What Hope Remembers

by Johnnie Alexander

  Why give her a chance to say no?

  “Why indeed?” he murmured. He’d surprise her. If she wasn’t home, no harm done. But if she was . . . this could be a pivotal evening for both of them.

  Whistling softly to himself, he opened an app for nearby restaurants and found an Italian place around the corner. As good a choice as any, he decided as he walked along the block.

  As he turned the corner, he suddenly stopped and stepped into a nearby doorway. Amy, sophisticated and beautiful in jeans and turquoise heels, stood outside the restaurant. Kendall joined her carrying a to-go bag. They laughed about something, then Amy took Kendall’s arm. He bent his head close to hers and she leaned into his shoulder.

  A smoldering fire burned in Logan’s gut as the couple strolled along the sidewalk away from him, pausing occasionally to window-shop. As they stopped beside a Dodge Ram pickup, Kendall placed the bag inside, then turned to assist Amy. Before she climbed in, her eyes focused on his.

  At this distance, Logan couldn’t be sure of Amy’s expression. But given Kendall’s relaxed stance and the smile that cut across his bristled face, Logan guessed her look was one few men could resist.

  The fire in his gut erupted, and he rushed to his car. Once inside, he took a few deep breaths to compose himself, then gave in to anger again as the pickup turned on to the street and headed away from him. Without thinking, he followed it out of town. He expected Kendall to turn in to Amy’s drive, but instead the Dodge passed the hedges and turned in at the Whispering Lane driveway.

  Logan drove farther up the road, made a U-turn, and parked on the shoulder. Not that it did him any good. He couldn’t see inside the house, couldn’t listen in on their conversation. He couldn’t do anything but fume while Kendall—the good-for-nothing felon—romanced his girl.

  Kendall needed to go.

  Logan got Dylan on the phone as he drove to Columbus. “It’s time to send another offer to Tess Marshall,” he said.

  “How much higher?”

  “Not higher. Lower.”

  “Where’s the sense in that?”

  “Trust me. She knows your first offer was generous. If this one’s lower, she’ll get nervous. Afraid that if she doesn’t sell now, she’ll regret it later.”

  “You really think that will work?” Dylan asked.

  “I do.” Especially once Logan implemented his second plan. Tess’s financial worries were about to take a backseat to much more pressing concerns. And she’d want all the money she could get to help her nephew.

  While Gabe and Flint changed the locks on the front door, Tess retrieved her china dessert plates from the dining room hutch and set them on the table. “This was so sweet of you, Amy,” she said. “Bringing us this lovely dessert platter.”

  “I hoped it would cheer you up. Gabe told me about Knight Starr. Is he doing any better?”

  Tess eyed her sharply, but there didn’t seem to be any deceit in Amy’s words or her tone.

  “Not really,” Tess said. “Flint and I will go back to the barn after we eat.”

  She wanted to ask about Amy’s eating issues, but she didn’t like to pry. At least now she knew to pray for her health. And for more than that. Gabe seemed so taken with her, and as much as he denied wanting a relationship with Amy, this young woman held his heart. She always had.

  If he was ever going to be happy with Ellen or anyone else, he needed to get Amy out of his system. The more time he spent with her, the sooner he would see she wasn’t the girl he dreamed of.

  I’m sorry, Father, she prayed. Her thoughts weren’t kind, but she didn’t wish Amy ill. In fact, she hoped Amy could find the spiritual peace Brett and AJ had found.

  But she wasn’t right for Gabe, and his welfare was foremost in Tess’s mind.

  “Before they come in,” Amy said, “could I ask you something?”

  “Sure. What is it?”

  Amy gripped the back of one of the dining room chairs as if her life depended on it.

  “Is something wrong?” Tess asked.

  “Not really.” Amy’s face paled, then the words spilled out. “I was wondering if you’d give me riding lessons. I’d pay you, of course.”

  “You want to take riding lessons? After all this time?”

  “Gabe has asked me to ride with him, but it’s been a long time since I’ve been on a horse.” The appeal for help in Amy’s eyes caught Tess off guard.

