by Dora Hiers
He stopped abruptly and turned. Her palms splayed against his chest to keep from bumping into him.
She dared to look up. Soft brown eyes, the remnants of shock and pain of losing a friend still lingering around the edges, stared back at her. Her limbs felt as if they melted into a puddle on the floor.
What was her mistake? Looking up or walking too close behind him? Or maybe it was inviting him back to her place for dinner. Whatever it was, her lungs refused to work.
His palms cupped her cheeks.
Oh, she was really in trouble here.
Lashes closed over those gorgeous eyes. His head dipped, and his breath puffed against her lips.
She closed her eyes. What would his kiss, a kiss, taste like? How should she respond? She’d never been kissed before, never allowed a guy to get close enough. Other than her brothers, that is, but those kisses were just brotherly pecks on her forehead or cheek.
Goliath barked. Enough of a warning to put the skids on her heart and allow her brain to take control once again.
Her eyelids zapped open to find his face dangerously close. Fear ratcheted through her veins. What was she thinking?
She applied some pressure against his chest and stepped back. Not far enough that her heart didn’t stop racing and the blood pumping through her body didn’t feel as if it zapped her with a thousand volts of electricity.
His palms still cradled her cheeks. When his lashes lifted, surprise flashed across his features. The handsome man was probably accustomed to females fawning all over him. Asking for his autograph. Draping an arm around his back for a picture. Or worse! Kissing him in total fangirl abandon.
Not happening with this girl!
But there was something else in his expression. Respect? Wonder?
“Mason, I, um…” She licked her dry lips but stopped when his gaze lingered there. “I’m sorry.”
His lips quirked up on one side. “Yeah. Me, too. But it’s okay.” He placed a kiss on her forehead. A kiss that felt anything but brotherly.
At least she was back in the safe territory.
“I’ll be back on Tuesday.”
“You will?” It was her turn to be surprised.
He nodded. “Count on it.”
There he was again with that promise. Could she count on him?
He opened the door to the pleasant harmony of frogs and cicadas. Then he stepped into the darkness, his long strides taking him to his truck too fast, Goliath bounding along behind him.
Her fingertips traced a path along her cheeks and forehead as she stood in the doorway, watching the truck wind its way down the driveway.
She’d wanted him to kiss her. More than that quick peck on her forehead.
And that terrified her.
6
Remi closed the gate, careful to make sure the latch caught. She didn’t want these newcomers to escape. They were frightened enough without adding to their stress.
“There you go, lady. That takes care of the lot.” The animal hauler tugged off his gloves and slid them in his back pocket, doing a little two-step with his boots, one leg slightly longer than the other.
“Thank you.”
“You and this animal sanctuary deserve the thanks. It’d be a crying shame for these beauties to be destroyed.”
“We’ll take good care of them.” Four horses, all mangy and skittish, stood stiff and nervous as they surveyed their new home. Briars tangled their manes and scars speckled their flanks. Ribs protruded from gaunt bellies. Poor things. They may not look so beautiful now, but they would after she got them cleaned up and fed.
She sighed. Taking in these four would cost her dearly, though. She couldn’t handle any more animals, no matter their horrible circumstances, until she received more funding. She would not jeopardize the animals she was already responsible for.
“Well, you have a good day now, ya hear? God bless and keep up the good work you’re doing here.” The old man turned and hobbled back to his truck. The engine roared, and dust flumed behind the trailer as it pulled away.
Did you hear that, God? Could you bless me with a way to take care of these precious animals?
She was amazed at how quickly she turned to God these days.
Mason Mulrennan.
What? The voice sounded as if it came from behind her. She angled her head, looking over a shoulder. Nobody was there.
Mason.
She glanced over her shoulder again, just to be sure. Rattled her head, speared the horses with one last concerned look, and headed for the house.
