“Horses?” he said.
Not only had he looked at her, but he’d spoken. Until that point, she wasn’t sure he could.
After she recovered from the shock, she sat down across from him and lifted the mug to her lips. “Yes, real horses. There’s a new place opening up not too far from here. Interested?”
He nodded vigorously and began to clear away his breakfast. She chuckled at his enthusiasm.
“I’ll take that as a yes. Slow down though and finish your breakfast. It’s still early, and I need to eat something before we go too.”
Chapter Eighteen
Sandy
Kevin’s enthusiasm was infectious, and for the first time in a while, Sandy was actually looking forward to the day. At best, Danny’s Happy Trail Ranch would turn out to be everything she hoped it would be. At worst, she and Kevin would have a nice drive and hopefully get to see some horses.
She had a pretty good idea of where they were going but entered the address into her phone’s GPS as a backup anyway. She’d learned not to depend on those apps too heavily; sometimes, the signals got lost in the mountains.
Having grown up in the area, she wasn’t worried about getting lost. She knew if she kept driving, she’d eventually end up somewhere she recognized. What concerned her more was how Kevin might react if they were in the car too long. Not everyone was comfortable on mountain roads with all the curves and steep grades, though he’d been just fine on their trips to Birch Falls and Dunn’s River.
“Ready?” she asked.
He nodded vigorously, making her smile.
They drove past the town limits and continued onto the road that would take them where they wanted to go. There were fewer houses and businesses as they ascended and more forested state game lands and private parcels.
Before too long, she passed the turnoff for the old Winston family resort, where Matt Winston and his team were building Sanctuary. Her thoughts immediately veered to Heff, her imagination conjuring up an image of a shirtless Heff doing some kind of manly construction. His cut physique and tanned skin suggested he worked outside a lot.
The truth was, her thoughts didn’t have to travel far to get there. She’d been replaying his implied offer over and over in her mind a lot. Had she made the right choice in turning him down? While her head was certain she had, the rest of her wasn’t convinced.
She hadn’t seen him since that night. Matt and the guys had come into the place once or twice, but Heff hadn’t been with them. Was he avoiding her? Or had he found someone else to spend time with?
The soft growl in the back of her own throat surprised her.
None of it matters, she told herself firmly. So what if she couldn’t stop picturing his roguish half-smile when she closed her eyes at night? Or crave the caress of his callous hands on her sensitized skin?
Think of something else.
She forced her thoughts away from Heff and focused on a safer subject instead—the Sanctuary project itself. That was a good thing they were doing there, and sorely needed. Matt had found a way to turn his family’s tragedy into something positive for others.
Everyone in Sumneyville knew the story. A fire had broken out, destroying most of the resort’s central wing. The place had been closed to the public for renovations at the time, but the family who lived there perished in the blaze. Matt had been in the service then and hadn’t been around when it happened. Sandy suppressed a shiver, imagining how awful it must have been for him to come home and discover that he was the only surviving member of his immediate family.
Matt had his team now though, and based on some of the things her brother Trace had told her, teams were family. Brothers by other mothers, he used to call the men in his unit. Then, he’d smile a wistful smile, and his eyes would go dark as he remembered things she could only guess at.
The familiar ache, the one she always felt when she thought about her older brother, squeezed her chest and made it hard to breathe. The passage of time had worn it down somewhat, but it would never go away completely.
She wondered, not for the first time, if there was something she could have done, something she could have said that would have made a difference. If a place like Sanctuary had existed then, would Trace be around now?
She missed him so much, especially when one of life’s curveballs hit her between the eyes. Trace had always been there to pick her up, dust her off, then push her right back in the game.
She’d always been the dreamer. He’d been the responsible one. The glue that had held her family together after their father left. The one who’d stepped up when things got really rough. When his friends were out partying and playing football, he had been working nights and weekends. While others were going off to college or trade schools, he’d gone down to the recruiter’s office and enlisted.
