***
"Hey, if you're going for your ride, why don't you take out Snickers this time? He hasn't been out in a while either and could probably use it," my father called as I opened the door to head out to the stables for the third night in a row now. Snickers was the name of my brother's horse. He was a few years older than Cinnamon and a bit of a grump, but my father was probably right that he needed to get out of the stables.
It was unusually warm and sunny, so I had to put on my grey cowboy hat to protect from the hot, blinding sun. I'd also found my old boots and put them on. They were a little worn but just as good as they had been before I left.
I headed out to the stables and wrestled with Snickers for a bit as he huffed and puffed in annoyance. But once I got on him and got out of the fence, he was ready to take off. He really had been desperate to go for a ride.
I met Adam just outside his fence. He had a different horse this time too; a blonde one that looked to be a little older as well. "Who is this?" I asked, reaching out to pet him, but he snapped at me a little.
"Oh, his name is Bruce. He's been in the family a very long time, so forgive him if he's a little grumpy."
"Sounds like we've both got the grumpy ones out today. This one's Snickers, he’s my brother's horse. He's kinda old too but is so desperate to run I couldn't leave him in there."
"Understood," Adam said, tipping his hat down to better shield his eyes. "You ready?" he asked. I nodded, and we both took off at a slow trot, our horses wanting so badly to go faster. But I knew with their age both would tire way too soon if we let them run.
"So, I feel dumb for not knowing since this town loves gossip, but how is your grandmother? I didn't even know she was in the hospital. Is she still?" Adam asked as we passed the edge of the Walker property.
"Oh, she'll be there permanently, more than likely. She's had problems for a while with diabetes and stuff, but now it's messing with her kidney. That's actually why I came back' to spend time with her. My parents think it's getting to that point, you know?" I looked down at the dark fur on Snicker’s back, composing myself. Talking about my grandmother really got to me.
"Oh, I'm sorry, Iris. You guys were pretty close right? I remember her coming to pick you up from school a lot instead of your parents." I smiled at the memories his statement brought back to me. She did pick me up from school a lot, and then she would take me to the store with her or had me help her cook. She always made the simple things so much fun.
"Yeah, we were really close." I nodded. "I kind of feel guilty sometimes about leaving because, I could have had more time."
"I'm sure you had your reasons," Adam responded, looking at me for a second. I could see the curiosity growing in his eyes. "So, you don't have to tell me if you don't want, but why did you leave? You don't really seem like the type that hates wide open spaces and small town life. In fact, you look like you love it out here." He motioned to the green, hilly landscape around us. I looked to the west and thought about the woods; the ones that I had hated for most of my life. I had never really talked to anyone about what happened in those woods in years. But maybe it was time to be honest.
"It's a little petty, actually it’s really embarrassing. I wanted to get away from the people here. I got made fun of in school a lot. I know you were a couple years ahead of me, so you probably didn't know about it. But it was really traumatizing for me, and I just wanted to leave it behind. I wanted to go somewhere where no one had any reason to make fun of me."
"I can't imagine why anyone would make fun of you. I guess kids are just mean," Adam said with a shrug.
"Thanks," I scoffed. "But they did have a reason to make fun of me. In the fourth grade I got caught in a fire in the woods behind the property. It burned my left leg and left some pretty nasty scars. I was teased about it forever; even after I started covering it up with jeans because nobody forgot. It just made me feel so ugly, I felt like I could never fit in here. So, I went to college elsewhere and then decided to stay away. It was so nice not being known." As I explained to him, I started to remember the tragic day.
The memory was very vivid in my mind. I had been looking for bugs for a school project when I was nine or ten. I had gone a little farther than I expected to, and suddenly, I was surrounded by flames. There was no way out and no one around. I screamed for help because it was my first instinct, but as I choked on the smoke, I realized I would have to save myself. The only way out was through the burning brush, so I ran through it as fast as I could, leaping over it like I was one of the horses. But I couldn't quite jump high enough. The fire scorched my left leg and stuck my jean shorts to my flesh.
My parents took me straight to the hospital, and I ended up being alright except for the permanent scar that ran down my thigh to my knee. For a while I couldn't wear pants because it hurt, so of course, everyone at school saw how ugly my leg looked. They never let me live it down, and I spent the next two years crying about it until I learned to ignore it. But the teasing and name calling stuck with me, and it still hurts. I couldn't even stand to look at myself in a full length mirror because of the scars.
I looked up at Adam for his reaction, and he looked shocked for a second before the look left his face and was replaced with sympathy. "Yep, kids are pretty mean. And girls have it worse because you don't get the practice at home before you start school," he joked. "But hey, don't beat yourself up about it. It was an accident, a terrible one. And it's only a burn. I'm sure it's not at all as bad as you think it is. And even if it is, you're so pretty I bet no one would notice it now," he complimented, winking at me. I felt myself blush a little, and I looked away for a second. “By the way, I was only one year ahead of you,” he added.
I realized that I liked Adam quite a bit, more than I'd liked a guy in a couple of years. But there was also the matter of our families hating each other's guts. Though, what did it matter to me? I had a job in another town, and I was pretty sure that Adam had his own place now as well. He just came to the property to help out. His older brother would probably be the one to inherit the property.
So, I went for it. As we turned our horses around to head back, I got real close and leaned over to give him a soft peck. I landed my lips half on his lips and half on his cheek. "I'll race you back," I said with a laugh, taking off with Snickers as he tried to catch up. We raced the horses all the way back to the fence around the Walker property. Obviously, I won.
"You don't play fair, Iris," he said with a smile, slowing down his horse.
"No, I play to win," I laughed, trotting back to my property. "See you tomorrow!" I called back with a wave. I was sure he would be thinking about that kiss all night. I certainly would be.
(3 Book Romance Bundle) "Escape to Vegas" & "Love, Forgiveness & Horseshoes" & "The Cowboy's Love" Page 10
