Outcast (The Friessen Legacy Series, Book 2), A Western Romance

by Lorhainne Eckhart

  Chapter 11

  “So is this the horse you’ll teach me to ride?” Diana leaned against the wooden rail of the corral where Jed scooped manure with a plastic pitchfork, dumping it into a heavy green wheelbarrow. The same dark horse he’d unloaded from the horse trailer an hour before stomped her hoofs and swished her tail.

  Jed stopped what he was doing and wasn’t shy about the onceover he gave her. He nodded, which she could only suppose was approval of her faded jeans, the boots she’d picked up at a secondhand store a year before, and a plain red t-shirt. She had brushed out her hair and tied it once again into a ponytail. She never wore jewelry—she’d never been able to stomach it after all the flash and glitter Faye had draped herself in, even though Diana and half the town knew it was all fake.

  “So, tell me what you know about horses, your experience, how much riding you’ve done.” He didn’t even glance at her as he worked.

  “I love horses, but I’ve never ridden. Not once. Never had the opportunity, and I never allowed myself to have that dream. I’ve always admired them from afar. But there’s something about them, you know, where they know things, smell things before we do. It’s as if they speak another language, and I’ve wanted to understand them, how they think, why they get spooked or jump or…” She stayed outside the corral while he finished dumping manure in the wheelbarrow, lifting the rake over the side of the corral and leaning it against the barn wall. She felt silly for rambling on. He must have been bored, or maybe he thought she was silly for carrying on.

  “Well, at least you’re smart enough to know that much about a horse, and you’ve never ridden. Most people figure they can just jump in the saddle, kick the horse a couple times, yank and pull the reins and they’re in control. That stupidity is a good way to get yourself thrown and killed.” He lifted the handles on the wheelbarrow, flicked open the corral gate and latched it behind him. He pushed the wheelbarrow around the barn to a large pile of manure and dumped it there.

  Diana followed, unsure of what to do. He had heard her. He had listened.

  “If you want to learn about horses, to ride, this is what you’ll be doing every morning. And you need to help out. I’ll take you out on the trail when you’re comfortable. But when you’re learning about horses, you’re going to do everything. You can’t be worrying about a broken fingernail, or if your delicate skin is burning, or your butt is sore. It’s important you learn how to look after your horse first. If you look after your horse, she’ll look after you. Understand? You’re starting with the basics so I can see what you can do.”

  He left the wheelbarrow beside the manure pile. He didn’t wait for Diana as he strode back into the barn. She recognized enough arrogant body language that she knew he expected her to follow—to keep up. “Here’s the tack room, where I keep the saddles, blankets, halters, brushes, everything you need to care for your horse. Grab a curry comb, brush, and hoof pick and we’ll start with the basics.”

  Jed pointed to the tack box, and Diana grabbed one of each and hurried after him. He didn’t wait around for her to catch up, and she had to jog to keep up with his long strides. He opened the gate to the corral.

  “First and foremost, with gates on a farm, you always double check and make sure they’re latched. Never leave a gate open or unlocked for a second, thinking you’ll be right back. That’s how accidents happen, and animals can get hurt or killed.”

  The dark spotted horse stood alone in the corral and nickered when Jed walked toward her. “This is Scarlett. She’s an Appaloosa Quarter Horse. She’s eight years old and the sweetest thing. You’ll be riding her, and you’ll look after her—she’ll look after you.”

  “What’s she like?” Diana’s chest tightened just a little in awe of standing so close to this spectacular creature. The horse’s power was so natural, and she could feel it touch her as she stepped cautiously to Scarlett’s side, her hand trembling as she stroked the smooth coat.

  She glanced up at Jed, and he was watching her in a way that was so different from Andy. In a way, he gave her all of his attention. He was so tall and rugged and solid that she barely reached his shoulder. And Scarlett, well, she was a big horse. She’d need a ladder to get on her.

  “If you’re nervous, shake it off before you come in here, because she’ll pick it up and test you. It’s hard to break that once she’s got you pegged. She’s reading your body language, how you walk, how you approach her. Your hesitation, what you’re thinking. Being unsure only tells her one thing: She can’t trust you. And you don’t ever want to be on a horse that doesn’t trust you.”

