Chinook.
She turned her head, wishing she could see past the dark mask that was over her eyes. She heard frantic snorts and a panicked whinny.
“No!” she gasped.
Her eyes opened to the dimness of her bedroom. Her head whipped around and she spotted Kip asleep in the armchair beside her, snoring softly. She inhaled, and on the exhale, unconsciousness took her again.
When she woke again, her eyes opened clearly, and she gasped as the air hit her lungs. Nausea erupted up her throat and she flipped onto her side, grabbing her wastepaper basket and vomiting water into it. She let the air leave her body in a sigh and felt someone touch her back. She flinched, and her head shot up.
“Easy, it’s just me,” Kip said.
April rolled onto her back, covering her mouth. She closed her eyes and coughed, moaning as the pain shot through her throat.
“You okay?”
She looked at him. “What happened?” Sudden realization hit her. She sat up quickly, throwing the blanket off her legs. “Chinook!” she exclaimed. “I have to find Chinook!” Her voice was rough.
“Hey, hey!” Kip pushed her back down as she collapsed in a coughing fit, wincing as her raw throat complained. “He’s fine. We found him.”
“Is he...?”
“Not a mark on him. He’s shook up, but he’ll be okay. He’s a fighter, that mustang of yours.”
“I have to go see him...”
Kip kept his hands on her shoulders, refusing to let her up. “You can later. But for now, you need to rest.”
When she relented, Kip leaned back, resting his elbows on his knees. “April...” he murmured. He looked up at her, his eyes full of pain. “What happened?”
“The lion...he spooked Chinook and when he ran...” She gripped her throat.
Kip touched her hip. “It’s okay if you can’t.”
April shook her head. “I’m fine. The cougar chased us, and Chinook stumbled...in the creek. I fell...and...the current...” Tears began to roll down April’s cheeks. She gasped. “I couldn’t move. I couldn’t breathe. I thought I was going to die...”
“Hey. Shh. It’s okay,” Kip murmured. He slipped into the bed beside her and pulled her close. April leaned her head on his chest. For the first time in a long time, she relaxed. “We saw the lion on the driveway when we got home. I tried to stop you...”
“How did you know where I was?”
“Hailey told me you were going to the creek, and from there I could hear you. I just couldn’t see you.”
“How did we...get back?”
“Charger. Didn’t put a foot wrong the whole way back.” Kip looked down at her, leaning his forehead on hers. “You didn’t move,” he said, his voice shaking. “Your lips...Your lips were blue, April, and you...you didn’t say anything.”
April looked at him. “My parents?”
“Oh yeah, I thought your mom was gonna have a heart-attack. Hailey called the hospital and a doctor came and checked you over. They’re downstairs right now.”
April looked at the bright window, her head pounding. She closed her eyes. “How long was I...?”
“It was only yesterday. You slept all night, which is good. The doctor said you needed rest and lots of fluids. He didn’t think you had hypothermia, which is good. But you were right on the edge, April. Why did you do it? Why’d you take off?”
April’s cheeks flamed. She swallowed, her throat closing around the movement.
“I was...I’m...” She looked up at him, her eyes wide. “Where’s Danielle?”
Kip sighed. “She went home.”
April didn’t say anything.
“I mean for good. I couldn’t do it, April. I don’t know what it is about you, but you’ve got your hooks in me deep.”
“So do you,” April murmured.
Kip frowned. “You...?”
She nodded, looked at her hands as they wove their way to his. Gripping his fingers, she was overcome by the warmth in his skin. She touched his palm to her cheek, closing her eyes.
“Ah, I missed this,” she said.
Kip kissed her forehead.
“I love you,” she murmured.
He put his curved finger under her chin and tilted her face up. She kept her eyes closed.
“April...open your eyes.”
April shook her head.
“Fine.”
She felt his breath on her skin a moment before his lips touched hers. She hesitated, and then her mouth moved against his with a sudden ferocity. He wound his hand behind her head and held her close.
“I really love you,” April said, when their lips parted for a second.
