pick on someone so small. He must have beaten the tar out of her. He
was glad Caleb gave her the job, but that was Caleb’s way, kind and generous.
His heart hurt again as he headed for bed. Tomorrow was another day, and it
would be filled with the same pain as today. The first thought of his day would
be Caleb is dead . His heart would
plummet and his stomach would be in knots. He’d lay there for a moment wishing
it wasn’t so. He’d bargain with God to bring Caleb back even though he knew it
wasn’t possible. He’d force himself to get up and live. The horses needed him
and now it seemed as though Spring needed him too.
* * * *
Colt had
already left by the time she woke up. Disappointment filled her to the point
she thought herself crazy. She’d only known him a few days. The coffee was
already made, so she poured herself a cup and glanced out the window at the
barn. How could she miss someone she barely knew?
Cookies were on her agenda for today as well as
finding a cookbook. Bibbs had brought a turkey home with the groceries the
other day, and she needed to figure out how to cook it. She turned the radio on
and switched stations until she found Country music, singing along as she
baked. Soon enough it was lunchtime and still no Colt. Now she began to feel
guilty. Somehow she’d run him out of his own house.
He probably figured she had designs on him. If he only knew of her fear of men—well most men. They had
the physical power to hurt a woman, regardless of what she did to defend
herself, and she’d learned that lesson all her life. Caleb had been her first
male friend, and he turned into the voice of reason she’d needed.
It had cost her to leave Texas, but now she felt as
though she could breathe. Snow was falling as she put on her new coat and boots
and headed outside. It was glorious as it floated through the air. Some clumped
on her eyelashes, and she could feel it on her hair. She stood there in the
middle of the yard enjoying the fresh wind chilling her cheeks. The wind stung
but she felt a sense of freedom she’d lost long ago.
The barn beckoned her. It might not be the wisest
choice but she wanted to see the horses. Colt may be in there, but it was a
chance she’d take.
The door was heavier than she’d thought, but she
managed to get it open and immediately the musty, manure smell assaulted her.
It would take some getting used to.
It was bigger than she expected and warmer. Stalls on
each side of the building seem to go on forever. A horse poked his head over
the stall door nearest to her, and she yelped in surprise, quickly covering her
mouth. She didn’t want to startle any of the horses.
Colt peeked out from one of the stalls. He appeared
puzzled then he broke out in a wide grin. “Looking for me?”
The beating of her heart became louder. “No, not really.” She turned toward the horse and was
horrified to see it so close with its mouth open. She jumped back. “He’s trying
to bite me!”
The laughter was deep. Colt shook his head. “Nope,
Hurricane likes hats and hair. He doesn’t bite.”
“He likes hair?”
“He’s been known to nibble on locks of hair. He doesn’t
pull it out or anything. He just gets it good and wet.”
Quickly, she stepped back even further. “Is that why
you had to rescue him?”
Colt’s smile dimmed. “No, if you look closely there
are whip marks on him. His owner wasn’t the nicest of men.”
“Oh my.”
“He’s in good hands now.”
Sympathy for Hurricane filled her. She knew what it
was like to be beaten. “I’m glad he has you to look after him.”
Colt nodded and started to hold his hand out to her
but jammed them in his pockets instead. “Come with me, I have someone for you
to meet.” He led her down the row of stalls, stopping at the one he just came
from. “Look.”
She’d never seen a real horse let alone a newborn. A
foal was nursing while its mother looked on. They were both brown with
was glad Caleb gave her the job, but that was Caleb’s way, kind and generous.
His heart hurt again as he headed for bed. Tomorrow was another day, and it
would be filled with the same pain as today. The first thought of his day would
be Caleb is dead . His heart would
plummet and his stomach would be in knots. He’d lay there for a moment wishing
it wasn’t so. He’d bargain with God to bring Caleb back even though he knew it
wasn’t possible. He’d force himself to get up and live. The horses needed him
and now it seemed as though Spring needed him too.
* * * *
Colt had
already left by the time she woke up. Disappointment filled her to the point
she thought herself crazy. She’d only known him a few days. The coffee was
already made, so she poured herself a cup and glanced out the window at the
barn. How could she miss someone she barely knew?
Cookies were on her agenda for today as well as
finding a cookbook. Bibbs had brought a turkey home with the groceries the
other day, and she needed to figure out how to cook it. She turned the radio on
and switched stations until she found Country music, singing along as she
baked. Soon enough it was lunchtime and still no Colt. Now she began to feel
guilty. Somehow she’d run him out of his own house.
He probably figured she had designs on him. If he only knew of her fear of men—well most men. They had
the physical power to hurt a woman, regardless of what she did to defend
herself, and she’d learned that lesson all her life. Caleb had been her first
male friend, and he turned into the voice of reason she’d needed.
It had cost her to leave Texas, but now she felt as
though she could breathe. Snow was falling as she put on her new coat and boots
and headed outside. It was glorious as it floated through the air. Some clumped
on her eyelashes, and she could feel it on her hair. She stood there in the
middle of the yard enjoying the fresh wind chilling her cheeks. The wind stung
but she felt a sense of freedom she’d lost long ago.
The barn beckoned her. It might not be the wisest
choice but she wanted to see the horses. Colt may be in there, but it was a
chance she’d take.
The door was heavier than she’d thought, but she
managed to get it open and immediately the musty, manure smell assaulted her.
It would take some getting used to.
It was bigger than she expected and warmer. Stalls on
each side of the building seem to go on forever. A horse poked his head over
the stall door nearest to her, and she yelped in surprise, quickly covering her
mouth. She didn’t want to startle any of the horses.
Colt peeked out from one of the stalls. He appeared
puzzled then he broke out in a wide grin. “Looking for me?”
The beating of her heart became louder. “No, not really.” She turned toward the horse and was
horrified to see it so close with its mouth open. She jumped back. “He’s trying
to bite me!”
The laughter was deep. Colt shook his head. “Nope,
Hurricane likes hats and hair. He doesn’t bite.”
“He likes hair?”
“He’s been known to nibble on locks of hair. He doesn’t
pull it out or anything. He just gets it good and wet.”
Quickly, she stepped back even further. “Is that why
you had to rescue him?”
Colt’s smile dimmed. “No, if you look closely there
are whip marks on him. His owner wasn’t the nicest of men.”
“Oh my.”
“He’s in good hands now.”
Sympathy for Hurricane filled her. She knew what it
was like to be beaten. “I’m glad he has you to look after him.”
Colt nodded and started to hold his hand out to her
but jammed them in his pockets instead. “Come with me, I have someone for you
to meet.” He led her down the row of stalls, stopping at the one he just came
from. “Look.”
She’d never seen a real horse let alone a newborn. A
foal was nursing while its mother looked on. They were both brown with
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