He rubbed his chin. “Just a crazy dream. Didn’t make any sense at the time, but it made me think you needed me, and here I am.”
“Well, I’m thankful for your not-so-crazy dream. But I’ll be okay.”
Lying flat on this hospital bed made it difficult for her to convince him she was fine and send him on his way. She tried to sit up, wanting to regain some of her equilibrium, but when he jumped up and wrapped his arm around her back to assist her, she realized what a mistake that move had been. Her heart came close to bursting at the feel of him touching her again. Kate shut her eyes and took a deep breath before swinging her legs over the side to face away from him.
Until she remembered she was in a backless hospital gown. Could this day get any worse?
Then Travis gave what sounded like a soft whistle, and heat rushed to Kate’s cheeks.
* * *
Touching Katie, even innocently like this, did nothing to keep Travis’s libido in check. When she seemed steady, he pulled his arm away. Her long brown hair had been gathered into a ponytail, and the gaping hospital gown revealed the peaches-and-cream skin of her toned back and her lacy pink panties peeking through. No tan line. She probably spent most of her days in the barn or in the arena training horses.
He let go a whistle of appreciation and winced at himself. Juvenile much, Cooper?
He’d barely caught a glimpse of the expanse of skin before she reached around and tugged the flaps of the gown closed, but that would be enough to fuel many new fantasies about her for the next sixty years, give or take a decade.
Clearly, Katie was trying to put some space between them by turning away. He walked around the bed to where he could face her again. Better, although he missed the previous view.
Her cheeks had grown rosy from embarrassment, no doubt. She stuck her chin out, which surprised him because she used to be self-conscious about it, saying it was too pointy. He’d always thought it was adorable.
“Really, I’m fine. I’m sure you have a busy life and work to take care of, so please don’t feel you have to stick around. Well, once I impose on you to take me home.”
Apparently, his hopes of rekindling something with Katie wouldn’t be realized. She definitely wanted him gone. Perhaps things weren’t as perfect at her farm as he’d thought on first glance. “I have some vacation time coming, and I want to help out in any way I can. For starters, I need to repair the window I broke to get inside to you.”
“Oh.” Her gaze avoided him. “Wouldn’t you rather sightsee or visit your family in Louisville?”
The old spark returned to her chocolate-brown eyes. She’d always been full of life, unlike the way she was when he’d found her, which had scared twenty years off his life expectancy.
Time to change the subject. “So what have you been up to since college?”
“Working. Running the farm.”
“What do you do for fun?”
“My horses are my fun.”
“Are you running the place alone these days?”
“No, I hired someone to handle the breeding program and help at foaling season, but he’s on vacation while things are slow.”
Bingo! “While you’re single-handed, I’d be happy to muck stalls. I’m going to guess you haven’t taken a vacation yourself in a long time.”
Her chest rose and fell as her eyes shot daggers at him. She didn’t like being maneuvered into a corner, but she’d walked right into that one.
“I can see I’m not going to convince you that I’m fine until you’ve stuck around for a few days to see for yourself. But only a few days. I have plans for Sunday and all next week.”
Clearly, they didn’t include him.
“I’ll sleep in the barn. I’ve missed being around horses. I may need a refresher, though, in taking care of them.” He needed no such thing, having been up at Jackson’s farm to help his foreman any number of weekends over the years. But having Katie working beside him would make this time all that much sweeter and give him a chance to get to know her again. “But tonight I think I ought to sleep in the house, just in case you have any more issues.”
“I can set my alarm and test my sugar in the middle of the night. I’ve been dealing with this an awfully long time.”
“If you promise to do that, then I won’t come up and pester you. But I still think I ought to sleep on the couch. That way, I’ll hear if you call out to me.” Or fall again.
She hitched the corner of her mouth, as if biting the inside of her lower lip. “Well, maybe tonight. Tomorrow, you can move into the small apartment in the barn. Miguel Salazar, my breeding manager, has the one in the arena.”
She sure didn’t want him under the same roof. What was she afraid of? “I’m sure the barn apartment will be a lot better than some of the places I’ve slept.”
Concern flashed in her eyes. “What kinds of places—”
“Time for another finger stick.” A much-too-cheerful tech came in carrying a small case and pulled out the testing supplies that reminded Travis of the ones that went with his mom’s glucose meter. Just as well they were interrupted. He’d prefer to tell Katie more about his life over an uninterrupted dinner. Right now, he didn’t want to delay her getting out of here.
“One-forty-two,” the tech said.
“Does this mean I can go home now?”
“I’ll let the nurse know, and she’ll bring in the discharge papers as soon as they’re ready.”
Forty minutes later, he was guiding Katie by the elbow from the wheelchair to his truck, which was parked next to the hospital entrance. “Let me help you up.”
“No, th—”
Ignoring her, he wrapped his hands around her waist and lifted her onto the bench seat. Man, it felt good to touch her again, and when he took his seat behind the wheel, he wished she’d scoot over and sit by him the way she did when they were dating.
Dream on.
“Why don’t you close your eyes on the drive home?”
“No, I’m fine.”
