eyes with a lean body and subtle womanly curves in her hips—hips that Abby could hold to pull her closer into her own body. Abby could feel the heat rising in all her essential areas and thought about taking a cold shower to cool down. Taking a break from being around Syd today enabled Abby to get things back into perspective. Last night, she’d wanted Syd to kiss her. She’d wanted to go back to Syd’s and see where the night took them, but she knew she’d want more, and that just wasn’t possible since she would be going home to Chicago in a little over a week.

  Abby already felt more for Syd than the women whose names she never remembered that she’d slept with in whatever town she was in for her latest book promotion. Every trip was the same. She’d arrive at a bookstore—big chain or independently owned, it didn’t matter. She’d do a five- to seven-minute reading, answer some questions from the audience members, then sign some books. She would then have dinner with her publicist, discuss the evening and future events, then go back to her hotel room. She’d change from her slacks and heels to her jeans and boots, and head to the local lesbian bar. Abby would order a vodka tonic and sit at the bar while looking for a woman she could dance with and possibly go back to her hotel room to have a sex-filled night. She would order them breakfast from room service the next morning, say good-bye to the previous night’s date, shower, dress, and head to the airport to go back home. Back to the farm and her gran. For a long time, that had been enough. She’d usually have a book event every weekend for the first two months after her latest release, then it would ease up to one weekend a month. But lately, she’d been wanting more than a one-night stand.

  Abby was approaching her mid thirties, and she’d started thinking more about settling down, maybe starting a family. She just wasn’t sure how that was going to happen since she had no plans to leave her farm or her grandmother. In her perfect world, Syd would stay in Iowa, keep Virginia’s farm, and maybe they could live together, sharing everything, including her money. She had enough to live a couple of lifetimes without ever having to work, and she and Syd could spend their days riding horses, maybe restocking the pond so they could fish, have dinner every night with her grandmother, then fall asleep after making love. It sounded nice, but Abby had to bring herself back to reality.

  Abby opened the text and wrote back.

  Gran and I will be there. Can’t wait to see the pics.

  Abby set her phone down and resumed her typing on the laptop.

  Chapter Ten

  Abby slept restlessly, thinking about Syd, thinking about her work in progress, thinking about Virginia and her gran. How was a girl supposed to get a good night’s sleep when thoughts were pushing and shoving to gain supremacy? She knew what she needed to do today. She needed to sit at her computer and type some words, but she felt clogged, like there were too many thoughts in her head that she couldn’t pick just one and run with it. She stood in front of her bedroom window and watched the sunrise. Was Syd awake yet? Was she enjoying the sunrise too? Syd had mentioned finding some photo albums yesterday, and Abby wondered how much progress she had made on the house. She shook her head as if that would dispel Syd from her thoughts. She knew what would though, Abby thought as she looked to the stable. Riding her horse had a calming effect on her, and she always felt she regained clarity after a ride.

  She quickly dressed and poured coffee into a travel mug to drink as she got her American quarter horse, Bevin, ready to ride. The seven-year-old brown gelding nickered as Abby approached him, and she offered him an apple. She took some time loving on him and speaking softly. “Are you ready to really stretch your legs today, big guy?” Abby exercised and groomed him every day, but her rides had been shortened since she’d been helping Syd. But today was all hers, and she intended to get Bevin running and clear her thoughts. Abby loved it when she could kill two birds with one stone. She groomed and tacked him before leading him out of the stable. She promised Virginia’s horse, Pokey, also a quarter, that she’d be back for her later as she fed her the other apple she brought with her. Pokey was almost twenty years old and didn’t require as much exercise as Bevin, just a stroll around their ten-acre property.

  She climbed into the saddle and took the reins, leading him along the trail she usually took. Once he was warmed up, she moved him into a trot, then a gallop. Abby could feel her cheeks begin to ache from her smile, and the wind blew through her hair as they made their way across the property. She brought Bevin to a halt on top of a hill near Virginia’s property, and she saw in the distance Syd walking across the yard to the barn. Abby should just turn around and go home. She needed to spend the rest of her day writing. Besides, she would see Syd later for dinner. Ah, hell. A short visit wouldn’t hurt anything. She and Bevin made their way down the hill, around the pond, and had just made their way to the barn when Syd came walking out. Abby tried to hold back a laugh when Syd jumped once she saw Bevin.

  “Jesus Christ! You scared the shit out of me.”

  “I’m sorry,” Abby said while giggling. “Bevin and I went for a ride this morning, and when I saw you come out to the barn, we decided to come say hi.”

  Abby watched Syd as she slowly stepped back away from the horse. She dismounted and held the reins as she extended her hand toward Syd. “Come here and say hi to my big guy.”

  “No, that’s okay. I’ll say hi from right here.”

  “C’mon, Syd. He’s the gentlest animal you could ever see. I promise you’ll be okay.”

  Syd looked at Abby skeptically.

  “I promise,” Abby said as she extended her hand again.

