The Girl with the Broken Heart

by Lurlene McDaniel

  Disoriented, she scrambled up beside him. Without warning, his tender expression had transformed and been replaced with steely indifference, like a mask set firmly in place. “Let me help,” she said as the hinged lids banged shut.

  “I’ve got this,” he insisted without glancing at her.

  She backed off, leaving him to finish the job.

  * * *

  —

  By the time they arrived at Bellmeade and were with the horses, Austin had returned to his affable, wisecracking self. Kenzie, however, remained baffled. Lying beside him, on pillows and quilts that smelled of laundry soap and lavender from her childhood, surrounded by the soft sounds of falling rain, she had shared memories effortlessly, something she would not have done even days before. And when he’d leaned over her, listening to her every word and looking into her eyes, she’d felt a fluttering sensation in her heart, an acceleration in her pulse unrelated to any medical strictures levied on her heart issues. This heartbeat had come with another stirring. Desire.

  When his gaze had lingered on her eyes, her lips, her cheeks and throat, she’d thought he would dip his mouth to hers, kiss her. And her thudding heart had told her that was what she wanted too. She’d waited, breathless with anticipation, but instead he had pulled away, begun cleaning up, and the fire inside her swiftly died. During the drive home, she’d felt foolish, like a schoolgirl with a silly crush, but now that they were working side by side, they had returned to their familiar roles—Austin talkative and helpful, Kenzie focused and dedicated.

  They fed the horses in their stalls, and with the rain now over, Kenzie said, “They’ve been cooped up all day. Let’s snap on lead lines and take them for a walk.”

  They led the three horses around the pasture in an easy amble, Kenzie with Mamie, Austin putting himself between Sparkle and Blue and following silently. The rain had rinsed the air, leaving it clean, clear, and scented with wet grass. Above them, the sky was streaked with pinks and reds that promised a sunny tomorrow.

  “I guess we should call it a day,” Kenzie said as they locked down the horses for the night. She’d been on an emotional roller coaster since sunrise, and revisiting the past, facing her father for the first time since Caroline’s funeral, and worrying over her mother had been draining. The cravings she’d experienced in the gazebo for Austin had also confused and disoriented her. She’d long shied away from dating relationships, and certainly didn’t need or want a summer fling. “Thanks for coming with me today.”

  “Anytime.” She headed toward her bungalow. “I’ll walk with you. It’s dark.”

  “No need. I know my way, even in the dark.”

  “Happy birthday,” he called after her.

  She gave a wave of her hand and kept moving, never once looking behind her. Never once seeing that she was followed.

  Preparations for the Fourth of July party at Bellmeade began on July 1. Barbeque smokers and grills were rolled out and set up on the cement parking pad alongside the old barn. A large yellow tent was erected in the center of the front yard near the main house. Inside the canvas enclosure, chairs and tables were assembled, and a fleet of fans stood like sentries along the canvas walls to cool guests. For days, the smell of smoked pork, beef, and chicken hung in the summer air. On the morning of the Fourth, caterers appeared with kettles of side dishes to set on serving tables draped in red checkered tablecloths.

  By noon, guests began arriving and parking along both sides of the frontage road, then either walking up the long tree-lined walk or riding in a golf cart provided at the front of the driveway. Kenzie watched a parade of people through the front window of her bungalow. She recalled large parties her parents had given when she was growing up, but never on this scale.

  She’d come in from the back after she and Austin had completed morning duties with the rescue horses and had showered and changed into navy blue shorts and red top, the shirttails tied in a knot at her waist. She ditched her boots for red sandals, dabbed on makeup, and tied her blond hair in a ponytail with a bright white ribbon. She spritzed on a whiff of honeysuckle fragrance and headed toward the tent.

  Ciana, standing outside the tent greeting people, offered Kenzie a sunny smile. “You look lovely! So glad you decided to come.”

  “Would have been hard to not come,” Kenzie said with a laugh. “Looks as if half the county is showing up.”

