“Anything I can do to help?”
“Wanna pour the drinks? Sweet tea works for me. Lots of ice.”
“Coming right up.”
Fifteen minutes later, he brought in the steaks and vegetables. They sat down at the table, and he asked, “So your sugar’s running steadier today?”
“It was a little high this morning but it’s been under control since we came back from the pasture. Doctor said it could take a day or two to settle down after having a major drop like that.”
Wanting to steer the conversation away from her health problems, she told him about some of the more amusing incidents with her students in the ring. When she ran out of stories, he said, “You looked like you really enjoyed yourself in the arena today.”
“Training is one of my favorite things.” Realizing she wasn’t learning anything new about Travis, she asked, “Tell me a funny story from work.” He often had some good ones about working summers with his dad.
He stopped chewing, growing serious. “I’m afraid it hasn’t been a lot of fun the past few months.” Suddenly, a smile spread across his face and his eyes lit up. “Last year, though, one of my crew pranked me good. We’d laid the brickwork frame for a new porch, and he asked me to go back to my truck for a nail set so he could hang the front door. I had the damnedest time trying to find it and finally gave up. When I returned to the front of the house, he and another guy were hanging the door using the same nail set I’d been looking for. Being a little pissed at them for wasting my time, I stepped onto a drop cloth spread across the porch and promptly fell about two feet into the hole we’d prepared for pouring concrete later on. Didn’t even occur to me the hole was there I was so ticked off. Needless to say, the two of them were howling, especially Danny, who undoubtedly set up the prank.”
“I’ll bet there’s never a dull moment with him around. Is it safe to leave him on his own at your worksites?”
Travis’s smiled faded immediately, and he glanced away. “Yeah, well, I’d give anything to have him around again. He died five months ago.”
Kate reached over to cover his hand and squeeze it. “I’m so sorry, Travis.” She wondered if it had been a construction accident, but didn’t want to pry. No wonder he hadn’t enjoyed working these past few months. Memories of his crew member must haunt him.
“Me, too. Sorry to put a damper on the conversation, but I’d forgotten all about that day. Thanks for getting me to talk again about the good times we’d had.”
“Anytime at all. Sometimes it helps to talk with someone who isn’t as closely involved.”
He gave her a pained expression, and she realized he might think she was referring to him and her, rather than her and his friend.
Hoping to change the subject, she said, “I’m looking forward to our ride tonight.” She rarely had the opportunity to indulge except during the winter months.
Her anticipation of the ride probably caused her to eat too fast, but when she finished the perfectly cooked meal, she practically jumped up from the table. “Give me ten minutes to run upstairs and get ready. I just need to check my messages first,” she said, pulling out her cell phone. “A student thought she might have to cancel tomorrow.”
Travis chuckled, apparently amused at her enthusiasm. “Take your time. I’m going to get my boots out of my truck. I’ll meet you in the tack room.”
“You brought riding boots?” Daddy had called Travis “Cowboy” after he’d showed up in fancy western boots one weekend to take her out to dinner. Did he still wear the same style?
He grinned, melting her insides. “Let’s just say I was hoping to get a chance to ride while I was here.”
Horses. He wants to ride your horses, not you.
She wanted to ask him about his marital status, but that would only make him think she was asking because she was interested in pursuing something with him.
And she wasn’t. She really wasn’t. She couldn’t be.
Because she’d lied to Chelsea. And Travis.
Taking a deep breath, Kate headed upstairs, listening to voice messages on the way. Good thing Chelsea wasn’t allowed to call her except in an emergency. No news was good news.
After she finished checking her voice mail and changing into her riding gear, Kate went to the corral where she’d been keeping Angus until the fence could be repaired. He detested being cooped up in a stall. “How’d you like to go for a ride, boy?” He whinnied and shook his head, his luxurious black mane flying. “Promise me you’ll be nice. Travis may not have a lot of experience with a devil like you. Now, you wait here while I saddle up Neptune.”