Regardless of whether he believed that, he let it go. “We can stop for dinner. You’re probably hungry, and we don’t want your sugar to tank again.”
“Oh, yeah, I don’t really have anything in the house to feed you. Let’s stop at Lee’s and grab some chicken.”
Not exactly what he’d hoped for. “Why don’t we eat there?” If she didn’t want to invite him in to join her at the house, at least he could prolong their time together a little while longer.
“If you don’t mind, I’d rather just have takeout. It’s been a long day.”
“Sure. No problem.”
They rode in silence until he pulled into the drive-through line. He reached for his wallet. “What would you like?” After ordering their meals, she pulled out her wallet, but he insisted on paying. Soon, they were on their way, the smell of chicken filling the cab of his truck, mingling with the scent of apple juice on Katie’s clothes. Wholesome in its own way, but he remembered back to the time they were dating when she wore a scent she called lemongrass. He’d found some of the Asian herb in the grocery one time and bought it just to remind himself of Katie.
All too soon, he was pulling into her lane. Again, he checked out the place. “I still can’t get over all the changes you’ve made to the place. And, yes, I’m assuming it was you. Your dad didn’t like change all that much.”
Katie laughed. “No, he didn’t. But if I hadn’t done something, we’d have probably lost the place before…too long.” What was she not telling him? “Sometimes, I find myself being resistant to change now, too.”
“You always had a good head for business, Katie. I can’t wait to check out that arena—but not tonight. You need to eat and then get some rest.”
Through clenched teeth, she gritted out, “I said I’m fine.”
Okay, apparently Katie still didn’t like being told what to do. Never had, although she’d certainly let her father boss her around.
“Please excuse my manners.” She took
a deep breath and glanced at the bags of food on the seat between them. “Why don’t you come in the house and eat before we head out to the barn to bed down the horses? I’ll show you the arena in the morning.”
While the two of them soon would be sharing the same roof, he’d rather they shared a bed. She might have gotten over him without a backward glance, but he still wanted her desperately. Even though her resistance toward him made it clear nothing was going to come of it, he looked forward to being with her for a few more days before heading back home to Tennessee.
He followed her across the yard to the back porch until she stopped short after spotting the broken window. “I’ll fix that tomorrow!”
“Why did you have to break the window? The door wasn’t locked.”
“Like hell. The deadbolt was locked because I reached in and turned the key.”
“Why would I leave the key in the lock on the inside of a double-cylinder deadbolt? Wouldn’t that defeat the purpose of having one?”
“Well, now that you mention it, I was wondering the same thing.”
She must have forgotten that she’d left it in there. Confusion was common after an episode like she’d had.
“I was surprised you didn’t replace the door with the siding and windows, too.”
“It’s original to the house and gives it a lot of character,” she said, preceding him inside. He’d still like her to update that lock. Damned things could get people killed.
He followed her into the kitchen, his feet sticking to the floor near the fridge. “If you point out where your cleaning supplies are,” he began, “I’ll mop again around the fridge. It’s still sticky from the apple juice that spilled.”
“I can do it.”
“You need to take it easy.”
She stared at him a long moment before pointing to the pantry near the hallway. “Thanks. You’ll find what you need in there,” she said.
They worked side by side with their separate tasks, and she pulled out a can of Zevia-brand ginger ale. “Sorry I don’t have anything but diet soda sweetened with stevia. Would you prefer I make some tea?”
“No. I’ll try that stuff.”
“If you’re used to drinks with sugar or artificial sweeteners, stevia’s an acquired taste. I learned about it in Jasinda Wilder’s Big Girls Do It Running. The Wilder Way helps me regulate my glucose. Although I don’t follow it strictly, it’s helped a lot.”
“Never heard of the soda or the book, but nothing ventured, nothing gained.” They sat across from each other at the oval table by the window, and he watched as she removed the breaded coating from her chicken breast. He took a sip of the soda and tried not to cringe. The bubbles tickled his nose, but on the second taste, it started to grow on him. “Not bad, but having been raised on sweet tea, it might take a little doing to win me over completely.”
“I’ll make a pitcher for you tonight that you can drink tomorrow. And have your mashed potatoes and gravy. I avoid white starches now, but it won’t bother me to watch you eat them.”
She did seem to be making healthy choices in her diet. Maybe today had been a fluke. Had his phone call thrown her off? He remembered Mom getting a call from Tanya that she was getting married, which sent her into such a tailspin she’d had an episode, forgetting to eat or take her meds regularly. He hated to think that Katie had been that upset by his returning.
“So how many students do you have?” He wanted to know more about how she’d turned this place around.
“I have eight who are serious, and a couple of others who just like coming out for recreational riding. I’m also boarding horses for several others, which helps.”
“How do you run this place with only one hand?”
She averted her gaze, making him wonder if he’d ventured into an area that was off-limits. Did she have unpaid help, too—someone she was serious about? “Never mind. None of my business.”
“Oh, it’s not that. Miguel and I manage. So if you’re hinting at whether I’m seeing someone romantically, this farm doesn’t leave me any time to date.”
Good. “How many horses do you have?”
“After this spring’s foals, thirty-seven.”
