The way Hope described him forced a smile to his lips.
“Oh? Is that what you think of me?”
She immediately drew back, her cheeks pink and her lips tight. He regretted the playful taunt. “Maybe once people get to know me, those qualities fade.”
“I doubt it.” She tipped her chin in his direction. “You seem like the type that only gets better as time goes on.”
“I’ve yet to meet a woman who agrees with you.” He winked at her and cleared his throat. “Anyway, we should probably take Toby out for some of his exercises.”
“Just a minute.” She rested a hand against the rigid muscles of his stomach. The touch was instinctive, he guessed, but its impact on him was as forceful as a tsunami. It was as if every inch of his skin, aside from the path that her palm caressed, radiated jealousy. Flashes filled his mind of what it would be like for her touch to wander.
“Yes?” He looked into her eyes.
“You didn’t really answer me.”
“I guess that makes two of us, hm?” He raised an eyebrow. “You’ve not said a word about what made you change your life so drastically and move here, let alone why you have such a connection with Toby.”
“I guess you have me there.”
“Yes. Yes, I do.” He rested his hand over hers, where it still lingered on his stomach. Warmth flooded her eyes, but then she blinked and it was replaced with something else he couldn’t define. She didn’t speak or pull away from him, but he sensed something was off. “I think you’ll tell me when you’re ready.”
“Is the same true for you?”
He curled his fingers around hers and gave her hand a light squeeze. “I have a feeling you could get just about anything out of me.”
Her smile spread wide again. He adored the way she went from a pout to a grin in the span of not even a second. It wasn’t just her lips either. Her eyes lit up in an instant.
“Maybe I’ll have to test that theory some time.”
His heart skipped. He was tempted to volunteer for the test right at that moment, but it only took a second for him to recall why he needed to proceed with caution. She was a good woman, a woman who deserved someone with an open heart. At the moment, his was still wounded.
“Let’s take care of Toby.”
“Right.” She nodded and slipped past him toward the horse.
He was relieved that she didn’t push, but at the same time he wondered why. Maybe she didn’t want as much from him as he thought she might. The confusion caused his thoughts to race as he led Toby out into the paddock.
“Do you think anyone will ever be able to ride him again?” Hope rested her elbows on the fence as he walked Toby slowly to the center of the ring.
“I’m not sure. He’d have to get a lot stronger. But it’s not just about his physical strength. If a horse doesn’t want a human to ride him, he’s not going to let it happen.” He paused and looked over at her. “Promise me you won’t try.”
“Me?” She laughed. “I haven’t ridden a horse in years. I wouldn’t even know how to get on one.”
“Okay.” He smiled as he urged Toby to take a few steps.
Toby whinnied and jerked his head to the side. When he tried to get away from Chase, his injured leg almost buckled. Chase grunted and wrapped an arm around the horse to steady him.
Hope jumped right over the fence and into the paddock. She was at his side before he even realized she’d moved. She cooed softly and swept her hand back across the horse’s mane. Toby settled almost the moment she touched him. His legs grew strong and he didn’t move a muscle.
“Easy now, Toby, easy. He’s just trying to help.”
“Maybe you should try.” He offered her the reins.
“Are you sure? What if I do something wrong?”
“Just trust your instincts and you’ll do fine. There’s nothing to worry about. I’ll be right here.” He rested a hand lightly on her upper back as she took the reins from him.
“I can try, but I’m not sure.”
“Just give it a shot.” He noticed the tension in her expression as she took over the reins. She wasn’t worried about herself getting hurt. She was worried about doing something to hurt Toby. “Just take it very slow.”
With graceful steps she began to lead the horse.
Chase noticed the way she kept eye contact with the horse as she guided him. His hooves struck the ground hard with each step.
She placed a hand on the horse. “Easy, Toby, easy. You don’t have to win a race today.”
Toby’s steps became lighter and his movement more steady. Chase remained right beside her, though he didn’t think she noticed, as her focus was fully on the horse. To his amazement, she managed to lead the horse in a full circle without a single stumble.
“That’s enough for now.” He tipped his head toward the stable. “We want to make sure that he has enough strength to make it back inside.”
“He does seem a little tired.” She laughed as the horse nuzzled her cheek.
“He trusts you.” The connection between the woman and the horse was palpable.
“Do you think so?”
“Yes. Animals have the greatest instincts.” He rubbed his hand along the horse’s back. “I always trust their impression of people.”
“Does that mean you trust me too?” She smiled at him and started to guide the horse toward the stable.
“It means that you’re a trustworthy person.” He paused at the entrance of the stable. “I have no reason not to trust you.”
“And you?” She met his eyes. “Is there any reason I shouldn’t trust you?”
He cleared his throat and lowered his eyes. “None that I can think of, but that’s not really for me to say.”
“I suppose it’s not.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow.” He nodded to her, then headed off in the direction of his car.
With every step he took, he wished he could turn back and say what he really wanted to say.