  Syd took a tentative step toward Abby, then another and reached for Abby’s hand. Abby gently pulled Syd next to her and put Syd’s hand on Bevin’s neck.

  “Here. He likes his neck rubbed.” Abby stepped behind Syd and placed her hand over Syd’s to guide her. She felt a shiver then warmth flooded her entire body. Being this close to Syd was a very bad idea, but Abby did nothing to move away. She spoke softly next to Syd’s ear. “See? He likes it. Nothing to be afraid of.” Abby could’ve sworn she felt Syd lean back a little, and Abby yearned for contact.

  “Do you want to go for a little ride?”

  Syd spun around and looked at Abby incredulously. “On that?” she asked as she pointed her thumb over her shoulder.

  “Yep. I promise to take it slow. All you have to do is sit in the saddle, hold onto the horn, and I’ll lead him with the reins.” Abby placed her hand on Syd’s shoulder a
nd caressed it down her arm. “You can trust me.”

  Abby saw something flicker in Syd’s eyes. It could have been desire, but maybe that was projection on Abby’s part. The slight nod Syd gave Abby thrilled her inside, and she felt a slight buzz. She figured it couldn’t have been easy for Syd to agree to that. Just as Syd had told her she’d never seen chickens up close, she probably hadn’t seen horses up close either.

  “All right,” Abby said as she squeezed Syd’s hand. “Place your foot in the stirrup, grab onto the horn, and pull yourself up.” Abby stood behind with her hand on Syd’s hips to aid in the process. Syd settled in the saddle and again looked at Abby like she was questioning her sanity. “All you have to do is sit there and look pretty.” Did she just say that out loud? Pretty wasn’t the word she’d consider for Syd sitting high in the saddle, her legs straddling the wide girth of Bevin’s midsection. Sexy. That was it. Syd looked incredibly sexy, and Abby felt the ratchet of arousal climb higher. Abby cleared her throat and felt her face on fire, along with a few other parts of her body a little lower. “I mean, um, Bevin and I will do all the work.”

  Abby led Bevin for a leisurely stroll around the pond, frequently looking back at Syd to make sure she was doing well. By the time they were halfway around the pond, Syd looked like she was a little more relaxed, and her body moved in sync with every step Bevin took. Abby smiled to herself as they finished up and arrived back to the barn. Abby looked up at Syd, sitting up high on Bevin, looking like she’d done that a thousand times before and it was where she belonged. Abby cleared the lump that had suddenly formed in her throat.

  “So, what did you think?”

  “It was actually fun,” Syd responded as she leaned forward and stroked Bevin’s neck.

  “You want to try riding by yourself next time?”

  “Now you’re pushing it, Ms. Price.”

  Abby laughed. “I told you I have Virginia’s horse in my stable. Her name is Pokey and she called her that for a reason. Think about it and if you change your mind, let me know.”

  Abby instructed Syd on dismounting, and she stood close to help her down. Syd jumped down and placed her hands on Abby’s shoulders with Abby automatically gripping Syd’s hips. They stood mere inches apart, breathing each other’s air. Time stood still for Abby as she looked into Syd’s heavy-lidded eyes, then looked a little farther south when Syd licked her lips. Abby’s heart rate sped up as she threw her caution to the wind and ignored the warning bells clanging in her head. The brief, fleeting touch of their lips produced a sigh from Abby and left her wanting more, but Syd was the one to step away. Abby couldn’t decide if she wanted to kiss Syd again, harder and deeper, or if she wanted to flee to the safety of her own farm. She was breaking her own promises of staying just friends with Syd. Syd must have sensed Abby’s conflict and she took another step back.

  “Well,” Syd began as she scuffed her shoe in the dirt, “I better get inside and start preparations for dinner. You and Bernice are still coming, right?”

  The hopeful look on Syd’s face made Abby’s stomach clinch, and even if she wanted to, she couldn’t turn Syd down. “Of course. What time would you like us and what can we bring?”

  “Come over around six and just bring yourselves.”

  Abby nodded then mounted Bevin in one smooth, swift motion. She tipped the brim of her imaginary cowboy hat which made Syd laugh. “We’ll see you soon.” Abby turned Bevin around and left the same way they came in, taking off in a full gallop. The entire ride home, all Abby could think about was her hands on Syd’s hips, the unmistakable look of craving in Syd’s eyes right before Abby kissed her. And despite Abby’s reservations of starting something with Syd, it was Abby who initiated the kiss. God, Syd’s lips were so soft, so plump, so…kissable.

  What would it be like to really let go and kiss Syd the way she really wanted? Would Syd’s mouth be yielding or demanding? Before she knew it, she was back at the stable. So much for clearing her head. It was even more muddled now than it was earlier that morning. She removed the tack, groomed Bevin, then led him to the paddock to spend the day in the fresh air. She took Pokey out for a stroll, then let her join Bevin before Abby went into the house. She needed to get some words written whether she wanted to or not. Whether the words made any sense remained to be seen.