“That’s amazing, but a lot of work to keep up with.” How did only two full-time people handle it all? “For at least the next several days, put me to work. Anything that needs repairing or maintenance besides the window over there?”
She nibbled on her lower lip, making him want to do the same. “A fence was damaged in a windstorm Saturday night. I’d love some help with that. And I’ve learned not to turn down help mucking stalls. It’s a never-ending chore, and…”—she glanced away—“…the, ah, student who helps me with things like that when Miguel’s away is at camp this week.”
“I’m sure anyone who loves horses is happy spending as much time as possible around them—either end.”
She laughed, her eyes lighting for the first time since he’d seen her awake in the hospital. “This one does it under duress from her mother at times.”
“Ah, a mom needing to help pay for riding lessons, maybe?”
The smile faded as quickly as it had come. “Something like that.” She finished her chicken and green beans and took her plate to the sink. “Thanks for mopping up the juice and, again, I’m glad you arrived when you did.”
They were back to being formal. Maybe over the next few days, he’d get her to relax with him again. He intended to try his damnedest to see that smile and maybe even hear her laughter once more.
Lordy mercy, he’d missed that.
He finished his supper and joined her at the sink, feeling the warmth of her body and inhaling her intoxicating scent. The scent of lemongrass came through now, with a lingering hint of apple juice. “Before we head out to the barn to take care of the horses, why don’t I put some cardboard in that window pane until I can fix it tomorrow? Just be sure you don’t leave the key in the lock again, because cardboard will be even easier to break through into than the glass.”
Katie put her hands on her hips and glared at him before giving a pointed look at the door. “If I’d left the key in the lock, wouldn’t it still be there?”
He glanced over at the lock and shook his head; the key was indeed gone. “Strange. I didn’t remove the key in all the commotion.” He gave a mental shrug and turned his focus on her again. “Still, I wouldn’t leave a baseball bat on the porch, either, if I were you. When on earth do you find time to play sports?”
“Um…” She wouldn’t look at him. “It belongs to one of the kids who rides here. Sometimes they like to practice in the field out back.”
Her fields were too hilly for anyone to play ball on. That was the second or third time she’d appeared to lie or leave something out of her answers. Not the old Katie at all.
One thing was certain. He planned to stick around long enough to find out what she was hiding.
Chapter Three
A buzzing sound infiltrated her sleep. Kate’s head throbbed as if squeezed in a vise. She rolled over and squinted at the alarm clock. A little after seven o’clock.
Seven!?! She should have been up two hours ago. She’d never finish her chores before her first lesson started at nine.
Kate tossed off the blue chenille bedspread and sat up on the side of the mattress, but the room swam before her, keeping her from standing. Memories of yesterday, with Travis Cooper invading her space, her home, her life, came flooding back.
The emergency room had been bad enough, but she’d been too exhausted to deal with the guilt of asking him to sleep in the barn apartment after all he’d done for her yesterday, so he’d slept on her couch. She’d managed to send him out to the barn first last night, which gave her time to rid the living room of photos and other items belonging to Chelsea. Had he snooped around anyway? He’d called upstairs to her in the middle of the night to make sure she was okay when he’d no doubt heard her alarm, but she’d assured him her sugar was fine. He’d have had no reason to have seen
Chelsea’s room.
You need to tell him about her.
No, I don’t.
Since when did her conscience start sounding like Daddy?
What she needed to do was show him around the new buildings today. He’d seen the barn last night when he’d helped her bed down the horses, but her goal today was to give him so many jobs to do that she’d hardly see him.
In the beginning, her greatest worry was that Travis wouldn’t be able to give up his dreams to be a father, but her dad had been the one to plant ideas of custody battles and such in her mind all those years ago. She feared him taking Chelsea away. If Travis opted to fight for custody, a judge might allow a twelve-year-old to choose which parent she wanted to live with.
Lately, Kate and Chelsea had been having the typical mother-daughter conflicts, mostly over cleaning her room and doing her homework without waiting until the last minute. At least Kate assumed they were the norm. Her own mom hadn’t stayed around long enough for Kate to know, but the parents of her students hinted at similar issues at home.
Travis might decide to have nothing to do with Chelsea. But if he did want to be a father to her, would he be content to see her on the occasional weekend or vacation? Or would he want her all to himself, shutting Kate out?
What makes you think the worst, Kate?
She shivered. Good heavens, she could swear Daddy was in the room with her, talking to her. She hugged herself and looked around.
“Daddy?” she whispered then shook her head. She was officially losing it. Besides, even if her father’s spirit could talk to her, he sure wouldn’t be encouraging her to think well of Travis. Her father had been one to fuel the flames of her fears, not to douse them.
She rubbed her arms and took a deep breath, mentally prodding herself. Her real worry—the thing that kept her up half the night—was her fear that Chelsea would find out about Travis and become so angry at her for keeping her father out of her life that she’d reject her.
The only way to keep Chelsea to herself would be to send Travis away before he learned about her existence. Kate still knew nothing about him or why he’d really come here. Was he settled now? Dependable still? Did he keep his commitments?
Kate's Secret (Bluegrass Spirits Book 2) Page 4
