“We’re not doing that. I’m the one in charge of assigning mounts and I want you on Jake. You’re used to him and he’s the tallest horse of the three. You look damned good up there.”
He laughed. “Thanks.”
“My evil twin self was dying to put Wes on Eeyore, but I told her that would be unnecessarily mean.”
“Yeah, it would. Besides, Wes would know exactly what you were up to if you assigned him Eeyore.”
“He’s a wonderful horse. He looks old and decrepit, but he can move when he wants to.”
“I’m glad you listened to your better self and gave him Winston.”
“Most riders love Winston’s showy coat.” She patted the Paint’s caramel and white rump. “Right, boy?”
The horse whinnied a reply. That horse loved to carry on a conversation. Michael wouldn’t have minded taking Winston, or Strawberry, the roan Kendra had chosen for Roxanne. He was fond of them all.
But Kendra was the boss of this outfit. If she thought he’d cut a better figure on Jake, who was he to argue? She was clearly on his side, and that cheered him. The image of Wes on Eeyore, a floppy-eared, sway-backed grey horse with attitude, made him chuckle.
He finished brushing Jake and went over to the grooming tote to fetch a rag to wipe the dust away. He glanced in Kendra’s direction. “I hope you know that even on Jake, I won’t look like a seasoned cowboy.”
She paused to gaze at him. “Just don’t try to get fancy and you’ll be fine. I’d come with you, except I don’t like how that would appear, either. As if you needed your teacher or you might fall off.”
“You’ve put a lot of thought into this, haven’t you?”
“Yeah, like you haven’t.”
“I’m not worried about the riding part. I’m not in his league and I know it. But he has a lot of influence over Roxanne. His opinion will color how she feels about me.”
“It might. All you can do is be yourself and hope for the best.”
Thanks. I’ll remember that.”
Chapter Eighteen
Under an overcast sky, Roxanne guided Strawberry along a slushy trail through a wide meadow. How appropriate that Michael was in the lead and Wes brought up the rear. She was caught between them physically as well as mentally.
But it was good to be on a horse again, despite the chilly breeze and the undercurrents of tension between Michael and her brother. Riding behind Michael was a treat, too. He looked terrific on that big bay.
Considering that he’d been riding for less than a year, he had a good seat. They were moving along at a slow trot and Michael was in perfect sync with the rhythm of his horse.
Jake’s Tennessee Walker gait helped, but Kendra must be a talented teacher. Roxanne had been so distracted watching Michael interact with the horses that she’d forgotten to give Kendra greetings from her dad. She’d do it when they got back.
In the meantime, she’d enjoy the crisp, pine-scented air, the snow-capped mountains and the stimulating view of Michael in cowboy mode. He had the makings of a fine horseman. His behavior around the big animals was relaxed and gentle. Lots of affection shown.
If Wes had noticed, then Michael would have passed that test. Passing tests didn’t matter anymore, though. Her brother had made his initial evaluation during their evening at the GG. He was worried Michael wasn’t the right guy for her.
His rationale made sense. She’d told herself the same things. But riding behind him through the snowy landscape, gazing at his broad back and wide shoulders, she longed to be snuggled in his strong arms. He might not be a safe bet in the long run, but when he held her close, all her doubts melted in the heat of his loving.
“Hey, sis.”
She turned in the saddle to glance back at Wes. “What?”
“Ask Murphy if we can take the fork to the right that goes into the trees. Then we can ditch the wind and it should be a little warmer.”
“Sure thing.” She relayed the message, got an answer and turned back to Wes. “He says that’s a good idea.” She smiled at him. “Handsome horse you have there.”
“Winston’s a hoot. Kendra filled me in on his conversational abilities. We’ve been having a talk, Winston and I.”
“About what?”
“Oh, you know, our hopes for world peace, what’s the meaning of life, stuff like that.”
“If you get any definitive answers on those topics, do let me know, okay?”
