by Loyd, Sandy
“You’re not going to get rich working here. Most of our hands love what they do and they love the kids, so turnover isn’t too much of a problem. We do offer a basic health policy, but we only kick in fifty percent,” he explained briefly. Then he chuckled. “To answer your question—you can ride Pride whenever you feel up to the challenge. Maybe I should go with you for your first time. She can be stubborn when the mood strikes.”
Libby’s grin stretched. “How about now?”
“I can use a break.” Sam straightened and motioned toward the door. “Let’s go.”
After saddling Thorpe’s Pride and Mary’s Choice, both riders spent time warming the horses up. Having worked the highjinks out of the mares, they headed out at a slow trot, which built until both mounts were given full freedom to run.
Libby’s laughter caught on the wind. She leaned in, urging Thorpe’s Pride faster as the mare’s swift gait ate up the ground. Libby had forgotten how energized she’d always felt riding this magnificent animal—the air rushing past her face and the countryside speeding past in a blur of green—her idea of heaven.
When they neared a stream, Libby pulled back on the reins and slowed, allowing Pride to catch her breath. Sam followed. They ambled. All the while she scanned the spectacular scenery.
“I’d forgotten how beautiful it is.” It was still too early for the deciduous trees to leaf. But the hearty wild flowers bloomed in the meadows, adding purple and yellow to the rain-soaked bluegrass, laid out along the rolling hills like a carpet for miles. “Makes me feel alive, like I belong here,” she added fervently.
Since no job in the past four years had made her feel this way, Libby realized her sentiments spoke volumes.
Sam nodded but didn’t speak.
The two rode in companionable silence for more than a mile, still on Thorpe land. On the return trip, they traveled along the same gravel road Libby had driven in on, paralleling the same white fence that seemed to go on into infinity. While passing the trees that had caught her attention earlier, trees she’d seen a million times, Libby once again felt their pull. Strange thoughts of having been here in another era flitted through her mind, which was totally crazy.
She pointed to the oaks. “I’ve never noticed before, but those trees look so out of place out there.”
Sam’s gaze followed her hand. His features lit with amusement. “Those two trees are special.”
Libby squinted. “Oh?”
“Yep. The kids started calling them wishing trees a few years back.”
“Wishing trees?”
“Yeah, you know like a well? Only with trees.” He winked and added in a conspiratorial whisper, “According to family legend, all sorts of things have happened under them over the years.”
“I believe it.” Libby nodded. “Don’t laugh, but when I passed by here earlier, they seemed to call to me. Like right now. I have this funny feeling that I’m here for a reason.”
“Trees or no trees, that’s not so hard to figure out. You belong at Twin Oaks.” The crinkles surrounding Sam’s eyes deepened as his grin widened. “I know how you are around horses. It’s a rare gift few people possess.”
Libby glanced at the oaks again and shrugged. “They look old.”
Nodding, Sam looked in the same direction. “They are. Maybe even centuries. For over a hundred years, the number one rule in the Thorpe family has been to leave them alone. That’s what my daddy told me, and his daddy told him, all the way back to my great-grandfather.”
“And no one’s cut them down? How amazing that something lasts so long.” That right there made them special.
“About sixty years ago, my daddy planted the other trees away from those two and made the road where it is, but he left those two intact. I only know that I can’t touch them and my kids have been given the same instructions. Of course, our rule has only added to their mystique.”
Libby shot Sam a questioning glance. “Do they work?”
“Who knows? I wished for a long and happy life with Mary when we got engaged under them and my wish came true.” He chuckled. “I would’ve liked more time, but sometimes we have to be happy with what life or the trees give us.” Sam sighed. “One thing’s for sure. No one in the near future will cut them down. They’re timeless. Add continuity and peace to the surroundings.”
“You’re right,” Libby agreed. “I do feel at peace here. Time seems to stand still.” Then she laughed and rolled her eyes. “Don’t mind me. I’ve been having strange thoughts all afternoon.”
