Paige squealed behind her. Just a soft, light sound, gone in an instant. "Of course. I promise."
"It's not even fair of me to feel this way about him," Allie said, feeling a weight lift off her shoulders at being able to finally share this with someone else. "My life is in New York. I will be leaving in a little over a week."
"There's no harm in looking," Paige said. She walked over to the table, taking a seat next to Allie. She inspected the dough and nodded her head. "Excellent."
Allie smiled. "I know there's no harm in looking, but that's not how I'm wired. If I get too attached..." She let her voice trail off. Then sighed. "I've never met anybody like him before."
"I understand. And good for you for not leading him on," Paige said, her tone somber. "Morris has been alone for so long. His last girlfriend, a woman he had met in the couple of years he went to college, came out here for a month or two during the summer. We all met her, and we all tried to like her. But we all knew something was off. In the end, it didn't work out between them because she had expected Morris would have more free time for her."
Allie shook her head. "Even I know that a rancher's life is a long and hard one."
Paige shrugged. "Some people can't live with it. And Morris, I think, is too gun-shy now to find one that will."
Allie felt a strong ache begin deep in her heart. A longing, though she refused to admit what it was for.
Life wasn't as easy as what many hoped for.
"I'm glad I'm here, though," Allie said, finding that she meant it more than she realized. Reaching a hand out, she grasped one of Paige's. "Thank you."
"You're welcome," Paige said, offering a winning smile. "I'm glad we're all getting the chance to know you. And I hope this isn't the only visit you make out here."
"You couldn't keep me away," Allie said.
Paige grinned, then stood. "Good. Now. Let's fill the pie tin and get this apple pie baking, shall we?"
____________
It was late when Allie made it back up to her room. The family had lingered over coffee and pies, praising Paige and Allie's combined talent in the kitchen. In the end, they had made an apple pie, a peach cobbler, and a simple chocolate silk for Rhett, who wasn't much of a fruit person. They had made a second apple pie for Morris as a thank you for taking care of Allie. Paige happened to know that it was his favorite.
The family had demanded the story of her accident, which Allie glossed over, not wanting to relive the ordeal.
"You're going back tomorrow?" Max had asked.
"I wasn't sure if I should," Allie said. It was true. She didn't want to impose any further on Morris, and she wasn't sure her foot would allow her.
"I think you should," Rhett said. Allie barely managed to keep her mouth from dropping in shock. "The sooner you get back up on the horse, the better."
Max nodded. "People who fall from a horse need to get back up on one as soon as possible, or they never do."
Allie sat on her bed, thinking about the possibility of seeing Morris again. Giving him the pie she and Paige had made for him. The thought filled her stomach with butterflies, and she pressed a hand over her stomach to try and quell them.
In an effort to distract herself, Allie reached over and picked up the cell from her nightstand. She hadn't powered it back on for a couple of days, and she figured she needed to make sure her mom wasn't losing her mind trying to contact her.
She had exactly five text messages and one voicemail. All from Gary.
Bracing herself, Allie flipped through the text messages. They were all variations of the same thing.
Gary C. (3:34 P.M.): Hope you're okay. Text me.
Taking a deep, steadying breath, Allie clicked on the voicemail icon and put the phone to her ear.
"Hey Allie, it's me." Allie squeezed her eyes shut, feeling panic well inside her chest, making her heart race. "It's been a few days and I haven't heard from you. Just wanted to make sure you weren't out in a ditch somewhere." He laughed at his poor attempt at humor. Allie winced. "Anyway, call me back. Hope you're back where you belong soon."
Allie frowned as the message ended.
Back where you belong...
Who was Gary to tell her where she belonged?
Knowing Gary and not wanting him to call the police and file a missing person's report, Allie sent off a quick message.
Allie (7:52 P.M.): I'm fine. Like I said. I'll text you when I'm back in town in a little over a week.
She felt a little bad about sending such a curt message to Gary, but sometimes, he needed things spelled out in black and white for him.
After a short debate, Allie decided she did need to call her mother, try to sooth her ruffled feathers. She doubted Julianne would be willing to forgive Allie so quickly, but she had to try and extend the olive branch.
It was either that or go for months without speaking. Which had happened before and Allie did not want a repeat performance.
The phone rang and rang, and Allie's stomach sank as she realized her mother wasn’t going to answer the phone. It was nearly eleven o'clock at night on the east coast, but Allie knew her mother to be a night owl. The best times to call were usually late at night. And on a Tuesday, when social plans were slim.
At the beep of her mother's voicemail, Allie began to talk.
"Hey, Mom. Just wanted to let you know I'm in Washington, safe. Call me back." She hung up.
It irked her that her mother would not hesitate to talk to Gary about whatever she felt wronged about, but wouldn't answer the phone when her own daughter called.
Allie exhaled a deep breath. Then decided to do something she hadn't done in a long, long time.
