When she awakened, Clint was already up and deflating his air mattress. His sleeping bag was curled into a roll, tied up and ready to tuck into storage for the trip home. She grabbed her cell phone, noticing that she hadn’t slept too long, and swung her legs over the edge of the bed. She turned, found the rungs of the ladder, and climbed down, hurrying to the bathroom. Hopefully, she didn’t flash him too much, and when she emerged wearing a t-shirt and jeans, her hair and teeth brushed, Clint had finished taking care of everything in the trailer. She pulled on socks and her boots.
“Ready to load the horses?” Clint asked.
“Yeah. Let’s go home.”
~* * *~
Arriving home from a show always turned into a whirlwind of activity. From unloading horses to putting the tack and gear away, then washing out the trailer and taking stock of what they needed in the living quarters, and what should be brought into the house. The rest of the food and snacks needed to be put away, and she started a list for things to restock the living quarters. Though she was planning on showing in a few weeks, she liked to keep the trailer loaded. She never knew when a friend needed help.
Speaking of friends, she needed to call Trisha. Her friend hadn’t been at this show, and it seemed odd that she hadn’t made one of the bigger events of the show season. Something had seemed off with her friend, and that was odd all on its own because Trisha usually told her everything. That she hadn’t shared this…well, Lora was worried. And when she’d mentioned Trisha to Arden at the event, not that they’d really had a long time to talk, Arden had a worried expression too.
It was near dark when she finally sat down to eat supper. Clint had put some pork chops in the oven and whipped up some mashed potatoes. How he’d found the time or energy, Lora didn’t know, but she sure appreciated it. She dove into the food like a starving woman, then hurried into her office to take care of some business before bed. Clint went downstairs to his apartment. She completed the work she needed to do and paused, thinking maybe she should go visit him. Except she hadn’t before. And what if he’d already fallen asleep.
Lora laughed at her foolishness. He was a man. If a woman came to visit him looking for something specific, most likely he’d be just fine with the interruption. But no, she dreamed their first night together would be a good dinner, maybe even an actual date. Some long smoldering glances, brushes of the fingers, maybe lots of smaller kisses that seemed to linger until they couldn’t get enough of each other’s mouths. Then, some glance, some nod, and he’d sweep her off to bed.
She’d been reading a few too many novels and nervous laughter bubbled from her. With a shake of her head, she turned and went to bed…alone.
Her dreams were of him, of the two of them, making love, and she awakened even more bothered than she’d been when she’d gone to bed. They needed to get this out of their systems. She heard him moving around in his apartment. Images filled her mind of him in the shower, getting dressed, then the door closed as he went out to start the chores. Which she needed to do. If she were breathy when she arrived in the barn, she blamed on getting ready so quickly because she’d almost overslept.
Even doing the chores with Clint was nice. Having someone there to help her feed. He tossed hay while she scooped grain. Then, he topped off their water buckets without being asked and helped her turn them out. They quickly discussed the day’s plans. He offered to drag the arena for her so she wouldn’t have to, and she took him up on the offer. What would it be like if he were there permanently if they took their relationship further? She tried not to ponder it too much; this was all new yet.
They finished the morning work, then went their separate ways to ride their horses. Lora checked on Lolly, happy to have her sound, and turned her lose for the day in the pasture to give her some downtime. She turned out Badger to join her, then went to the younger horses, including Pepper who needed some of her attention. She worked in the outdoor arena, giving Clint his space in the indoor. As much as she enjoyed the shows and winning, this was what she loved. The quiet time when she worked with a horse, gaining trust and confidence, so that they paired well together. She had lessons this afternoon. Somewhere in the middle of everything, she hoped to take time to call Trisha.
Later that evening, as she finished up her last lesson, Clint met her at the barn to help with evening chores. He’d fallen so easily into her life, working by her side. In a way she couldn’t imagine just how things were like without him. And yet, it seemed almost like a fluke that he was here at all. They finished and went to the house, where they enjoyed dinner.