“I will.”
She faced forward again. Having him here for a couple of days had reminded her of how much fun they used to have together. They hadn’t talked about his job search, but she hoped he’d get something within driving distance.
Michael took the right fork as Wes had requested and soon they were surrounded by fragrant pines. He slowed to a walk and let Jake navigate the path, which was crisscrossed by tree roots.
Roxanne took a deep breath of pine-scented air. “Smells wonderful, Michael.”
He swiveled in the saddle to glance at her. “Glad you like it. How are you and Strawberry getting along?”
“Like old friends. He’s a sweetie. I’d love to do this again sometime if you’d be interested.”
“I absolutely would. The more I ride, the more I enjoy it. I spend a lot of time indoors. Riding is the perfect break.”
“I’m with you.”
“Then we’ll plan on it.” He flashed her a quick smile before turning around.
Just as Wes had hoped, the tall pines served as a windbreak. High over her head where the branches thinned, the wind sighed through the trees but she couldn’t feel it down here. Cozy.
“Hey, sis, remember that stand of pines we used to pretend was primitive wilderness?”
She turned back toward him. “Sure do.”
“This reminds me of it.”
“You’re right. It is something like it. My most vivid memory is when we’d make a fire and roast hot dogs.”
“Mine, too. I don’t eat hot dogs much anymore, but every time I do, I think of those little campfires we made.”
“So do I.” She gave him a smile and faced forward again. “Maybe we should plan a camping trip this spring.”
“I’m game.”
“Then let’s do it. I—” Something white and furry darted from the brush to the right of the trail. Strawberry crow-hopped to avoid it and slammed Roxanne’s left knee against a tree trunk. She gasped at the intense flare of pain.
Michael twisted in the saddle. “You okay?”
“Yikes, sis!” Wes came up beside her. “That didn’t sound good.”
“What happened?” Michael edged Jake around.
“Rabbit,” Wes said. “Startled her horse. Jammed her up against that tree.”
She drew in slow, steady breaths and prayed her knee would stop throbbing. “Snowshoe…hare.”
“Damn.” Michael coaxed Jake a little closer. “What can I do?”
“I don’t—”
“Okay, sis.” Wes adopted his professional vet tone. “Try easing your foot out of the stirrup, see if you can move your knee.”
She winced as she slid her foot carefully out of the wooden stirrup. “It hurts.” She swallowed. “But I don’t think…anything’s broken.”
“You’d know if it was.”
“Hang on.” She cautiously bent and flexed her leg. “I’ll be okay in a minute.”
“Nope,” Michael said. “We’re heading back.”
She evaluated the determined set of his jaw. “We can keep going. Just give me—”
“No, ma’am.” He shook his head. “We’re taking you back to Kendra. She can ice it.”
“I don’t need—”
“He’s got the right idea, sis. You don’t want your knee to swell so you can’t walk.”
“Are you two ganging up on me?” What a concept.
“Looks like it.” Michael glanced at Wes. “You lead. I’ll follow behind her.”
“Sounds good.” Wes neck-reined Winston in a tight circle and moved
a few feet down the trail.
With a resigned sigh, she repositioned her foot in the stirrup and turned Strawberry. Pain jabbed her knee every time she moved and going back was the sensible thing to do. But she was disappointed.
On the other hand, her injury had unified Michael and Wes in their determination to help her. If they bonded a little as a result, the pain was worth it.
Soon after they got started, Michael called Kendra so she’d be alerted to the situation.
“Tell her I’m fine!” Shifting to look behind her hurt like hell, so she was forced to shout at him.
“She heard you.” Michael’s deep voice carried up to her, no problem. “And she knows you’re fine. But she’ll have an ice pack ready, anyway.”
An ice pack sounded better and better as they trudged along. At a slow walk, the ride back took forever. Michael and Wes kept asking her how she was doing, which was a sweet gesture.