At one point in his life he’d been bold. He wouldn’t have hesitated to say what he meant, and he didn’t concern himself too much with the consequences of his actions. But life was different now.
Forty-eight years had gone by and many experiences had taught him that caution was the better route. But then again, Chase couldn’t remember ever being confronted with a situation like this before—where everything in his being warned him that this was one experience that he didn’t want to miss.
Chapter 9
As Hope walked back toward the house she tried to get her emotions in check. On the one hand, she really enjoyed spending time with Chase, but on the other, the message he seemed to be sending her wasn’t quite clear.
When he looked into her eyes she found it very hard to believe that he didn’t feel the same thing that she was feeling—intense and unavoidable attraction—yet he always pulled back. It made her wonder if she was imagining that there was something between them. Her instincts told her that he wanted to explore things, but something held him back. She could understand that.
In the year after her official recovery, she’d hidden away from the world. She didn’t want to risk getting involved with someone just to have the cancer come back. Living with severe illness had taught her that there was a lot to lose, and she didn’t want to go through that heartbreak again.
But, as she grew accustomed to the fact that she had many years ahead of her, she began to realize that life wasn’t really worth living without something to lose. That was when she’d shifted gears and decided to embrace every moment, follow every dream, and seize every opportunity.
She never expected to encounter someone that wouldn’t want to seize it right along with her.
If it was clear that Chase didn’t feel the same way, she could just move on. But it wasn’t clear. It was very, very muddy.
She sighed and looked at the piles of boxes that she still needed to unpack. Even though it didn’t seem like much when she’d packed it, now that she had to fin
d a place for it all, it was a bit overwhelming. She decided to deal with a few boxes and then she’d make a trip into town. She wanted to get to know the area a little better.
As she began sorting through relics from her past, memories drifted to the surface. It was amazing to her how her life could change so much. As a child she’d been a free spirit, as an adult she’d been a determined career-oriented force, and as a survivor, all she wanted was that free spirit back.
With that in mind, she left several things in a box—things that didn’t need to be part of her new life. Some of the items were old books that didn’t hold much meaning to her any more. Others were souvenirs of a time that she didn’t particularly want to remember.
Despite the fact that she knew she’d be living on a ranch, she’d kept the contents of her business wardrobe. She’d spent thousands of dollars on the suits, dresses, and skirts. After she’d been diagnosed they’d stayed in her closet. Even after her recovery, they remained in her closet. To her, they were skeletons of her former life—an image, a lifestyle that she would never live again. Instead of hanging them in a new closet, she left them in the box.
It was time to let go of that life. It wasn’t a bad one. It had provided her the insurance for her medical needs and the large savings account that allowed her to make the purchase or the ranch. But she wasn’t even close to being that person any more. She wanted to get to know the new Hope that she’d become.
Once she’d finished a few boxes, she loaded the items that she didn’t want into her car. She was sure there would be somewhere in town that she could donate them. Town was a funny way of putting it. There wasn’t much more than a general store with gas pumps, a small library, a school of about the same size, and a handful of other small businesses.
She parked outside of a church and walked up to the door.
She hadn’t been a religious person before she’d experienced cancer. Being faced with the word “terminal” had caused her to confront all the important questions in life that she’d neglected for the sake of business dinners and moving up the corporate ladder. Although she still wouldn’t claim a particular religion, she had developed a close relationship with God and the desire to believe that something wonderful waited for her.
When she opened the door to the church, she was greeted by a cool blast from the air conditioning and the beautiful scent of flowers.
“Hello?” She took a few steps inside.
“Hello there, welcome.” A short, round man stepped through an open door on the other side of the church. “I’m Pastor Reed, how can I help you?”
“Actually, I was hoping that I might be able to help. I have some things I’d like to donate, but I’m new to the area and I wasn’t sure where I should take them.”
“Well, you’ve come to the right place.” He smiled and offered her his hand. “What was your name?”
“Hope.” She smiled in return and shook his hand.
“Ah, what a beautiful name. This town could use some of that, Hope. I bet you hear that all the time.”
“A few times.” She laughed. “But I don’t mind. Are there many problems around here?”
“Not problems exactly, just not a lot of opportunity for growth. The population grows smaller all the time. So it’s wonderful that you’ve decided to join us.”
“It’s so beautiful here.”
“I trust you’ve been treated well since you’ve been here?”
“Very. I had the chance to meet Chase—”
“Oh, Chase?” His smile grew broad. “He’s an amazing man. He’s lost his way a little, but still a great person.”
“Lost his way?” She raised an eyebrow.
“Oh dear, I’ve spoken out of turn. I do that a bit too often, I’m afraid. I just meant that he’s been through some trying times. I imagine we all have.”
“Yes.” She bit into her bottom lip as she wondered what the pastor might be referring to.
“About those donations. The church offers a giveaway to all the local residents, so let’s take a look at what you have.”
“Everything is in the trunk.”
She headed back to the car. The pastor followed her. When he saw the clothing he laughed.
