Escaping the Past

“Does starting over include you berating me for being a freeloader again?” He at least had the good grace to flush.

“I’m sorry,” he said, rising from the chair. “Let me introduce myself. My name is Dr. Brody Wester. And you are?”

“I am annoyed.” He didn’t

deserve more from her than that, did he?

“I deserved that,” he said beneath his breath. “ Am I keeping you from work?”

“Actually, you are, so, if you don’t mind…” She nodded toward the door. She could be civil if she had to, couldn’t she?

“Well, it’s nice to meet you, Lou.” He extended his hand to shake hers. Her hand rose hesitantly but clasped his firmly. She wouldn’t let him see any weakness in her. None at all.

“I’ll let you get to work,” he said, walking toward the door. “Will I see you at lunch?” he asked.

She mumbled, “Not if I see you first.”

A mischievous grin lit his face as he met her eyes, and then he waved quickly and left the room.

After taking a few moments to collect her thoughts, Lou worked in the library, poring over figures and facts until her eyes crossed and she could no longer read the pages. She checked her watch and realized it was almost one in the afternoon. She went to the kitchen and helped Sadie carry two heaping trays of sandwiches and fruit, typical lunch fare, outside to the picnic tables under the shade trees. Jeb had already arrived and had iced down sodas, tea, and bottled water for the lunch crowd. Sadie also uncovered a plate of fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies.

After the hands were all settled for lunch, Lou grabbed a cookie, a bottle of water, two apples, and a sandwich for herself and headed for the barn. She stopped at the saddle rack and tucked her lunch into a clean saddle bag. Clucking softly to Sunny, a bay gelding of sixteen hands, she chose a leather bridle from a hook on the wall and approached a stall.

Sunny bumped his head against her shirt, demanding her attention.

“Oh, all right…here,” she said, removing a peppermint from her pocket, unwrapping it and popping it into his mouth. He crunched heartily and snorted at her. She giggled and snorted back. Draping the bridle over his ears and fitting the snaffle bit between his teeth was the easy part. As was covering him with a blanket and saddle. She lowered the saddle to cover the blanket, tightened the cinch, and counted to sixty. She mumbled, “If you would just let out that last breath, we could get moving.” She tightened the cinch again. Lou led Sunny from the stall and out into the bright sunshine beside the barn.

“Going for a ride?” a deep voice asked as she swung up into the saddle.

“Yeah. There’s a wild horse out by the south pasture. John bought her at an auction, not realizing how wild she was. She’s due to foal soon. I’m going to see if she’s still hanging out in the same spot. She bred with Wester’s Folly, one of our best sires, before she flew the coop.”

“How far away is she?”

“About a half hour’s ride north of here.”

“Care if I join you?” Brody asked, his hands shoved deep in the pockets of his Levis as he scuffed up dirt with his heels.

“Not at all. I’ll go and get you a horse.” She started to dismount.

“There’s no need. I can just ride with you.” Before she could protest, he slid her foot out of the left stirrup and replaced it with his own. He swung up in the saddle behind her, his legs and calves touching her own as his lap pushed her to the front of the saddle. Her zipper nearly touched the saddle horn. His zipper touched her bottom. Her breath caught in her throat at the intimacy of the contact. She turned slightly so she could look him in the eye.

“This saddle is too small for both of us,” she started.

He grinned at her and said, “If I’m not mistaken, this is the same old saddle Jeb used to ride double with all his nieces and nephews. So, it’s made a little wider and just fine for both of us to share.”

“Jeb’s skinnier than you are.” She tried one last complaint.

“You saying I’m fat?”

She sighed. “It would really be better if we got you your own horse, don’t you think?”

“It’s been twelve years since I’ve ridden, so I’m afraid I might be a little rusty. Do you mind?”

“I would rather…”

He cut her off with, “Aw, come on. Please...” His attempts to sound like a five-year-old failed miserably, especially since he was one hundred percent man sitting behind her in the saddle.

“Are you really scared to ride by yourself?”