Chelsea had been learning the solar system when Kate had brought the gelded bay to the farm, so Neptune it was.
Travis joined her in the tack room, and she stared down at his boots. If not the same pair from thirteen years ago, they were awfully close.
“Something wrong?”
Yeah. I’m in big trouble.
Travis’s well-worn boots peeked out from his bootcut Wranglers, and a black cowboy hat ramped up his sex appeal even more. Nothing hotter than a cowboy fantasy, even for this Kentucky girl. “I’m used to jodhpur boots around here.”
“Sorry. These are all I’ve got.” He grinned at her, clearly not sorry at all. Did he remember her fascination with those books all those years ago?
“Is Angus trained to a western saddle?”
“Both western and English, actually—and he hates them equally.”
“Figures.”
“If you’d rather ride a better behaved horse—”
“No. Angus’ll do fine. Besides, I’ve ridden western mostly.”
She pointed out the gear for the black stallion while gathering her own saddle, bridle, and bit for Neptune. She’d never have gotten Angus into a stall for this ritual. She hoped they’d have no trouble with the spirited horse. “It might be best if you and Angus had a little time together before you attempt to saddle him.”
Travis picked up the tack. “Good idea.”
“He’s in the corral now, so at least you won’t have to chase him down over seventy acres.”
Travis laughed as he walked out of the barn.
Kate remained in the stall to saddle Neptune and led him outside about fifteen minutes later. Angus had fire in his eye, none too happy about seeing the bridle and reins no doubt. She was surprised to see the two of them in what appeared to be a standoff as Travis spoke softly to the horse. “You don’t want to make me look bad in front of the lady, do you? Surely you’ve tried to impress a filly before.”
She couldn’t help but grin at his silliness. So Travis was trying to impress her? He seemed not to have changed a whole lot since they dated.
If so, that must mean he was single, right? And that maybe her cowboy fantasy could come true…
But first she needed to be certain she was right to bring him into her and Chelsea’s lives before allowing him to get any closer. This time, her heart was part of a pair—inseparable from Chelsea’s—and she wouldn’t let them come away with a broken one.
She had to know for certain about the woman he’d moved to Nashville for. She couldn’t risk assuming anything. “Travis, did you marry the widow you went to Nashville to check on?”
Oh heavens. That hadn’t come out the way she’d intended at all.
Chapter Six
What?
Travis turned to find Katie with her saddled horse, both ready to go. “Beg pardon?” Married? Only once before had he found himself close to getting engaged, much less married—and that was with this woman. He’d hoped to ask Katie after he’d completed that internship in New York. No way would he have asked her to give up this place, but he’d had some thinking to do that summer about whether he could be happy in a backwater town like this.
But she hadn’t given him the time to sort that out.
And now she was questioning his character? Did she think so little of him that she’d suspect him of cheating on a wife? “Whatever gave you the im
pression I’m married?”
She shuffled her feet, avoiding his gaze at first, then squared her shoulders. “Well, you said you went to Tennessee to take care of your buddy’s widow and kids. And that one thing led to another, so I just assumed…”
His laugh spilled out before he could catch himself, unable to be angry at her when she looked so serious yet still so adorable. Angus danced away from him, but Travis grabbed and held onto his halter.
She placed her hands on her hips and glared at him. “What’s so damned funny?”
The stallion continued to try to take advantage of the distraction and escape, but Travis held firm before answering her. “No, I didn’t marry Megan. Can’t a guy watch over someone without getting married? Look at us.” Okay, that might not be the best example, because he wanted her under his body in the worst way. Or on top. He wasn’t picky.
“Since when were you looking after me?” The blush in her cheeks was too sexy for words.
“I’m doing it right now, darlin’. Making sure you’re okay after what happened yesterday.”
Her body relaxed. Why would she care if he was married or not—unless there was still some hope? Travis grinned. Oh yeah.