Kendra was waiting on the porch when they rode in. She hurried down and supervised while the two guys helped Roxanne slide off the saddle. Clearly they were trying not to hurt her and she thanked them for that.
Once she was on the ground balancing on one leg, Michael gently scooped her into his arms and carried her up the porch steps and into the house. Wes followed close behind.
“Just put her on the couch,” Kendra said.
“Wes, would you pull off my boots, first? I don’t want to get the couch dirty.”
“I’m on it.” He eased them off while Michael held her steady.
As Michael laid her on the couch, Roxanne gazed up at him. “Thank you.” She turned her head. “And you, too, Wes. Coming back was the right decision.”
“Definitely.” Kendra smiled at them. “I’ll take it from here if you’ll go unsaddle the horses.”
“You bet.” Michael touched the brim of his hat.
“See you in a bit, sis.” Wes followed Michael out the door.
After the guys left, Kendra gently helped her out of her jeans and encouraged as much swearing as necessary during the process. Kendra had a colorful vocabulary and they both ended up laughing. Roxanne began to understand why everyone idolized her.
“I try not to swear like that in front of my boys.” She folded the jeans and laid them on the coffee table. “But it sure helped ease the pain when I broke my leg.”
“I haven’t heard that story.”
“It’s old news.” Kendra propped her up with a couple of throw pillows behind her back and one under her knees before examining her bruise. “Ice and elevation should do the trick. I’ll put on a little arnica, too, and give you a couple of aspirin. The longer you can relax on the couch, the better. You and Wes can stay for lunch.”
“That’s too much to ask.”
“Not at all. I’ll also loan you some sweat pants. They’ll be too short, but they’ll cover the subject until you get home. I’ll be right back.”
Roxanne checked out the damage. The area that had connected with the tree was turning purple and starting to swell. She wouldn’t be dancing anytime soon.
Kendra returned with her hands full. She squeezed out some arnica ointment from a tube and gently smoothed it over the bruise. “I know this hurts a little but the stuff’s good for bruising. Do you have any?”
“No.”
“Then take this with you. Put it on several times a day. It’ll help.” She wrapped the ice pack in a tea towel and secured it to Roxanne’s knee with another one. Then she covered Roxanne’s legs with the afghan. “Just stay like this for a while. I’ll get you some water for the aspirin.”
“Thanks. I’m feeling better already.”
“It won’t heal overnight, but in a couple of days you should be in decent shape. Can I get you anything besides a glass of water? Tea or coffee? A book to read?”
“Is the coffee made?”
“It can be. I wouldn’t mind a cup. I’ll join you. How do you take it?”
“Black, thanks.” She settled back against the pillows and savored being pampered a little.
She was hardly ever sick, let alone laid up with an injury. Whenever it had happened while she’d lived at home, her dad and brothers had done their best to care for her. But it had never been quite so…motherly.
Kendra hummed an eighties tune while she put the coffee on. “I have brownies,” she called from the kitchen. “Want one?”
“Thank you! Sounds delicious.”
“I wasn’t sure if you were sick of goodies since you live above a bakery.”
“I pace myself.” Oh, right. She needed to relay her dad’s message.
“It’s a good thing I don’t live over a bakery.” Kendra brought in a glass of water along with a plate of brownies. She handed Roxanne the water and put the brownies on the coffee table. “I’d be big as a house.”
“Somehow I doubt that. By the way, I talked to my dad this morning and he asked me to tell you hello.”
“Oh, yeah? How’s he doing?” Her cheeks turned a soft pink and her eyes seemed a shade bluer.
Interesting reaction. “He’s fine. He raved about the cherry pie he bought while he was here.”
“I’m not surprised. Glad he liked it.” She stood there a minute, her gaze unfocused, a faint smile on her lips. Then she took a quick breath. “I’ll get the coffee.” When she was back in the kitchen, she started humming another eighties tune, but this one had a livelier beat.
