He walks Kelsey and the horse around the pasture, patiently talking to the little girl, coaching her and building her confidence.
“He could do this for a living,” Tash says. “He’s always been good with the animals.”
“Hey, I thought that was you.”
We both turn in time to see Gage walking up to join us. I glance at Tash, but she just smiles politely at her brother.
“What brings you out here?” she asks him.
“I’ve been renting one of the old bunkhouses from Josh,” he says with a shrug. “Rentals are hard to find in Cunningham Falls.”
“No kidding,” I agree. “It’s pretty much impossible. I might be giving up my apartment soon. If I do, I’ll give you a heads-up.”
“Appreciate it.” He smiles as he watches the kids with the horse. “They’re so cute. They got big fast.”
“That happens when you’ve been gone for a long time,” Tash says. There’s no anger in her voice, it’s just matter-of-fact.
“That’s true.” He nods and then shuffles his feet in the dirt. “I’ve been meaning to talk to you, Natasha.”
“I can give you some privacy,” I offer, but Gage shakes his head.
“Nah, this isn’t a secret or anything, and something tells me you two tell each other pretty much everything anyway.” He smiles. “Do I have to kick your ass or something?”
I size up the other man. He’s less than a year younger than Tash. He’s taller than me by at least two inches, and thanks to the military, has a strong, muscular build.
It would be a close match.
“Not that I’m aware of.”
“Good.” He nods. “Anyway, I wanted to let you know that I’m moving back here. Permanently.”
Tash frowns. “You’re getting out of the Army?”
“Yeah. And I want to live here in Cunningham Falls. Need to, actually. And, listen, I don’t want things to be so damn awkward between us. You’re my sister. I want to know those kids, and I want us to act like family.”
“I don’t know what that is anymore,” she says softly. “Mom and Dad—”
“Are ridiculous,” he says with disgust. “I love them, but they’re being stupid about this whole thing. And, frankly, I refuse to take sides. I get why you don’t want to have a relationship with them. I wouldn’t, either. I don’t see them much, haven’t in a few years. The Army was my family for a long time, and now it’s not. I’m here for good. I want to mend things.”
She nods, her eyes still on the kids as they laugh at something that Seth just said.
“Are you okay?” she asks.
Gage swallows hard, shuffles his feet again. “I will be.”
“Well, I guess you’d better come to dinner one night soon. And, it’s your birthday next month. We’ll have to do something for that.”
He sweeps her up into a hug and holds on tightly. At first, she doesn’t hug him in return, but after a few moments, she relents, wraps her arms around his back, and pats him there.
When he releases her, he nods, the stiffness gone from his body. In fact, they both look much more relaxed than they did just a minute ago. “I’d like that.”
“I guess so.” She laughs and nudges him with her shoulder. “But I still don’t bake well, so I’ll have to buy your cake.”
“I don’t eat gluten,” he replies, making her laugh again. “Don’t worry about it.”
“I want cake,” I put in. “I’ll eat all the gluten.”
I should have let them have this conversation in private, but I’m glad I listened. I know enough of the situation to know that Tash’s family hurt her in the past. And I’m glad she’s going to start mending things with her brother.
I’d give just about anything to have even five minutes with my sister.
“Help!”
I turn in time to see Kevin on the galloping horse. Seth is jogging after him, but Kevin suddenly falls to the ground, and the horse runs off.
“Uh-oh,” Tash says as we hurry over to where Kevin is lying in the grass. “Are you okay, kiddo?”
Kevin’s eyes are full of tears, but he’s trying to look brave.
“I just wanted to go faster,” he says. “Seth said if I kicked her a little harder, she’d run.”
“Yeah, that’s how it works,” Tash says. “Weren’t ready for it, huh?”
“It was really fast,” Kevin says, and Tash and I smile at each other.
He really wasn’t going that fast, but I bet it felt that way to him.
“Is anything besides your feelings hurt?” I ask him.
“I don’t think so.”
“Okay, it’s time to get back on,” Seth says as he leads Suzie back to us.
“I don’t want to,” Kevin says, shaking his head. “I’m done for today.”
“See, that’s the thing,” I say as I help Kevin to his feet and brush off his jeans, “when you fall off the horse, you have to get back on right away so you know that even though it scared you, it didn’t beat you.”