  “People look forward to this, and everyone needs relief from the heat. We were going to have some fireworks after dark, but with the grass and trees so dry, we decided against it.” Ciana glanced skyward, then back at Kenzie. “Today’s going to be another scorcher. Weatherman says high nineties.”

  “The pasture grass is more brown than green these days. Thanks for the extra hay. We were running low.”

  The light rain on her birthday had not quelled Tennessee’s ongoing drought, and trees and grass were dry tinder. Horses were expected to graze all summer, cutting down on feed bills, but with the drought, every horse at Bellmeade needed additional hay.

  “You’re welcome. Buying hay is our best option to keep the horses healthy. So, how are your horses coming along? Last time I saw them, they were looking good.”

  “Mamie’s almost ready for Lani’s Trailblazers program, and Austin’s working exclusively with Blue. He says Blue only tolerates him, but I think they both like each other more than they let on.”

  Ciana laughed. “Good to hear. How about Sparkle?”

  “She’s been doing well, but she’s been off her feed the past couple of days. Seems restless today, roaming the pasture, pawing the ground.” Ciana looked thoughtful, making Kenzie’s heart kick up a beat. “You think something could be wrong?”

  * * *

  —

  Austin was nursing a beer, observing Kenzie and Ciana from a distance. While he couldn’t hear what they were saying, when he saw a look of concern cross Kenzie’s face, he went over to the two women. “Big happy crowd. What’s up with you two?”

  “I was telling Ciana about Sparkle, how she isn’t eating.”

  “Yeah, she hardly touched her grain this morning.”

  Ciana’s forehead furrowed. “Let me grab Jon and we’ll go take a look at her.”

  Kenzie mentally revisited the morning with Sparkle. Caring for the three horses had become such a routine that she’d not given Sparkle’s morning behavior enough scrutiny. What had she missed? Ciana returned with Jon and the four of them went to the rescue pasture, arriving in time to see Sparkle rolling on the pasture ground, feet kicking the air.

  “Colic!” Jon and Ciana said in unison.

  “I’ll call Perry.” Jon whipped out his cell phone.

  Dread knifed through Kenzie. When she’d worked with Kaye, the vet had discussed the serious problem with Kenzie, but this was the first time she’d ever seen a horse suffering from it.

  Austin saw Kenzie’s face go pale. “Are you all right?”

  “She acted restless all yesterday…one of the first signs. I missed it. Did you notice?”

  He shook his head. “Sorry, no. But I never had that problem with my horse.”

  “I should have caught this, or at least suspected that something was wrong.”

  Ciana shook her head. “Don’t take any heat for this, Kenzie. The early signs are easy to miss.” Ciana was being kind, but Kenzie felt guilty. She was in charge. This shouldn’t have happened.

  Jon pocketed his phone. “Doc’s on a lake fishing, so he’s over an hour away, but there are some things we can do until he gets here. Bring her in,” he said to Austin. “Tie her in the round pen to minimize head movement and we’ll start pouring mineral oil down her throat. Then we’ll walk her, and that will help distract her from the pain in her gut.”

  “We’ll take care of her,” Austin said. “You have a lot of people expecting to see you at your party.”

  Jon s
lapped his forehead. “Oh yeah, forgot about that.”

  Ciana looped her arm through Jon’s. “He’s right, Jon. Let them handle this. As soon as Doc gets here, I’ll send him back. Come on, cowboy.”

  Jon grimaced but agreed. “There’s a gallon of mineral oil on a shelf inside the stable for the mustangs. Get all you can down Sparkle, making sure she swallows as much as possible. She won’t like it, but it’ll help. It’ll be messy too,” he added, glancing at Kenzie’s pretty outfit.

  “I have a change of clothes in the tack room. You two go be with your guests.”

  “If you need help before Perry arrives, come get me,” Jon called as Ciana dragged him away.

  The summer sun beat down, and heat radiated up from the hard-packed red dirt as Sparkle pawed the earth and ducked her head to try nipping her belly, another symptom of colic pain. Austin put his hands on Kenzie’s shoulders and turned her to face him. In the bright sunlight, his eyes looked blue, ringed with a hint of green. “It’s going to be okay, Kenz. We’ll do this together. She’s going to recover. Why don’t you put her in the pen while I get the mineral oil?”

