“You delivered a foal?!” Katie’s voice was both animated and disbelieving at the same time.
Rose laughed. “Well, Thomas did the delivering part. But I sat with Delilah and kept her calm.”
“I’m sorry, how long have I been gone?”
Rose pictured Katie shaking her head and frowning.
“When I left yesterday morning, my friend Rose was terrified of horses and now – less than twenty four hours later – she’s cured? Not only cured... delivering baby horses?!”
Rose laughed and shook her head. “I’m definitely not cured. I was just taking a walk and...” As she regaled Katie with what had happened, Rose realised she was feeling different from normal – proud, almost. Usually, she downplayed her achievements. She wasn’t the sort of person who told amusing stories or captured peoples’ attention the way Katie and Thomas did when they spoke. But as she told Katie about sitting beside Delilah and singing to her, and how the foal had just come straight out and tried to stand up, and how amazing it had been, she heard something new in her voice. Something that she actually quite liked.
“Rose. That’s amazing. I’m so proud of you! I just can’t believe I wasn’t there.”
“Well, to be honest,” Rose said, “if you were here, I wouldn’t have done it, would I? I’d have just hung back and let you help.”
“Wow, so it turns out that me leaving was actually just what you needed?” Katie chuckled.
“I guess so.” Rose laughed but then she added, “I do miss you, though. I’ve no idea what I’m going to do all day. Thomas asked me to go with him and check on Delilah but I’m not sure.”
“Rose, you have to go.” Katie was speaking very sternly. “You have to keep the momentum going. If you retreat to your comfort zone, you’ll just go right back to being scared. But if you face it – you could actually come home having overcome your fear, which is a huge deal. And I know I warned Thomas to stay away from you, but he really is amazing with the horses. If anyone can help you, he can.” Katie paused and laughed. “Just remember – don’t fall for his charms. I know he’s wonderful and, as weird as it is for me to say, pretty good looking. But he’s a disaster with relationships. I don’t want you to get hurt.”
“I’m not exactly looking for a relationship, Katie.” Rose prickled at the implication that she couldn’t possibly just have a bit of harmless fun. That, of course, she would fall in love and get too attached and her heart would end up shattered into millions of pieces. She was about to say so, when she glanced up at the clock. “Katie, I have to go. It’s nearly eight thirty. If I’m going to go see Delilah–”
“Of course, go. And Rose?”
“Yes?”
“I’m really proud of you.”
The prickle subsided and Rose smiled. “Thanks, Katie. I’ll text you later.”
It was eight thirty-five when Rose jogged towards the swimming pool. But Thomas was still waiting for her. He smiled as she approached, raising his hand to shield his eyes from the sun and grinning his trademark grin.
“You got my note. Thought you might have slept in…”
“Unlikely, when someone was tapping on my doors at seven a.m.”
“Not tapping,” Thomas said matter-of-factly. “Throwing stones, actually.”
“Oh, stones. Just what everyone wants to wake up to on their vacation.”
“I did bring you coffee though.”
Rose smiled. “You did. Thank you.”
“And you decided to brave a visit to Delilah?”
Rose breathed in deeply and tried to make the muscles in her shoulders relax. “I did.”
Thomas reached out and put his hand on her forearm. “It’ll be okay, Rose.”
She blushed and looked up at him then, as they started walking towards the stables, she said, “I know it’s silly…”
“Hey,” he replied, looking at her sternly. “It’s not silly. Stop saying that. Plenty of people are afraid of things. Heck, I’m scared of cats.”
“Cats?” Rose wrinkled her forehead at him. “You’re scared of cats?”
“Okay, well not scared of them. But I definitely don’t trust them.” Thomas glanced at her from the corner of his eye and Rose stifled a laugh.
“Right. Not quite the same thing.”
“No, but seriously, it’s nothing to be embarrassed about, Rose.”
Rose could tell she was starting to blush. Her neck was always the first to turn pink; her pale skin becoming blotchy and flushed. “Thank you.”