  “I don’t want to make a fool of myself,” Amy continued. “As much as I hate to admit it, I’m scared.”

  “Why don’t you ask Gabe to—”

  “I don’t want him to know. Maybe,” she said, her expression now guarded but hopeful, “I could come over while he’s out plowing.”

  Tess hid a smile. “I think they’re harvesting.”

  “Whatever. Will you, would you mind, helping me feel comfortable in a saddle again?”

  Tess laid a cloth napkin at each place on the table while she thought about Amy’s request. This wasn’t how she wanted God to answer her prayer. Amy and Gabe riding together would draw them closer. But how could she refuse Amy’s pleading hopefulness?

  “On one condition,” she said.

  “Name it.”

  “Tell me why you quit.”

  Amy’s face clouded over. “It’s hard to explain.”

  “Try,” Tess said gently.

  Amy slipped a strand of hair between her fingers, a habit Tess remembered from when she was a girl. Strange how one gesture transformed Tess’s impression of Amy from a self-centered snob to the young teen who only wanted a horse of her own. Who now wanted to ride again.

  “After Dad died,” Amy said, “I just couldn’t be here anymore. When I was little, Mom wanted me to take piano and singing lessons. But I wanted to ride more than anything else. Dad insisted on letting me choose, and this became our thing. Without him . . . it just hurt too much.”

  “But now you think you’re ready?”

  “Earlier tonight, I realized Dad wouldn’t have wanted me to give up something I loved because he couldn’t be with me. And I very much want to ride with Gabe.” A slight dimple appeared in her cheek as she smiled. “I have a surprise for him.”

  “What kind of surprise?”

  Amy averted her gaze, and her cheeks turned slightly pink. Apparently she wasn’t going to tell Tess everything she had planned.

  “Nothing indecent, I hope.”

  “No.” She appeared appropriately shocked. “No, nothing like that.”

  “Okay, then. Why don’t you come over in the morning and we’ll get started?”

  Amy rounded the table and embraced Tess. Surprised by the spontaneous hug, she stiffened a moment, then relaxed and patted Amy’s shoulder.

  “Thank you,” Amy said. “I am so excited, I’ll never sleep tonight.”

  Masculine voices sounded in the hall and Amy placed her finger against her lips. “Our secret.”

  “I won’t tell,” Tess said with a smile. She wouldn’t revise her opinion about Amy based on one conversation, but she hoped she was fair-minded enough to give the girl a chance.

  As long as Gabe didn’t get hurt.

  Because if he did, Amy would have to answer to Tess.

  31

  About midmorning on Monday, FedEx delivered an envelope to Tess from Dylan Tapley. She carried it, unopened, to the front porch of the house. Gabe was working with Jason today, putting in long hours harvesting wheat. She doubted Gabe would drop by, but one could never be certain. She didn’t want to be surprised if he decided to come by the house while on a quick trip to Bryant’s, a small market halfway between here and town, for drinks and snacks. Despite what she had said about him having a right to know everything having to do with the stables, she hadn’t been totally forthcoming with the shameful financial losses she’d suffered over the past few years.

  Pride had taken her down that road, and in recent months she had swallowed huge helpings of the nasty dish.

  Money hadn’t been Tess’s moti
ve for agreeing to Amy’s request for riding lessons, but the extra cash would be a godsend. Jonah and the Sullivan girls had loved riding on Abner the evening Gabe took the stagecoach over to Misty Willow. Maybe Amy would bring them for lessons too. This could be just the boost Tess needed to revive the stables.

  She closed her eyes and allowed the indulgence of her daydream to refresh her spirit. If Jonah did well at his lessons, Brett could easily be persuaded to buy his son a horse, which he would naturally board at Whisper Lane. AJ and Shelby might do the same for their girls. Two boarders would lead to more, and Tess’s days would be filled once again with the work she loved most.

  A honk stirred her from her dreams, and she automatically waved at the neighbor driving by.