Finally, Lora picked up the phone and called her friend.
Trisha answered, sounding tired, and maybe just a bit hungover. Lora startled to hear her friend’s voice and quickly checked in to make sure everything was okay. Trisha assured her it was, though Lora doubted her friend. “Do you need anything? Is there anything I can do to help?”
“No, I’m fine,” Trisha quickly replied. “Thanks for asking.” She added the last almost by rote, as if others had asked her if they could help too.
“Okay. We missed you at the show. We could have cleared the top three spots.”
Trisha laughed. “I’m sure we could have. Something came up. Maybe next time.”
“See you this weekend?”
“Of course.”
“Okay, then. Have a good night.” Lora hung up the phone and stared at it for long moments. Had it not been close to eight, she might have called Arden to see what her friend thought. That also felt a little like going behind Trisha’s back and Lora didn’t want to do that. She trusted her friend to ask for help. She paced back and forth, her mind churning with thoughts. Had she somehow missed something in Trisha’s life? Had she not been as good a friend as she thought?
Lost in her thoughts, she missed hearing Clint come back upstairs. “Hey,” he said. “Everything okay?”
She stopped and turned, her breath catching at the sight of him shirtless, his jeans slung low on his hips. He was barefoot. “Did I disturb you? I’m sorry.”
“No. Just came upstairs to see if there was some of dinner left over. I’m hungrier than I thought.” He crossed the space between them, stopping next to her in the living room. He stood close enough she could reach out and run her fingers over his chest.
She imagined the wiry feel of his chest hair beneath her fingers and the warmth of his skin. “Yeah, everything’s okay. I checked in with Trisha since she wasn’t at the show this weekend and she sounded off. I don’t know. I think something’s going on.”
“Arden mentioned being worried about her a few months ago, but I thought everything got straightened out. I tried not to pry or overstep.” Clint reached for her and cupped her arm. “You’re a good friend for caring, Lora. A lot of people out there on the circuit wouldn’t care at all.”
“Thanks. Do you know why Arden was worried?” She shook her head. “I shouldn’t have asked that. I don’t want to put you in a bad spot. I’ll call Arden tomorrow and ask her.”
“I don’t really know.” Clint shrugged. “I’m sorry.” He brushed strands of hair away from her face. “I wouldn’t worry too much. I’m sure whatever it is will be fine.”
Lora nodded, but she also knew the nights she’d cried herself to sleep after the divorce had begun. All the worry and fear, and she’d wished, just once, someone would reach out beyond the occasional text. “I hope so.”
Clint leaned in and kissed her. He slanted his mouth across hers, his lips firm yet soft enough to give her the space to break off the kiss if she wanted. She didn’t want that. Instead, she cupped the back of his head, pulling him close. All the pent up desire she’d felt at the show rushed through her, and with her other hand, she grabbed his waist to pull him close. She opened her mouth, inviting his exploration, and when his tongue brushed against hers, she moaned low in her throat.
Clint broke the kiss and stepped back. Desire filled his eyes. “I should get my food and go back downstairs.”
Don’t go. The words sprang to her lips. She didn’t speak them. Whatever had caused him to step back, it probably was for the best. “Have a good night,” she said at last.
“You too. And if you need anything, you know where to find me.” He ducked into the kitchen and a few moments later she heard the microwave.
Oh she needed something, all right. Her body ached with the heady desire of new love and hot attraction. Going downstairs, availing herself of his body, of the distraction he offered would be the perfect way to chase any thoughts from her mind. But she’d be using him. And what they had was stronger, was better, than that. So by the time his food had finished heating, she was in her bedroom, her laptop open. She had work to do. That’d have to be enough for tonight.