“The trees have a way of making people feel that way. It’s not new. I’ve heard it before and I’ll probably hear it again.”
They approached the paddocks surrounding the stables.
“Thanks for the company.” Sam dismounted and opened the gate. “I’m glad you’re back, because I meant what I said. You belong here.”
Libby nodded and guided Pride through the gate before dismounting. Sam led his horse inside before closing the gate behind him.
In the stable at one of the crossties, Libby relieved Thorpe’s Pride of her bridle and saddle. She began grooming the mare as Sam groomed Mary’s Choice in a similar area several stalls away.
First, she grabbed a hoof pick to check each hoof for caked dirt and small pebbles, then working her way up the leg, she inspected for strains. Finally, Libby took a dandy brush and started to brush the dust, mud, and other debris off the legs in short, quick strokes, using another brush to rub down her back. Done and with everything put away, she guided the mare to her stall. Before leaving, she stroked Pride’s neck and whispered how happy she was to be back.
Libby met Sam on his way out of Choice’s stall.
“It’s a lot of work.” He stretched. “I’m just happy it keeps me in such good shape.”
Libby smiled. Her arms ached from the exertion. “I forgot how hard it is.”
“You’ll be up to it in no time. You’re young. I have to work on my scheduling, so I’ll see you later.”
“OK. Thanks for the company. I enjoyed the ride.” She turned to look for Doug as Sam started off in the opposite direction.
“I ride every day,” he said over his shoulder. “Let me know when you can be here and I’ll ride with you if I can.”
“Thanks, Mr. Thorpe. I will.”
“Oh, and Libby?”
He stopped his retreat as she halted in midstride and glanced back at him with eyebrows raised. “Yes, Mr. Thorpe?”
“Unlike Doug, I know I’m old. But I still don’t cotton to all that formality around here. I like things friendly and informal—so call me Sam, OK?”
Grinning wide, Libby nodded. “OK, Sam it is.” She left him to find Doug and quickly immersed herself in her new duties with the horses.
By quitting time she could barely move, even noted how much effort it took to turn the wheel of her car as she sped out to the main road on the way home. Libby couldn’t remember a time in the last three years when she’d worked so hard.
Inside her apartment, she turned on her cell and noticed someone had left a message. There were four. All from Dave. She connected to voice mail. The device came alive with his voice. The first two were friendly, but the last two indicated definite displeasure with her absence.
Libby sighed, then checked her text messages. Dave had sent three in all. Her shoulders slumped. She’d have to call him back, but first she needed a hot shower.
Chapter 2
The doorbell rang, interrupting Libby’s peaceful breakfast. She took a deep breath and gathered the morning paper into a pile, stalling as the impatient pealing continued.
He’s your fiancé, not an executioner. The thought didn’t ease her trepidation, nor did she hasten her pace in answering his urgent summons. She wiped her hands on her slacks, took another deep breath, and braced herself as she swung open the door.
Dave pushed past her into the room, annoyance stamped over his expression.
At least I’ve had a good night’s sleep so I can deal w
ith him, she thought. Libby kept quiet as he moved through her apartment, edgily pacing back and forth, reminding her of a caged tiger.
He stopped and glared at her. “Don’t you answer your phone anymore?” His tone was sharp. “Or return your messages?”
Libby decided to ignore his testy disposition. “Sorry. I got wrapped up in something and forgot I’d turned off my cell.” She offered a contrite shrug. “And when I got your messages, I’d planned to call you back after a quick shower, but I fell asleep. So let’s start over, OK? Good morning! Would you like some coffee?”
“I’m not in the mood for games. Where were you yesterday afternoon and last night? I was worried about you.”
She sighed. “Sit down, Dave. We need to talk.”
“I don’t want to sit down. You’ve been acting weird lately and I want to know why.”
“Sit!” Libby demanded. “And I’ll tell you. My shift at the store starts at nine, so I don’t have a lot of time. You can either listen to what I have to say, or you can leave.”
Dave pulled out a chair and sat, then impatiently drummed his fingers on the table.