“I’m not sure these will be of much use around here.”
“I’m sorry, I guess I didn’t really think about that.”
“No, don’t be sorry. Any donation is a welcome donation. These clothes are quite valuable though; do you really want to donate them instead of selling them?”
“I just want them gone. I don’t need the money.”
“Hm, interesting. May I ask why?”
She stared into the man’s soft brown eyes. Despite his tendency to be nosy he made her feel at ease when he looked at her.
“They’re from a different life.”
“Ah, I see. So moving here is an opportunity to reinvent yourself?”
“I think it’s an opportunity to finally be me.” She shrugged. “I guess time will tell.”
“I think these will be very good to put into the multi-town yard sale we have each month. Is that okay with you?”
“More than okay. Do anything you please with them.”
“Thank you so much. I’ll just get you a receipt for the donation.”
“No, that’s alright. I won’t need one. Let me help you get the boxes inside.”
“Great.” He picked up one of the smaller boxes. “So will I be seeing you in church on Sunday?”
“Maybe.” She nodded. “I’m sure it would be a great way to get to know the community.”
“Yes, it is.” He walked toward the church with the box.
She reached into the trunk and tried to pull the wardrobe box out. It was much larger than the others and wedged in at an odd angle. As she tugged at it, she heard a voice from behind her.
“Already moving out?”
She tugged hard in reaction to the voice, and the box popped out of the trunk along with all the clothing it contained.
“Oh no!” She groaned as she stumbled backward. Thick arms caught her around the waist. She swallowed hard as she realized who was embracing her.
“It’s okay, Chase, I’m okay.”
“Are you sure? I didn’t mean to startle you.”
His breath tickled the slope of her neck.
She straightened up and turned around to face him. “It’s alright. I just didn’t expect to see you. I mean—I didn’t know you were there.”
He smiled. “I walked up behind you.”
“I noticed.” She reached down to pick up some of the clothing. “Or, I guess I didn’t notice.” She laughed.
“Here, let me help you.” He began to collect some of the clothing as well. “Wow. These are yours?”
She glanced up at him. “Yes. They were. I’m donating them.”
“Chase!” Pastor Reed waved as he walked back toward the car. “It’s so good to see you.”
Chase’s smile faded. His jaw locked. He continued to help gather the clothing, but he didn’t return the pastor’s friendly greeting. He only offered a slight nod.
Chapter 10
Chase squinted against the sunlight in the direction of the pastor. It took quite a bit of restraint not to respond to his greeting with harsh words, but he didn’t want to give Hope a poor impression of him. He also didn’t want to hurt the pastor more than he already had. At one point he’d regarded the man as close as a brother. Maybe that day would come again, but things were a bit too fresh at the moment.
He handed off the remainder of the clothes to Hope. “These are very nice—much different than what you’re wearing now.”
“From a different time.” She nodded and piled them back into the box.
Chase studied her as she handed the box over to the pastor. She’d had a life before moving there, and now he knew a little bit about what that was. She was used to a fancy lifestyle. Her type, the uprooted city folk, didn’t usually last long on a ranch. He reminded himself, yet again, that there
was plenty of reason to keep his distance, no matter what his heart tried to tell him.
“Are you sure that you want to give them away? Maybe you should give this kind of life a few months to see if you’ll actually enjoy it.”
As the pastor disappeared inside the church, Hope put her hands on her hips and settled her gaze upon his. “You think I can’t hack it?”
“I think a person who dresses like that isn’t exactly cut out for this type of lifestyle.” He folded his arms across his chest. “In my experience, that is.”
“Hm, has any of your experience involved me?” She canted her head to the side and raked her gaze across him in a way that made a shiver course along his spine. It was as if she could see straight through him.
“Not so far.”
“Then I’ll thank you not to make assumptions about who I am and what I can handle.”
“I didn’t intend to assume.”
“But you did.” She brushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “Maybe it’s a big change for me, but I made that change because it’s what I want, not because I needed a little vacation.”
“No offense, but a privileged lifestyle is not exactly easy to trade in for the isolation and hardship that comes with the country.” He held her gaze. “It’s not you that I doubt, Hope, it’s whether this place will be the right fit for you.”
“It doesn’t need to fit me.” She shrugged. “I can change to fit it.”
“Oh? It’s that easy?” He grinned.
“Not for everyone, no. But I know what there is to lose. I know that this is what I want. If I have to experience a little discomfort to have it, I’m still all for it.”
He shook his head and let his arms fall back to his sides. “Then I guess you’re determined.”
“More than you could ever imagine.”
The way she stared into his eyes held his attention in such a way that the rest of the world around him disappeared. He didn’t care that Pastor Reed walked back toward them, or that there were a few cars passing by. He didn’t notice the clouds that dimmed the bright sunlight. All that existed were her eyes and the clear intention that he read here—that the ranch wasn’t the only thing she was determined to have.
Forty and Free: A Sweet Romance Series Bundle - Books 5 - 8 Page 41