by Barbara Gee
Kelly looked up at him, searching his eyes for any hint of concern. Finding none, she began to relax.
“Did the horse tell you that?” she asked, only half teasing.
“He did. I had a good conversation with him before I chose him.” Will’s smile was quick and devastating. “Shall I find one for you next?”
She shook her head quickly. “I don’t think a week is long enough for me to learn how to ride, and I really don’t see the use of starting something I can’t finish.”
“You don’t know what you’re missing,” Will said, trying to tempt her.
“I’m still gonna pass this time. But I guess I’ll have to trust you about that horse,” she told him, looking over at the small black horse whose nose James was now stroking. “James would never forgive me if I forbade him to ride now.”
The little boy stared up at the horse, clearly in love. “Can I really ride him, Paw Paw?”
“Well I would hope so, he’s yours. Uh, if it’s okay with your mother, of course,” Senior said, finally remembering to check with Kelly.
She nodded a little reluctantly, looking to Will once more for confirmation. He gave her a reassuring smile and walked over to run a hand across the horse’s back.
“I have my own horse?” James asked wonderingly? Then he jumped and whooped, running over to hug his mother. “I have a horse, Mom!”
“Thank your Paw Paw,” Kelly suggested. “That’s a pretty big gift for you to get.”
“Thanks, Paw Paw. Thanks for the black horse! What’s his name?”
“He’s your horse, so you get to name him,” Senior said.
“I can? Wow, I’ll call him Midnight. Is that okay? ‘Cause he’s so black, get it?”
“I think that’s a perfect name,” Senior said. “Got the saddle, Chad?” he asked.
“Coming up. Hey, Miller! Grab that saddle over there on the fence. And the bridle hanging beside it.”
Kelly watched and snapped pictures as Will and Chad showed James how to put on the saddle and bridle. The horse stood almost perfectly still the whole time, easing Kelly’s fears considerably. When it was time to help James mount, she had the presence of mind to video the event, deciding it was right up there with James taking his first steps.
Will led the horse over to a bale of hay and then urged James to step up on the bale so he could mount up himself instead of being lifted. He patiently showed James how to stick his left foot into the stirrup and then swing himself over. He kept a light hand on James’ back in case he needed help, but the little cowboy wannabe swung on like a pro, making Kelly’s heart swell with pride.
After adjusting the stirrups, Will took the reins and led the horse out into the ring, giving James tips as they walked. James was fearless, and looked completely at ease in the saddle. It wasn’t long before Will stopped and handed James the reins, taking time to explain how he would use them to steer the horse.
After fifteen minutes, James announced he was ready to ride out in the “field” and he wanted Will, Chad and Paw Paw to ride with him.
Senior said he’d have to take a rain check, but Chad and Will agreeably saddled up two other horses and rode out of the corral, with James and Midnight safely in between them.
Will looked back at Kelly before they went too far. “Sure you don’t want to come?” he asked.
She nodded. “Don’t let him go too fast.”
“Roger that. We’ll be back soon.”
Kelly smiled over at Senior. “Thanks, James. It just keeps getting better and better for that boy.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t think to ask you about the horse first. I got so caught up in the idea that I called Will yesterday without even thinking about checking with you to make sure it was okay.”
“Will assured me the horse is gentle, and since he seems to be able to talk to them, I guess I’ll trust him on that.”
Senior chuckled. “It would seem your son has a pretty strong horse sense, too. He called Red exactly right.”
“You mean when he said Red wasn’t really mad about being ridden today?”
“That’s right. He’s a smart horse. He knew Will was going to ride him again, and he knew Will would win the battle. So he put up a nice token effort, but he knew he wasn’t going to win and he’s accepted that. Somehow a six year old boy picked up on that. It’s quite amazing, if you ask me.”
“Guess it’s in his blood.”
“Yes, my dear, I do believe you’re right about that. A boy after my own heart, that’s for sure. I’m going to head back to the house now. I need to sit in the shade for a bit. You want a ride back in the Mule?”