Libby poured a cup of coffee and placed it in front of him. “I’m quitting my job today. I’ve found another one.”
He practically shot out of the chair. “You what?” Total shock replaced annoyance in his expression. “You’ve only been a manager with Dillard’s for ten months. I thought we went over this.”
Libby held on to her rising temper, but the effort cost her. “No. You told me your opinion and I listened. Now I’m doing what I feel is right for me.”
“You can’t keep quitting, Libby. Five jobs in four years doesn’t look good on a résumé. It’s immature and irresponsible.”
Though the real number was six, she remained silent, eyeing the handsome man spouting off his explanation as if he were talking to a child. She couldn’t help but smile. He sounded so much like her father. Dave Phillips was really a wonderful guy—the perfect height for her at five feet ten inches with wavy dark brown hair and soulful brown eyes—when he wasn’t telling her how to behave. In a sudden rush of insight, their relationship became clearer.
Libby already had a father, which was why she needed to take a stand now. Holding on to her determination, she asked, “Do you like your job?
Dave’s brow furrowed and the bluster went out of his expression. “Why?”
Libby eyed him thoughtfully. “Just answer my question. Do you?”
His yes came out in a long sigh and he nodded.
“Did you always want to become a doctor?”
He rubbed the back of his neck. “For the most part, yes.” Whether out of frustration or agitation, Libby wasn’t quite sure as he added, “I knew it was something I wanted fairly early on.” He aimed a narrow-eyed gaze at her. “How does my wanting to be a doctor have any bearing on what we’re discussing?”
“I’m done doing what everyone else wants me to do. I’m going to do what I love.” She took a deep breath, reaching for the courage to venture forth. “I’ve taken a job at the horse farm where I used to work in my teens.”
Deafening silence followed and Dave only stared at her like she’d grown horns.
Libby had to force herself to breathe…to relax. She couldn’t stop now. She took one more deep breath and kept going, ignoring the censure in his expression. “I see this news comes as a shock. I don’t know why. And I don’t know why I didn’t do it three years ago, since it’s why I’ve had so many jobs. I never should’ve quit. Working with kids and horses is what I wanted to do—what I love. I’m also moving out to the farm for the time being.”
“Libby, you’re much too bright to be mucking out stalls, filling hay bins, and playing camp counselor,” he finally said after a prolonged moment. “What about us? We’re going to be married the last week in June. That’s only three months away.”
Might as well go for broke! Still, Libby couldn’t meet his eyes. “I want to postpone the wedding.”
“What?” Dave shouted, coming out of his chair. “Where’s all of this coming from? Bev! That’s where. This is her idea, isn’t it?” He raked a hand through his hair and began pacing. The caged tiger was back.
“This isn’t about Bev.”
“The woman is bad news,” he stated in a clipped tone. “You should stay away from her.”
“Who are you? The friend police?” She clenched her fist.
He didn’t seem to notice, just kept talking along with his pacing. “Changing our date will be expensive, so that’s not the most viable option. Why don’t you work at your farm and even live there, but I’m sure once we’re man and wife, you’ll be too busy to work as a common laborer. Maybe you can buy a horse and stable it somewhere. That way we’re both happy.”
“You can’t be serious?” She gaped at him when he nodded. What was wrong with working with horses? He spoke as if his opinion was the only valid one, which did nothing to ease her worst fears. Did he really know her? Why had she never noticed before that he seemed to be molding her into someone he wanted her to be, rather than who she was?
Libby had no one to blame but herself for his attitude, having let him get away with telling her what to do for too long in their year-long relationship. It hit her just then what she wanted—a partner who accepted her and loved her—faults and all—so this was worth the fight.
“How’s this for serious? Either we postpone the wedding or it’s off.” Libby stormed toward her front door. “I need to leave for work. You can show yourself out.” If she stayed, she’d end up saying something to make things worse.
“You can’t leave now.” His stunned tone stopped her cold.