  Diana was startled by what he said. Without giving her a chance to absorb what he was saying, he moved away from Scarlett.

  “Give her a good brushing.”

  Diana stepped closer to touch Scarlett’s side with the brush. That was when the horse moved, nearly knocking Diana over. Jed stepped in and smacked Scarlett’s hind end, pushing her over.

  “Hey, move over. Behave yourself.” Jed grabbed Diana’s hand with his large, rough one and shoved a ragged plastic curry comb in it, placing it on Scarlett’s side. “Move in closer. Here, press here, and rub in circles like this. Show her you mean it, like you know what you’re doing. Think about what you’re doing before you do it. If you hesitate, she’ll know it before you do. Understand that she’s testing you now. Score one for Scarlett—she pushed you over. Next time, she’ll walk on you. So now you have to undo what you’ve just reinforced. Sometimes it’s ten times harder to undo a mistake than it is to get things right the first time. That’s your first lesson. When you don’t know what to do or you’re scared as hell, she’ll walk all over you, and you’ll lose her trust. Once she’s in charge, it’s damn hard to reverse the roll. So when you come in here with her, have a plan. Your hand is always touching her side, like this, so she knows where you are. You comb her, brush her. Always have your hand on her when you walk behind her and walk close behind. You don’t want to give her room to kick you. If she kicks you, she’ll break your leg. And startled horses will kick. So I’ll repeat it again: You make sure she knows where you are at all times. After you’ve got her brushed down, you’ll hoof pick. I’ll walk you through all of this today. Then we’ll start some groundwork so you and Scarlett can get to know each other.”

  His body was so close that he touched her, and every part of him was wreaking havoc on her lonely senses. She had never allowed herself to feel, to fall in love, because for as long as she could remember it had been Andy, always Andy who she thought of, worshipped, loved and hated every minute of every day since she’d been a scrawny, helpless kid, completely at his mercy. For years, her sole purpose had been to find a way to make things right for Louisa and to empower herself so no man could ever rip away her basic foundation ever again. She had a law degree, resources, and a plan that had fallen into place after Andy tossed her from the motel the day before. But the man hovering beside her brought with him an earthy scent, a musky, animal scent that made such a physical impact that her senses reeled. It was a distraction she couldn’t afford. She needed to move away, to give herself space to breathe, but he grabbed her arm and pulled her back.

  “No, finish brushing her,” he said.

  He stepped away. She didn’t need to look at him to know he was still there watching, leaning against the rail. Her face heated, and Scarlett nickered, tossing her head as if sensing Diana’s discomfort. This time, when Scarlett tried to step on her foot, Diana smacked her hind end just like Jed had.

  “No, move over,” she said.

  Chapter 12

  It wasn’t easy building a law practice in a town that hated her for being a Claremont. Even though Diana had used her adoptive parents’ name, Fulton, word had already gotten out of who she really was, and since Andy and Todd owned the town, finding commercial space in one of the vacant storefronts was impossible. Her realtor had put out feelers after finding the cabin on Jed Friessen’s ranch, which was only temporary and had been paid for with cas
h for the month. Even though Diana could afford to buy a home, it would put a serious dent in her savings. No, it was better to put up without the modern conveniences. Besides, when Andrea, her realtor, had mentioned on the phone that Jed taught people to ride and ran an unsuccessful trail riding outfit, Diana knew that she wanted to stay. When she hung up, she had been determined to see about having this man teach her to ride a horse, something she had dreamed one day of owning. But when she heard him say he was a Friessen, her veins had filled with ice water. She had panicked before quickly masking her fear, wondering what the chances were that he was related to Andy. From the family resemblance, she thought they must have been pretty high.