“No thanks, I’ll just wait here for the guys to get back. We’ll be in for lunch soon.”
“I’m sure Sarah will have it waiting. Make sure Will comes in for lunch too, would you?”
Kelly promised she would, then slipped between two fence rails and walked to the far side of the ring, where she climbed up and perched on the top rail to get the best view of the returning riders. About twenty minutes later they came into sight, and she readied her phone for yet another video. James waved proudly when he saw her sitting there, and Kelly decided this video needed to be sent to her parents. They would be so thrilled for James. That thought reminded her that she really needed to call them and tell them how the trip was going so far. While Will and Chad showed James how to brush down his horse, Kelly walked out in front of the stable and enjoyed a brief conversation with her parents.
When the three guys and Dodger joined her, Kelly hung up and made sure to extend Senior’s lunch invitation to Will.
“Sounds good to me,” the cowboy said, falling into step beside Kelly as they headed toward the house. “Your boy is a natural rider, by the way. Not that it surprises anyone.”
“I’m sure you and Chad are good teachers. Thanks for taking him out.”
“He’s a fun kid. You’ve done a good job with him.”
“What a nice thing to say,” she replied, smiling up at him. Way up. She guessed him to be three or four inches over six feet, making her own five foot six seem pretty darn short.
“So the dreaded talk with James and Maggie went okay last night?” Will asked, slowing his long legged gait so they lagged further behind Chad and the chattering James.
“Yeah, way better than I expected. I’m so relieved. James was so honest and sincere, and he never once tried to make excuses or shift responsibility for his actions. I know it wasn’t easy for him to bare his soul to me, but he did it for little James, to try to salvage a relationship with his grandson. That’s something I can relate to, and it’s like all the hurt and bitterness left both of us. When I look at him now, I don’t see the man who hurt my husband, I see the man who loves my son.” She shrugged. “I’m sure some people might think I’m letting him off too easy, but I truly believe I saw his heart last night. So I’m not going to worry about what anyone else says.”
Will put a gentle hand on her arm and stopped her, turning her to face him. He raised his hands to her shoulders and his blue gaze bored into hers.
“You don’t even know what you’ve done for that man, Kelly. Senior has been my friend and mentor for a long time, and although he rarely talked about what happened between him and Jamie, I’ve watched him suffer. It was worse after the stroke, because that’s when he acknowledged that he was solely responsible for the rift, and the regret and guilt tore him up. When Maggie told me you’d agreed to bring James out here to visit, we all knew this would be a make or break week. None of us knew you, so we had no idea what to expect. To be honest, Kelly, I was afraid the great white witch was about to descend on the Wild Rose and take away Senior’s fondest wish—getting to know his grandson.”
Will smiled and Kelly forgot to breathe. He slowly tucked a strand of hair behind her ear before adding softly, “Instead, we got you.”
It seemed the most natural thing in the world to step closer to him and Kelly did it without thinking. His strong arms wrapped around he
r and she put her hands on either side of his waist and rested her cheek against his broad chest for a moment.
“Why didn’t you tell me yesterday how strongly you felt about this being a make or break week?” she asked.
“Because you were already feeling all kinds of pressure without me piling on, and I was already pretty sure you’d respond the way you did.”
Kelly stepped away because it felt way too good to have him hold her. ‘You knew that after a twenty minute conversation?”
Will grinned and shrugged, his eyes twinkling. “What can I say? I’m an intuitive person.”
“So you can read people just like you do horses?”
“Nah, but I get real good vibes from you. I feel like I already know you, even though I don’t know much about you.”
“Hmmm, well that kinda makes sense, I guess. I sort of feel like I’ve known you for more than twenty-four hours, too. Weird, huh?” Kelly started walking toward the house again, stopping to pet Dodger, who was parked outside the door waiting for the humans to finish their annoying noontime ritual and come back out to play.