Kip pulled away and looked into her eyes. “I...really...love you too. Forever.”
Kip was her missing piece, the key to open the lock to her soul, and with his lips on hers, April felt like she could do anything. Softly, lovingly, they kissed. They breathed their souls and their love into each other. That kiss; hard, but soft; fiery but cool; it lasted a second but to April it seemed to last forever.
A wave of total peace and serenity overwhelmed her. She let the feeling flow through her and she kissed him with everything she had, holding him like she never wanted to let go. She felt his hands grip her waist as he tried to pull her closer, kissing back fervently, passionately.
Together they lost track of time and space completely. In that moment, they knew each other undoubtedly, irrevocably joined as one, never to be separated. His lips spoke love, and hers spoke forever.
The following day, she had been outside once, when no-one was looking. She had to see if Chinook was okay. Finding him in his stall, he looked over at her, nickering. Her eyes had filled with tears and she swallowed the sob that rose in her throat. She stroked down his face and he nibbled her fingers, looking for treats. Kip found her.
“April…I thought I told you to stay inside.”
“You did, but I…”
“Get your ass back on that couch!”
She was then placed on the couch with her book and forbidden to move. Kip was feeding her continuous tea, trying to warm her up from the inside. The truth was, the only thing that seemed to help was when he sat beside her, and she was able to snuggle into his warmth. He was like her sun, heating her soul. April rested on the couch downstairs, in front of a roaring fireplace. She let her hand stroke the soft pages of her book, feeling the words transport her to another place entirely. She sighed.
That evening, April had drifted off in front of the fire. She was woken by Kip touching her leg, sitting on the coffee table opposite her.
“Hey, sleepyhead.” He smiled at her and she felt her heart flutter.
“Hi,” she murmured, stretching her arms. Her throat was already beginning to feel better, what with all the tea.
“How are you feeling?”
“Better than I was. I didn’t mean to doze off.”
“You obviously needed it. Are you warm?”
April nodded.
From behind his back, Kip produced a large box. It was wrapped in red and green and topped with a giant gold bow.
“What’s this?” April asked, taking it.
“It’s your Christmas present. Sorry, it’s a bit late.”
“Not your fault,” she murmured. Dropping her head, she lifted the lid and pulled out a large white blanket. The material was so soft. April wanted to curl up in it right then and there. Kip helped her unfold it and lay it over her legs. She ran her fingers over it and smoothed it along her body.
“It’s incredible,” she said.
Kip smiled. “I’m glad you like it. I guess it’s good that this was your present, all things considered.”
April nodded. Her smile faded. Kip was frowning. He looked worried.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
Kip looked at her. “I’m being silly. I’m just nervous...”
“Nervous about what?”
Looking down, Kip almost mumbled his words. “You love me, right?”
April leaned forward, trying to get him to look up. “Hey,” she said, taking his hands and holding them between her own. “Of course I love you.”
Kip breathed deeply twice and then looked up. His eyes were filled with an emotion April couldn’t decipher.
“Kip...what is it?”
He moved from the coffee table, gripping April’s hands. He dropped to his knee in front of her. April’s mouth dropped open.
“What are you doing?”
“Just...Let me do this.”
Kip closed his eyes for a moment and when he finally opened them, they were filled with deep love, and determination.
“April Cooper, I have loved you since the moment I laid eyes on you. You’ve been my best friend; my confidant; my entertainer; and the only person who has ever made me cry and laugh in the same breath. You’re one of a kind and I know that I will love you for the rest of my life.”
He opened a small, red box that he retrieved from his pocket. Inside, nestled in black satin was an old-fashioned diamond ring, the centre stone surrounded by a halo of smaller stones, all shining different colors in the dim light cast over them from the fireplace. April’s eyes filled with tears and she looked back at Kip.
“If you say yes, I promise to stand by you, through thick and thin, through good times, and bad times. I promise to spend the rest of my life making you laugh, protecting you, honoring you, and loving you with my entire heart. April, will you marry me?”
April nodded quickly. “Of course, I’ll marry you.”
