by Alicia Rae
I exited the car, and at the pump, I lifted the nozzle and began fueling. My phone beeped in my pocket, so I pulled it out and swiped my finger across the screen to see a text from Kayla.
Kayla: I had so much fun with you today. Thanks for spending time with me. Love you. ♥
I smiled at her text and typed my response.
Me: I had a great time, too. Love you back!
Then, the big sis in me took over, and I sent another message.
Me: Wait! Aren’t you driving? Don’t text and drive!
The pump clicked when my tank was full, so I put the nozzle back as my phone beeped again.
Kayla: I’m stopped at a Stop sign in the boondocks. All is good, so don’t get your big-sis pants in a bundle. Gotta go now!
I rolled my eyes at the phone. I wanted to chide her, but I resisted. I maneuvered myself around my car to go inside and pay, checking both ways before crossing the pavement. Then, I glanced down as I slipped my phone into the back pocket of my jeans.
The door chimed. While on the sidewalk, I bumped head-on into someone, and I immediately gazed up.
“I’m so sorry!” I sputtered in embarrassment, locking eyes with a familiar face.
“My apologies, young lady.” Hank Ulrich tipped his hat at me.
He seemed to recognize me, and he pointed at me before I could slip past him.
“Wait,” he said sternly. “You’re the girl from Kingston’s ranch.”
“That’s right.” I tried to stare around him, so he’d get the hint that I was in a hurry.
“You live right up the street from him, don’t you? So, that would mean Dave Summers is your father?” he probed, making me uncomfortable.
My father was a well-known trainer. The local horse community was small, so most of us crossed paths at one point or another, but I was shocked to know he had made the connections to who I was. In fact, it was rather creepy.
At my silence, he purred, “Ah, yes. That means you and Colton are the town’s famous childhood lovebirds. I’ve heard a lot about you.”
That comment was even more disturbing to hear. I resisted the urge to shiver, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of knowing he intimidated me.
“Well, it was nice to see you again, Hank,” I offered a fake cordial smile. “But I really must be on my way now.”
I took a step to the side, but he stepped in front of me. My anxiety kicked up a notch even though I was thankful that we were in public.
“While I have you here”—he glanced around and then back at me—“alone, I must ask you something. Tell me, what’s a pretty little girl like you doing, working in Colton’s miniscule league?”
“Excuse me?” I barked, feeling offended.
“I just mean that you could train horses with champion bloodlines and have access to the greatest resources and names standing behind you.”
For the first time in my life, I wanted to punch someone and break his nose, but the dude was huge, and I was rather petite. Instead, I stood tall and raised my chin up at him. “Do you know what I smell?” I asked, blatantly ignoring his question.
He scrunched up his ugly wrinkled face and pulled his head back. “What?”
“Intimidation,” I stated matter-of-factly. “You’re scared of someone who puts his all into his horses. He is creating a name for himself, and you’re afraid that he might give you a run for your money. Now, excuse me.”
Hank’s chest rose and fell heavily. His eyes went black, looking ice cold. “Watch it, little one, or you might cause a ruckus with your loose tongue, and it won’t end in your favor. You don’t know whom you’re dealing with. I could trash Kingston’s name so far into the gutter that his career would never recover, and I could do the same to yours—just for fun,” he sneered.
I refused to buckle under his threat. I kept my eyes locked on his until he blinked first.
Then, I let out a carefree yawn. “I would say it’s been great, but in actuality, it’s been rather boring.” I stepped off the sidewalk and onto the pavement before skirting around him to get inside to pay. “Good-bye, Hank.”
IT WAS JUST ANOTHER DAY of putting in my two hours of blood and sweat at physical therapy. There wasn’t one limb on my body that didn’t beg me to stop exercising as I pushed my muscles to the limits, exerting my frustration into my every move.