  For now, she would have to settle on working out of her SUV, and her cell phone would be her business number. She posted flyers around town and on the local bulletin boards, at the gas station, and anywhere people would see them. She had also posted online on the community website, which allowed local ads. Satisfied she had done all she could, Diana hurried to the grocery store before it closed. If she remembered correctly, in town, everything closed early, and after raiding Jed’s fridge that morning before driving in, she knew she couldn’t expect him to feed her, too. She had offered to pick him up some food, as well, which he had taken her up on. It was a pleasure, really, coming back here and knowing she had her own means and enough money to buy what she needed. She didn’t have to worry that, when standing at the cash register, she’d have to count out all her pennies and fret about putting something back. She remembered those awful days, as she was the one who also did most of the food shopping with the few dollars Faye had left. Her math became exceptional, but her unease and cold sweat at the register most likely had more to do with Mr. Harris, the owner then, who always tapped his foot and let her know, with a huff and sigh, that she was holding everyone up.

  Diana pushed the cart down the narrow aisles, selecting dry goods, before lingering in the produce aisle, selecting lettuce and carrots and bagging up oranges, apples, and other fruit. She glanced up at the large, oval security mirror mounted close to the ceiling, which gave anyone in the store a bird’s eye view of the customers, and forced herself to keep moving as if nothing was wrong when she noticed Mr. Harris standing at the back of the store, watching her. Times had changed, but some people had not. He was older and completely bald, but with the same protruding belly and ruddy cheeks. Diana smiled at the young, overweight girl behind the cash, who greeted Diana with a bubbly smile. As Diana unloaded her groceries, the cashier’s phone rang, and when the girl answered, her eyes widened and she gaped at Diana.

  “Yes, sir, Mr. Harris.” Her voice shook as she replied, then hung up the phone. Her face colored a vibrant red. “Mr. Harris said for me to tell you that you’re not welcome here and we cannot sell you anything,” she said.

  Diana reached into her purse and handed the young grocery clerk her business card.

  The girl glanced at it, then whispered to Diana, “I’m so sorry, but I really need this job.”

  Diana felt sorry for the girl and sighed when she realized she was going to have to go to the next town over to buy groceries, and she wouldn’t get back to the ranch until sundown. Jed was expecting her to work with Scarlett that afternoon, and Diana considered herself to be a reliable person. So she patted the girl’s hand.

  “It’s all right. I know you’re stuck in the middle. That pompous jerk can’t even come out and do his own dirty work. I’m a new lawyer, and if you’re ever in need of legal help, call me. That’s my cell number.”

  The girl whispered her thanks, sharing a sympathetic glance, one that also showed her appreciation that Diana was handling it so well. Diana walked out of the store, her head high, and bumped into a graying older couple she couldn’t place.

  “Faye,” gasped the tall gentleman with outdated glasses, and his wife elbowed him before turning hateful eyes on Diana.

  “No, I’m Diana. Faye was my mother.” She pulled out her business card and handed it to his wife, who pulled back, flustered, after she took it.

  “Diana Fulton. Lawyer?” She said it with disbelief, her eyes darting up, and Diana realized she probably wondered if it was real, a Claremont actually making something of herself.

  “If you ever find yourself in need of a lawyer, call me. I think you’ll find my rates reasonable.” Diana didn’t give them a chance to respond as they stared after her. She climbed into her SUV, realizing word had just gotten out that she was back in town. It would only be a matter of time before Andy found her again.

  ***

  She flushed while waiting for Jed outside one of the stalls in the barn, wondering how she would tell him that she hadn’t gotten any food and would have to cancel the riding this afternoon so she could drive to the city and get groceries.

  “You can’t work with Scarlett dressed like that.” Jed scowled as he looped the wire around the stall door, which held another gleaming chestnut horse that hadn’t been there earlier.

  “Well, that’s the thing. And why I came back. I couldn’t get groceries in town, so I need to drive into the city, and I won’t be back until this evening. I’m always on time, and I know I don’t appreciate when people don’t show.” Diana fought the urge to cross her arms over her cream-colored summer blazer. She was dressed casually, in a conservative, plain t-shirt under the jacket, with matching trousers and sensible flat shoes. Her long red hair was tied back neatly.

  “I realize the grocery store in town is small, but I’ve never had trouble finding what I needed.” He started to walk away when she realized she had given him the wrong impression.