She looked back and caught Dave staring at the empty space she once occupied, confusion clouding his eyes. She gave a mental snort and continued walking. Well, what did he think? That she’d just roll over and become someone else?
“Libby…wait!” He followed her, pleading while she grabbed her things, but she was past the point of waiting. She’d waited too long as it was to say something.
“Let’s not be rash. This is our future we’re talking about.”
“No, Dave. You’re talking about your future—not ours.” Her words, once out, were liberating, like a cinched belt being loosened so she could take a deep breath again. She’d finally verbalized her feelings after months of holding them in and she wasn’t about to back down now. “Your future involves only what you want. If I’m to be part of it, you need to include my wants and my needs in there. So far, all I see are yours. That’s just not good enough.” She yanked her coat off the hanger and headed to the door. “I have to go. Call me when you want to talk about us, OK?”
She stalked to her car with Dave on her heels. “Libby, you can’t drop a bombshell like that and leave. Damn it all. We need to sit down and discuss this rationally.”
“Fine. But I’m not changing my mind now that I’ve made my decision.”
“I’ll pick you up for dinner tonight.”
“No. I can’t. I’m going out to the farm after work.”
“Come on, Libby,” Dave pleaded. “Why are you doing this?”
Libby continued walking and said over her shoulder, “I’m not doing anything but following my heart and being who I am. If you honestly loved me, you’d want me to be happy. Somehow, I’m starting to doubt that you really know me at all.”
“That’s not true. I love you just the way you are.”
The fervency in his voice tugged on Libby’s emotional cord, causing her to stop and turn. She looked him directly in the eye and said in a tormented whisper, “Then why do I feel you’re trying to change me? Why am I not good enough the way I am?”
He halted and stared, his eyes big as quarters, seeming surprised by her questions.
Observing him, Libby sighed as sadness filled her soul. She just didn’t think she could ever be what he seemed to need. She wasn’t a college graduate nor was she any great beauty. She’d never have a high-powered job, or look li
ke she stepped out of a magazine, the way Candace and Victoria did. Her face was nondescript, with eyes that all but disappeared without makeup because her blonde eyelashes were the same shade as her hair. With a lean, five-foot-three-inch frame, she appeared almost juvenile, much younger than her twenty-three years.
Slowly, he shook his head, his gaze pleading. “Please, Libby, don’t do this.”
Tears sprang to her eyes. Yet she couldn’t back down now or let that mournful brown gaze affect her. She opened her car door and slid into the driver’s seat. “I’ve got to be at work in ten minutes. Think about what I said, Dave. Tomorrow’s my day off and I’m moving into one of the cabins at the farm. It’d be nice to have your help.”
“I can’t. I’ve got a horrendous day tomorrow.”
“I see.” She hesitated. “I was hoping to show you around a bit after I moved in so you could meet everyone. I thought maybe then you’d understand why this job is so important to me.” She swallowed the lump in her throat and pulled the door shut. She gunned the engine, backed up, put the car in drive, and sped out of the parking lot, leaving Dave staring dumbfounded.
Libby shed tears all the way to work. Damn it all. Why should she have to choose between her horses or Dave? Did having Dave mean becoming a Stepford wife? Definitely not her idea of wedded bliss.
I want it all, she thought angrily. I want someone who loves me for me and I want to do what I love. Is that so much to ask?
Her chest felt tight as she drove. The only thing that kept her going was the pleasure she’d derived from working at the farm the day before. Libby parked, then pushed all of the problems out of her mind and headed into Dillard’s. She intended to give notice right away, which meant only ten work days left before she could pursue her dream full time.
Thankfully, the day passed quickly. Libby drove to her apartment and changed into loose-fitting jeans, leather riding boots, and a tailored oxford shirt. She glanced in the mirror and noticed her fair complexion lacked color. She shrugged. Didn’t matter what she looked like. No one but the horses would see her.
She ran a brush through short blonde hair, not bothering to redo her scant makeup, then grabbed a vest and rushed out the door. Her new job waited.