  Worried, holding her bottom lip between her teeth, she saw that Austin had also dressed for the party. “You should change your clothes.”

  “I have old clothes stashed in the tack room. You go ahead and change while I’m gone.”

  “Sounds like a plan. Now go.”

  He saluted. “Yes, ma’am.”

  * * *

  —

  Jon hadn’t lied when he said getting a gallon of mineral oil down a horse would be messy. Sparkle didn’t take one bit to being force-fed the viscous liquid and fought against every swallow. Austin poured the oil in increments into the horse’s mouth and pushed Sparkle’s head upward while Kenzie massaged her long neck to force the liquid down, all the while talking and trying to soothe the anxious animal. By the time they were finished, all three of them were coated with an oily film. At about that time, Dr. Perry showed up.

  He looked at them and chuckled. “Whooie! I see you’ve already done the hard part. Let me check her out.” They calmed the horse while he checked her gums for the symptomatic bluish tinge and ran his hands along Sparkle’s swollen, distended belly. He took the mare’s temperature and listened to her heartbeat and gut sounds with a stethoscope. With the exam complete, Perry said, “I think you caught the problem early. A good thing. I’ve seen horses die from severe colic.”

  Kenzie, still angry at herself for missing Sparkle’s symptoms, was relieved by Perry’s words. “Sorry you had to come out on your holiday.”

  “No problem. Fish weren’t biting anyway.”

  “Now what?” Austin asked.

  “That mineral oil may take a while to do the job, so keep checking on her. In fact, I suggest one of you plan on spending the night with her. Walk her every few hours, but when she’s tired, put her in the stall so she can lie down if she wants. I’ll recheck her in the morning.” He gave Kenzie a big grin. “For what it’s worth, I saw the other two out in the pasture, and I remember what they looked like the first time I examined them.” He settled his hat on his head. “You’ve done a good job with these horses. You should be proud to put them up for adoption.”

  When the vet was gone, Austin told Kenzie, “Look, I don’t mind staying the night with her. Clean up and put on that pretty outfit again. Go to the party.”

  “Me? Sparkle is my responsibility and I messed up. I can’t go party. But you should go have a good time. Honestly, I don’t mind spending the night with her.”

  “Whaaat? And let you take all the credit when she poops? Not happening! But since you won’t leave, we’ll both stay all night.”

  Kenzie shook her head. “You’re being stubborn.” She added a smile, because it was now only midafternoon, making for a long wait with a sick horse before the coming sunrise. “And I appreciate your offer, thank you.”

  “So you’re on board with us spending the night together?”

  “My pulse is racing with anticipation,” she deadpanned. They laughed together.

  “Teamwork.” He took the rope attached to Sparkle’s halter. “I’ll walk her first.”

  “And why don’t I grab us some food from the feast in the tent while you do.”

  “You sure you want to go there looking like that?”

  She looked down at her work clothes smeared with oil and dust stirred up in the round pen. Even her braid felt slick and dirty. She groaned, “Good point. Neither of us look our best to be seen by the whole town. Why don’t I call Ciana and ask if someone will bring us some food?”

  “Good thinking.” He moved Sparkle from the pen toward the pasture, yelling out, “And ask for ribs. Lots of ribs. With hot sauce.”

  Kenzie went inside the stable and made the call. After talking to Ciana, she found an old towel and wiped off the oil residue, mulling over how much she had come to depend on Austin. He certainly shouldered the bulk of the physical labor, which she appreciated, but he had also tempted her away from the grief that had held her hostage for so long. Day by day, inch by inch, he’d chipped away at her shields—protective shields she’d set in place long before ever losing Caroline. Necessary shields. Kenzie believed she had two hearts. One she couldn’t control. Another she could.

