Sanctuary (Murrells Inlet Miracles Book 1)

by Larsen, Laurie

  He waved and put an index finger to his hat bill in a little salute. Then he covered the distance to his truck and swung up into the cab in a graceful poetry of motion.

  “That man is one tall drink of water, as they say,” Patty murmured. They both stood in silence, watching his truck pull out of view.

  Then Nora turned on her. “I can’t believe you invited him over for lunch!”

  Patty shrugged. “You’re the one who asked him to come and chat for a while. Everything goes better with food on the table. I’m just being hospitable.”

  Nora thought of her freezer back home filled with Lean Cuisines. “What are you going to make?” she asked, emphasizing the ‘you’.

  Patty laughed. “Don’t worry, big sis. We’ll whip up something good. Besides, the way to a man’s heart -- ”

  “Don’t. Don’t say it.”

  “What? Didn’t you notice what a hunk he is? And did you notice his left hand and the absence of a wedding ring?”

  “Doesn’t mean he’s not married. Maybe he doesn’t wear jewelry when he’s working.”

  Patty gave her that one. “Okay, but if he were married, he wouldn’t have accepted my invitation for lunch, and he definitely wouldn’t have offered to bring something for the meal. I think he’s single.”

  Nora raised her eyebrows. “So, what if he is? What’s your point?”

  Patty rolled her eyes. “My point is … he’s single and gorgeous. You’re single and … in need of someone to loosen you up. With my help, we’ll get you ready for a lunch date with the best looking cowboy in Murrells Inlet.”

  “It’s not a date!”

  “Okay, whatever you say, sis.”

  “It’s just … a history lesson. A conversation; an interview, if you will.”

  Patty laughed. “An interview, is that what we’re calling it?” She tugged on Nora’s sleeve. “Come on, we’ve got to make a grocery list.”

  The next morning, Patty asked Nora for her credit card, tucked it into her purse, and took her long handwritten list, the rental car and left.

  Nora stretched, showered and dressed and went to the tiny kitchen. Rummaging around, she found it mostly empty except for the bag of ground coffee and a dozen donuts that they’d picked up the night before. She shrugged, stuck a donut in her mouth and started the coffee brewing.

  Later, she took a steaming mug to the stall to check on Thunder. He stood in the center, back to the door. She filled a scoop of oats and tipped it into his feed bin. At the sound, he turned. “Hi Thunder. Hi, big boy. How are you doing this morning?”

  He buried his nose in the oats and started munching. She reached two fingers between the stall bars and stroked his nose while he ate. In the quiet, her mind went back to her childhood when she was right here, her feet possibly in the same spot, her heart alive and thrilled with the prospect of spending the summer with the horses. Like most pre-teen girls, she’d gone through a horse-crazy phase where all she thought and talked about were horses. She was lucky enough to have an aunt who could feed her obsession. Then she’d go home and brag to all her girlfriends about how she got to walk and groom and feed and best of all, ride the horses all summer.

  She was the center of their adoration; well-meaning jealousy landed squarely on her back. Boy, that was nice.

  But her horse phase drifted away as she got older. When she was mid-way through high school, she’d much rather spend her summers at a beach than a smelly barn. And by the time she was in college, she was much too mature and grownup to mess with horses anymore. She had more important things to do. Books to read, papers to write, tests to study for, a 4.0 Grade Point Average to sustain. She needed to fulfill the high expectations she’d set for herself.

  Looking around the barn, her mind turned to Aunt Edie. Her aunt had never lost her fondness of horses. In fact, it appeared that instead of withering away as she got older, it grew. And grew. Look at this place. Aunt Edie had modernized the barn, and forged a business out of catering to other horse lovers, a place to board their horses, a place to learn how to ride them.

  Nora’s life had moved on in a different direction. But now, destiny brought her back. Could she uncover that equine excitement again? Could she regain her love for this type of life?