This morning, as well as the last several ones, Colton had been distant from me—not in a huge way, but in one that I was not accustomed to. When I talked to him, it would be like his mind was somewhere else, or his eyes would check out everything in our surroundings, but what was right in front of him.
He had slipped out the door just before dawn, saying he needed an earlier start around the ranch. I had crawled out of bed around seven to see him already moving the horses into one of the pastures for the day. Previous days, he had walked out of the barn with Rusty, Foster, or Bentley, planning to take a ride around the property.
As Derek led me behind the curtain of Room A, I plopped flat on my stomach and stared at the floor, so he could begin my stretches. With each passing week, my flexibility was getting better, but the range of motion hadn’t come without enduring a fair share of discomfort.
“You okay, Paige?” Derek asked with kind eyes. “It’s not like you to be so quiet…” He trailed off, tipping his head from side to side in deliberation. “Or aggressive, as you have been this week.”
“I’m good.” I let out a half laugh, thinking about the latter half of what he’d said. “I’m just eager to have my body back.”
“That’s understandable,” he replied, completing the easy set of stretches first.
Once he finished, I flipped over onto my back and lifted my arm above my head, turning my head to rest my cheek against it, while Derek began to lift my leg.
He broke the silence as he said, “Your leg has so much more give to it.”
“Yes, I feel it, too,” I agreed. Then, I thought over the past several weeks. “Actually, on a day-to-day basis, it doesn’t give me the grief it used to.”
“We’re at eighty-five percent.” He bent my leg farther and added, “That’s excellent to hear, Paige. I can definitely see your range of motion increasing in your workouts, and you’re becoming more stable on your feet. I hope it continues to improve.”
Every time we did this, he said the numbers aloud to let me know how far he was. But in my eyes, he did it to torture me, so I closed my eyes while burying my face in my hands, trying to ignore the increasing discomfort I felt.
“Ninety…”
I pinched my brows together as my quadriceps and hamstrings began to pull further, heightening the burning sensation rippling up and down them.
“Ninety-five percent,” he said, holding my limb in place.
Air was coming and going more vehemently from my lungs until he finally let go.
“Wow, Paige,” he breathed. My foot slowly hit the cot. “You did it!”
Tears stung my eyes. It wasn’t so much from the pain—well, a little—but it was more in awe. I had never thought this day would come. An unexplainable relief washed over me. I felt as though I was claiming my life back.
I removed my hands from my face and opened my eyes before sitting up. Setting my shaky legs over the side of the cot, I set my feet on the floor and came to stand in front of Derek. I was two seconds away from sobbing with joy.
His eyes danced back and forth between mine. “You did it, Paige,” he repeated, smiling broadly. “You hit ninety-five percent.”
I couldn’t see his face anymore through the water in my eyes, so I launched myself forward at him. “Thank you.” I cried as Derek embraced me with identical fervor. “Thank you for not giving up on me.”
As we drew back, Derek’s eyes shone with pride. “It was all you, Paige. You did this.”
I was about to argue with him and say that him pushing me was the reason I hadn’t failed, but I was too happy. I let him win as I wondered where I would go from here.
; “Does this mean I’m done?” I asked incredulously, dreaming about the upcoming days of no treadmill and stretches. At Derek’s perplexed expression, I clarified, “Done with physical therapy?”
“Ha-ha!” Derek briefly threw his head back and let out a belly laugh. He held nothing back. Then, his face went serious as he met my gaze. “No, not even close. We have many more goals to tackle.”
“What?” I gaped.
Derek grinned. “Yep. You’re stuck with me for at least a couple of more months. I want to make sure that you reach one hundred percent and that you stay limber. Awesome job though,” he added in an exuberant tone.
“Well, shit,” I muttered, unable to rein in my disappointment.
He cocked his head down at me and smirked. “See you on Wednesday?”
“Uh-huh.” I waved good-bye.
With my head hung low, I moped toward the door.
