by Myra Johnson
“You’re right, we haven’t.”
“In that case, Eva would love for Avery to come out to the ranch for a playdate. The girls could even go on a pony ride—wearing helmets and totally supervised, of course.”
Erin beamed a smile toward her daughter and gave the thumbs-up sign. “Avery would absolutely love it. Thank you so much.”
Christina suggested two o’clock and gave Erin directions to the ranch. When Erin shared the invitation with Avery, the little girl squealed and bounced on her toes. “Yay—the best birthday ever!”
* * *
While Eva Austin’s father accompanied the children on a trail ride, Erin enjoyed coffee and brownies in the ranch kitchen with Christina. She’d had a quick peek at Christina’s infant twins as they napped in the nursery upstairs, their sweet faces evoking a pang of longing. She’d always hoped to give Avery a little brother or sister, but that was before Payne’s cruelty stole any desire to have more children with him. Until Avery came along, his abuse had been mainly verbal, with an occasional shove or squeeze of Erin’s arm. Not long afterward, though, Payne had given Erin her first black eye. He’d blamed the stress of work and having a new baby in the house and apologized profusely. He’d also promised it would never happen again—a promise he had repeatedly failed to keep.
A nudge against Erin’s leg drew her attention to the golden retriever who’d just plopped down beside her chair. “Well, hello there.”
Christina laughed softly and shook her head. “Gracie, you’re supposed to be on your doggy bed.”
“Oh, she’s okay.” Giving the dog a scratch behind the ears, Erin couldn’t seem to tear her gaze away from those big brown eyes.
“Gracie’s my service dog,” Christina said softly. “I was in a bad car accident a few years ago and had a brain injury.”
“How awful.”
“I’m doing much better now, no small thanks to Gracie.” A tender smile warmed Christina’s face as she gazed at her dog. “Gracie always seems to know when someone needs a little TLC.”
Feeling exposed, Erin gave the dog a final pat and sat up straighter. “Maybe she’s picking up on the fact that I’m new in town and not feeling very settled yet.”
“Starting over is hard, I know.” Christina stirred more cream into her coffee. “We’ve gotten to know Greg pretty well over the past several months. He’s told us a little about the rough time you’ve had.”
“I don’t know how I’d have survived without my brother’s support. He even found a part-time job for me at a gift shop in town, Wanda’s Wonders.” Erin blew out a noisy sigh. “He’s hoping I’ll be inspired to pursue the career goal I put on hold when I got married.”
“Really? What was it?”
“Interior design. My mom had a successful business, and I’d always thought we’d work together someday...until she passed away right after I started college.”
“I’m so sorry.” Patting Erin’s hand, Christina offered a bright smile. “But it’s never too late—take my word for it. God has a way of reshaping lost dreams into something even better than we could ever have planned for ourselves.”
“I hope you’re right.”
The back door flew open, and Avery burst in with Eva and her older brother, Joseph. “Mom,” Avery gushed, “it was so fun! You should’ve come with us.”
“That’s okay,” Erin said with an uneasy chuckle. The memory of her wild ride on Kent Ritter’s horse was still too fresh. She swiped a stray lock of hair off Avery’s forehead, now damp where she’d perspired beneath the riding helmet. “I’m perfectly fine with you being the equestrian of the family.”
Christina’s husband, Seth, strode into the kitchen. “For a greenhorn, your little girl’s pretty good in the saddle. Anytime you’re interested in signing her up for riding lessons, let me know.”
“Thanks, I’ll keep it in mind.”
“Hey, hon,” Christina said, tugging on Seth’s arm. “Did you know Erin studied to be an interior designer? Maybe she could give us some suggestions for the cabin updates.”
Erin blinked. “I don’t know—those college classes were a long time ago.”
“Please,” Christina urged. “Seth doesn’t have an artistic bone in his body, and I’m not much better. You could think of it as a stepping stone toward reclaiming your dream career.”
A tingle of anticipation warmed Erin’s chest. “Well... I suppose I could take a look.”
“Wonderful. Do you have time now?”
