by Elsie Davis
She gazed down into her coffee cup as she swirled the black liquid around the inside, willing the answer to appear. Nothing. No black crystal ball like the one she used to play with as a child. And no mystical tea leaves to guide her in the decision. She was on her own here.
“I haven’t ridden since I was twelve.”
Chad smiled. Not one of those oh-that’s-cute smiles, more like a genuine, you-made-my-day smile. “Sounds like you’d like to do it. It’s like riding a bike. You’ll be fine.”
Of course, he wanted her to know how to ride. It would be embarrassing if the famous PBR champion’s daughter didn’t know the back of a horse from the front.
Chad cooked the eggs, his back to her as he worked at the stove. She couldn’t help but wonder if his bull-riding injury still gave him trouble, his limp more noticeable this morning than yesterday. A twinge of guilt rocketed through her knowing it was because of Brody.
“A ride does sound perfect, but I’m not sure what to do for shoes. The heels are all I have with me.”
“I have a box down at the barn filled with a pile of miscellaneous boots and sneakers. After breakfast, I’ll head down there and see what I can find. I’m sure there’s something we can use for the time being. Does that mean you’ll stay? At least through the weekend.” The hope in his voice was unmistakable.
It was as if he was trying to grab on to every second of time and spend it with her, afraid she’d disappear, and he’d never see her again. Exactly what she’d planned in the beginning. Things had a way of changing. It remained to be seen if it was for the better.
On her end, the more she got to know Chad, the more she wanted to know. And the only way to do that was to stay. Work wasn’t an issue since she’d already taken time off this week until Monday. There was nothing scheduled for the weekend, and all her accounts were up-to-date or being handled by her assistant in her absence. The only thing she had to do was decide. There was no reason she had to leave and one very satisfying reason to stay. I love my daughter an awful lot.
“I’ll stay. Is there any way you can lend me a T-shirt and maybe a warmer jacket to wear? I can tie up the shirt or something. And after the ride, I’ll run into town to pick up a few things I might need.” Now she was in all the way.
“If you wait till later, I can go to town with you. The local vet is coming to give all the horses their immunizations, and I need to talk to him. I don’t know exactly what time he’ll show up. Eleven a.m. country time means anytime between ten and noon.” He chuckled.
“That’s okay. I prefer to do my clothes shopping without an audience.” It was hard enough to pick things out with her mother looking on and offering up her opinion every step of the way, but it would be more awkward with Chad. A virtual stranger.
“If you’re sure. Clothes shopping isn’t much my thing either, but I’d do it for you. I promise to keep Brody on a leash if you want to leave him with me. Or we can leave him in the house.” He turned back to the stove and started to flip the bacon over.
“Either one is fine. I’m sure neither you nor I are up for a repeat of yesterday.”
“You can say that again. My body’s a little sore. Scrambled eggs okay?” he asked, turning to her, a couple of eggs in his hand.
“Sure. I like eggs any way they’re fixed.” She shrugged. “Brody’s a little wore out from yesterday also. Poor baby. He’s still sound asleep on my bed. Hope you don’t mind?”
“That’s fine. Maybe we should let him stay in the house today so he can recover. I can come up and take him out occasionally while you’re gone. If he’s on the leash, we both stay safe cause I don’t move the way I used to.”
“You did pretty well if you ask me. And we had a happy ending.”
Chad beamed with pleasure. “We certainly did.”
Gemma returned his smile with the first one of her own.
“This works out better if I hang here because I can take care of a few errands before the kids get here this afternoon for their riding lessons.”
“Kids?”
“Yeah. From bull rider to riding instructor. Big change, huh?” He shrugged as if it didn’t matter. But for a man whose whole life was the rodeo, she had to wonder what he thought of the situation.
“Totally.” At least if he had to make money, he was doing something that brought happiness to others, not just for himself. Too bad he hadn’t been there to teach her how to ride a horse. A hint of jealousy towards kids she hadn’t even met invaded her heart, sucking some of the joy from the moment they shared.