The next morning, I woke up alone in Colton’s bed, wrapped in his cozy comforter. I instantly missed the warmth of his body encasing my own. As I stretched out my legs and yawned, I assumed Colton was already outside, doing his morning chores. I rose from the mattress and got ready for the day.
For some reason, I felt more tired than usual today, so I went into the kitchen and brewed a cup of coffee, expecting it to eradicate the lingering sleepiness looming over me.
With my white mug of energy in hand, I strolled through the living room. A genuine smile filled my features as my gaze scanned the new couch set, end tables, and entertainment center that Colton and I had picked out together last week, right before his rapid personality shift had attacked.
I slipped my feet into my boots and made my way outside onto the patio in hopes of catching a glimpse of the sunrise. Sitting down, my back fell against the chair, and I pulled my knees up to my chest, mindful of the hot coffee I was holding.
The sun had just passed the tip of the tree line running along the edge of the yard. So many stunning hues occupied the morning sky and shimmered across the bright green grass, reflecting off the morning dew.
A content sigh escaped me as I settled in to watch the scenery. I lowered my head for a moment to take a sip of my drink. When I gazed back out in front of me, Colton was exiting the horse barn to my right. He was sitting astride Bentley in his Western saddle, guiding him forward.
Time froze as I savored the glorious sight of Colton as he asked Bentley to come to a stop.
My eyes stared at the stirrups, taking in his leather boots, and then they traveled all the way up to the blue denim of his Wranglers. His posture was utter perfection as he sat in his saddle, grasping the leather reins in his right hand.
The sun inched its way higher, and the rays bounced off the straw of his cowboy hat. Then, the sun shined across Bentley’s golden-brown coat.
Together, they were the most beautiful things I’d ever laid eyes on. Colton was a true cowboy in every way—and a sexy one at that.
As if blinded by the light, Colton tipped his chin down. His left hand pinched the brim of his hat and lowered it, shielding his eyes. The movement made his biceps flex, and I wanted to reach out and touch it.
For the first time in nearly a year, a powerful longing coursed through me. I yearned to be the one sitting on the horse. Fear of falling quickly replaced my desire though, and it left me feeling confused.
Colton suddenly glanced toward the house, still with his head angled. It gave me the slightest hint of his eyes, and they connected with mine. A fleeting moment passed between us as we gazed at one another. Then, he gave me that genuine full-of-life smile that made butterflies take flight in my belly.
Just as I finally thought that he would take off in the direction of the field, he nudged Bentley and cued him toward the patio. My attention darted between Colton and every forward step Bentley’s black hooves made in the grass, and my pulse thrummed in my veins harder and harder as he closed the distance.
As if it was out of my control, I was drawn to Colton, and my body rose to greet him at the threshold of the concrete and grass.
Colton stopped in front of me, and the corner of his mouth lifted. “Good morning.”
“Morning,” I rasped, feeling breathless.
He intently studied me, taking in my jeans and boots, as if wondering what I was doing out here so early.
I went to Bentley’s neck and lifted my hand to pet him. “Hey, boy,” I cooed, feeling his soft fur under my palm.
He turned his head to sniff me with his version of a greeting.
“Are you going for a ride today, big guy?” I asked.
Bentley neighed quietly and dropped his head when I reached his ears, seemingly adoring the attention. I knew he loved being scratched.
Colton stared at the two of us, watching us interact.
“Come for a ride with me,” he suggested softly.
My eyes widened in surprise as my gaze whipped up to Colton’s. His eyes looked as though he could read my thoughts. As nerves flared inside me, my head rapidly shook back and forth. As far as getting up in the saddle and going for a ride, saying and doing were two completely different things.
I broke our connection and went back to stroking Bentley. “That’s okay. You go ahead without me,” I replied, wanting to take more time before I made a hasty decision I might later regret.
Seconds or minutes passed as Colton continued to eye me, and I consciously ignored him. He was out of his mind. I was not ready to climb on to a horse yet. I was still rooting for baby steps. They were steady and consistent, and so far, they had been successful. I was not willing to jeopardize my progress.