Her brain was playing tricks on her, that’s all. She missed catching a glimpse of the man outside the window, Goliath trotting along beside him as they moved from one chore to the next. She longed for that sudden jolt of energy, that prick of awareness, as she recognized the roar of his truck pulling into the drive.
Okay. So she missed him, the man. But missing him wouldn’t pay the bills or feed the animals. Enough already!
If she could help every animal headed to the chopping block, she would. But she’d opened her email inbox earlier to six grant rejections. Six!
It was time to get serious.
Mason Mulrennan wasn’t the answer to her prayer for money.
****
“When do you come home?”
Remi’s sweet voice broke through Mason’s melancholy like sunshine blasting through steel gray clouds on a blustery winter day. She sounded like she sat next to him in the RV rather than the hundreds of miles that separated them by phone.
Mason stretched his legs on the couch and leaned his head back against the pillow he’d tucked against the wall. He’d made himself wait to call until practice was out of the way. It made for a long day. He should have just given in and called her during one of the breaks, but then their conversation might have been interrupted. Hopefully, now they could talk longer.
“Is that your way of saying you miss me?” A smile toyed with his lips while tenderness for this woman settled in his heart.
Remi sputtered. “You’re putting words in my mouth.”
“Somebody has to do it.”
Silence on the other end.
“So maybe you didn’t miss me, but I’ll bet Jumbo did.”
Her laughter warmed his belly. “Okay. I’ll admit it. Jumbo has been a bit on the sulky side. Nobody to spit at for a few days.”
Translation. She missed him.
That was a good thing because he literally ached to see her again. How could that be? He hadn’t known her that long to develop such a strong attraction.
“So what’s new at the sanctuary?” He changed the subject, fearing he was treading on weak ice.
“We’re the proud parents of four horses that would have been destroyed if we hadn’t volunteered to take them.”
We? He liked the sound of that.
She coughed. “I meant the sanctuary.”
He liked the first way better. “That’s awesome. What’s their story?”
“Abandonment.”
“Ouch.”
“Yeah. Poor things. They’re so skinny.”
“They won’t be for long. You’ll fatten them up in no time.”
“I plan to, but if I can’t—” Her voice broke off, and after a second’s hesitation, she cleared her throat.
“If you can’t what, Remi?”
“I didn’t mean to bore you with my problems, Mason. How was your day?”
That was an abrupt change of subject. So what didn’t she want him to know? He sat up straight. The pillow fell behind his back. He tugged it out and flung it to the other end of the couch. “You could never bore me with your problems, Remi. And besides, the sanctuary isn’t a problem. Not with you in charge. You’re amazing with those animals.”
Guilt pricked him. Why hadn’t he written that check, yet? His manpower benefited the sanctuary and his presence offered a chance for them to get to know each other better. But what if she—if the animals—desperately needed the money?
Her
silence told him he’d heard the end of that subject.
“Today was practice. We didn’t wreck any of our cars, so that was good.”
“Any of your cars?” she repeated. After a marked pause, she continued. “How many cars do you have?”
He cringed and prayed for the right words. Words that wouldn’t put up a roadblock to a budding relationship with this woman he was falling for more every day. “Three of us are racing this weekend.”
“Oh.”
What did ‘oh’ mean?
“So that makes three cars you didn’t wreck?”
“Yep. Not today.” No need to tell her they brought a backup car to every race. Not yet, anyway. She’d learn soon enough. That is, if he could ever convince her to come see him race. “There’s always tomorrow.”
“What happens tomorrow?”
“Qualifying.”
“So more chances to wreck the cars.”
“Well, there is that, but the goal is to get the fastest time without wrecking.”
“I hope you don’t.” Her voice came out small, as if on the wings of a prayer.
“Thank you, Remi. Sure I can’t talk you into joining me?”
She laughed, but it was more of a nervous sound than from enjoyment.
“I could get you here. If you wanted to come.” He’d move heaven and earth—
“Thanks for asking, Mason, but I can’t right now. Not after taking in four new sweeties today.” Was that relief he heard in her voice?