~* * *~
The next afternoon with her schedule clear, Lora drove over to Trisha’s place. She noticed the horses were turned out, the arena empty. She expected her friend to be riding; Trisha never missed a chance to work on some aspect of her horsemanship. Lora stepped into the barn, thinking her friend was there, but it was empty. Dust hung in the air, as if the horses hadn’t come in for a while, and the pallets where she stacked her hay had maybe half a dozen bales on them. She couldn’t remember when she’d seen it so low. She turned and went to the house, knocking.
Trisha answered, wearing a t-shirt and yoga pants, thick slipper socks on her feet. Her hair was pulled up into a messy bun on top of her head and dark circles were like bruises under her eyes. “Lora. I didn’t expect you. I told you I was okay.” She sounded almost defensive.
This doesn’t seem okay. “I had a free afternoon. Thought I’d stop by. Did I catch you at a bad time?”
“No. My knee is acting up today, so I’m taking it easy. A day of rest before the show this weekend wouldn’t hurt anyone. I want to be at my best.”
“Okay. Is there anything I can get you? Anything I can do to help?”
“Nah, I’m good. I was just getting ready to take a nap.”
“Then I won’t bother you. Just know I’m only a phone call away if you need something.”
Trisha pulled Lora into a quick hug. “I will. Thanks for checking on me. That’s really sweet of you.”
Lora glanced over her friend’s shoulder at a house that needed some cleaning. Then again, hers got a little messy during show season. She wasn’t going to judge. She stepped back and released Trisha, then with one more reassurance her friend was fine, headed back to her barn.
She returned home to find Clint had gone into town but left all the stalls clean and everything ready for evening feed. With nothing left chore-wise to do, Lora went to the house to check the bookwork. She had a few empty stalls, though an appointment with a new boarder. If Trisha needed something, what did she have to offer? She rang Arden, thankful to find her able to talk.
They chatted about Trisha, about Arden’s suspicions, but without Trisha asking for help, they really couldn’t do much. She promised to see what they could do at the show this weekend, and Lora had to be satisfied with that.
Clint returned and she hurried to help him unload. It combined pleasure and work, watching his muscles move as he unloaded bags of feed. They couldn’t keep dancing around each other indefinitely. Their unusual arrangement, with him moving in because he needed a place and then the attraction and dating part of things happening, weighed on her. Had she jumped into something simply because of being on the rebound due to her divorce? She didn’t think so.
“Come to dinner with me tonight,” Clint said out of the blue.
“A date?” Lora asked.
“Sure, a date. Let me take you out somewhere nice in town. I feel like we’re either doing farm work, which I don’t mind at all, or eating supper together, but there hasn’t been much courting.” He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close. “I have a fierce need to court you, Lora.” He pressed a quick, hard kiss on her mouth before releasing her.
How could she say no to that? “Sure. What time?”
“Maybe seven? I’ll make some reservations. Not too dressy, but not a jeans and t-shirt sort of place.”
“It’s a date.”
At six Clint met her upstairs. She emerged wearing a denim skirt that hit just below her knees and a matching coral pink shirt with denim accents. The neckline was low enough to tantalize, but not so low as to show anything she didn’t want seen. A gold necklace hung in the opening, the small barrel racer charm a gift from Arden one Christmas. She had gold horseshoe earrings and with her hair pulled back and secured with a gold clasp of running horses, her favorite, she had date vibes. It’d been a while since she’d dressed up like this.
Clint cleaned up nicely too, in a pair of fresh, black jeans and polished boots, his black western shirt with pearl snaps giving him a dashing look. He offered his arm. “Ready?”
“I am.” She slipped her purse over her shoulder out of habit, then allowed him to lead her to his truck. He opened the door, even offering his hand if she needed help stepping in with her heeled boots. As soon as she was settled, he went to the driver’s side and got in. Then they were on their way.
He made a reservation at the nice steak and seafood place in town, somewhere she hadn’t eaten at in a very long time. Oh this was going to be good. Even without the handsome company, it’d be good. He opened her door, once more offering her his arm. What a perfect gentleman. Not that she suspected Clint would be anything but, though it was nice to see this side of him. He accompanied her to the door, and as soon as he gave his name to the greeter, they were led to a booth in the back.