  She watched Austin lead Sparkle around the pasture, the pace slow and steady. Kenzie had worked closely with this man for almost two months, and during that time he’d found a place within her second heart. He had a killer smile, eyes that changed colors, and a streak of kindness a mile wide. But when the horses were healthy and adoptable, when this summer was over, Austin would leave on his journey toward law school, and she would return to Vanderbilt to chase her own dream. She and Austin Boyd were on different paths, with separate life plans and destinies. They would go their separate ways. Until that happened, all she needed to do was fence off her second heart, guard it, and not let him in.

  “Food’s on its way,” Kenzie called to Austin from outside the door of Sparkle’s stall. “Why don’t you bring her in for a rest?”

  From the far side of the pasture, Austin gave her a thumbs-up and headed toward the stable, leading Sparkle, her head drooping, eyes half closed. While he’d been outside in the sweltering heat, Kenzie had spread fresh straw inside the stall to make the horse more comfortable. At the hitching post, Austin looped the rope and Kenzie wiped Sparkle’s damp flank with a towel. “Poor thing. She’s really hurting.”

  “I’m sure the oil will do the trick by morning, and she’ll feel a whole lot better.”

  “I know!” Kenzie snapped her fingers. “We can give her a sponge bath from a bucket of water. It could help her feel better.” Drought conditions restricted the use of water, so the horses hadn’t been bathed with a hose in a while, but a bucket bath was doable.

  Just then, one of Jon’s men, Clyde, rounded the corner towing a wheeled ice chest and calling out, “Room service.”

  “Party crasher,” Austin joked. Clyde let his gaze roam over Kenzie’s body, and Austin immediately stepped in front of her and took the handle of the chest. “I got this. Thanks.”

  “Just wonderin’ why you’re getting special treatment from the boss.”

  “Sick horse,” Kenzie said, emerging from around Austin’s back, her arms crossed, her gaze cool. “Colic.”

  Clyde let out a whooping laugh that startled Sparkle enough to jerk against the rope. “A fine way to spend the Fourth! Party’s hoppin’ and band’s tunin’ up for dancin’.”

  Austin settled the horse and shot Clyde a stony glare. “And thank you for your concern about our sick horse. Now why don’t you go have another drink before this horse lets go and you step in it.”

  Kenzie gave Austin a smile that said “Good one!”

  Clyde glowered, stepped away from Sparkle’s hindquarters. “No need to be unsociable.”

&nb
sp; “No need for you to hang around,” Austin said.

  Clyde gave a curt nod and stalked off, grousing under his breath.

  “I don’t think he likes you very much,” Kenzie said in a singsong voice.

  “Feeling’s mutual. He might be a good wrangler, but he’s pretty much a jerk. Best to stay clear of him.”

  Kenzie shrugged, then turned toward the horse. “Let’s put Sparkle in her stall before we eat. She may want to lie down. We can give her a sponge bath afterward.”

  “Good suggestion. Especially the eating part.”

  He shut Sparkle in her stall while Kenzie busied herself setting up a card table and two folding chairs. She opened the ice chest and burst out laughing. “Ciana brought the party to us. Enough food to feed a small army, and decorations too.”

  Kenzie spread a red-checked cloth over the table and set a bright blue plastic vase stuffed with sparklers and American flags in the table’s center. She set the table for two with plastic ware, plates, and napkins and unloaded multiple containers. Minutes later their plates were heaped with a Southern food festival of pulled pork and chicken, spare ribs, baked beans, slaw, green beans, and fresh corn bread.

  “This will be a July Fourth long remembered,” Austin said as they ate. “Not exactly the kind of fireworks I expected.”

  “Are you whining?”

  “Me? Whine? Never. Just making small talk.”

  “No, it sounds like whining to me.” Kenzie offered a smug smile and leaned back in her chair. “Careful, there are brownies down in that cooler, and I’m boss around here.”

  “Are you threatening to withhold dessert from me, a loyal employee?”

  “No, just making small talk.”

  Austin pushed aside his plate, holding a pile of bones, crossed his arms. “Am I gonna have to file a report with HR? Pretty sure the department will take my side.”