Checking her watch, Erin decided she could spare a few minutes. While the children played in the backyard, Seth and Christina walked her out to the nearest cabin. As soon as she entered, her brain began buzzing—gingham window curtains with matching throw pillows for the bed, country folk art for the walls, coordinating accessories for the kitchenette and bathroom...
Overwhelmed by the surprising rush of ideas, she paused for breath before sharing her thoughts. Christina’s approving nods encouraged her, and she said, “I’d be happy to shop with you one day soon and help you pick out a few things.”
“I’d love it. Let me know when you’re free.”
Stepping from the cabin, she thanked the Austins again for inviting Avery out to ride, then called her daughter to the car.
The second they were on the road, Avery poked the back of Erin’s seat. “Mom, can I have riding lessons from Mr. Austin? Please?”
Her mind still humming with decorating ideas, Erin struggled to switch gears. How to explain to an excited birthday girl that riding lessons weren’t in the budget? “Maybe someday, honey, after things ease up a bit and I can save some money.”
She still felt bad that Kent had rushed off this morning before she could pay him something for fixing the shelf. Approaching the next crossroads, she remembered turning south here when she’d gone on her basketry materials expedition and ended up on Kent’s property. On a whim, she slowed and flipped her turn signal. Somehow, she’d corner Kent Ritter and insist he accept her check, trivial as the amount might be.
“This isn’t the way home, Mom,” Avery said from the back seat.
“I know, honey. We have a stop to make first.”
Erin followed the winding road until she spied Kent’s weathered farmhouse on the right. As she turned up the gravel driveway, her tires rattled over the cattle guard. She recognized Kent’s pickup parked next to the barn and hoped he was home and not somewhere out in the pasture.
On second thought, if he wasn’t around, she could leave her check inside his truck and slip away unnoticed, thus precluding any argument on his part. Yes, she thought with a glance at Avery through the rearview mirror, avoiding confrontation would be ideal.
Then Kent Ritter walked out of the barn.
Chapter Four
Finding Erin Dearborn’s little blue sedan parked outside his barn, Kent was temporarily dazed. Tipping back his hat, he strode around to her door and waited while she stepped from the car.
“Um, hi,” she said, reaching across the console for her purse. A second later, she had her checkbook open on the hood of the car. “I was driving by and felt I had to stop and pay you something for your trouble this morning. I won’t take no for an answer.”
Driving by? Kent’s place wasn’t exactly on the way to anywhere. He glanced in the back seat, where Erin’s daughter sat buckled into a booster seat. The look on her tiny face spoke surprise, confusion and no small amount of consternation.
Kent was more than a little confused, as well. A few hours of hard work had helped him pull himself together after his abrupt departure earlier, but he wasn’t anxious for a possible replay. “Erin, I told you, I don’t need your money. It was a small job, and I was glad to help.”
She tore out the check and thrust it into his hand. “I appreciate your kindness, but you were out both supplies and time. Besides, I don’t feel comfortable owing anyone—
”
“You don’t owe me anything.” Indignation swelling his chest, Kent methodically ripped the check into eight ragged scraps. “I don’t know how y’all did things in the big city where you came from, but here in Juniper Bluff, we’re all just neighbors helping neighbors.”
Erin started to say something, then snapped her mouth closed before trying again. “But neighbors have to make a living, too, don’t they?”
Avery had gotten unbuckled and climbed from the back seat. She tucked her hand into her mother’s and glared up at Kent.
Time to defuse this tense situation. Palm raised in a placating gesture, Kent eased back a step and tried for a friendly chuckle. “Can we start over here? Look, Erin, I understand things have been tough for you—”
“I wish people would stop saying that.” She heaved a ragged breath. “It’s not like I need to be reminded every five minutes.”
“Sorry, I only meant—”
An accusatory smirk skewed Erin’s lips. “Now who’s apologizing?”
Kent froze, unsure where this was going.
Erin snickered, barely audible at first. “Sorry, I couldn’t resist.” She glanced down at Avery, and the chuckles grew louder. It was contagious, and now Kent held back laughter.