  “I’m sorry, Jed. I tried to buy groceries, but Mr. Harris refused to sell anything to me.”

  He froze in the large open doorway of the barn and faced her with a look that had her swallowing and fighting to hold her ground.

  “And why would old Jason Harris do that?”

  Diana raised her chin and met his ruthless gaze. “Because of who my mother was.”

  Chapter 13

  Diana scooped clean sawdust in the stalls and tossed a fleck of hay down for Scarlett and Dusty before filling water in the old bathtub that served as their water dish. She’d changed into her faded blue jeans, a dark blue t-shirt, and her hiking boots after Jed had yelled at her to stay put and demanded her grocery list before driving away as if the hounds of hell were on his heels. She recognized anger, rage, and a man close to losing it, and she’d had a moment of unease, not for herself but for Mr. Harris. Then worry set in because he hadn’t asked about her mother and all the gory details of why no one in North Lakewood would have anything to do with her.

  He would get an earful, though, that was certain, because people loved to share dirt. And to the people of North Lakewood, that was exactly what Diana was.

  Since she figured Jed would toss her out when he returned, she made sure her bags were ready. Scarlett nickered softly, and Diana couldn’t resist touching the sleek, magnificent animal, taking the opportunity to spend those moments working with Scarlett. The day before, she had learned a lot about the basic care of a horse, which wasn’t easy—but at the same time, it had been amazingly fulfilling. She took down the lead rope and halter on the peg outside the corral and watched Scarlett munching the hay. She was amazed at the love she felt toward that large beast and how quickly she had snagged a spot in her heart. Animals had no agenda, loving and trusting unconditionally, and they didn’t really care about social status, money, or who your parents were. That was something Diana could connect with. Scarlett was a kitten, really—a thousand-pound kitten. She was confident, feisty at times, but the worst had been when Diana was trying to get her bridle on. The mare fought her, tossing her head back and forth, until Jed stepped in, pressing a spot on top of her head. In two seconds, she had quieted—no fuss. As she thought about it, Diana admitted to herself that she would most likely stop and make no fuss if Jed touched her like that and talked to her in the same soothing voice, which left no doubt that he’d make sure
everything was okay. She had to fight the urge to trust him. After all, it was only a matter of time before he returned and tossed her out, just like Andy had.

  Gravel crunched on the long driveway. Diana glanced up when Jed’s truck pulled in, dust trailing. Her heart raced, and she suddenly had trouble swallowing. She squeezed the lead rope and halter she’d bunched in her hands, hoping that would settle her nerves. Jed parked, climbed out of his old truck, and slammed the door. That was when Diana saw the shiny red Corvette pull in beside Jed’s truck. She didn’t need to look closer to see who was in the car. When he climbed out and strode to Jed, shaking his hand and swatting his shoulder, Diana knew they were close.

  Diana wasn’t sure why she was having trouble breathing or why she felt a chill when it was so hot outside that she could probably have fried an egg on the rocks, but then, how could a person ever get used to being treated like trash—like a nobody? She was somebody.

  And she was no longer going to sit back and do nothing. She hung the halter back on the peg and stepped toward the two men. “Well, hello, Andy. I see you haven’t given up your love of sports cars.”

  Jed said nothing, staring first at Andy and then Diana. “You two know each other? What brings you out here, cuz?”

  Again, Jed stared at Andy. The family resemblance was uncanny when Diana put them together, except Jed was bigger and appeared far more dangerous next to Andy. But Andy scared the hell out of her. It was quite warm that day, and Andy was dressed in a loose cotton shirt, short sleeves showing off that powerful eagle tattoo. He wore blue jeans, the same as Jed, but his were neatly pressed and appeared brand new. Light brown chest hair was visible on both men by the open vees of their shirts. She had to look away, as a flush rose in her cheeks and she was still having difficulty breathing. Her heartbeat was racing again, and it wasn’t just from the physical impact Andy was having on her senses. Surprisingly, it was Jed, as he watched her with hard eyes that betrayed nothing of what he was thinking.