Colton gave Bentley one tap with the back of his heel. The horse took one step forward and stopped, putting Colton and me in line with one another.
He reached a hand down to me. “I can feel it, Paige. You’re ready. Come ride with me through the fields like we used to.”
My hand tingled, wanting to take his offer. Inner doubts fought against me though, saying it was too soon. “Not today.” My own disappointment baffled me, but my instinct said I was making the right decision.
“All right.” Colton sighed. “Another time then?”
“Maybe.” I smiled.
SINCE MY CONVERSATION WITH SHERIFF REYNOLDS, I’d found myself out of balance. I was torn between wanting to go over to Hank’s house to demand answers and waiting it out because the rational side of my mind told me that I’d be asking for trouble.
The conflicting thoughts were affecting me more than I wanted to admit. I knew Paige could feel me distancing myself from her, but I didn’t want to have to answer her concerns because I was unsure what to say. Furthermore, I didn’t want to frighten her when I had no evidence to base my assumptions.
Whenever I was out of sorts, the only thing that could keep me going was to stay busy. Some might think this was a flaw in my character, but it was something I was powerless to change. So, on the top of my list today was to demolish the old round pen that had seen better days, and then I’d start building a new one to train my horses in.
As I made a list of supplies I would need, my phone beeped with a text.
Kyle: Hey, man. It’s been too long since I saw your ugly mug. What’s new?
I laughed at the message. Kyle Madison was an old friend of mine from Lake Tahoe, California. As a kid, I had regularly visited my maternal grandparents, and they’d lived up the road from Kyle’s parents.
Even though Kyle was several years older than me, he had taken me under his wing just as a big brother would. We’d always remained in contact and become great friends over the years.
I had visited Kyle and Lily a few months ago for their five-year family reunion, and I’d also sought out his advice in purchasing my parents’ property.
Me: I’m doing all right. About to do more remodeling around the ranch. How about yourself?
Kyle’s response caught me by surprise.
Kyle: Lily wants to plan a camping trip with the whole gang. I was hoping you could make it.
> Lily was Kyle’s wife. She was one of the kindest people I’d met in a long time, and she was all about get-togethers.
Me: When?
Kyle: This weekend. Going to set up tent on Friday night.
My eyes gawked at my cell phone screen.
Me: This Friday? How is two days’ notice considered planning?
Kyle: Yes, this Friday. You know my wife. Spontaneity is her way of life. If you would move your ass to California already, this wouldn’t be so difficult to arrange across states.
The guy always gave me shit for not moving closer to him, so I had to give it right back to him.
Me: Or you could move here.
Kyle: I have a whole herd to move, so you are outnumbered. Plus, don’t make me add up all of Lily’s toys in the garage. We got you beat.
I laughed out loud. Kyle and Lily had three beautiful children. Plus, they had enough powered motors in the garage to loan out to an entire town. Adding in Lily’s three cousins—Blake, Damon, and Jason, who were all married with children—I was definitely the minority.
Me: I’ll give you that.
I thought about his invitation. Considering the animals, there was little to no chance that Paige and I could pick up and leave for the weekend.
Me: Friday is a long shot. I have a shit-ton of work to do, but I’ll let you know if I can make arrangements.
Kyle: Work can wait. It will always be there on Monday. Ha-ha. Let me know, and I’ll have extra gear for you just in case. I’d hate to see you miss out on bonfires and beer!
A closing sentence like that made me want to jump on the next plane out.
Me: Will do. Say hi to the family for me.
Kyle: Of course!
I stuck my phone into the pocket of my jeans, hopped into my truck, and went into town to the hardware store. On the drive there, I found myself wanting to go to Lake Tahoe because I could really use the time away to clear my head. Also, the idea of having some time with Paige while in the company of great friends sounded like an awesome way to spend the weekend. But I had so many projects to complete with fall closing in.