“I hear ya. Guess I’ll see you on Tuesday then.” Disappointment swamped him. It wasn’t as if he’d expected her to change her mind. But her voice…her voice had watered the tiny seed of hope. Hope that she might want to be with him as much as he wanted her here.
Feeling much like a love-struck teen, he waited for her to disconnect then tapped the phone screen a few times until Angela’s picture appeared. He tapped the call icon.
“Hey, Mason. How was practice today?”
“Great. We survived another round. No casualties.”
“What’s up?”
“I need you to write a check.”
7
Remi tossed the last bale onto the ground and stripped off her gloves. Rustling sounded behind her before a llama head plunked over the top of her shoulder. She turned her head, chuckling at the display of lower teeth. “Jumbo, are you being a good boy today?”
She rubbed his neck. “Mason said to tell you hi.”
He reared his head, and a hum vibrated from deep in his throat.
“Now don’t you go getting upset with me because he’s not here. You take it up with him.”
Laughing, she exited the enclosure and locked the gate behind her. She stopped at the pen containing Snickers and Reesie. “Reesie, you look like you’re feeling much better.”
Remi had spent much of the night and today checking on her after Corbin’s visit yesterday.
She crossed her arms over the fence rail, enjoying the peaceful sounds of the farm. The swishing of tails and the soft snuffles of the horses. The occasional hum from the llamas.
Hoof beats pounded the ground, punctuating the quiet, then a snort.
“Whoa!” Jillian halted Lightning and dismounted. “Hey, girl.”
“Hey to you, my favorite neighbor.”
Jillian rolled her eyes. “I’m your only neighbor for miles.”
Remi grinned. “Come on inside. I was just fixing to sit down for a bit.”
“Great. I was hoping you’d have time to relax and chat.”
“Why?”
“No reason. Just needed to get out of the house for a while.”
Which meant she was lonely. Remi suspected she knew the reason. Jillian missed Carson. “Want some coffee or hot chocolate?”
“Mmmm. Hot chocolate sounds wonderful. It’s so cold today.” Jillian rubbed her upper arms, clearly shivering inside her jacket.
Remi led the way inside. She heated a couple mugs of milk laden with chocolate then topped them with whipped cream while Jillian flicked on the television.
“I missed you at church this morning. Thought you said you were coming.”
“I’d planned to.” Remi sighed, disappointed that she hadn’t been able to make the service. She handed Jillian a mug, and they both settled on the sofa. Remi folded her legs under her bottom. “But Reesie came down sick last night. I was up most of the night with her.”
“Next week then.” No condemnation from Jillian’s expression. Only tender concern.
“I’ll be there unless I have another sick baby.”
“I know. I just wanted to make sure you didn’t chicken out on me.” Jillian’s gentle smile eased the sting.
Remi didn’t take offense. Jillian had never chided her about not going to church or about her lack of faith. Her friend faced her own anxiety over the stares and finger pointing at her scars, so Jillian could relate to Remi’s paralyzing fear of being out in public. Understood the doubt that plagued.
“I see the horses finally arrived. Looks like they’ve missed a few meals.” Jillian sipped the hot chocolate. She licked the remnants of the white foam off her upper lip.
“You think?” By Remi’s estimation, those poor horses had missed many meals.
“You’ll fatten ’em up.”
“That’s exactly what Mason said.” Oops. If Remi could’ve snatched her words back, she would’ve.
“Mason Mulrennan? I thought you—” Jillian’s eyebrows hiked then dipped. Her jaw dangled, leaving her mouth wide open. When she finally spoke again, her voice came out awestruck. “You’ve been talking to Mason Mulrennan?”
Remi rubbed her forehead, considering the best way to squash this conversation. “Well, not today.”
“Not today?” Jillian squealed. She set her mug on the side table and bolted off the couch, snatching the remote and pointing it at the television.
