“Oh, I'm not. I've been through worse.”
She froze for a second. Yes, she imagined he had been through worse. In the ten years he'd spent in prison, she was positive he'd encountered his share of trouble and danger. Lots of situations he'd have to fight his way out of, or else he'd be injured or worse. But that part of his past was the last thing she wanted to talk about today. And from the tense look on his face, it appeared he didn't want to talk about it either.
“You want to come in here and meet Apple?”
He moved immediately, pushed himself off from his lean against the wall, and followed her through the door and into the stall. He must've come to terms with his uncertainty around the horse because he held his flattened palm out like a pro, let Apple smell and nuzzle it, then lifted his hand, laid it on the horse's neck and ran it down to her haunch.
“Good. You're a natural.”
He smiled. “Can she tell how fast my heart is beating?”
“Nope. But if your hands are shaking, she can detect it through the reins.”
He shook out his arms and clapped once, causing Apple to bob her head in surprise. “Oops, sorry, girl. No jitters here. I'm ready for ya.”
Emma took a lead rope that hung inside the stall and snapped it onto Apple's halter. She led the horse out, onto the cement floor hallway outside the stall door. She tied the rope securely to a metal ring attached to the wall. “She'll be safe here while we go get her grooming supplies and tack. You know, her saddle and bridle.”
Jeremy nodded and followed Emma about two doors down. A stall, same size as Apple's, had been transformed into a tack room with at least ten saddles resting on stands sticking out from the wall. Emma grabbed one and handed it to him, along with a bridle and a bucket of grooming tools. They returned to Apple and quickly brushed her down to get the dust and straw off, then Emma saddled her up. Jeremy stood back and observed.
“Talk about being a natural.”
She smiled. “I've spent most of my life around these creatures. I'm lucky.” She stepped back from Apple, now ready for their ride. “I'm thinking the best way for us to ride tandem is for you to sit behind the saddle…,” she patted the spot on Apple's back, “and me to sit in the saddle itself. I don't think there's room for both of us in the seat.”
“Whatever you say, boss.”
“It's an English hunt seat saddle, which means there's not a lot of room.”
“Yeah, okay. I'm fine with it.”
Emma put her left foot in the stirrup and swung herself up on the horse. Then she kicked the same foot free from the stirrup and said, “Okay, you do the same thing I just did, but land behind me.”
Jeremy swung up and landed behind the saddle. The only question was, what did he grip to help him stay on? She suggested several options for him — nothing to hold on behind him, maybe hold onto the back of the saddle in front of him.
“I'm starting to reconsider this,” Emma said. “You have no stirrups, no reins and no saddle. You'd have to rely entirely on your balance and you're not experienced enough to have it yet. Plan B.”
And with that, she slid off the horse, landing on both feet on the ground. “Here, scoot forward, into the saddle.” He did, lifting his legs and rear end over the back of the saddle, and rested in the seat.
“Now, me.” Emma put her foot in the stirrup and swung up behind him. She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around him, holding tight. She settled her hands casually over his stomach, the firm abs apparent through the thin tee shirt fabric. “Fringe benefit. I'll be fine.”
He turned his head. “You sure?”
“Yeah. But you'll have to steer. Go ahead and grab the reins and I'll give you a quick lesson.”
A few minutes later, they took off. Emma loved the trails that surrounded the stables. Whether she was on a short ride or a long one, there were many paths to choose from. This time, for Jeremy’s sake, she kept Apple to a trail that was a fairly direct shot from home. A well-worn dirt pathway cut through a big, open pasture with grass about two feet deep. Birds chirped as they flew overhead and the grass blowing in the faint breeze sounded a little like applause. Apple knew the trek well and moved forward with little guidance from her riders.
Although she'd ridden her share of bareback and could've balanced without help, she wrapped her arms around Jeremy from behind and leaned in against his back. His scent of bath soap and wood chips filled her nostrils. Her close proximity to him allowed her to hear his whisper.
“What?”