Softly, Thomas added, “Was there something that triggered it?”
Rose laughed wryly and shook her head. “That’s the ridiculous thing. There’s nothing. Nothing I can remember. I’ve always just found horses so… intimidating. Powerful. Big.”
“Okay, so maybe we’ll get you started with a little horse,” Thomas said, nudging her gently with his elbow.
Rose sighed. She was finding it hard to smile. “I guess I’ve just always been so wary of things.” She shrugged and shook her head. “Probably my parents’ fault. Maybe they mollycoddled me or something. Never let me fall down or play in wet clothes or eat dirt.”
Thomas made a mock-outraged expression and tutted loudly. “Didn’t allow you to eat dirt? How dare they?”
“You met my parents, right?” Rose’s family had spent several summer afternoons hanging out with Katie and Thomas’ parents. Although Rose always remembered Thomas slinking away inside to play on his X-box.
“Sure. They’re great. Although I do remember your mum being slightly… over cautious.”
Rose nodded fervently. “Yes. Just a bit.”
“Well, I was hardly Mister Confidence back then. Don’t you remember?” Thomas looked at her quickly, then looked away. Was he blushing? Surely not?
Rose shrugged. She did remember. But Thomas was so different now that he seemed like an entirely new person.
Thomas shook his shoulders, as if he was physically shooing away the memory. “Anyway, listen. My point is – being nervous or afraid is nothing to be embarrassed about. Okay?”
“Okay.”
When they reached the paddock opposite the stable yard, Thomas paused and rested his hand on the gate. “Ready?”
Rose was not ready. She could see Delilah and the foal standing beneath a tree at the far end of the paddock. From here, they looked harmless, beautiful even. But she still felt sick to her stomach at the thought of walking towards them. “Yep. Ready.”
Thomas unlatched the gate. Then, as they stepped through, he took Rose’s hand in his.
He squeezed it, gently. And it was like all the nerves and the anxiety she was feeling started to melt away. The warmth of his fingers around hers spread through her limbs and, even though her heart was still pounding, the nausea that a few moments ago had threatened to overwhelm her, disappeared.
“Did I mention that you look nice today?” Thomas asked, smiling cheekily at her as they strode through the grass towards the trees.
“Is that your way of trying to distract me?”
“Maybe,” he laughed. “Did it work?”
“No,” she said, looking down at her denim shorts and pale green T-shirt. “Not even a little bit.”
As they approached Delilah, Rose tried to remember the night before. When the horse had been lying on its side, looking into Rose’s eyes… vulnerable… scared.
Slowly, Delilah turned to look at her. She made a little huff sound and started to walk towards them. As she did, Rose stopped and gripped Thomas’ arm.
“It’s okay. She’s coming to say hello. That’s all.”
Thomas reached out and stroked Delilah’s nose. Behind her, her foal wobbled over to them on thin, bandy, not quite steady legs.
Rose smiled at the tiny horse. “I think he’s more my kind of size,” she said, looking at Thomas.
“Adorable, huh?” Thomas bent down and reached out his hand. The foal tottered towards it and Rose looked nervously up at Delilah.
“Will she mind?�
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“Not a bit,” Thomas replied, softly. Then, to the foal, he said, “Hey buddy, this is Remarkable Rose. She pretty much saved your life.”
Rose blushed and shook her head. “I absolutely didn’t. That was you.”
“But without you, I wouldn’t have been able to. So…” Thomas paused and beckoned for Rose to bob down beside him. “I was thinking that maybe you should name him.”
“Really?” Rose was reaching out her fingers but they weren’t shaking the way she’d expected them to. And when she touched the foal’s nose and stroked the little splash of white that had formed a perfect diamond shape, she smiled. “How about Piccolo?”
Thomas’ brow wrinkled. “I didn’t know you spoke Italian?”
“I don’t.” Rose shook her head. “I played the piccolo in high school. Don’t you remember? I was one of the band geeks who got wheeled out at assembly time to serenade everyone.”