Grabbing a new paperback she had been wanting to read, Allie stripped and headed toward the bathroom. Eyeing the plethora of soaps and oils to fill the tub with, Allie settled on the warm scent of vanilla and figs before drawing the hot water into the claw-foot tub.
Curious, Allie turned out the lights, instead lighting just a few candles nearby the tub. And her breath was stolen away.
Millions of stars twinkled at her from the inky blackness of the sky. She had known there were places in the country, in the world where people could see so many stars, but she had never experienced it firsthand. Instead, she had been content with school trips to the observatory as a kid and had forgotten the wonder stars could evoke within her.
Slipping into the water, Allie stared at the sky for countless moments, losing herself among them.
____________
Allie felt like a fool as she climbed the steps up to Morris' front door, apple pie in hand. Paige hadn't let her leave the house without it, despite her best efforts. She knew they had made the pie for Morris on purpose, but it seemed rather silly to take the pie over to his house, feeling the way she felt about him.
The door swung open before Allie had a chance to juggle the pie into a one-handed grip and knock. Morris stood staring at her. No. He stared at the pie, wide-eyed. Then he shook himself and stepped back, holding the door open.
"Afternoon," Morris greeted. "How's the foot?"
"It's fine," Allie said. And it was. There was still a twinge here or there, but as long as she kept up on the ibuprofen, she could function. She thrust the pie at Morris. "A thank you gift. It's apple."
Morris' eyes sparked as his lips slowly spread into a grin. "Well. Guess I should let pretty ladies fall from my horses more often."
Allie shook her head and laughed. "Somehow, I don’t think that would work out quite as well as you might want it to."
She followed Morris back into the kitchen, which looked cleaner than it had the last time she saw it. Allie smiled to herself. She wondered if he had cleaned it just for her.
"Maybe we can have a piece of this pie after our lesson," Morris said, then gestured toward the door. "Shall we?"
They left the house and headed toward the stables, Allie leading the way to the tack room. Despite the embarrassing end to their previous lesson, Allie was determined
to show that she remembered everything Morris had taught her.
Without his guidance, Allie picked out the hoof pick, the brushes, bridal and reins, then asked Morris if he would be so kind as to carry the blanket and saddle for her. She could feel his amused gaze on her as she marched their way over to Daisy's stable.
Allie placed the items on the gate, then turned to Morris. "Is it alright with you if I feel Daisy an apple?"
Morris blinked, surprise decorating his features. Then he grinned. "Absolutely. Though, I doubt Daisy would allow me to have any say in it."
Turning back, Allie was startled to find Daisy's head already over the side of the gate, reaching out toward Allie with a curious nose. Allie dug the apple, cut in half, out of her pockets. She held out one half, palm flat, and Daisy snatched it up without hesitation.
"Oh, she's going to be your best friend, now," Morris said, teasing.
"That was the plan," Allie said, shooting a grin back over her shoulder at him.
The truth was, Allie was terrified to be back on top of Daisy. But the pep talk from Max and Rhett reassured her that this was the right thing to do if she ever wanted to continue riding. And she knew Morris would be there to catch her, should anything else go wrong.
Which it won't.
Allie squared her shoulders and offered the second half of the apple to Daisy.
Together, they prepared Daisy for the ride, with Allie doing most of the work and tossing a brush to Morris when it was needed. This time, Morris talked in more detail about the saddle, the parts of it, and how to fit it to the horse to prevent the saddle from sliding off, but not hurt the horse in the process. Morris also put the bridle on Daisy, saying that while Allie had made a friend today, he would rather not take any chances with her fingers quite yet.
Allie tried to keep her focus on the horse as much as she could. However, the warm scent of Morris filled the area, hovering just above the smells of animal and hay. She didn't think he wore any cologne, as the sharp, artificial bite wasn't present. Their close proximity to each other made Allie hyper aware of his every move. She remembered the feel of his arms tight around her, and it made her weak in the knees to think about him possibly doing it again.
Preferably when she wasn't falling off a horse.
All too soon, Morris led Daisy out of the stall, heading back toward the exercise arena they had used yesterday.
And then came the pivotal moment.
"Are you sure you're up for this?" Morris asked. Allie had been pleasantly surprised during their last lesson by how attuned to her emotions, her fears, he was. Since the moment they met at the airport, Morris had done everything he could to make sure she was comfortable and relaxed.
The feeling of gratefulness, and another, warmer feeling she couldn't exactly put a name to, filled her, chasing her fears away. She grinned at Morris.
"I am. Just make sure to catch me, alright?" she added with a wink.
The sound of Morris' laugh made her grin widen as she turned to Daisy. Without hesitation, she lifted her foot up to the stirrup, locked it in, then hefted herself up.
Exhilaration, pride, and a healthy dose of fear filled her, making her stomach squirm. She let out a nervous laugh, then leaned forward and stroked Daisy's neck, running her hands through Daisy's hair.