Within the hour, she was ready to ride. Brody had his morning outing but didn’t wander far and now, it was her turn for some fun. She headed for the barn and found Chad ready and waiting, the horses already saddled.
“Excellent day for a ride.” She was conscious of Chad watching her every move as she pulled herself into the saddle, grateful she remember how.
“I agree. You look like a natural and don’t seem to have forgotten a thing. I’m glad you didn’t overinflate your abilities on a horse. You’d be surprised how many people do.” He grinned.
The compliment brought an unexpected rush of pleasure. They rode toward the woods, following a well-worn path. She loved the white mare he’d saddled for her to ride. Sugar was as sweet as her name and made it easy for Gemma to get back in the groove of riding without making a fool of herself.
“I thought a lot about what you said, about Mom not going with you on the circuit.”
“And?” He slowed his horse and pulled alongside her.
“I guess I’m just wondering why you didn’t stay.”
“All I ever wanted was to ride in the rodeo circuit. It was my dream. Your mom and I were young, and we made mistakes. She wanted things her way, and I wanted things my way. Neither one of us was willing to compromise.”
“And so, you just rode off into the sunset and never looked back?” This was the part she didn’t understand.
“It wasn’t quite that way, but close enough.”
“Then what way was it? I have the right to know.”
“You do. But perhaps that’s a story for another day.” Chad popped his heels against his horse and clicked his tongue to urge the stallion faster, ending their discussion.
She’d pushed for answers, but so far, all she ended up with was more questions.
* * *
Jake finished documenting the comments on his last patient before leaving for lunch. It had been a busy morning, and he was grateful for the half-hour he’d be able to squeeze in before his next patient’s appointment. Unfortunately, it meant he didn’t have time to run home and check on Kyle. He didn’t let it happen often, but his dad assured him everything was under control.
The steady stream of patients kept his mind off Chad’s daughter. Kyle had talked of nothing else other than Brody and the pretty lady who owned the dog. At the age of four, his son was impressionable, and Gemma had left a giant one. The exact reason he didn’t let women get close to his son.
Kyle was at the age when he started to notice other kids had both moms and dads. He wanted his own mom and didn’t understand why she didn’t live with them or come to visit. So far, Jake had managed to evade the real reason. Kyle wasn’t ready for the truth. A truth no child should have to hear. His mother outright rejected him because of his disability. And Jake would do everything in his power to keep his son from ever learning the truth.
At preschool, only one parent dropped a child off, which limited Kyle’s exposure to regular families with mommies and daddies. But at church, it was another story. Families sat together, mingled together after church, and attended church socials together. This was always the hardest on Kyle, and on Jake when it came time to answer his son’s questions.
Kyle’s tears this morning tore at Jake’s heart, but there was no way he could say yes for a visit to Chad’s, not if there was any chance Gemma and her dog were still there.
Jake walked into the diner and sat at the counter. Sally’s had been
a landmark in Hallbrook for over twenty-five years. No one cared about the occasional torn red barstool or the scuffed floors worn with age. The place was clean, priced right, and Sally still cooked the daily specials. For three years, he’d been coming here, his home away from home.
A place that welcomed strangers as if they were long-lost friends. They’d welcomed the new town doctor and his infant son with open arms, warm hearts, and several invitations for more than just a social visit. To single women, an eligible bachelor with an infant son was like catnip to a cat.
“I’ll have the special today with garlic toast, a side house salad, vinaigrette dressing, and a seven-up, please.” Christina, the young waitress, jotted down a few notes, the barest hint of expression on her face as she did her job. The girl seemed out of place in her leather pants, tie-dye T-shirt, purple streaked hair, and a nose ring. Around here, family stood by family, even if it wasn’t a perfect fit. Sally had her hands full with her granddaughter, but so far, Jake had never had a problem with the girl.