Thomas laughed, tipping his head back a little. “Ha, actually I do remember. The piccolo is the tiny flute, right?”
“That’s the one.”
“Well, it’s perfect. In Italian it means ‘little’.”
“I know.” Rose was still stroking the foal’s nose, marvelling at how calm and trusting he was and how incredible it was that Delilah was just letting them stand there, so close to her baby.
“Okay,” said Thomas. “Piccolo it is.”
When they returned to the ranch, Thomas headed to the office to call Rossi the vet and update him on the foal, and Rose went to change into her swimming costume.
Deciding to go for green instead of the black version that she’d worn every day since she and Katie arrived, she pulled it on, threw a kaftan over the top, ditched her phone by the bed, and headed outside.
Today, the pool was busier than usual. Perhaps because it was later in the day, perhaps because the ranch was getting more populated as it drew closer to the peak of the season.
Rose chose a lounger in the corner, away from the others, put her towel and her book on top of it, discarded her kaftan, then dove straight into the water.
Usually, she would sit on the edge of the pool and ease herself in inch-by-inch. But today, she submerged her whole body in one go. The shock of the cool water made her gasp but when she emerged, she was grinning.
She did it. She confronted her fear and nothing terrible happened. Delilah was gentle and soft and, yes, big and powerful. But not scary and big and powerful. And Piccolo… well, she didn’t think even she could manage to be afraid of him.
So, maybe, just maybe, Katie was right; being alone at the ranch, with Thomas, could be the best thing that had ever happened to her.
8
Later that evening, Rose snuck her dinner away from the ranch house and ate on her patio, looking out over the small flint wall at the pool and the horses in the distance. She had intended to eat with Thomas and Fleur at the big ‘cool kids’ trestle table – swallow her nerves and make herself find something interesting to say – but when she arrived, neither Thomas or Fleur was there.
She had briefly met some of the other trainers and instructors, but definitely didn’t know them well enough to just walk up there and sit down. So, telling herself it was probably a sign that she should take some time away from Thomas, she retreated to the cabin and ate alone, mulling over everything that had happened since Katie had left.
When the sun began to set, a chill crept into the air, so Rose fetched the fire lighting kit from inside and, after several failed attempts, lit the fire pit.
She was sitting beside it, texting Katie to tell her about her encounter with Delilah and marvelling at how clear the sky was above the ranch, when she spotted a shadowy figure walking towards her.
It was almost dark. Stars were beginning to flicker in the sky above her and, although she immediately recognised his broad shoulders and his confident stride, Rose waited until Thomas was right in front of her before saying, “Not more coffee?”
He was holding a customary flask in each hand and tilted his head as he said, “Hot chocolate, actually.” He offered her one, then hopped over the wall and sat down beside her in the chair that usually belonged to Katie.
Rose tugged a blanket from the back of her chair and draped it over her knees, snuggling down a little and wrapping her hands around the warmth of the flask. “Don’t you have any other friends?” she asked, surprising herself by making fun of him.
Thomas, clearly surprised too, laughed loudly and shook his head at her. “I guess not.” Then, a little more seriously, he added, “It’s kinda tough being the boss and having friends, you know.”
“I’m sorry, I was just…” Rose began to blush awkwardly; she hadn’t meant to offend him.
“I know.” Thomas grinned at her. “I’m just messing with you, Rose.”
“Sorry,” she said again, sipping her drink and looking up at the sky. “I’m not so good with banter.”
“Oh, I’d say you’re okay.”
“Only okay?”
“Maybe we’ll work on it after we’ve worked on your horse phobia.”
Rose involuntarily shuddered. “You’re not giving up on that, huh?”
Thomas took the lid off his drink and blew at it to cool it down. “I will if you want me to. But, honestly, you were pretty amazing last night. And today – you smashed it.”