Kip took out the ring. April watched the way the diamonds sent rainbows over the white blanket coiled around her waist. He slid it onto her finger, exhaling. It fit perfectly.
April grinned. She touched the ring gently, feeling as if she needed to make sure it was really there.
“It was my grandmother’s,” Kip said.
“It’s beautiful,” April murmured.
Kip leaned forward and kissed her gently on the lips. Someone knocked on the lodge door and the couple pulled apart.
Hailey stuck her head around the door. “Can we come in? We’re dying out here!”
Kip held out his hand, helping April stand. She smiled at him, feeling the love make her heart swell. She looked at Hailey still waiting patiently, not fully inside yet.
“Yes! Come in!”
Hailey burst through the door, followed closely by Adam and April’s mom and dad. They hugged the couple firmly one by one.
“I can’t believe you’re engaged! Finally!” Hailey cooed.
April’s mom was sobbing. “My little girl...” she cried as she wrapped her arms around April.
“Mom,” April laughed. “Calm down.”
April looked at her dad and Adam. “How did everyone know?” She glanced at Kip.
“Kip asked for my permission this morning,” her dad said. “I couldn’t keep it a secret for very long.” He wrapped April in a hard hug. “Congratulations, sweetheart.”
Kip touched April’s back and kissed her forehead. Hailey had a firm hold on April’s left hand, studying the ring with ferocious intensity.
At that moment, Caleb rushed in the door. “Hey! The mustang gave...What’s going on?”
“I asked April to marry me,” Kip said, grinning.
Caleb came forward, shaking Kip’s hand. “About time, don’t ya think?”
“That’s what I said!” Hailey exclaimed.
“What about the mustang?” April stepped forward, trying to capture Caleb’s attention.
“Oh!” Caleb smiled. “She had her baby. Little black stud-colt by the looks of it.”
April looked at Kip. “Can we...?”
Kip shook his head. “You know as well as I do...give her until the morning to get him dried off, then we can go see him.”
April was disappointed but she knew Kip was right. For now, she allowed herself to revel in the feeling of being newly engaged. For the remainder of the night, she touched the ring frequently. She shared secret glances with her fiancé, wondering if all true love felt this way, or if she was lucky. In the moment, she didn’t care either way; she simply relaxed into his firm, yet caring embrace, and let Kip kiss her into oblivion.
Epilogue
The colt was standing by his mother’s side. Willow was calmer now that she had given birth. She eyed April with caution and April didn’t go closer. She watched the foal with adoration. He was black, with a short, spiky mane and whip-like tail. He shook his head often, his inky coat shining in the wintery sunshine. April was worried he would be cold, but he was already plump and the sun would sink into his black hair, warming him up.
“Hey, buddy,” she murmured, holding her hand out over the fence and watching Willow give her a look. She chuckled. “Calm down, momma. I won’t take your baby.”
Sure-footed, with no fear, the foal stepped up to her hand, sniffing it twice. April turned her hand over to touch his silky nose and the colt’s ears flicked back, pinning against his neck for a moment. He turned around, kicking up his heels in a determined defiance.
April laughed.
“He’s a little fighter, eh?” Kip approached from behind, wrapping his arm around her waist and kissing her forehead.
“Yeah,” April said, nodding. “Have you named him yet?”
Kip raised his eyebrows in question.
“Come on,” April said, “I named Willow. It’s only fair.”
He looked at the colt, standing again by his mother’s side. His head was up, standing his ground against the humans, but knowing he had no strength without his mother behind him. He flicked his head, smacking himself with his oversized ears and scared himself.
Kip laughed. “How about Maverick?”
April nodded, looking up at him and squeezing his waist. “I love it.” She snuggled in tighter. “Just like I love you.”
Kip kissed her cheek. Leaning his forehead against hers, he said, “I love you more.”
She shook her head. “Not possible.”
“Yes, possible.”
They watched the foal begin to suckle and April sighed. This was her rightful place. This was where she felt safe, and loved.
She had finally found her home.
Blazing the Trail (Sunshine & Shadow Book 5) Page 6