Sally usually carried on and on about something during her doctor’s appointments, and this morning, it had been Christina who’d garnered her wrath. Poor girl.
“Coming right up.” Christina had only recently started to come out of her shell, but today, she was in one of her moods.
“Thanks.” Jake glanced around to see who was there. He nodded at a few men he recognized from the rescue team and waved at several others who were either a patient of his or people from around town or church. Which was darn near two-thirds of the customers in the place.
The tinkling of the bell as the door opened announced a new customer. Gemma. So much for not thinking about her. Chad had obviously been successful in changing her mind about staying.
Tight blue jeans and a cream-colored cable-knit sweater hugged her curves. He wasn’t the only man in the place who stopped to watch her make her way to the counter. Jake’s gaze dropped to her feet, relieved to notice she’d ditched the high heels in favor of a more practical pair of cowboy boots. Jake couldn’t imagine Gemma staying long enough to break in the new, stiff-looking boots before the city girl hightailed it back to Syracuse.
“Hi. Jake, right?” She sat on the empty stool beside him.
“Yes. I see you decided to stay the night.”
“It was getting late. It was either stay or get a hotel, so I opted to stay.” Gemma picked up a menu.
“I see. Well, whatever your reasons, I’m sure Chad was pleased.”
“Yes. We had a chance to talk and then went for a ride this morning. Haven’t done that in a very long time. I miss it.”
“Seems to me it’s been by choice.”
Gemma turned to him, a frown marring her lovely face. “What’s that supposed to mean?” She pushed a stray lock of curly red hair back and tucked it behind her ear.
“What can I get you?” Christina stopped to take Gemma’s order, giving Jake a chance to think about his answer. He shouldn’t have said anything in the first place, but her comment rubbed him the wrong way.
“I’ll have the chicken-fried steak with mash potatoes and corn. Oh, and a Coke, please.”
“Pepsi okay?” Christina’s reply came out on automatic mode.
“That’s fine. Thanks.” Gemma turned back to him after Christina walked away. “What did you mean?”
He paused long enough to formulate his answer the best way possible—for Chad’s sake. “It’s just that if you visited your father more, you could ride anytime. That’s all I meant.”
Gemma stiffened. “Given the situation, it would have been difficult.” The derision in her voice was hard to miss.
He shrugged. “I’m not sure what the situation is, and maybe it’s none of my business, but I do know Chad loves you. And I also know it would make him happy if you visited more. He’s not getting any younger.”
Christina dropped off their drinks, cutting off Gemma’s chance to reply. She sipped on her soda and played with straw paper, rolling it into a ball between her fingers. Her silence could only mean one thing, but he wasn’t about to take back what he said. Sometimes, the truth hurt.
Christina delivered their food and another drink round of sodas as refills.
“Can I get you anything else?” Christina asked.
“No, thanks.” Christina turned and left quickly as if sensing the tension at the table.
Gemma picked up her fork and knife and proceeded to destroy the piece of chicken-fried steak, the occasional squeak of her knife against the plate proof he’d pushed her too far.
“You’re right, it’s none of your business. If you don’t know the situation, then perhaps you don’t know Chad as well as you should. You might be a doctor, but you can’t fix what ails my relationship, or non-relationship as it is, with Chad.”
“If you say so.” For his friend’s sake, Jake would stop talking.
For the next several minutes, they ate their lunch in silence, like two strangers awkwardly sitting next to each other at a crowded bar but with several empty barstools available.
Gemma laid her fork down and turned toward him, letting her hand rest across his arm, the deep red of her manicured nails in stark contrast against his white shirt.
“Look, I’m staying a few days. If I run into you again, it would be great if we could be friends. Clearly, you don’t have all the facts. Something that’s not your fault. I appreciate that you rescued my dog and Chad, and I prefer not to argue with you. I can’t begin to thank you and the rescue squad and the fire department enough for what you all did, and I wish there was some way to repay everyone for their kindness.”