Rose laughed self-consciously and tucked her hair behind her ear. “I’m not sure–”
“Are you kidding? Of course you did. Smashed it.” Thomas made a ‘slam-dunk’ gesture with his left arm then settled back into his chair, stroking his beard thoughtfully. “I really don’t think it will take much to get you feeling more confident. Maybe even get you on a trek?” He raised his eyebrows at her as he said ‘trek’ but when Rose visibly recoiled, he lifted his hand at her and said, “Okay, okay, maybe trekking is too far.”
Rose shuffled in her chair so that she was angled towards him. “What did you have in mind? To cure me?”
“Nothing too traumatic, I promise. Some time with Delilah and the foal again tomorrow, then maybe a couple of the others the day after. Small horses, very small, and dainty.” Thomas made an ‘I’m being very serious’ face, then looked into the flames of the fire pit. “To be honest, I think even just watching them and spending time getting to know them would do wonders for you. With Delilah, you got it. As soon as you looked into her eyes, you saw her soul. And that’s what they do – horses – they get you here…” Thomas thumped his chest, above his heart. “That’s how they got me.” He looked around at the cabins either side of them and the fields in the distance. “That’s why I’m still here – nearly fifteen years after I first arrived.”
“Fifteen years?” Rose frowned, trying to do the maths. “Wow, so you’re thirty-six?”
Thomas gave her a quizzical look. “There’s no need to say it like that – I’ve a fair while to go before I’m put out to pasture.”
Rose laughed. A short bubble of a laugh that made her snort into her drink.
The snort made Thomas laugh too, and Rose covered her mouth with her hand, aware that if she really started to laugh she’d snort even more.
“Stop it,” she said, waving him away. “I just meant that I’m surprised so much time has passed, that’s all. And I never realised you were five years older than us.”
“Yes. Five years. Older and wiser.” Thomas finished his hot chocolate and put the flask down on the floor between his feet, leaning forwards and opening his palms at the fire. “I didn’t see you at dinner,” he added, quietly. The simmering cheekiness that usually danced on his lips had faded and he looked at Rose from the corner of his eyes, not quite turning to face her.
“I didn’t see you either,” she said, trying not to make it sound as if she’d been looking for him.
“You like being alone?” Thomas was watching her intently.
“Like it?” Rose bit her lower lip and nursed her flask between her hands. “I’m not sure I like it. I’m just used to
it. And when I’m around lots of people, I get a bit... nervous.” She sighed a little and sipped her drink. “I’ve always wished I could be more like Katie – bright and confident and just not phased by things.”
“You know what I think?” Thomas raised his eyebrows at her, smiling beneath his beard. “I think that you are great just as you are. You don’t need to try and be someone else, Rose. You’re great. Really great.” He laughed and shook his head. “Wow, I just said ‘great’ a fair few times, didn’t I?”
“You did,” she smiled.
“Well, you are. So...” Thomas suddenly stood up, clearing his throat and rubbing the back of his neck as if he wasn’t really sure what to say next.
“So...”
“I should get going. One last check on Dee and the foal then bed.”
“Okay, well, thank you for the hot chocolate.” Rose reached up to offer him the flask back and for just the smallest flash of a second, their fingertips brushed against one another. The contact made her flinch, and she stood up quickly.
Thomas was close to her and the blanket had fallen to the floor between them. Rose folded her arms in front of her chest. Her brain was whirring. She was trying to think of something witty to say. Or at least something that would distract her from the fact that Thomas was still looking at her, still tracing her features with his gaze in a way that made her legs feel like they were about to buckle.
But before she could, he put the flasks down on the wall, hopped back over it, picked them up again and said, “I’ll see you in the morning.”
Rose nodded. Did he mean that he’d bring her coffee in the morning? Or was he just saying, See you in the morning? “Sure,” she said, stepping forwards and closer to the warmth of the fire pit. “See you tomorrow, Thomas.”
9
The following morning, Rose woke at six. She had set her alarm, which seemed ridiculous because she was on vacation and supposed to be having endless lie-ins, but something told her that Thomas would be back. And, for once, she didn’t really want to greet him with bed-hair and her customary scruffy pyjamas.
The True Love Travels Series Box Set Page 45