  Lost in her hopes, she’d almost forgotten about the envelope. Despite Tapley’s behavior during his earlier visit, she guessed he was renewing his offer. Letting go of her pie-in-the-sky daydreams, she turned her thoughts to the present. Hopefully Tapley’s new offer would be a generous one.

  As hard as it would be to sell this place, she didn’t have a choice. Not really. Tapley had already offered more than the appraised value, so she was certain no one else would match his price. She might not like the man, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t take his money.

  Perhaps she could find a small house in town. Gabe could live with her while he figured out what to do with his life. It wouldn’t be what either of them wanted, but it would be a fresh start for them both.

  She slid the documents from the envelope and skimmed the first page. Tapley still wanted the stables—she’d been right about that—but his offer was less than it had been before. Starting at the beginning, she read the page more carefully while her throat tightened in an odd sensation of embarrassment and hopelessness.

  By the time she reached the end, her heart was palpitating. How could this be? Why would he think she’d say yes to this new offer when she’d refused a higher one?

  “He’s punishing me,” she said aloud. Most likely for telling him no, since he was obviously a man who didn’t like to be thwarted. Or perhaps it was because Gabe dropped the cigar stub in his driver’s lap. He shouldn’t have done it, though they’d both laughed about it later that evening. Still, it had been an insult. And one thing you could say about a man who didn’t like to be thwarted—he despised being insulted.

  Whatever the reason, now Tess would pay the price, losing out on tens of thousands of dollars because she’d allowed sentiment and pipe dreams to cloud her judgment. As much as she hated the idea, she knew what she had to do. The time had come to let go of the past and figure out a new future.

  She’d counter with the amount Tapley had originally proposed, then see how the negotiations played out. But she wouldn’t tell Gabe until the price was settled. Then it would be too late for him to talk her out of the deal.

  This was the best thing for both of them. He might not see it now, but in time he would. Her mind made up, she returned the documents to the envelope and locked it in her safe. As she set the dial to one, her hand froze. She gazed from the safe to her computer.

  If Tapley was behind the break-in, then the information on her Excel worksheet had told him all he needed to know about her financial situation. How desperate she was despite her bravado. He only needed to wait. She’d either sell to him or lose everything in foreclosure.

  She slid to the floor and laid her head upon her knees. Her heart pounded an unsteady rhythm, and for a moment she couldn’t catch her breath.

  “I failed you, Rusty,” she murmured. She yearned to feel her husband’s work-hardened arms around her, to hear him whisper words of comfort. “I failed us all.”

  Amy stroked Daisy’s long nose and held out a handful of treats. Now that she was here, the long-forsaken scents of horse, leather, and saddle soap returned her to summer days of riding around this paddock on Marigold, Daisy’s mother. Perhaps it would be like riding a bike. They said you never forgot how. Still, Amy was nervous as she stood beside the buckskin mare.

  “I remember your mama,” she murmured as Daisy snuffed her, testing her scent and confidence. “We used to ride all over this farm. You and I can do the same in a week or two. If we get along okay. And I think we will.”

  Daisy nodded as if she agreed, and Amy laughed.

  Tess went over a few basics, and Amy felt her confidence soar. She could do this. The saddle creaked as she mounted, then pressed the balls of her feet against the stirrups. Her thigh muscles ached slightly as she touched Daisy’s side with her heels. The mare quickly settled into a steady walk around the training arena.

  “Heels down, keep them back,” Tess called. “Now relax your shoulders. Give through your elbows.”

  Amy paid close attention to Tess’s infrequent instructions as she maneuvered Daisy around various obstacles and over low jumps.

  “I’m not sure why you thought you needed lessons,” Tess said when Amy dismounted. “You’re still a natural. How did it feel?”

  “Like . . .” Amy paused a moment. “Coming home.”

  “I understand that.” Tess averted her gaze, staring out over the land. “This isn’t much of a place, really. But I sure do love it.”

  The tone in her voice caught Amy’s attention. Maybe she should have said something before now. What would Tess, or even worse, what would Gabe say, if they knew she knew someone wanted to buy this property?

