Love Inspired August 2014 – Bundle 1 of 2 by Allie Pleiter and Jessica Keller Ruth Logan Herne Page B
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laugh him out of the paddock.
“I can help while I’m here.”
Jack paused. Turned. When his eyes locked with hers, the solid ball that had been
his heart for too many years began to soften, making it easy and hard to breathe all
at once. “You wouldn’t mind?”
She looked off over his right shoulder, then drew her attention back his way. The
filly nickered and nosed Liv, as if pushing her to say yes. The horse’s action made
Liv smile and she looped an arm around the filly’s neck. “Do I get naming rights if
I sign on?”
Naming rights and more, but Jack had worked with skittish animals all his life, and
while Liv wasn’t an anxious foal, she had plenty of reason to doubt his good intentions,
so he’d go slow and easy. “Yup.”
“Deal.”
“Sweet.” He bumped knuckles with her as the bullhorn called folks to the sale arena.
“Let’s go in. Want coffee?”
“No. I’ll wait until we eat later. But thank you.”
“My pleasure.” And it was, he realized. As he followed her into the crowded ringside
seats, he developed a hearty appreciation for her well-fitted jeans and sassy boots.
Her tan Stetson, the same hat she’d worn years ago, still bore a tiny grease stain
from a barbecue they’d attended together as college sophomores, a great night of planning
for the future. A future he’d thrown away in a fit of anger. How stupid and childish
that seemed now.
Yes, he loved baseball. The game, the sport, the teamwork. But he should have been
more mature and accepting. Wasn’t that what Ethan had talked about last Monday? Accepting
what is and making the best of your situation to help others?
He’d done nothing like that eight years ago. In truth, he’d done nothing like that
since, either, other than helping his mother through her illness, but a thin surge
of energy seemed to be building inside him, making him think he could do anything
again.
“These seats okay?” Liv turned about halfway up the steps, and her look of amusement
said she’d caught him out. “Business, Jack. Not monkey business.”
He laughed, settled into the seat next to her, leaned back and folded his arms behind
his head. “Just thinking how fun it will be to have you back on the ranch, helping
with things. It’s been too long, Livvie. Way too long.”
* * *
Too long?
His words spiked her pulse and his gaze said he’d take things slow, but sitting there
with him, sorting horseflesh for the future of the Double M, the familiar sounds and
scents of the stockyard drew her in. She couldn’t imagine being anywhere else. And
yet she would be somewhere else soon. Her position in Helena had folded and they’d
given her a decent severance package, but she’d need a job and a place to live before
too long.
The auctioneer keyed his mike and began welcoming the crowd of buyers and sellers
as Liv considered her choices. For the moment, helping Jack, working on the town history
and hanging with horses was enough. More than enough. She’d face the job market Monday
morning, searching out possibilities on the internet, but that left her Saturday and
Sunday to enjoy ranch work, a nice respite from years of city living and an eight-by-eight
windowless cubicle. And when Jack successfully outbid other potential buyers for the
matched bay fillies and the gorgeous red stallion, she accompanied him around back
to finish the deal, heady with the thought of gathering the horses and heading home.
“Randy, hey.” Jack stuck out a hand to the rancher from northern Idaho and nodded
to the pair. “They’re beauties. Tell your mother they’ll be in good hands.”
“Tell her yourself, she’s right over there.” Randy Malcolm pointed beyond Liv. “She
rode along to grab a rescue on the way up. He’s in sorry shape, but she heard about
him on Facebook and decided he needed a new start.”
“Jack. Look.” Liv pointed to the horse facing them from the back of
“I can help while I’m here.”
Jack paused. Turned. When his eyes locked with hers, the solid ball that had been
his heart for too many years began to soften, making it easy and hard to breathe all
at once. “You wouldn’t mind?”
She looked off over his right shoulder, then drew her attention back his way. The
filly nickered and nosed Liv, as if pushing her to say yes. The horse’s action made
Liv smile and she looped an arm around the filly’s neck. “Do I get naming rights if
I sign on?”
Naming rights and more, but Jack had worked with skittish animals all his life, and
while Liv wasn’t an anxious foal, she had plenty of reason to doubt his good intentions,
so he’d go slow and easy. “Yup.”
“Deal.”
“Sweet.” He bumped knuckles with her as the bullhorn called folks to the sale arena.
“Let’s go in. Want coffee?”
“No. I’ll wait until we eat later. But thank you.”
“My pleasure.” And it was, he realized. As he followed her into the crowded ringside
seats, he developed a hearty appreciation for her well-fitted jeans and sassy boots.
Her tan Stetson, the same hat she’d worn years ago, still bore a tiny grease stain
from a barbecue they’d attended together as college sophomores, a great night of planning
for the future. A future he’d thrown away in a fit of anger. How stupid and childish
that seemed now.
Yes, he loved baseball. The game, the sport, the teamwork. But he should have been
more mature and accepting. Wasn’t that what Ethan had talked about last Monday? Accepting
what is and making the best of your situation to help others?
He’d done nothing like that eight years ago. In truth, he’d done nothing like that
since, either, other than helping his mother through her illness, but a thin surge
of energy seemed to be building inside him, making him think he could do anything
again.
“These seats okay?” Liv turned about halfway up the steps, and her look of amusement
said she’d caught him out. “Business, Jack. Not monkey business.”
He laughed, settled into the seat next to her, leaned back and folded his arms behind
his head. “Just thinking how fun it will be to have you back on the ranch, helping
with things. It’s been too long, Livvie. Way too long.”
* * *
Too long?
His words spiked her pulse and his gaze said he’d take things slow, but sitting there
with him, sorting horseflesh for the future of the Double M, the familiar sounds and
scents of the stockyard drew her in. She couldn’t imagine being anywhere else. And
yet she would be somewhere else soon. Her position in Helena had folded and they’d
given her a decent severance package, but she’d need a job and a place to live before
too long.
The auctioneer keyed his mike and began welcoming the crowd of buyers and sellers
as Liv considered her choices. For the moment, helping Jack, working on the town history
and hanging with horses was enough. More than enough. She’d face the job market Monday
morning, searching out possibilities on the internet, but that left her Saturday and
Sunday to enjoy ranch work, a nice respite from years of city living and an eight-by-eight
windowless cubicle. And when Jack successfully outbid other potential buyers for the
matched bay fillies and the gorgeous red stallion, she accompanied him around back
to finish the deal, heady with the thought of gathering the horses and heading home.
“Randy, hey.” Jack stuck out a hand to the rancher from northern Idaho and nodded
to the pair. “They’re beauties. Tell your mother they’ll be in good hands.”
“Tell her yourself, she’s right over there.” Randy Malcolm pointed beyond Liv. “She
rode along to grab a rescue on the way up. He’s in sorry shape, but she heard about
him on Facebook and decided he needed a new start.”
“Jack. Look.” Liv pointed to the horse facing them from the back of
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