“There you are,” James said, skidding to a stop in his socks. “I was coming to see where you guys went.”
“And you remembered to take your boots off in the breezeway. Good job, James,” Kelly said, ruffling his hair.
“Sarah made chicken enchiladas. She said they’re one of Will’s favorites.”
Lining his boots up beside James’ and Chad’s, Will straightened up and rubbed his flat stomach. “Ah man, she’s right. Wait till you taste ‘em, James. Do you like food that’s a little spicy?”
“Yes!” James said enthusiastically. “Come on! I’ll say the prayer, Mom, ‘cause I’ll go fast and you guys might say a real long one and I’m starving!”
One very quick prayer later, they dug into a bubbling dish of enchiladas, along with rice, beans, and homemade guacamole.
Amy had joined them, and Kelly couldn’t help but notice how relaxed she looked compared to yesterday. It made Kelly glad, because being pregnant, Amy didn’t need extra stress in her life.
After the meal James and Maggie went upstairs to rest. Chad sat back and stretched, thanking Sarah for the delicious lunch.
“What shall we do this afternoon, James?” he asked. “Wanna go fix some fences with me?”
“Sure. Can I ride Midnight to the fences?”
“Not this time. We have to take a truck to haul all the supplies. Go ahead and grab a few bottles of water from the fridge. It’s going to be hot out there.”
“Okay. My Pops showed me how to hammer, so I’ll be good at fixing a fence. Are you coming too, Will?”
“Not today, buddy. I need to stick around here and get some paperwork done. Since Chad has you to help, he doesn’t need me anyway.”
“Can we take Dodger?”
“Sure, if it’s okay with Chad. I can come back to get him later if I leave before you guys get done.”
Chad tugged on his boots. “Sounds like a plan to me. Come on, nephew, we’ve got manly work to do.”
They left and Kelly looked at Amy a little worriedly. “I don’t want Chad to think he has to keep James entertained. I’m sure we can find plenty to do on our own.”
Amy waved a hand. “Don’t worry about it at all, Kelly. Chad is loving it. He wouldn’t take him along if he didn’t want to. And I’d love to have you come along to town with me this afternoon too, if you want. I’ve got some errands to run, nothing real exciting but it would keep you occupied.”
“Actually, since James will be busy for a while, I might take the opportunity to grade some school assignments. I hated to leave everything for the last minute when I get home, so I brought a big stack of work along, hoping I’d have a chance to get to it.”
“Perfect,” Amy said. “Sounds like everyone is all set for the afternoon, then. Chad and I will probably spend the evening at home, but I’ll see you sometime tomorrow I’m sure.”
Amy cheerfully took her leave, which left only Kelly and Will. Kelly attempted to help Sarah clear the table, but the territorial cook wouldn’t hear of it.
“I coulda told you that,” Will teased when they were hustled out of the kitchen. “Sarah doesn’t like either help or advice.”
“Anything else I should know about her?”
“I just say yes ma’am, no ma’am, this is delicious ma’am. It’s the safest course of action. Thankfully, James is safe. She likes kids up to about the age of ten.”
“I think you’re exaggerating, Will C. But thanks for the tip. I’m going to get at my grading, now. I think I’ll do it out on the porch. I tend to make a lot of piles when I’m working, and our bedroom doesn’t have a lot of room to spread out.”
“I’ll be in the office making my own piles. Holler if you need anything.”
Kelly took her school tote onto a shaded part of the porch and sat down cross legged, sorting the assignments. Her tenth grade Chemistry students had been working their way through the periodic table, and the quiz they had taken last Friday would give Kelly a good idea of how much more time she would need to spend on it the rest of the year. She also had several labs to grade, and the papers her Senior AP Biology students had written on the issues involved in the field of genetics.
A couple hours later, she heard a door open, and looked up to see Will approaching.
“Hey. Got the books caught up?” she asked.
