approach to the twelfth jump, wonders whether Justin could tell it was going wrong, wonders if he was worried about himself or about Willow when the mare’s front hooves hit the immovable barrier and sent them both tumbling forward in a tangle of horse and rider. He wonders if he’ll ever be able to get the image out of his mind.
Dan hears the door open softly behind him. He turns to see Karl and Molly standing in the doorway. They look tentative, almost apologetic. “We can wait, if you’d like some more time alone, Dan.” Molly’s voice is soft.
Dan’s stomach twists at her choice of words. He doesn’t want time alone, he wants time with Justin. He stands stiffly. “No, that’s fine. I’ve been here for a while.” He moves toward the door, and the three do an awkward dance in the doorway.
Karl puts a gentle hand on his arm. “Dan….”
But Dan pulls away. He’s not angry anymore, he understands what they’re doing, but he just can’t talk about it, not right now. “You’ve got my cell number, if you need to reach me about anything. Okay?” He tries to make it a little gentle, not as fierce as he was that morning. But he still can’t look them in the eye.
Karl drops his hand and nods. “Okay.” He sounds old.
Dan walks briskly down the hallway and out to the truck. He checks the time on his phone. It’s later than he thought, and he’s supposed to be working at the bar that night. He briefly considers calling in sick but then thinks about sitting around Robyn’s apartment all night with nothing to distract him, and decides that work sounds like a much better idea.
If he hurries, he has time to drop his stuff of at Robyn’s and see if she’s still okay with him staying there. He wishes that he’d thought to ask Karl and Molly whether they’d spoken to her yet, but he guesses he’ll know as soon as he sees her face.
And he does. When she opens the door to his knock, her eyes are red and puffy, and she doesn’t say anything, just shuffles forward and burrows into his chest. He brings his arms up to enfold her, and they stand there in the doorway, rocking a little. It doesn’t last long, and then Robyn is pulling back and brushing at her face, trying to put a smile on.
“Did you bring your stuff? The couch pulls out, and there’s room over there for you to pile whatever you don’t want to leave in the truck.”
“Robyn, are you sure it’s okay? I mean, this is maybe not the best time for a house guest.”
“Don’t be stupid. You’re not a house guest; you’re Danny.” Her smile seems a little more genuine this time, and she says, “Come on, I’ll help you bring stuff up. And then, are you working tonight? You could steal me a drink or two, help me feel better?”
“Absolutely.” Dan nods and tries to fight back the lump in his throat. “I don’t have much, but, yeah, if you don’t get enough of carrying heavy things around all day….”
A few trips down and back, and then all of Dan’s belongings are piled in the corner of Robyn’s living room. He looks at the clock on the wall. He’s a little bit late for work already. Robyn waves him off, tells him she’s going to have a shower and then come to the bar for dinner, and Dan heads out the door.
He drives to the bar and gets to work. He likes being able to fall into the familiar routine. It’s not as good of a distraction as barn work. There’s too much thought required, and it doesn’t use his muscles enough. Still, it’s better than just sitting around.
Robyn comes in with her new boyfriend, and Dan chats with them a little, but both he and Robyn are pretty subdued, and the boyfriend seems to be really understanding about it all. They move over to a table to eat, and shortly after that Dan sees Chris in the doorway. Chris hasn’t seen him yet, and he has a sudden, childish urge to run into the back and hide. He just doesn’t want to deal with anything tonight.
But then Chris is making his way over, and Dan
Dan hears the door open softly behind him. He turns to see Karl and Molly standing in the doorway. They look tentative, almost apologetic. “We can wait, if you’d like some more time alone, Dan.” Molly’s voice is soft.
Dan’s stomach twists at her choice of words. He doesn’t want time alone, he wants time with Justin. He stands stiffly. “No, that’s fine. I’ve been here for a while.” He moves toward the door, and the three do an awkward dance in the doorway.
Karl puts a gentle hand on his arm. “Dan….”
But Dan pulls away. He’s not angry anymore, he understands what they’re doing, but he just can’t talk about it, not right now. “You’ve got my cell number, if you need to reach me about anything. Okay?” He tries to make it a little gentle, not as fierce as he was that morning. But he still can’t look them in the eye.
Karl drops his hand and nods. “Okay.” He sounds old.
Dan walks briskly down the hallway and out to the truck. He checks the time on his phone. It’s later than he thought, and he’s supposed to be working at the bar that night. He briefly considers calling in sick but then thinks about sitting around Robyn’s apartment all night with nothing to distract him, and decides that work sounds like a much better idea.
If he hurries, he has time to drop his stuff of at Robyn’s and see if she’s still okay with him staying there. He wishes that he’d thought to ask Karl and Molly whether they’d spoken to her yet, but he guesses he’ll know as soon as he sees her face.
And he does. When she opens the door to his knock, her eyes are red and puffy, and she doesn’t say anything, just shuffles forward and burrows into his chest. He brings his arms up to enfold her, and they stand there in the doorway, rocking a little. It doesn’t last long, and then Robyn is pulling back and brushing at her face, trying to put a smile on.
“Did you bring your stuff? The couch pulls out, and there’s room over there for you to pile whatever you don’t want to leave in the truck.”
“Robyn, are you sure it’s okay? I mean, this is maybe not the best time for a house guest.”
“Don’t be stupid. You’re not a house guest; you’re Danny.” Her smile seems a little more genuine this time, and she says, “Come on, I’ll help you bring stuff up. And then, are you working tonight? You could steal me a drink or two, help me feel better?”
“Absolutely.” Dan nods and tries to fight back the lump in his throat. “I don’t have much, but, yeah, if you don’t get enough of carrying heavy things around all day….”
A few trips down and back, and then all of Dan’s belongings are piled in the corner of Robyn’s living room. He looks at the clock on the wall. He’s a little bit late for work already. Robyn waves him off, tells him she’s going to have a shower and then come to the bar for dinner, and Dan heads out the door.
He drives to the bar and gets to work. He likes being able to fall into the familiar routine. It’s not as good of a distraction as barn work. There’s too much thought required, and it doesn’t use his muscles enough. Still, it’s better than just sitting around.
Robyn comes in with her new boyfriend, and Dan chats with them a little, but both he and Robyn are pretty subdued, and the boyfriend seems to be really understanding about it all. They move over to a table to eat, and shortly after that Dan sees Chris in the doorway. Chris hasn’t seen him yet, and he has a sudden, childish urge to run into the back and hide. He just doesn’t want to deal with anything tonight.
But then Chris is making his way over, and Dan
Similar Books