Her words surprised Jake. Not only that she was staying a few days, but that she was generous enough to move past the obvious tension between them and search for higher ground. He appreciated that about her. And he liked the touch of her hand, the connection he felt—surprising.
But then he remembered Kyle. He wasn’t looking for friendship with a woman. And if she was sticking around, he’d have to ask his dad to watch Kyle when he visited Whispering Pines this afternoon. There was no way he was letting Kyle anywhere near Gemma and Brody. A couple hours in her presence had been enough to win the boy over
Any more time and he’d never hear the end of it. From Kyle or his dad. And based on his own reaction to her, he’d be singing the blues with them.
Jake pushed his plate back and stood to leave. His next appointment would be arriving soon. “You’re welcome. And if you meant what you said about repaying the kindness, it’s easy. Write a check to the Hallbrook Rescue Squad. They’re in desperate need of new equipment, more training, and plenty short on funds.”
Gemma took the hint, her hand falling away. “I’ll see what I can manage.”
Chapter Six
Jake had a lot of nerve telling Gemma what she should do with Chad, but it was obvious he didn’t know the whole truth. Her dad hadn’t made a secret of her identity yesterday when he boldly announced her as his daughter, but if there were explanations to be made, well, they would need to come from Chad.
As to Jake’s suggestion to donate to the rescue squad, it made perfect sense, and it was easy enough to do. Write a check, and they were even.
She googled the rescue squad and dialed the non-emergency number.
“Hallbrook Rescue Squad. Captain James.”
“Hi. I’m Gemma Watson. You all were at Chad Andrews’ place yesterday, and it was my dog you rescued.” It’s not as if she expected him to forget, but as a matter of habit, she wanted to give all the details.
“Hey there. It was an exciting afternoon, that’s for sure. What can I do for you?”
Ten minutes later, she had more than enough information to realize the financial needs of the rescue squad were far beyond where she could even begin to make a dent. They needed some serious money, and the best way to get it would be a fundraiser.
If she lived there, it would be easy enough to set one up and the perfect way for her to pay them back for coming to her re
scue. Using her expertise in exchange for theirs.
Unfortunately, her job and the distance made it a non-issue since she was scheduled to return to work on Monday.
Gemma headed back to the ranch after picking up a few last items to hold her over the weekend. She pressed the phone button on the Jeep’s media dashboard. “Call Mom,” she instructed the computer. The phone rang, but it rolled straight through to her voicemail.
“Hey, Mom. I’m staying a few extra days through the weekend. I’ll explain more when we talk. Some things happened here to change my mind about Chad, or enough for me to stay a little longer and get to know him. I know you thought I should give him a chance, and so far, you’re right. The jury is still out on my final decision. Hope Mrs. Watson is doing well. Have fun at the spa and call me if you need me. Love you.”
Turning off the street, she passed under the Whispering Pines archway and headed up the gravel drive to Chad’s place. With enough clothes to last a couple days and a pair of boots to get around in, she hoped there would be plenty more opportunities to ride Sugar.
She’d been gone quite a bit longer than she expected. As she pulled up near the house, she was surprised to see a minivan parked close to the pasture, the House of Hope emblazoned on the side. And parked in front of the van was the black truck she’d come to recognize as belonging to none other than Jake.
He didn’t keep regular office hours at the clinic if he was there and it was only four o’clock. Curiosity won out over the desire to avoid the man who couldn’t seem to make up his mind whether to be social with her or not.
Gemma headed to the pasture gate and toward the barn. Six children were all grouped together, clamoring for attention. Chad was in the middle of giving a group lesson, but it didn’t explain why the doctor was there.
Wide smiles on their faces, each kid was raising their hand and jumping up and down, yelling ‘me first.’ Chad had control of the group; the children all focused on him. He tapped one girl on the head. She squealed in delight and stepped forward.