Well, now. What a fascinating development.
Chapter Nineteen
Michael knew the barn setup, so he ended up being in charge when he and Wes unsaddled and groomed the horses.
“That Winston’s a character,” Wes said as they turned the horses out into the pasture. He leaned against the rail and watched the Paint interact with the rest of the herd. “I’m glad Kendra put me up on him.”
“He’s a fun horse.”
“He’s in great shape, too. All the animals look healthy and happy. I can’t believe Kendra handles it all by herself.”
“Not by a long shot. I guess everyone’s off doing stuff, but she employs two of her sons and a future daughter-in-law, whose dad also works here.”
“A family operation, then.”
“Definitely.”
“I think my dad might have had dreams of that, but only my brother Pete stuck around.” He gazed into the distance and heaved a sigh. “I could kick myself from here to next week for suggesting we ride through the trees. If we’d stayed in the open, Roxanne wouldn’t be hurt.”
Michael glanced at Wes’s tense profile. Poor guy. Must be a burden to carry that kind of responsibility for another human being. “Not your fault, dude.”
“I’m the one who asked to go that way.”
“And I was happy to oblige. Got us out of the wind. Kendra and I have ridden through there plenty of times and never had that happen. You can’t blame yourself for a chance encounter with a rabbit.”
“Guess not.” But he didn’t sound convinced. He looked over at Michael. “At least after watching how you handled that episode, I know you genuinely care about her.”
“Relieved to hear it.”
“I knew from the beginning that Phil didn’t give a damn about her welfare, but she seemed so happy that I didn’t say anything. I’ve regretted that ever since.”
“And you’re sure as hell not going to make that mistake this time?”
“Nope.” Wes gazed at him with those eyes that were so like Roxanne’s, only not. “Like I told her, you wouldn’t intend to hurt her, but I can see the potential. Your style and hers are so different.”
“I respectfully disagree with that statement.” Michael tamped down the anger that flared up. “You don’t know me well enough to say that.”
“You’re not hard to get to know. Some people disguise their true nature, but yours is right out there, front and center.”
“I like to think so.”
“It’s a good trait. If you weren’t interested in my sister, we could probably be friends.”
&
nbsp; “Well, I am interested in her and she’s interested in me. If that precludes friendship between you and me, so be it.” Yeah, he was getting pissed. Not good.
“She is interested, but I don’t see how it can—”
“Too bad. I do. And if I have enough time and a dose of good luck, she’ll see it, too.”
“You’re missing my point. Roxanne builds a bridge before crossing the ravine. You leap and build the bridge on the way down.”
“She might be more like me than you think.”
His eyes narrowed. “You may think that because she jumped into this relationship, but that was—”
“You betcha she did and it was the right move. I’ve got another saying for you. Leap and the net will appear.”
“That’s crap. Leap and get smashed on the rocks below.”
“Not if you trust your instincts. And she does. It’s why she’s succeeded in a highly competitive creative field.”
“Come on, Murphy. She’s well educated and she researched the hell out of that field. It’s called knowledge and training.”
“And instinct. She—”
“You just want to believe that because it serves your purposes.”
“It serves hers, damn it! If it works for her professionally, why not personally?”
“It didn’t work two years ago with Phil.”
“So what? People make mistakes.”
“And I’m worried that she might be headed for another one.”
Michael scrubbed a hand over his face. “This is getting us nowhere and I have to head out. If you’ll excuse me, I need to go inside and tell them I’m—”
“Look, you laid it out for me that first night, plain as day. You thrive on challenges.”
“Yeah, okay.”
“Roxanne’s had a bad experience and she’s afraid she’ll repeat that pattern.”
“That’s pretty clear.“
“And it makes her a hell of a challenge for you.”
Michael stared at him. “Oh, for God’s sake! That’s not why—”
“Isn’t it? If the day comes when she decides you’re the one and she’s no longer a challenge…what happens then?”
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