“Ready to ride?” she asked.
Now he needed to show her he was still good with horses so maybe she’d realize he’d be good for her, too. “Just got to get this bad boy saddled up.”
“Whenever you’re ready, I can help.” She took Neptune’s reins and wrapped them around the slats in the corral fence.
“No need. I’ve got this.”
Careful, Trav. Don’t get too cocky now.
Travis froze. Danny’s voice was so strong he expected to be able to turn around and see him standing there. But he’d been fooled by his brain too many times to fall for his delusions today.
“You okay? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
No, only heard one.
“I’m fine.” Securing Angus with a lead rope to the same rail Neptune was tied to, he picked up the blanket and placed it on the stallion’s back. The horse danced away from him again, but no way was this four-legged beast going to get the better of him in front of Katie.
“Simmer down now. We’re just going for a ride. Nobody’s gonna hurt ya, boy.”
Angus eyed him suspiciously but, oddly enough, settled down for him. Piece of cake.
You never learn.
Travis shivered. He could swear Danny was right next to him. He glanced over his shoulder, pretending to focus on the saddle on the fence, then looked quickly back at Angus. Nothing. Always nothing.
What did he really expect? He had to stop doing this to himself. Danny was gone.
Moving slowly, Travis turned to lift the saddle off the fencepost and continued to speak softly to the horse as he swung it over its back. Angus started to buck. Travis grabbed his halter with a firm grip, and gently patted Angus’s rump to calm him down, but that only riled him up more. Remembering how Jackson usually patted his excitable horses on the shoulder and down the flank, he tried that, which seemed to do the trick.
“Atta boy. Good boy.”
Although Katie remained silent, probably not wanting to interfere with his budding dynamic with Angus, Travis was conscious of her presence. He reached under the horse’s belly for the cinch and tightened it incrementally hoping not to rile Angus up again. So far, so good. With the saddle in place, he put on the bridle and reins, unclipping the lead rope holding from the rail. He turned to Katie for the first time. Did her wide-eyed expression indicate her appreciation for his ability to tame the beast?
“Now, let’s go for that ride. Open the gate after I get up on him, Katie.”
“Are you sure that saddle is on tight? Angus has a tendency to—”
He cut off her words with a shake of his head. “Nothing to worry about. I’ve got this.”
She seemed dubious, but hadn’t he already shown her that he could soothe the spirited animal? Maybe she’d even see parallels in the gentle hand he’d used with her, assuming she let things advance to that point with him again. He grinned and put his boot in the left stirrup, holding onto the saddle horn as he raised up and swung his leg over.
At last, Angus had accepted the unfamiliar weight on his back, and Katie shook her head in awe as she unbolted the gate. Suddenly, Angus screamed and began to kick with his hind legs as he tried to buck Travis off.
“Watch out, Travis!”
As if in slow motion, he felt himself sliding off the horse, saddle and all. He hit the clay ground with a thud.
“Are you okay?” she asked, coming to his side.
Nothing hurt but my ego.
“I tried to warn you. Angus tenses his abdominal muscles when being saddled, which expands the width of his chest enough it can make it difficult to get a tight cinch.”
That’s what you get for showing off.
“Stop trying to bring Danny back,” Travis muttered to himself. He stood up, brushing the dust off his jeans. Taking the leather lead, he tied Angus to the rail again and readjusted the saddle.
“Talk to him again in soft tones. You might even walk him around a little to let him get used to having the cinch tightened under his belly.”
He did what Katie suggested, wasting several more minutes of riding time to walk the horse and then retighten the cinch. But when he mounted, the saddle held him. Angus still wanted nothing to do with having his weight on his back, though and began kicking and bucking instantly. Travis white-knuckled the pommel with one hand while attempting to maintain his seat in the saddle.