“Mo-om.” The little girl shifted her stern gaze from her mother to Kent and back again. “Why are you laughing?”
“Oh, honey, I’m not sure I can explain.” Erin’s blue eyes sparkled in the late-afternoon sun, and Kent found himself riveted.
His chuckling stilled. He cleared his throat roughly. At the same time, Erin brought her laughter under control. With a slow and purposeful inhalation, she said, “You’re right. We need to start over. Thank you for fixing our shelf, Mr. Ritter. It was very...neighborly of you.”
“Pleasure’s all mine, neighbor.” Grinning, he offered his hand to shake, and when Erin took it, he winked and passed her the shredded check.
With a nervous smile, she withdrew her hand and pocketed the scraps.
Just then, loud neighing and a couple of sharp kicks sounded from inside the barn. Kent straightened his hat. “That would be my girls letting me know it’s supper time.”
Interest shone in Avery’s eyes. “Horses?”
“Yup.” This might be Kent’s opportunity to get on the young lady’s good side. “Would you like to meet ’em?”
Avery cast her mother a questioning look, and Erin nodded.
Kent gestured toward the barn. “Okay, then. Right this way.”
Before they’d taken three steps, Avery was bubbling over with a description of her pony ride with Eva Austin. “Mr. Austin even let us trot a little bit. It was so bumpy, but I held on tight. Mom said I might be able to have riding lessons after she saves some money from her new job.”
“That’s terrific.” Kent led them over to Jasmine’s stall as the big black mare dropped her head over the gate. “I’ll be back in a minute with her supper. You can scratch her nose, but don’t get too close to her mouth.”
By the time he returned with a bucket of grain, Avery had made fast friends with Jasmine. Erin remained a few paces back, arms folded and a wary look on her face.
“She looks even bigger in her stall,” Erin murmured. “But she’s beautiful.”
As soon as Kent poured a scoop of grain into Jasmine’s feed bucket, the horse lost all interest in human attention and turned aside to eat. Kent motioned Erin and her daughter farther along the barn aisle. “Come say hi to Posey and Petunia.”
Avery gave a surprised gasp. “You have three horses?”
“I do.”
Kent poured grain for Posey, the sorrel mare in the next stall, and she nickered her thanks before burying her nose in the feed bucket. Across the aisle, Posey’s sister, Petunia, gave her stall door another kick.
“Comin’, girl. Hold your horses.”
“That’s silly,” Avery said as she followed Kent to Petunia’s stall. “Horses can’t hold their horses.”
Erin stood unmoving in the center of the aisle. “It’s just an expression, honey. Anyway, we should be going. I’m sure Mr. Ritter has lots to do.”
“If Avery wants to stick around for chores, it’s fine with me.” Even as the words left Kent’s mouth, he wondered what alien had taken over his body, because nobody had ever accused him of being Mr. Hospitality. Then he heard himself saying, “After we finish up, I can introduce you to Skip, my dog.”
Excitement sparked in Avery’s eyes. “Mom—”
“No, honey. You’ve had plenty of time with horses and dogs today. Now, we really have to go.” An edge had crept into Erin’s tone, and Kent couldn’t tell if it was from her uneasiness around animals or...him.
“Better do what your mom says,” Kent said with a quick pat on Avery’s shoulder. “Come back anytime, though. Next time I’ll show you my cows.” He couldn’t resist winking at Erin. “Your mom’s already met them.”
The protective look, one Kent had quickly come to recognize, narrowed Avery’s eyes once more. “Mom? You came here a different day?”
“Just once, honey.” Erin shot Kent a pointed glare before beaming a smile toward her daughter. “Mr. Ritter was kind enough to let me gather a few supplies to make your birthday basket.”
Kent fought a grin. He could still picture Erin’s reaction, first when he’d suggested the ride on Jasmine, even more so when he’d mentioned the rattlesnakes. “Have your mom tell you all about it one of these days.”