  * * *

  Abby and her grandmother knocked on the door and waited for Syd to answer. Abby shifted her weight from one foot to the other and felt like a fidgety mess. Abby’s grandmother placed her hand on Abby’s forearm and looked at her quizzically.

  “What on earth is going on with you, child?”

  “Nothing, Gran.”

  Abby’s grandmother opened her mouth, but the words were interrupted when Syd opened the door.

  “Good evening, ladies. I’m so glad you could have dinner with me tonight.”

  Abby let her gran go before her and she smiled inwardly when she hugged Syd and kissed her on the cheek. It was obvious to Abby that her gran was warming up to Syd, but then again, it would be hard not to warm up to her. Syd was a genuinely nice and intelligent woman who wasn’t afraid to ask for or receive their help.

  “My granddaughter has been telling me what a wonderful cook you are, and based on the pie you made us the other night, I’d have to agree. Thank you for going to so much trouble.”

  “It’s no trouble at all, ma’am. I enjoyed your company and I wanted to show you how much I appreciate your hospitality,” Syd looked at Abby, “and for all your help.”

  They were led into the kitchen where the heavenly aroma greeted them and made Abby’s stomach growl.

  “Dinner’s in the oven, but I thought we could enjoy some appetizers and wine on the back deck and watch the sunset. You two go out and have a seat, and I’ll be right out.”

  Abby and her grandmother sat at the glass-topped table adorned with three wine glasses and appetizer plates. Abby knew it must’ve been breaking her grandmother’s heart to be sitting out here without her best friend. It was as if Abby could see the snapshots of memories flickering in her gran’s mind. The sound of the door opening transformed the look on her gran’s face from melancholy to acceptance and determination as she sat up straight and pulled her shoulders back. If Abby had to guess, it was because she didn’t want Syd thinking she didn’t appreciate being there. Syd placed a tray of appetizers on the table and held up the wine bottle.

  “I hope Chianti is acceptable. If not, I have a Pinot Noir or Chardonnay I can pour.”

  Her grandmother answered for her and Abby. “Oh, Chianti sounds lovely, Sydney. These appetizers look delicious. What are they?”

  Syd replied as she filled each glass. “I made bruschetta, caprese kabobs, and prosciutto and gorgonzola wrapped pear slices.”

  Abby watched every move Syd made, from pouring the wine, to the way her lips moved as she described the appetizers, to the small, knowing grin she gave Abby as she sat across from her. She filled her and her grandmother’s plates with one of each and couldn’t wait to dig in, however the presentation and colors were so pleasing, she’d hate to ruin them by eating them. She waited until Syd and her grandmother started before picking up the bruschetta. She moaned appreciatively as the flavors exploded on her tongue. It took all her willpower to take her time and savor it since there were so few of them on the plate. She also didn’t want to seem like an uncivilized Neanderthal that had no table manners. Her gran wouldn’t hesitate to reach over and smack her hand. She quickly came up with a plan. Take a bite. Set it on the plate. Take a sip of wine. Repeat.

  “Sydney, this caprese kabob is wonderful. All of it looks delicious.”

  Abby saw the pride and pleasure on Syd’s face as she sat up a little taller in her chair.

  “Thank you, Bernice. I thought I would make an Italian themed meal tonight. If we were back at my place in Chicago, I would’ve made you a pasta dish with homemade noodles, but I didn’t have the necessary tools here. Not that there’s anything wrong with store-bought pas
ta.”

  Abby swore she saw Syd cringe when she spoke that last statement, but she held in her own laughter.

  Syd continued. “I wanted to make you something all homemade, so I decided on an Italian meatloaf, Caesar salad, and bread, but I do have to admit that the bread was store-bought.”

  “Well, everything tastes terrific so far, dear,” Bernice said after she took a bite of the pear.

  “It really does,” Abby said after she wiped her mouth with a napkin. “Do you need any help in the kitchen?”

  Abby was disappointed when Syd said she had everything under control. All Abby could think about was having some alone time with Syd. She wasn’t sure what would happen once they were alone, but Abby knew only that she wanted to be near her. She had managed to push thoughts of Syd out of her head long enough to add ten new pages to her manuscript earlier that afternoon, but they were hard-fought pages. She wouldn’t know for sure if they were keepers until she was done with the first draft and she went back to layer the story.

  There were times during the day when she’d grab her hair in frustration when Syd would pop back into her thoughts. Why was she having such a hard time kicking Syd out of her head? What made Syd so special that Abby wanted to forgo her writing to spend time with her? Abby knew why just by looking at her. She had an air of confidence, yet looked like she was keeping a secret and daring Abby to guess what it was. She was thoughtful, compassionate, and the sexiest woman she’d ever laid eyes on. It was enough to drive a girl crazy. In just a little more than a week, Syd would be going back to Chicago and Abby would get to resume her writing without the distraction of Sydney Carter. She would have a lot of time to make up for, but she would worry about that after Syd left.