“Yep. And the feed ordered and the paychecks transmitted to the guys’ bank accounts. How’s it going out here?”
“Good. Makes me wish I had a porch at home. It’s so pleasant to work out here instead of cooped up in my home office.”
“So, let’s recap your wish list so far,” Will said, leaning back against the porch railing. “After less than two days here, you already want a big yard, a big dog, and a porch. This could prove an expensive trip for you.”
Kelly grimaced. “The yard and dog were already on the list, but the porch is new and I’m afraid you’re right, the list is going to keep growing. I’ll have to prioritize.”
Will squatted down and tapped one of her piles. “How much longer are you going to work on these papers?”
“I think I’m done for now. Do you have any idea when Chad and James will get back?”
“My guess is around four o’clock. Chad starts his days early so he can get home at a reasonable time. I’m gonna hang around and wait for Dodger. Want to go to the horse pasture over there with me?” He pointed to a pasture a considerable distance beyond the stables. “I’ve got a couple of pregnant mares hanging out there I should check on. I’d normally take a horse, but if you go along, I’ll grab a Mule instead.”
“Can I drive?”
“Are you a good driver?”
“Of course.”
“Have you driven a Mule before?”
“I didn’t even know what a Mule with a capital M was until this morning.”
He chuckled. “That’s okay. They’re easier to drive than a car.”
Kelly repacked her tote and carried it to her room, then rejoined Will. They walked to the stables, enjoying the spring sunshine and just the right amount of a breeze.
“Wait here a second, I’m gonna go in and grab the keys.”
Kelly leaned against the sun warmed wooden wall of the stable and let out a long, slow sigh. Will’s company was so addictive she was forgetting about all the reasons why they weren’t compatible. She didn’t know why they had clicked so well, but she couldn’t deny the crazy, inexplicable bond she already felt with him. Yesterday she had been sure that the shortness of her visit would preclude her forming an attachment to him. Now she wasn’t so confident.
If he were just a handsome face, Kelly would have found it fairly easy to resist him. Although Will was in a league all his own on that score, Kelly had dated several very attractive men before and had no trouble sending them on their way when she didn’t feel a connection otherwise. But she was discovering that Will was as attractive on the i
nside as he was physically, and that was a wildly potent combination. In spite of the reasons why she shouldn’t be, Kelly knew she was already way, way too interested in Will Connor.
She didn’t hear him come out, but became aware of him when his shadow fell over her.
“What are you worrying about?” he asked softly, reading her so easily.
Kelly met his bright blue gaze for a moment, then shook her head. “I don’t know, Will. It’s just been a crazy couple of days.”
“Crazy good, I hope.”
“Definitely good. I feel like I’m in a totally different world, and I’m afraid both James and I are going to have a hard time getting back to life as usual.”
“It might take a little while for things to go back to normal here, too,” he said thoughtfully. He reached down for her hand, and dropped the keys into her palm. He kept hold of her hand, and Kelly’s breath caught when his gaze dropped to her lips for a brief moment.
Then his grip tightened and he tugged her toward the end of the stable where two Mules were parked. “Better get a move on or James and Chad will beat us back.”
Will had a hard time taking his eyes off of her as she drove them to the field. She got the hang of the Mule quickly, and soon picked up speed, a wide smile on her face as her silky dark hair blew behind her.
“Add one of these to my wish list!” She turned her brilliant smile on him for a second and Will felt his stomach bottom out. This girl was turning him inside out and he wasn’t sure what to do about it. If she lived here, heck, if she lived anywhere even close, he would pursue her with everything he had, that much he knew. But her life was in Virginia, and one short week in Texas wasn’t long enough to change that.
It was too bad. His chemistry with the beautiful chemistry teacher was off the charts, and Will wondered why the good Lord saw fit to put her in his path. As he pondered that question, Will wondered if he was limiting God by imposing logistical limitations. Had Kelly been brought to Texas for more than restoring the will to live in Senior?