  But what good would it have done? Dylan needed to find other land, that was all there was to it. Tess’s acreage wasn’t enough for what he had planned, and nothing he could do would persuade AJ to sell the cottage property. She just needed to come up with a way for Logan to direct Dylan into a different project. Maybe Brett would have a couple of ideas.

  “Do you think Gabe will stay?” Amy asked, surprising herself with the question. It was one she often pondered, but she hadn’t meant to ask.

  “I’d like him to. And he knows he can as long as . . .” Tess set her jaw and avoided Amy’s gaze.

  “As long as what?”

  “Nothing to bother you with.”

  Amy’s senses went on full alert. Dylan must have already approached Tess. But surely she wasn’t considering his offer. “Tess, please, tell me what’s wrong. I might be able to help.”

  “I don’t think so.”

  “You don’t think much of me. Do you?”

  Tess pressed her lips together but didn’t answer. Amy inwardly sighed. She knew better than to ask a question when she didn’t want to know the answer. But Tess’s feelings about her weren’t an issue she wanted to pursue right now. It was more important to find out if Dylan had contacted her. Puzzle pieces clicked in her brain, presenting a despicable but plausible picture.

  “Gabe told me about the break-in. Do you have any idea who it was?”

  “No. Maybe. I don’t know.” Tess scratched Daisy’s ear, then rubbed her neck. “Let’s head back to the barn. You remember the rule. You ride, you groom. Besides, I need to check on Knight Starr.”

  “How is he?”

  “Back on his feet, thanks to the transfusion Flint gave him over the weekend.”

  “I’m glad.”

  “Me too.”

  Amy led Daisy across the lane toward the stable entry. She meant what she said about Knight Starr, but Tess couldn’t distract Amy by talking about the horse. Obviously Tess wasn’t going to voluntarily admit to anything. Amy might as well take the direct approach.

  “May I ask you something?”

  “Of course. But I reserve the right not to answer.”

  “Fair enough.” Amy halted by the gate and faced Tess. “Do you know a man named Dylan Tapley?”

  Tess’s surprised reaction gave Amy the answer she needed.

  “He’s offered to buy Whisper Lane. Hasn’t he?”

  “Did Gabe tell you?”

  “No. Logan Cassidy did.”

  “That young man you were with at the bridge?”

  Amy nodded. “Please tell me you aren’t going
to sell this place to Dylan. He’ll only ruin it.”

  “It’s not that I want to.” Tess leaned an arm against the top rail of the fence. “But unless I can figure out a way for it to make money again, I don’t have a choice.”

  “But you can’t sell to Dylan. He’ll destroy everything that’s important to you.” And to me.

  “How do you know Tapley?”

  “He was my client once.” Amy took a deep breath. “He considered buying Misty Willow.”

  “Is that when you sued AJ?”

  “Yes.” Amy sighed in frustration. That lawsuit was like an albatross around her neck, and everyone seemed to know about it. “If I could take that back . . .”

  Tess gave her a sympathetic look. “I’d say in that case everything worked out for the best.”

  “At least AJ and Shelby are happy,” Amy spouted, then held her gaze steady. Tess wasn’t going to distract her with any rabbit trails. “Tell me about your conversations with Dylan.”

  “He made an offer,” Tess said. “I was seriously considering it but then Gabe contacted me about coming here after his release. So I didn’t give Tapley an answer until he showed up a few weeks ago. Gabe didn’t like his attitude and he sent him away.”

  “I wish I could have seen that.”

  “Tell you the truth, it was funny.”

  “I’m so glad you’re not selling,” Amy said as relief eased the tension that had been building inside her. “Without Whisper Lane, there’s no need for him to go after the cottage.”

  “Wait a minute,” Tess said. “Tapley wants the cottage? Why?”

  “Not just the cottage. He wants all the land Gran owned plus any of the Misty Willow acres that aren’t protected by the foundation.”

  “How do you know this?”

  “Logan told me the entire plan. It’s ridiculous, of course, but Dylan’s stubborn. And vindictive.”