“I said, 'Amen,'“ he said with a chuckle.
She chuckled. “You were praying?”
“Can't hurt, right? Praying for no injuries, for you or for me.” He rubbed a hand over Apple's neck and gave it a little pat. “Although mostly for me.”
She swatted his back.
“Let's face it. I need the prayers more than you do. You have skill and know-how.”
They settled into the pace and gait of the horse underneath them. “So do you pray a lot?” she ventured.
“Oh, yeah. Habit I picked up, you know, while I was incarcerated. I mean, I prayed before that, I was a Christian and was raised to go to church. But it became a way of life in prison.”
A moment passed while she pondered that. “Because …?”
His chest expanded as he took a big breath, let it out. “Life wasn't easy in there. You had to keep your wits about you to survive. I figured out early on, I didn't want to be alone. I needed to rely on God to watch over me and get me through.”
She had no idea what life in prison was like. Other than movies and TV shows, and those probably weren't authentic. “What was it like in there?”
As Apple strolled away the distance under her feet, the question hung in the air. She knew he'd heard her, but the longer it went unanswered, she wondered if she should repeat herself.
“I don't want to talk about it. No offense, but I haven't really talked to anyone about it. Other than God. He was there with me so I wouldn’t have to explain anything.” He smiled and she saw his cheeks move from behind him. “I spent a decade of my life paying for my mistakes. I learned how to live in there, but that doesn't mean I liked it. Now, I'm all about the future and making sure that I'm a good man and a productive citizen. No sense looking behind me.”
She nodded, although he couldn't see her. His approach made sense. They sank into a comfortable silence, their bodies moving in time to Apple's stride. “Church was one of those things my parents quit doing when my dad started having his problems.”
She regretted saying it when his shoulders tensed. She hadn't brought it up to make him feel bad. But it was unavoidable — Jeremy was at the heart of the worst event that had happened in her family. The fact that he had paid his debt and was sorry about it, didn't change that.
Deciding to forge ahead with her point, she said, “I remember enjoying church and youth group. I loved the church building itself. The sanctuary, the rows of pews, the red cushions and carpet. And the pipe organ. I not only loved to hear it — huge mountains of sound filling the big room — but I was fascinated by the pipes themselves. The thought that all those pipes of different lengths actually carried music and blasted it out their ends. Amazing.”
She was happy that he seemed to relax. She placed her hands squarely on his back, massaging him across its expanse. She smiled when he moaned.
“I could get used to that. That feels wonderful.”
She kept it up. It not only made him happy, it gave her a great excuse to put her hands on him and feel his muscles with nothing but a thin layer of cotton between them. Eventually her fingers fatigued and she had to stop. He turned his head toward her with a smile. “Thank you for doing that.”
“Sure.”
She did a quick calculation in her head. They'd probably covered at least three miles by now, and Jeremy was doing great. He seemed to have a natural seat and wasn't having any trouble at all. Why not venture into more challenging terrain? “Let's take this left here. It's
a little more up, down, rocky, woodsy path.”
He snorted. “I graduated from slow walking on the flat grass? You may be giving me more credit than I'm due.”
He followed her instruction and steered the horse. Apple chose her footing a little more carefully, balancing her riders on her back as she maneuvered down a rocky path. Jeremy and Emma had to be more cautious as well, ducking when a tree branch crowded them. After a few minutes, Emma was able to continue with the topic she didn't want to let drop. “So do you go to church now, Jeremy?”
“Yeah. Not the one I grew up in. I still know way too many people there, families who know my story. Not that I'm trying to deceive anyone or hide anything. It's just that I want a fresh start. So I found a nice church about ten miles away. Very welcoming, good services. I enjoy it. Gives me a little break from work in the week, too.”
She waited to see if he'd say anything else. When it was clear he wouldn't, she debated either thumping him across the head, or just coming out with what was on her mind. “I wouldn't mind going with you sometime.”
Again he turned his head so she could see his smile. “Really?”