“Whoa, now! I thought we were buddies.” Leaning back to counterbalance himself against the horse’s bucking, he spoke softly, trying to maintain a sense of calm. “Simmer down, Angus. We’re just going for a ride with your mistress over there. Don’t embarrass yourself.” Or me.
But his words fell on deaf ears as the horse did his damnedest to throw Travis to the ground. A shrill whistle brought the beast to a sudden standstill, nearly toppling Travis anyway. He could have managed the horse without having Katie interfere.
“Wow. How’d you know to whistle like that?” Katie asked.
He turned to her, still trying to remain prepared for any sudden movements from Angus. “What do you mean? Wasn’t that you?”
She furrowed her eyebrows and shook her head. “Maybe it was instinctual, but you clearly whistled. I heard you, and obviously, so did Angus.”
He thought he heard Danny’s laughter in his ear, as though he were on the saddle right behind him. Yeah, right. Either he was losing his mind or Katie was pulling a trick on him.
Listen here, Danny boy. If that really is you messing with me, why don’t you do something useful like help me look good in her eyes instead of trying to get me killed on this horse?
Danny laughed again. I whistled, didn’t I? Calmed him right down.
Delusional. Not only was he still talking to Danny in his head, but now he was carrying on two-way conversations.
Travis rubbed his eyes. Angus had calmed down, so he’d best show him who was in charge.
“Travis? Ready to go?” Katie asked.
He nodded. She motioned him through the gate before mounting her own horse, eyeing him cautiously. She probably thought he was nuts, too. “What’s your horse’s name?”
“Neptune.”
“I always thought the planets were considered female.”
“Don’t judge. I let…one of my students name him. His white blaze reminded her of a celestial body, which got her thinking in that direction.”
“Ah.” She was really good with her students. Almost like a second mom. Katie would make a good mom someday. Thoughts of all the fun they could have attempting to achieve that status made him stir in places a little too tight to be comfortable in this saddle.
Within minutes, they were riding uneventfully across the meadow. The grass was drying up in the midsummer drought. At six o’clock, the air was still muggy and hot. Not that his maneuvers with Angus hadn’t
raised his body temperature a little, too.
“Thanks for suggesting this ride.” Katie brought him back to the moment.
“My pleasure. I’ve missed it.”
“Well, obviously, you haven’t lost your touch.”
It might have looked like he had Angus under control, but maintaining the illusion wasn’t easy. The muscles in his forearms bunched as he continually fought to keep Angus under his thumb. No more outbursts like that earlier one, old boy.
“You’re handling him better than anyone has before, including me. I usually give him his space and just let him earn his keep in stud fees.”
“He’s definitely more of a handful than that horse I used to ride out here—what was his name?”
“Cisco Kid.”
“How could I forget?” He launched into a bad rendition of the seventies’ song about how Cisco was a friend of his and soon had her laughing. When he saw they were approaching the spring, he let the song trail off. He glanced over at Katie, who appeared to be haunted by old memories, too.
Had they arrived here by accident, or by design?
Travis pulled up on the reins and grinned as the memory came back to him from that warm mid-spring night so many years ago…
* * *
“I don’t think we should do this,” Katie whispered. “Daddy will…”
“You’re an adult, Katie. Don’t let your dad control you for the rest of your life.” Travis eased the shirt off her shoulder and placed his lips against her warm skin. They’d been dating for months now, but she’d always put the brakes on before going too far.
He wanted to bury himself inside Katie in the worst way. Her dad might call it raging hormones, but what they had was a lot deeper than that. She’d been driving him crazy since he’d sparred with her during a classroom debate in English Composition freshman year. That proved this attraction wasn’t only physical, didn’t it? The fire in her eyes and the way she’d managed to sway him and most of the others in the room to her cause had sparked something in him. Being a jock, he hadn’t exactly surrounded himself with intelligent girls before, but Katie…well, she was different. It took him a year to convince her to go out with him, though.
Kate's Secret (Bluegrass Spirits Book 2) Page 8
