a large, gray stallion named Cyrano charged a dun-colored mare and then shied away at the last instant when she stood her ground, unperturbed.
I hope we can ride today
, she thought as she drove by the cavorting horses. They seemed ready to get out, and she winced at the thought of sitting inside on such a gorgeous day. She pulled up beside the Morgans’ new Suburban and hopped out of her truck.
She knocked briefly on the front door and then let herself in when no one answered. “Hello?” she called. “Hello! Anyone home?” She heard voices in the kitchen and headed toward the sound. That was when she made out Logan’s voice and the response of her friends’ great belly laughter. Hope’s delighted squeals and screams rang in the midst of it all.
Reyne rounded the corner, peeking in. Logan was lifting the child high up in the air and then swooping her down in a deft move. She dissolved into wild giggles, and Logan laughed with her. For the first time Reyne noticed how his face was creased at the eyes and cheeks, obviously from smiling all the time.
What a happy man he is
,she mused. She took a few steps backward into the Tanners’ living room, then moved forward again to feign recent entry.
“Hey, you guys!” she said, “Are you trying to pretend that you’re not home so I’ll go away?”
“Reyne!” “Hi there!” “Where’ve you been?” was their chorused response.
“Hi, Reyne,” Logan said quietly, drawing near. “It’s good to see you.”
Reyne ignored her quickened pulse, playing it cool. “Logan,” she said with a nod. “I didn’t realize you had made my friends yours already.” She winced inwardly at her own words. “I mean … I didn’t mean …”
“Reyne,” he said, reaching out to touch her forearm. “It’s okay. Yeah, they were nice enough to invite me over for an afternoon of riding and dinner.”
“We’re going riding?” Reyne said excitedly, glad to turn the conversation. She glanced at Beth, who looked rather ashen. Reyne immediately curbed her excitement. “I had hoped we could. Do you feel up to it, Beth? I mean, we could sit and play cards.”
“No way,” Beth said, her tone brooking no argument. “It’s too beautiful to be stuck inside. Matt and I are going to baby-sit the kids and work on supper while you four ride. We’ll expect you back by six. Now all of you … get going!”
“Are you sure—,” Rachel began, obviously feeling guilty about leaving Samuel with them too.
“Out!” Beth said, her face a mock warning. “Don’t argue with someone who has cancer. Running other people’s lives is one of the last things I have left to enjoy.”
Beth’s forced laughter encouraged everyone to get going, out ofthe house. They shook off the pall that had overtaken them with her words and headed to the stables.
While Dirk and Logan went to get the saddles from the barn, Rachel and Reyne climbed the corral railing to bring in the horses. “She looks bad today,” Reyne said quietly.
“Yes.”
“Has she said anything to you? Is she in pain? Has she been to the doctor recently?”
“In response to your questions, no, I don’t know, and I don’t think so,” Rachel said, waving her arms to herd a mare toward the barn.
“Oh, Rachel. I get so worried about her!”
“I know. I know. She’s so independent that she won’t even talk to me about it anymore. I hope she’s talking to Matt. She needs someone.”
They grew silent, thinking. Neither wanted to intrude on Beth’s privacy. But neither of them wanted her to die. They needed her. Matt needed her. Little Hope needed her.
The group spent the afternoon riding high into the mountains behind the ranch, stopping periodically to look across the valley to the towering Rockies, and talking about whatever came to mind.
“I can see why they call it the Continental Divide,” Rachel said in admiration as they paused once more at a clearing. “No matter how long I live here, I’m still amazed
I hope we can ride today
, she thought as she drove by the cavorting horses. They seemed ready to get out, and she winced at the thought of sitting inside on such a gorgeous day. She pulled up beside the Morgans’ new Suburban and hopped out of her truck.
She knocked briefly on the front door and then let herself in when no one answered. “Hello?” she called. “Hello! Anyone home?” She heard voices in the kitchen and headed toward the sound. That was when she made out Logan’s voice and the response of her friends’ great belly laughter. Hope’s delighted squeals and screams rang in the midst of it all.
Reyne rounded the corner, peeking in. Logan was lifting the child high up in the air and then swooping her down in a deft move. She dissolved into wild giggles, and Logan laughed with her. For the first time Reyne noticed how his face was creased at the eyes and cheeks, obviously from smiling all the time.
What a happy man he is
,she mused. She took a few steps backward into the Tanners’ living room, then moved forward again to feign recent entry.
“Hey, you guys!” she said, “Are you trying to pretend that you’re not home so I’ll go away?”
“Reyne!” “Hi there!” “Where’ve you been?” was their chorused response.
“Hi, Reyne,” Logan said quietly, drawing near. “It’s good to see you.”
Reyne ignored her quickened pulse, playing it cool. “Logan,” she said with a nod. “I didn’t realize you had made my friends yours already.” She winced inwardly at her own words. “I mean … I didn’t mean …”
“Reyne,” he said, reaching out to touch her forearm. “It’s okay. Yeah, they were nice enough to invite me over for an afternoon of riding and dinner.”
“We’re going riding?” Reyne said excitedly, glad to turn the conversation. She glanced at Beth, who looked rather ashen. Reyne immediately curbed her excitement. “I had hoped we could. Do you feel up to it, Beth? I mean, we could sit and play cards.”
“No way,” Beth said, her tone brooking no argument. “It’s too beautiful to be stuck inside. Matt and I are going to baby-sit the kids and work on supper while you four ride. We’ll expect you back by six. Now all of you … get going!”
“Are you sure—,” Rachel began, obviously feeling guilty about leaving Samuel with them too.
“Out!” Beth said, her face a mock warning. “Don’t argue with someone who has cancer. Running other people’s lives is one of the last things I have left to enjoy.”
Beth’s forced laughter encouraged everyone to get going, out ofthe house. They shook off the pall that had overtaken them with her words and headed to the stables.
While Dirk and Logan went to get the saddles from the barn, Rachel and Reyne climbed the corral railing to bring in the horses. “She looks bad today,” Reyne said quietly.
“Yes.”
“Has she said anything to you? Is she in pain? Has she been to the doctor recently?”
“In response to your questions, no, I don’t know, and I don’t think so,” Rachel said, waving her arms to herd a mare toward the barn.
“Oh, Rachel. I get so worried about her!”
“I know. I know. She’s so independent that she won’t even talk to me about it anymore. I hope she’s talking to Matt. She needs someone.”
They grew silent, thinking. Neither wanted to intrude on Beth’s privacy. But neither of them wanted her to die. They needed her. Matt needed her. Little Hope needed her.
The group spent the afternoon riding high into the mountains behind the ranch, stopping periodically to look across the valley to the towering Rockies, and talking about whatever came to mind.
“I can see why they call it the Continental Divide,” Rachel said in admiration as they paused once more at a clearing. “No matter how long I live here, I’m still amazed
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