“Yes, really. Would you take me?”
“Absolutely.”
“Okay then.” She squeezed his mid-section with both her arms for good measure.
Apple stumbled, then righted herself. Jeremy jerked forward and Emma did too.
“Whoa, baby girl,” Emma said softly. Apple continued walking, but then stumbled again, this time coming to a halt on her own. This was so unlike her, Emma felt a creeping anxiety in her heart. “Apple …”
As they stood motionless, Apple raised her left front hoof off the ground and held it there. “Jeremy, something's wrong. We need to get down and check her out.” She slid off Apple's back in a whoosh and Jeremy followed suit. Emma raced to the horse's head and rubbed her face, murmuring soft sounds of comfort. She took hold of the lifted hoof and examined it, using her finger to touch it gently. Apple bobbed her head and responded with a neigh and a firm push of air out her nostrils.
“I don't see anything in this hoof. No rocks wedged in, no cuts or abrasions. But she's obviously favoring this foot.” Emma ran her hand down the leg and noted that it was more swollen and puffy than usual. That symptom, combined with the tenderness of the foot, gave her a quick diagnosis: Apple had gone lame.
She quickly examined the other three legs, running her hands down from thigh to hoof, tapping the hoof itself to determine if any were tender. They weren't. Just the front left. She turned and met eyes with Jeremy. She brushed a tear out of her eye. This animal was like a family member. She hated seeing her in pain.
“Looks like Apple's one leg is lame. It’s swollen around the knee, and the hoof is so tender she can't put any weight on it. She's in pain, Jeremy. We have to get her home, but we can't ride her back.”
His eyes went wide. “Can she walk?”
Emma thought of the distance they'd covered, an estimated four miles, maybe more. “No way. We need to call Mr. Grieder and ask him to bring the trailer to transport her.”
Jeremy nodded his head and reached for the phone in his pocket. Pulling it out, he tapped at the screen with his finger. His eyebrows took a dive. “I don't have any bars at all out here. How about you?”
Emma shook her head. “I didn't bring my phone. It's in my purse locked in my trunk.”
Jeremy stepped closer to the horse, patting her haunch, murmuring soft words to her and running his hand down her swollen leg. He glanced up at Emma, concern carving lines in his forehead. “Did I do this, Emma? Was I too heavy for her and caused injury to her leg?”
A little hand gripped her heart. A man that had concern for animals, in her book, was a man worth keeping. “Oh Jeremy, I don't know. It could be, or maybe not. We have no idea why she went lame. Maybe she's got a broken bone and Mr. Grieder didn't realize it. Maybe this rocky path was too much for her with both of us onboard. But please,” she ran her hand over his arm to emphasize her point, “don't blame yourself for this. You did nothing wrong.”
His tension eased slightly as he gave her a reassuring smile and looked back at the horse. “I hate to see her in pain.” He gave his head a slight nod as if he'd come to a decision. “You stay here with her. I'll hike back to the barn and get Mr. Grieder.”
“Are you sure? Or I could do the walking.”
“You're better with Apple. Keep our patient as comfortable as possible. I'll keep an eye on my phone during the trek and see if I can make a call eventually. Regardless, I'll get back to the stable in less than an hour and we'll bring the trailer as soon as we can.”
She studied his face, trying to deal with the overwhelming emotion in her heart. “Thank you,” she whispered.
He gave her an anxious smile and a quick peck. Then, looking around, he said, “You might want to see if you can get her back to the open pasture. Not sure the truck and trailer could come down this far.”
“Good point. We'll take it slow.”
Chapter Seven
Jeremy made his way cautiously, his boots stumbling over the rocky terrain of the advanced path. Last thing he needed was a twisted ankle when Emma needed his help and he alone could provide it. After a half mile, the path spilled out into the open pasture they had ridden through. The sun baked him as he walked on the thin dirt path through the high grass. A bead of sweat popped out on his brow.