  Thunder finished his breakfast. “Do you want to spring out of the stall for a bit? Go outside and enjoy this beautiful South Carolina sunshine?” She slid open the door and stepped in. Stroking his face down to his nose, she gripped his halter and led him out of the stall. He was calm and comfortable, even without a lead rope. They strolled out of the barn, across the paddock and approached the fenced-in pasture filled with waving green grass. She released his halter, and was relieved to see he just stood there. She opened the gate to the pasture and stood aside for him to pass by her.

  He knew what she wanted, and he cooperated. She closed the gate after him and climbed up on the fence to lean with her elbow, her chin resting on her hand to watch him. First, he lifted his nose and sniffed, catching a whiff of the breeze. Then he lowered his head to the ground, nibbled off a few strands of lush grass and then, as if he couldn’t resist anymore, he turned and trotted away from her.

  Contentment, in animal form.

  As she stood and watched him, she realized that she could learn a lesson in life from this beautiful, majestic animal. He knew where he was happiest, where he was most at home. And so, when he found himself away from there … when he found that his life’s circumstances were making him adjust to something other than what he wanted … he took charge of his own destiny. He found his true place in life, and took it upon himself to get there, despite the contrary wishes of those in control.

  She sighed. Maybe she was getting ahead of herself, putting too much credence on the simple actions of a horse. Because he belonged to people who just wanted him with them. They wanted to offer him a happy home. And here, where he evidently wanted to be, the person who he really loved, was gone.

  Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of her sister’s car pulling up to the barn. She took one last look at Thunder, turned and walked to the car.

  A few hours later, Nora stood in the tiny apartment dining area, watching the amazing progress of her sister, feeling completely inept.

  “Out of my way, Nora,” said Patty as she laid out an impressive spread of homemade chicken salad, egg salad and cold cuts, cheese, pickle and tomato slices, a platter of croissants, rolls and bread, a spicy cold tortellini salad, fresh cut fruit and coleslaw.

  “When did you …?” Nora murmured, flabbergasted.

  “Don’t say I never did anything for you,” Patty said as she bustled back to the galley kitchen to retrieve a big pitcher of sweet tea, and another of lemonade, sliced lemons floating amidst the large ice cubes.

  “No, I won’t.” Her stomach let out a loud growl and they both looked at each other and laughed. “Seriously Patty, this could be a spread in Better Homes and Gardens.”

  Patty stilled for a second, squinting her eyes as she studied the table, then headed back to the kitchen, pulled out four large serving spoons and headed back to place them.

  Nora scoffed. “Why do I get the distinct impression that you’re trying to set me up with Shaw?”

  “Because. He’s perfect for you.”

  “How can you possibly say that? You’ve spent no more than five minutes in conversation with the man.”

  Patty wiped a wrinkle off the tablecloth and sighed. “It’s ready.”

  “Answer me, Patty. What has gotten into you? I’ve been single my entire life and you’ve never shown an ounce of interest in getting me paired up with anyone.”

  “Well,” she replied, “other than Johnny Winter in the eighth grade.”

  “And that was because you had a crush on Johnny’s little brother. You thought it would give you an in.”

  Patty laughed, then turned to Nora. “Okay, you’re right. I have a vision in my head. And that vision has you leaving the law firm in Philadelphia and moving to Mu
rrells Inlet to renovate and run this place. This is your next chapter, Nora. And it’d be awful lonely doing this all by yourself. Shaw showed up just at the right time. I wrote him into the vision.”

  Nora smirked. “I’m sure Shaw would appreciate knowing that.”

  “Hey, I’m doing everything I can,” she gestured at the overladen table, “to get the two of you to get to know each other. But now it’s up to you, sis.”

  “Meaning?”

  “Meaning, be nice, be happy, show some interest and some personality. My chicken salad only carries so many magical powers.”

  Nora shook her head. She had no idea how she felt about this, and she didn’t appreciate the expectation and pressure Patty was resting squarely on her shoulders. But she didn’t have time to analyze the situation because at that moment, there was a knock at the door.

  “Oh!” Patty exclaimed. “He’s here. Go let him in.”