She remembered that day as if it were yesterday. Two weeks before his high school graduation, he’d been driving to drop her off at Franco’s before heading to his own job at the mill and had told her what he was going to do. She begged him not to, afraid for him and what might happen. He looked at her then, smiled, and told her that everything was going to be okay. That he was going to put in his time, come home safe, and take advantage of the GI bill to get his engineering degree.
She’d believed him, too, because he’d believed.
But that was before. Before he was deployed to the Middle East—not once, but twice. Before their mother was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor. Before depression and drugs and PTSD seduced him into believing the only way out was by taking his own life.
For a long time, she’d been so angry at him for that. Angry for giving up when he had never allowed anyone else to. That anger had long since faded, replaced by the continuing ache of grief and guilt. Because she hadn’t known, and she should have somehow.
Years later, she still felt as if she’d failed him.
Beside her, Kevin rocked back and forth in the passenger seat, reminding her that she had another brother to think about now. Her resolve strengthened. She wouldn’t fail him too.
“Not too much longer,” she assured him. “I think we’re pretty close now.”
Kevin’s face didn’t show a lot of expression, but she could tell he was taking everything in, processing things in his own special way.
They rounded another curve, her ears popping as the aging four-cylinder engine chugged up the steep incline. Acres of forested land flanked them on either side with occasional breaks in the trees, revealing stunning vistas down below.
She drew in one deep breath after another, inhaling the scent of clean mountain air until her dark thoughts cleared and the pressure in her chest eased. This was home, and there was some comfort to be found in that.
She turned off onto what she hoped was the right road, slowing when she caught sight of a truck off to the side. The tailgate was open, and a man was coming out of the woods with an armload of freshly cut logs. The sound of a chain saw and music drifting out from nearby suggested he wasn’t alone.
His head lifted when he saw her, and she experienced a twinge of anxiety. There weren’t a lot of people who lived up on the mountains, and many of those who did didn’t take kindly to trespassers. This guy didn’t look angry or threatening though, so she decided to take a chance and stop.
“Excuse me,” she said, putting down the window. “I’m looking for Danny’s Happy Trail Ranch. Can you tell me if I’m on the right track?”
He tossed the logs into the back of the pickup and moved close enough to be heard but not too close, as if aware of her wariness. “Sure are. It’s just up the road. The sign must have come down in the storm last night. Sandy, right?”
She nodded, a sense of relief washing over. This had to be one of the owners.
“I’m Brian,” he said, confirming her theory. “Go on up. Tori’s expecting you.”
Sandy thanked him and drove on for another half mile or so until she saw the clearing. She parked in one of the open spaces and tur
ned to Kevin, who was staring wide-eyed at two horses roaming in the fields in front of them. “All right. Let’s check this place out.”
He nodded excitedly. They got out of the car, and Kevin went right up the railing.
“Be careful, Kevin. Don’t get too close. You don’t want to spook them.”
“He’s fine,” a woman said, approaching from a barn on the right. She wore jean shorts and a T-shirt; her brown hair was pulled up into a ponytail. “The horses are well trained and very gentle. I’m Tori.”
“Hi, Tori. We texted earlier. I’m Sandy,” Sandy responded, “and this is my brother Kevin.”
“Welcome. It’s nice to meet you both.”
Kevin continued to stare out at the horses, not acknowledging Tori at all.
“He doesn’t say much,” Sandy explained.
“No worries,” Tori said with a genuine smile. “We get a lot of strong, silent types here. Did you have any trouble finding the place?”
“None at all.”
“Good. Why don’t I show you around, and you can tell me a little more about what you’re looking for?”
“Information mostly,” Sandy explained as they walked over toward a smaller, fenced-in area. “This is all new to me. My brother just recently came to live with me. I hadn’t even known he existed until a few weeks ago.”
Sandy snapped her mouth closed, shocked that she’d just blurted it out like that. Tori didn’t seem to mind. She nodded, her expression thoughtful.
