Adrenaline

Her lips formed a wicked smile. “The same thing you’re doing to me apparently.”

My eyes glanced over to Black Jack. She had been talking to him when I walked in. “Black Jack here is an old friend of mine. First horse I ever bought.”

Her eyes filled with excitement. “How about we go for a ride?”

Wiggling my eyes, I said, “Okay! I’ll meet you in your room.”

She lightly hit me on the chest. “Stop! You know what I meant. Want to take a few horses out?”

My right hand hit my chest as I let out an exaggerated gasp. “You ride? If you say yes, I’m marrying you this very second.”

Paislie rolled her eyes and walked toward the tack room. “St. Patrick’s had a camp every summer I went to. I quickly found out horses made me happy. I forgot everything the moment I got on one. I love horses.”

Jesus . . . I just fell a little more for her.

“You can saddle ’em up?”

She glanced over her shoulder and shot me a dirty look. “Excuse me? You don’t think I’ve got a little bit of country in me, Mr. Wallace?”

With a crooked smile, I shook my head. “No. I don’t think you’ve got it in you, city girl.”

Her left eye narrowed as she thought for a moment. “What will you give me if I prove you wrong?”

“I’ll let you pick.”

Her mouth slightly opened and I was pretty sure I heard something in the form of a growl come from the back of her throat. “Have a seat, baby, while I show you what this city girl can do.”

A few minutes later Black Jack and Snowflake were both saddled and ready to go as Paislie stood before me with a look of satisfaction plastered across her face.

“Are you able to get up on him okay?” she asked with concern in her eyes.

I dropped the cane and used my good leg to mount Jack. He wasn’t used to me mounting from the other side and tried to take a few steps back, only to have Paislie instantly calm him down. She talked softly to him and I couldn’t believe how he seemed to be mesmerized by her voice.

“Even the damn horse likes you.”

She snickered as she got on Snowflake.

“Where to?”

I motioned for her to follow me as we took off down one of the trails that went all over the ranch. This one happened to lead to a small lake on the property. As we rode along the trail, we fell into an easy conversation. Paislie mentioned some ideas for therapy and I could really hear it in her voice the passion she had for her job.

“Will you answer something honestly, Paislie?”

“Of course I will. You know I’m all about honesty.”

My breathing picked up as I grew nervous about what her answer would be to my question. “Do you think I’ll ever race again?”

Our eyes met and I saw it before she ever answered me. “I’d say there is a fifty-fifty chance either way. I’ll push you as hard as I can, but you really need to mentally prepare yourself for not being cleared to race again.”

I knew it deep in my heart. I had no doubt Paislie would get me walking fine again, but I wasn’t sure about the pain that would occasionally shoot through my leg, or the numbness I felt. If my leg was bent very long, my knee went stiff and that was probably the most painful thing.

“What am I going to do if I can’t race?” I asked, not really expecting her to answer.

“Why couldn’t you do something other than drive? Like buy a car and be an owner, or do the thing where the guys talk on TV.” She looked up and scrunched her nose in the most adorable way. “What are they called . . . commentary dudes?”

With a roar of laughter, I shook my head. “Jesus, there is no way I could do that shit. I’m getting behind a wheel again. I need to be behind the wheel. I need to feel the rush. It’s the only thing I’ve ever known.”

We rode for a few minutes in silence before my knee started aching. “I guess we should turn around and head back.”