“On that note, we definitely must be on our way.” Swiveling toward the exit, Erin stretched out a hand to Avery.
Watching them drive away, Kent suffered another unwelcome pang of loneliness, the kind he’d studiously tamped down ever since Afghanistan. As a navy corpsman assigned to a marine unit, he’d learned it wasn’t smart to get too close to anyone, because you never knew if the next mission could mean the last time you saw your friends alive.
But no doubt about it, something about Erin Dearborn had grabbed him by the heart, the first woman to do so since before he’d enlisted. He’d been in love once, but his girlfriend had ended things one week before he left on his second deployment.
“I can’t do this again,” she’d told him. “Being without you for so long, every day waiting to hear from you, wondering if you’re safe—it’s too hard.”
By the time he returned to civilian life after his third and final deployment, she was married with two kids. Kent figured it was just as well, because by then he’d patched up too many broken bodies and sent too many comrades home beneath flag-draped coffins—so many that some days the shroud of those wartime memories obliterated every shred of daylight to his battered spirit.
Picturing Erin as he’d come upon her on Wednesday beneath the oak tree, sunbeams reaching down through the leaves to spark her auburn hair with golden highlights, Kent realized he’d seen daylight—really seen it—for the first time in forever.
* * *
At Christina Austin’s suggestion, Erin decided to visit Shepherd of the Hills for Sunday worship. Christina and her grandmother-in-law Marie Peterson, along with the two older Austin children, met Erin and Avery as they entered the foyer.
“Glad you decided to come,” Christina said, the sweet service dog, Gracie, close at her side. “Eva can show Avery to their Sunday school class. Marie and I attend the women’s Bible study, if you’d like to join us.”
Before Erin could reply, Avery skipped off with Eva. It was a comfort to know Avery had made such a fast friend, and after yesterday’s visit, Erin looked forward to becoming better friends with Christina.
On their way into the classroom, a fortysomething brunette came over to greet them. Christina introduced her as Gwen Ulbright, Pastor Terry’s wife. “We’re so happy to have you,” Gwen said. “Help yourself to some coffee. We’ll get started in a few minutes.”
As Erin filled a cu
p, Diana Willoughby from the doughnut shop said hello. Pouring coffee for herself, she said, “I have to apologize again about that shelf. Did Kent have any trouble repairing it?”
“All fixed.” The mention of Kent’s name brought back the awkwardness of yesterday afternoon. Erin wasn’t sure why she hadn’t wanted to tell Avery about her first encounter with Kent...or maybe she knew exactly why. Protecting Avery was Erin’s number one priority, and she didn’t want her daughter to worry for a second that her mother might have put herself in a precarious situation.
Diana stirred a dollop of creamer into her coffee. “Kent’s quiet, keeps to himself mostly, but you couldn’t ask for a nicer guy—as a handyman or as a friend.” She angled a meaningful smile toward Erin. “I’ve been hoping someone special would come into his life...especially someone who might entice him to come to church once in a while.”
Diana’s message came through loud and clear, and only reinforced Erin’s reservations. If and when she ever allowed a new romantic interest into her life, he’d have to be a rock-solid believer.
Distracted by the new surroundings and her own rampant thoughts, Erin had a difficult time focusing on the lesson and was relieved when class ended. The worship service and familiar praise songs proved more settling...until the pastor’s message on Jesus’s parable about the three servants who were each given a certain number of talents to invest. Erin saw herself too clearly as the servant who buried his portion in the ground, with nothing to show for it when the owner returned. Was God unhappy with her because she’d long ago buried her own “talent” when she’d given up her plans to become an interior designer?
She’d latched onto basketry as an outlet for her creativity, only to endure Payne’s punishment for wasting her time on a useless hobby when she should have been focusing on his needs and her duties as a homemaker. Not long afterward, she’d packed away her supplies and left them untouched until only a few months ago after moving in with Greg. The feel of rush, sea grass, reeds and twigs through her fingers, the sense of creating something beautiful from materials created by God set her free from the hurtful memories, temporarily at least, and carried her to a place of peace.