"I did it," she whispered. Then laughed again as she looked down at Morris.
He was staring at her, a soft smile on his lips, his eyes hooded. He seemed lost in his own thoughts, and Allie couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking about. She felt as though she were invading on a private moment, a moment she should never have seen. Was he thinking about her?
The idea startled her, but she couldn't help but hope that maybe he was.
"Morris?" she asked.
Morris startled back to awareness, then a flush stole its way across his cheeks. Allie found him adorable.
"Right. Good. I was thinking about walking you around for a little while and explaining the leg signals for Daisy. You should be able to steer her without the reins."
Allie nodded, finding herself adjusting to being on top of the horse more easily this time. Morris led her around the ring, explaining how she could push her legs up against the side of Daisy's body to direct her where to go. It took some practice, but Allie quickly got the hang of it. She grinned and patted Daisy's neck, giving them both a reward for a job well done.
Then Morris handed her the reins.
Panic seized her, making her straighten in the saddle and grip the reins tightly. Once again, Morris was by her side.
"Hey," he said softly, commanding her attention. Looking down at Morris, Allie immediately felt some of her anxiety flee. His gentle, reassuring smile reached a place deep within her and made her believe she could do anything.
It was a whole new experience for her. Nobody had ever looked at her that way before.
"You can do this. Look how far you've come already." Morris' hand rested against her thigh once more. "I'm right here. Remember, Daisy is sweet on you now. Good job bringing those apples. She won't do anything to hurt you and I know you won't do anything to hurt Daisy."
Allie swallowed past the lump in her throat, feeling it ease. Morris was right of course. She had nothing to fear. Then she nodded.
Morris directed her what to do, how to hold the reins and reminded her that she should barely even need to use them.
"Your legs are more important than the reins. And when you need to stop, just say, 'Woah' and Daisy stops. 'K?"
"Got it," Allie said, feeling her confidence rising now that the reins were growing warmer in her hands.
Morris gave her a winning smile, then took a few steps backward. "Whenever you're ready."
Taking a few deep breaths, Allie braced herself, then gently pressed her legs into Daisy's sides.
Daisy stepped forward, stealing Allie’s breath. Allie pressed a leg into Daisy’s side, prompting her to turn back toward Morris. It was perhaps one of the most magical moments in Allie's life. She was riding a horse! She was controlling where the horse went, when to stop and when to go forward. The feeling was overwhelming and inspiring. All trace of fear left her as she grew more comfortable in the saddle.
"You're doing great!" Morris shouted from the other side of the arena. She didn't realize she had moved so far from him. But the panic she expected to feel never showed. Instead, she felt proud and the happiest she'd ever felt.
"You hear that?" Allie said to Daisy. "You're doing good, girl."
When it came time to end the lesson, Allie felt disappointed. She was already counting down the hours til the next lesson, whenever that may be.
Then came the inevitable. She had to dismount.
Morris moved to her side in a heartbeat, ready to catch her once again.
"I hope it turns out better this go around," she quipped, giving him a cheeky grin. It was enough to make him laugh.
"One could hope."
She thought about the mechanics of the dismount for a moment, then decided she better get off the horse before she grew attached to it.
"Like a band-aid," she muttered to herself, remembering when Morris had echoed those words to her, a mantra she had used all her life. She swung her left leg over, and slid down the side of the horse.
When both feet touched the ground, Allie froze, wondering if she had really done it. Then Morris clapped behind her and gave a loud cheer. Whirling around, Allie grinned and rushed straight for him.
He met her halfway, arms encircling her and lifting her from the ground. She wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders, reveling in the feel of how strong he was, the heat that radiated from him. He swung her around as she clung to him, both of them laughing.
Then he lowered her to the ground, still pressed close. Allie let her arms rest on his chest, staring up at his crystal blue eyes, feeling herself get lost. The world around them evaporated. Her heart raced, pounding so hard she feared he could hear it.
He stared at her, only this time,
she knew he was thinking about her. His eyes lowered to her lips. She saw a muscle in his jaw tick and then his hands, which had been resting on her waist, gripped tighter and pulled her even closer to him. She knew what was happening, and wondered if she should stop it before it did.
But she didn't want to.
Morris' head lowered to hers and Allie allowed her eyes to slide shut. A moment later, a soft warmth pressed against her lips, stealing her breath and creating shocks of delight race up and down her spine. She slid her arms up and around Morris' neck, hoping to hold him close for as long as she could.
The kiss was unlike anything Allie had ever experienced before. It was soft and sweet, chaste. Morris didn't push for more, simply enjoyed what Allie offered him. She pressed herself closer, enjoying the feel of Morris' hands sliding along her waist and up her back.
A Delivered Heart: The Greene Pastures Series Book 1 Page 11