  Patty scampered off in the opposite direction to the kitchen, and Nora was left with her heart pounding and an unaccustomed feeling of nerves in her chest. Darn that Patty. This was not a date, regardless of Patty’s so-called visioning. This was a simple conversation with a man who’d worked with his aunt, to try to gain some information.

  She stepped to the door and opened it. Shaw stood there, his wardrobe similar to yesterday’s, but this time instead of a flannel shirt, it was a short-sleeved button-down light plaid, and instead of a wide-brimmed cowboy hat, he wore a baseball cap. The snug jeans and cowboy boots were the same. He held a loose bouquet of wildflowers, which he handed to her, along with a wide grin.

  “Hello. Since y’all said not to bring any food, I brought you these. My mama would cringe if she thought I was showing up to a meal empty-handed.”

  Nora accepted them, a grin bursting onto her face. “Oh, how sweet. Please, come in and I’ll see if I can find a vase for these.” She let him pass and watched him take in the view of the food. “I sure hope you’re hungry. Patty sort of outdid herself.”

  “Well, my goodness. Look at that table. You sure it’s just the three of us? You could feed an army with that there.”

  Patty laughed. “Nora and I are here for a few more days. We can eat leftovers.” She stepped up to Shaw and held out her hand. “Nice to see you again, Shaw.” They shook.

  Nora stepped into the kitchen and rummaged in the cabinets till she found a small vase. “Did you see these, Patty?”

  “Oh, aren’t they beautiful?”

  Soon, the flowers graced the table, they all selected chairs and sat. Shaw looked at both of them and said, “Mind if I say grace?”

  Nora and Patty blinked at each other. Then, “No, not at all. Please do,” they said in unison.

  “Our dear Lord, we thank you for this beautiful day, and we thank you for the food on the table. We thank you for this ranch, and for these two ladies here to take care of it in Edie’s memory. Please guide us with your wisdom and help us to learn to help others. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.”

  In the quiet after the prayer, Nora ruminated that like horses, praying was another thing she used to enjoy, but it had taken a detour out of her adult life. Why was that, and when? It felt good to sit down to a meal and unabashedly thank their Creator for it.

  “Thanks, Shaw. Now, please, help yourself to as much as you want.”

  Platters were passed, murmurs of appreciation were heard, and chewing commenced. Shaw glanced at Patty and gestured with his fork. “My, my, Patty, this is delicious.”

  Patty had always been the sister more interested and talented in creating with her hands. She loved trying out new recipes and perfecting the products of her cooking or baking sessions until they were just right. She also enjoyed crafts, particularly taking something old and worn down, and through some creativity and hands-on effort, transforming it into something new and useful again. Her home back in Illinois was filled with all kinds of projects – tables, shelves, paintings, quilts – that made her house a home for herself, her husband Brad and her two daughters.

  While Nora had been the sister more interested in building her mind. She was the straight A student in high school, the achiever. She’d gotten accepted into every college she’d applied to, giving her the luxury of picking whichever one she wanted. And when she landed at the University of Pennsylvania, she was determined to build an academic resume that any law school would clamor over. She’d always strived to be a lawyer, maybe because her mom was so proud of her academic achievements. So proud of her getting into law school. So proud when she’d landed the job in Philadelphia. She bathed in pride and approval. Maybe that’s why her career took the place of everything else in her life.

  Maybe that’s why the thought of actually leaving it, whether intentionally, or unintentionally was throwing her into such a dither.

  They made small talk over the delicious lunch. They learned that Shaw had grown up in Myrtle Beach, then went further north for college and veterinary school, only to return to his home area to practice. He loved this area, with its ocean and salt marshes, white sand beaches and Spanish moss, palm trees and bright flowers. He couldn’t imagine a more beautiful place in the world.

  Shaw kept dishing more and more food on his plate, apologizing as he did, “You’d think I hadn’t eaten in a week.”

  Patty laughed. “It does a cook’s heart good to see someone going back for seconds.”

  Shaw peeked at her. “How about thirds?” They all laughed.