“It can be very overwhelming at first,” Tori agreed, “especially if you’ve never dealt with it before. Kevin is autistic?”
“Yes,” Sandy said. “I don’t have access to any of his medical records though,” she added quickly, thinking of how the facilities they’d already visited asked. No one would even consider accepting him without a referral from a qualified physician. “Is that going to be a problem?”
“Not for us,” Tori told her. “Every person is unique and requires something a little different even if they are given a diagnosis. However, having some information up front gives us a better understanding and helps us define a starting point. I have a list of qualified professionals I could recommend, if you’re interested.”
“That would be great, thanks. I guess I should have done that first.”
Tori smiled gently. “What’s important is that you’re doing something. How much do you know about hippotherapy?”
“Only what I was able to glean from a few quick internet searches. It sounds promising though.”
“Equine therapy can be very beneficial for a variety of things, including autism, both on physical and emotional levels. Do you find that Kevin has difficulty making eye contact or expressing what he’s feeling?”
Sandy looked at Kevin, who had stopped at the railing again and was staring at the grazing animals. “Yes. In fact, he didn’t make direct eye contact with me until just recently. He’s obsessed with horses, drawing them all the time.”
“That’s good. You’ve found a bridge.”
“A bridge?”
“Yes. You’ve found a way to connect with him. To bridge the gap, so to speak. We can build upon that. Hippotherapy allows those who have difficulty bonding emotionally to communicate and express themselves physically instead. Not only has riding been shown to improve motor skills and balance, but caring for the horses has benefits too. By helping to feed, brush, and pet the animals, they’re associating care with feelings, and with time, that could make them more open to social communication. The fact that Kevin already has a thing for horses gives us a leg up.”
“It makes so much sense when you explain it,” Sandy told her.
“Developing core skills through natural, organic means,” Tori told her. “If I sound passionate about it, it’s because I am. Opening up a place like this has been a dream of mine for a long time.”
Dreams were something that Sandy understood well, though hearing Tori talk about achieving her dreams reminded her that she’d had to put hers on hold. “That’s good.”
Tori nodded. “Yeah, it is. I didn’t realize just how much until ...” She trailed off before finishing. That was when Sandy remembered that Tori was the woman who had been plastered all over the local and national news, the only known survivor of the Lonely Hearts Killer.
Holy shit. Suddenly, Sandy’s problems didn’t seem so bad.
“Does Kevin have difficulty comprehending simple commands?” Tori asked, bringing her thoughts back to the reason they were there.
“No. He seems to understand everything I ask him to do, but he’s not always thrilled about complying.”
Tori let out a quiet laugh. “Sounds like my son. Typical boy. I think they’re born with an extra grumble gene or something.”
Sandy followed Tori’s gaze to the far side of the corral where a young boy was sitting on the railing, petting one of the horses.
“Is that him?”
“Yes, that’s Danny.” Tori grinned, her smile wide, her eyes holding all the pride of a parent. “Danny!” Tori called out. “Come over here. I’d like you to meet someone.”
The boy obediently slipped off the rail and began walking toward them. He had a decided limp, but it didn’t seem to slow him down any. As he grew closer, Sandy noticed extensive burn scars covering the entire right side of his face and the exposed skin on his arm and leg. The other side was perfectly normal.
“Danny, this is Sandy and her brother Kevin. Sandy, Kevin, my son, Danny.”
The boy grinned, his smile twisted by the scars. “Hi,” he said to Sandy and then looked at Kevin. “I’ve got a new horse. Her name is Misty. Wanna see?”
Sandy was about to explain that Kevin didn’t usually respond to people he didn’t know, but Kevin surprised her by nodding.
“Cool,” Danny said. “I can show him, right, Mom?”
“Sure.”