The intimate atmosphere made it feel like a date. They quickly ordered wine and an appetizer. Conversation ebbed and flowed. They talked about the upcoming show, plans for future shows, and even goals for the end of the year. Clint mentioned wanting to figure out how to stay home more often. He was growing tired of being on the road yet knew that was the key to growing and perhaps even striking out on his own to be a trainer.
The idea of Clint leaving and starting his own barn hit Lora hard. She commiserated with him, knew exactly the battle that he faced because she faced it too. As much as she enjoyed showing and winning; she enjoyed being home more. She didn’t ask about the roping or his friends whom she’d barely met.
“If you could do anything,” she asked, feeling daring, “what would you do in the horse world?”
He paused, finished eating the bite of his appetizer, then looked at her. “You know, I’m not sure.” He smiled. “I’ve been on this path for so long, I don’t think I’ve allowed myself to answer those questions.”
“Then maybe we should ask them.” She sighed. “One of the things I’ve learned since my divorce was that if we don’t ask the questions, we’ll never find answers to them.” Then their entrees arrived, and conversation ebbed in favor of eating.
Dinner waned. “I’m serious,” Lora said as she contemplated whether to order dessert or not. “You have the opportunity that many others would envy. You aren’t tied down to a farm or any particular place. You can go wherever and do whatever you want. Think about what you want to do.”
“And who I want to spend it with?” Clint set his plate aside for the server to get when he came back.
“Yeah, that too.” Lora glanced down at her plate.
“That’s some good advice.” The server returned, took the empty plates, and asked them about dessert.
“I’ll have a piece of the black forest cake with strawberries to go,” Lora said. Clint ordered the same.
The server left and the words Clint had spoken lingered between them. “I’m not going anywhere,” Clint said. “So if you’re trying to get rid of me, you’ll have to tell me direct.”
“And why would I do that? I admit, I offered you the place as a favor to Arden, but I like you. A lot. I like having you around and we work well together.”
“Good. Because I rather like being at the Western Star with you. We make a great team.” He paid the bill and after the server arrived with
their desserts in a bag to go, they left the restaurant. The ride back to her farm passed in silence. Lora debated whether to invite him up. Tonight would be a good night to consummate their relationship. And yet, when he kissed her and bid her good night, she appreciated his patience and his care. The time would be right to take things further. When it happened, she’d know. They’d both know. And the time would be perfect for everything.
~* * *~
Lora sat on a hay bale watching Clint in the arena. His words, their conversation of the night before, haunted her. What did she want to do? Who did she want to be? She thought about Pepper, the appaloosa she was rehabilitating. Bringing horses like that back from where they might not end up in a good place and making them good equine citizens touched something deep inside. Being around the rodeo, as much as those horses were well taken care of, they also were at the top of their game. Regular backyard horsemen couldn’t afford mounts like that, and someone looking for a horse for their child needed something dependable, not flashy, and expensive.
The need to balance money meant for the time being she’d have to go to shows and rodeos, keeping one foot in the game. There had to be a way to reach more people. She frowned, because she didn’t know how and going over and over the topic in her mind only served to frustrate her some more. She’d figure it out. She always did. Because being on the road was starting to wear on her. If Clint enjoyed it, though their conversations sounded as if he was in the same place as she was, then he could go on his own too. She had students to think about, and the more she trained in other disciplines, the more she realized just how burnt out she was getting. Another issue for another time. Not wanting Clint to think she stalked him or anything, she went to the tack room to work on organizing their gear before the next show.
Half an hour later, Clint walked into the tack room and slid his saddle onto the rack. He stopped next to her, wrapping an arm around her waist, and pulling her close. He kissed her temple. “You looked lost in thought when you were watching me. Anything you want to share?”
Down The Alley Page 3