  “I’m sure you’ll burn it all off and be hungry again when you get home for dinner.” Nora said it casually, then happened to glance at Patty who was giving her a wide-eyed look. What? What was causing that reaction?

  “Actually, I’m not much of a cook, I work long hours, so dinner will most likely be a can of soup warmed in the microwave.”

  “You and I have that in common. Patty’s the cook in our family, I’ve never really tried my hand at it. And I work such long hours at the law firm that I want to be able to warm something up in minutes and start eating.”

  “What type of law do you practice?” asked Shaw.

  “Real estate law. Negotiations, sales agreements, mortgage contracts, as well as help with developing properties for business.”

  Shaw nodded, but Patty made a pointed snoring sound. They laughed. Nora said, “Not exactly a thrill a minute, but it is a specialty that is very necessary to the economy and I’m proud to be helping our clients.”

  “Well, of course you are.”

  Patty stood. “I’ve got a peach and strawberry cobbler if anyone left room for dessert. Nora, could you clear the table while I dish it up?”

  Nora stood, then Shaw did. “I’m not going to let you two ladies do all the work.” He picked up a few items from the table and they all juggled for space in the tiny kitchen. Nora headed for the sink with a short stack of dirty plates at the same time Shaw reached for some aluminum foil to cover the food. Their collision resulted in Nora landing squarely against the firm, hard chest of the best-smelling man she’d been this close to in a good long time. She froze, her eyes locked on the soft cotton of his shirt.

  But she couldn’t enjoy it properly without lingering too long and raising suspicion, so she backed up, gave him an awkward smile and murmured, “Excuse me.”

  He laid the plates on the counter, lifted his hands and said, “On second thought, maybe I’ll be more helpful if I stay out of the way of progress.” When he walked away, a sense of disappointment hit Nora.

  Back at the table with a pot of coffee, a delicious cobbler and vanilla ice cream, Nora said, “As I mentioned, I hadn’t seen my aunt in years. Being here has really opened up a ton of questions for me. Any information you can give me about my Aunt Edie and how she used to run this place, or any visions she had for its future, I would really appreciate hearing it.”

  “I can only give you firsthand information from the last decade since that’s when I first started working with Edie. She had evolved her place as the premiere horse boarding and traini
ng facility in this part of the coastline. She boarded horses for clients and taught the riders lessons in English hunt seat and dressage. She was an amazing horsewoman. You heard of the Dog Whisperer? Well, she was a horse whisperer. You give that woman an ornery, uncooperative horse, and by the end of an hour, she had that creature behaving itself and listening to her commands. It was amazing, it really was.”

  Nora nodded, and tried to draw the dots to connect the Aunt Edie she knew from closer to thirty years ago, to this accomplished equestrian from ten years ago. Sure, Aunt Edie had always been good with horses, but Nora never knew her to be an expert rider and trainer.

  Shaw went on, “She had a waiting list a mile long. Because she was that good. When your aunt took a set of riders to a horse show, you can bet that Waccamaw Trails Horse Studio would place at the top.”

  “Waccamaw Trails Horse Studio?” Nora asked, her eyebrows pinching with confusion.

  “Yeah. That’s what this whole place was called.”

  Nora pursed her lips. She had no idea.

  “She had a full schedule of lessons almost every day, then represented the studio at horse shows during the show season.”

  “Did she ride?” Nora asked, thinking of the photo of Thunder jumping.

  “No. She suffered quite a bad fall and decided she would better serve her students from the ground.”

  “Now that you mention this, I do remember her fall. Our mother told us about it, remember Patty?”

  “Yeah. In fact, I came out here with Mom when Aunt Edie was in the hospital, recovering. She had a broken hip, broken arm and needed a pin in her knee.”

  Nora put a hand over her mouth. “Oh, my gosh, that sounds awful. She did all that riding horses?”

  Shaw nodded. “That was before I knew her, but my understanding was that in addition to teaching riders, Edie used to break and train horses. She got a hold of an ornery one and he threw her off.”

  Nora looked over to Patty. “I do remember that now. I wonder why I didn’t come with you guys?”

  “You were probably too busy to get away.”