“Come on, Kevin. You’re going to love Misty. She’s white and gray, just like the mist that covers the mountains sometimes, and she loves carrots, but you have to hold them a special way when you feed them to her, so she doesn’t think your fingers are carrots ...”
Danny’s chattering faded as he led Kevin toward the stables. Sandy and Tori followed at a slightly slower pace, keeping them both in sight.
“I can’t believe it,” Sandy said. “I’ve never seen Kevin take to anyone like that.”
Tori smiled. “Most of the kids who come here respond to Danny.”
“He seems like a great kid.”
“He is,” Tori agreed. “Of course, I’m a little biased. He wasn’t always like that. This place, the horses, working with others ... it’s had a tremendously positive impact. I know that sounds like a shameless plug, but it’s the honest truth.”
Sandy believed her. It was hard not to when Tori’s face shone with such love and pride.
They reached the stables, where the boys had stopped in front of a stall. A beautiful dappled gray mare leaned her head over the half-door.
Danny pulled a brush from a hook on the wall and began demonstrating how to properly groom a horse while preaching the benefits. “It keeps their coats nice and shiny, and they really like it too. Here, want to give it a try?”
Kevin didn’t respond.
“Go on. It’s easy, see?” Danny coaxed. He demonstrated once again and then held the oval brush to Kevin.
Sandy was just about to say something when Tori put her hand on Sandy’s forearm. “Give him a minute.”
Sandy held her breath. Then, slowly but surely, Kevin took the brush from Danny and mimicked the movements.
“See? Told you,” Danny praised. “She loves it, too, especially if you get her right here ...”
Sandy watched as Kevin meticulously followed Danny’s instructions. When he stopped, the mare nudged him for more, and Kevin smiled. A potent combination of happiness and surprise bubbled up inside her too.
They stayed for a little while longer, and then Tori suggested they go back to the main house. She offer
ed them lemonade and cookies.
While the boys sat at the table and Danny plied Kevin with pictures of the horses and talked nonstop, Tori turned to Sandy. “So, what do you think?”
“I think it’s wonderful,” Sandy told her honestly.
“I was hoping you’d say that. I think Kevin would do very well here, and Danny has certainly taken to him. We could start with once-a-week, hour-long sessions and take it from there.”
Sandy shifted uncomfortably. “Well, actually ... we need more than that.” She exhaled. “I’m working two part-time jobs right now. I have a neighbor who watches Kevin in the evenings, but I’ve been taking Kevin with me in the mornings. The township supervisors have been pretty good about it so far, but it’s not ideal.”
“You’re looking for more of a supervised day care then?” Tori said evenly.
Sandy’s bubble of hope burst, the afternoon’s happy tone taking a decided downturn. “Yes, I suppose I am.”
That had been her original intent, but now that she’d seen the ranch and met Tori and Danny, she wanted so much more.
“I really like this place,” Sandy told her, “and clearly, Kevin does too. I haven’t seen him this engaged since ... well, since I met him. Unfortunately, I don’t have a lot of options.” Or money. “I forgot to ask, how much are the session fees anyway?”
Sandy kept her expression neutral when Tori mentioned an hourly rate that was several times her gross hourly wage. Thankfully, she’d had a lot of practice in schooling her expressions over the years.
She summoned a smile and stood. “Well, I think we’ve taken up enough of your time today. Thank you so much for meeting with us. I promise, if I can find a way to get him here once a week, I will.”
“Thank you for coming. It was a pleasure meeting you and Kevin.”
“Same.”
“Come on, Kevin. It’s time to go.”
It took a bit of coaxing, but before too long, Sandy and Kevin were walking back to the car.
“Here’s a card,” Tori said, handing her a small, glossy business card. “Call anytime, okay?”
Sandy accepted the card to be polite, knowing in her heart that she’d never use it. Had she enjoyed the afternoon? Yes, she had. Immensely. Tori was so easy to talk to, and more than that, she seemed to know what she was talking about.
Best Laid Plans: Sanctuary, Book Two Page 10