The rest of the trip would be manageable at a faster pace. He launched into a jog, kept that pace about ten minutes, then slowed, disheartened by his panting. Although he was never what you'd call an athlete, he had always been in decent shape, without spending hours in the gym ensuring that it was so. As a kid, he could run all over the island, from friend's house to friend's house, without increasing his breathing rate at all. Of course, he wasn't a kid anymore. He'd probably spent more time and effort working out when he was in prison, than any other time in his life. It was an approved activity, a way to get out of the cell. As one day blended endlessly into another, exercise offered a way to break the drudgery.
Sweaty men lifting weights, running the track, initiating altercations just because they were bored. Jeremy kept to himself, stayed in the corner, keeping a careful eye on the action-makers.
He shook the unwelcome memory out of his head and kept walking. He figured he'd swallowed at least a mile of the trip, three left. His thoughts circled back to Emma, wondered how she was doing with Apple, helping her past the tricky ground to the open pasture where she could rest. If anyone could persuade Apple to walk with the injured leg, it would be Emma. That girl was great with horses. You could see it just by watching the two of them together.
As his walk stretched out, his mind wandered to a topic he hadn't let himself think too much of: he and Emma. Warmth ran through his chest at the thought of being part of a couple. Was it too soon to think of Emma and himself as a couple? What was she thinking?
He truly was in a different world here, with no idea what to do, or in all honesty, how he'd gotten here. Emma seemed to be pursuing him, and he had absolutely no idea why she would. With the history of pain he'd inflicted on her family, why would she want anything to do with him? He couldn't get his mind around that. However, he couldn't deny that she showed signs of liking him. The kisses. The visits. The offers of help. And, the kisses.
He smirked as he walked. If anyone could hear his thoughts, they'd accuse him of an extremely juvenile mindset. And they were probably right. What did he know about women?
One thing was sure, he decided, keeping his steps moving forward. He was open to this unexpected addition to his life. He'd never dreamed he'd have the good fortune of meeting a good woman — a beautiful, talented woman like Emma — and forming a relationship with her. He would consider it a gift from God, to a sinner who didn't deserve it, and treat it that way — with care and tenderness. There were so many ways he could screw this up, either unintentionally due to inexperience, or by slipping into bad habits. But the mere presence of a
woman like Emma in his life showed God's promise to him that he could earn a normal life back.
Someday.
Soon, Grieders' Stables rose on the horizon and he jogged the remaining distance. He entered the barn but wasn't sure how to locate Mr. Grieder. Yelling his name out like a maniac probably wasn't the approach he wanted to take. Fortunately, as he stalked through the building he ran across a door marked “Office.” He knocked and waited till a man's voice told him to enter.
“Mr. Grieder, there's been an incident.”
The old man stood right away, his forehead creased with lines of worry. “Is it Emma? Did she take a fall?”
“No, sir,” Jeremy replied, his heart just a little warmer that the man's first concern was for Emma. “It's Apple. She began limping and Emma examined her. Her left front leg is swollen. Emma thinks Apple is lame.”
The man limped out from behind his desk. It was probably unnecessary but Jeremy finished as he followed Mr. Grieder through the door, “Emma wants you to bring the trailer to pick her up.”
The horseman waved a hand over his head and they went to the big pickup truck outside already attached to a horse trailer. Mr. G hoisted into the driver's seat. Jeremy raced around to the passenger side and barely got in and had the door closed when the truck took off.
“Where are they?”
“We'd gone through the big pasture and just onto a rocky path.”
Mr. G nodded as if that made perfect sense. “I can use the road for a couple miles, then pick up the pasture on the north gate and drive through that way.”
Jeremy nodded. As they drove, tension filling the air, Mr. G said, eyes straight ahead, “You and Emma?”
Jeremy hesitated. How would Emma want him to answer that vague question? “Friends.”
Mr. Grieder nodded. It seemed to be enough but Jeremy felt compelled to continue, “We haven't known each other long but she is a really nice woman.”
Pawleys Island Paradise boxset, Books 1 - 3 Page 34