Remi held her breath while the hot liquid swirled around but it never spilled over.
“Why didn’t you say something sooner?” Her friend flicked through the channels until landing on the race. She turned around and smiled, arms folded over her chest.
Actually, it was more like a satisfied smirk.
Remi squirmed and shrank back against the couch. “I’m not sure I want to watch him race.”
“Well, you may not be sure but I am.” Jillian tossed the remote on the coffee table and perched on the edge of the couch.
Remi sipped the hot chocolate, but it did nothing to chase away the chill gripping her insides. What if he wrecked? What if he got hurt? How could she watch that?
She tugged the velvety throw from the back of the couch and held up an end. “Want to share the blanket?”
“No.” Jillian tore her gaze away from the television and narrowed her eyebrows at Remi. “You’re not warm enough with the fireplace cooking or sipping that hot chocolate?”
Remi shook her head, her teeth close to the chattering point. She snuggled under the toasty blanket, occasionally stealing glances at the TV.
“I can’t believe you didn’t mention this sooner. We could have had the race on. We’re lucky to see the last few laps.”
“Lucky?” This time, Remi’s teeth did chatter.
“Mulrennan just might have this one clenched! Can he hold off Salinger for two more laps?” The sports announcer’s voice carried anticipation to a new level.
Remi dared a peek at the race just as the camera panned the stands, where thousands of fans stood, cheering and pumping their fists in the air. Did people really get this excited about racing? The camera flashed back to the cars. “He’s not ahead by much.”
Jillian shook her head. “No. And I surely don’t want the guy behind him to win.”
“Salinger? What’s wrong with that guy winning? He probably wants to win as much as Mason.”
“He stole Mason’s wife.”
“He what?” Remi whipped her head sideways. Sorrow lodged in her belly, anguish for Mason threatening to spill out in tears. And may
be just the tiniest seed of jealousy.
“You didn’t know?” Jillian scrunched her cheeks and met Remi’s gaze.
Remi shook her head, her voice barely above a whisper. “No. He never mentioned being married.”
What else didn’t she know about Mason Mulrennan? If Nan hadn’t revealed his identity, she wouldn’t even know that he was a racecar driver.
“He wasn’t married long. Two years maybe? I can’t remember exactly. This all happened a few years ago.” Jillian sipped her hot chocolate, swinging her glance between the race and Remi. “Mason was going through a slump, and his wife up and dumped him for this other racer, Salinger, who was on a winning streak.” Jillian paused for another sip. Again, her gaze tracked between Remi and the television. “It was all over the news. Maybe he just expected that you knew.”
Oh, how awful. Poor Mason. Remi shook her head.
“Mulrennan’s going to beat him by millimeters! Yes! Yes! Here it is! Here it is, ladies and gentlemen! The checkered flag!” The announcer practically screamed. The camera panned the crowd, jumping and roaring their applause.
Jillian lunged from the couch, her arms raised in victory. “He did it!”
“Mason won?” Remi bounced up, looking from the television to Jillian for confirmation.
Jillian nodded, her smile taking over her entire face.
“Sweet!” She held up her palm for Jillian to slap.
Her friend complied with a high-five. “Enough to make you want to watch racing, huh?”
Fear caused her tummy to tumble straight to her toes. She jiggled her head. “No. He might get hurt.”
“Well, he could.” A look of understanding flashed across Jillian’s face, as if she’d solved a complicated puzzle. She nodded slowly. “And you might get hurt by one of those horses you just took in.”
Her friend’s pointed arrow of logic lodged in her brain. Jillian was right.
“Besides the organization has made it much safer for the drivers over the last few years. The cars have rigid standards, and they test—” The house phone rang, interrupting Jillian.
“Sorry, Jillian. Excuse me.” Remi left their victory huddle and picked up the phone. “Forever Family Animal Sanctuary. This is Remi.”