by Liz Isaacson
“What?” Levi asked.
“She doesn’t think she’s domestic. She doesn’t like cooking and cleaning and being ‘trapped’ indoors.” Dwayne shrugged. “She wanted to call things off between us because of it too. I told her I didn’t care one way or the other. That we could split domestic responsibilities. That I just wanted to be with her.”
“Heather will have to decide that one,” Levi said. “But somehow, I think it’s more important to her than to you.”
“Definitely.”
“I just hate that she won’t call me back.” Levi’s dark mood returned, and they spent the rest of the ride with suggestions for how he could get Heather back into his life. Everything from “Tell her you’ll do whatever she wants,” to “Just give her more time,” were mentioned.
Levi didn’t know what to do about any of it, and thankfully, he had horses to distract him. They usually worked—this whole auction fed his gambling addiction, and it was the only thing he allowed himself to do anymore—but he found his attention wandering as the horses were listed and paraded in front of their potential buyers.
All he could think about was Heather, so at the risk of pushing her further away, he sent her another message.
Thinking about you.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Heather didn’t have time to be distracted by her phone. It sounded once. Then twice. Then three times in quick succession.
“Stop texting me,” she growled, swiping the phone off her desk and silencing it without looking at any of the texts. If she was going to get her sub plans out, get packed, and get over to Austin before dark, she didn’t have time to be texting.
She missed Levi something terrible. It was almost as if he’d left a huge whole in her life that couldn’t be filled with work, chocolate, friends, or tending to her cats. Those were her fall back activities whenever the loneliness got to be too much, whenever she’d broken up with someone and had to start living by herself again.
Bustling around her classroom, she admitted to herself that she didn’t want to be alone anymore. Though she was surrounded by children and other people, she hated going home to her empty house. As if she were a teenager, she’d driven down Levi’s lane every day after school. The house glared back and her, and she knew Levi wasn’t living there. Where he’d gone, she didn’t know. He seemed to be around town, so maybe he was sleeping at his parents’ house. For all she knew, he had another house somewhere. Probably two or three. Maybe a cabin on his sprawling boarding stable.
She made copies, wrote on the board, printed out her plans. Rocki wasn’t available, but Heather had found Phyllis during afternoon recess to take her class the following day. She’d booked a hotel at lunchtime, and she ran her hands through her hair in an attempt to settle her pulse.
“You’re going,” she told herself. It had taken every ounce of willpower she had not to call Levi back. Not to answer her phone when he’d called last Friday. But she’d meant what she’d said. She needed more time to figure out how she felt, and how important certain things were to her. She still wasn’t sure if she could give up being a mother just to be Levi’s, but she knew she wasn’t as happy without him as she had been with him.
After she read through her plans one more time, and made sure everything was ready, she shouldered her bag and hurried home. She’d brought her cats home with her earlier in the week, and they’d need someone to look after them while she followed Levi to Austin on a whim.
She’d texted Felicity, and she pulled out her phone to see if one of the incoming messages had been from her. Yep. I’ll make sure they’re okay, she’d said.
Dwayne had also texted the name of the auction, and asked Why do you want to know?
Heather didn’t answer him. She probably could’ve looked up the horse auction in Austin that Levi and Dwayne attended every year. It was likely a huge event. But she’d gone for easy and asked her brother. If he got too relentless in wanting to know…well, he’d see her soon enough.
Darcy had said Good luck!
Go get ‘im back!
And Be brave! in three separate texts.
Heather smiled at the phone and wished Darce were coming with her. Then they could rehash everything they’d said at lunch these past four days. The conversations had actually been very helpful, and Darcy had helped Heather see that while she wanted to be a mother, there was no guarantee of that anyway.
On Wednesday, she’d asked, “Are you really willing to lose Levi Rhodes over this?”
And Heather didn’t want to lose Levi. She should’ve called him back instead of taking her cats and moving back to her house. She should’ve gone over to the stables and found him. She should’ve done a lot of things differently.
Pushing aside the should’ve’s and could’ve’s, she fed the cats, patted Ashes, and opened the bag she still hadn’t unpacked. She dumped the contents out, a rush of gratitude for Elle filling her. She’d packed this bag last time, and she’d helped Heather get everything she needed while she was staying at Levi’s.
Half an hour later, she was on the road, a hamburger in a bag on the passenger seat she couldn’t bring herself to eat. Her stomach rioted with nerves, and Heather gripped the steering wheel tightly to keep the car headed northeast toward Austin.
She was really doing this. Doing something to get and keep Levi in her life. It may have taken her three years to act, but blast it, the man was going to see her and know how she felt about him.
After checking in to her hotel, she drove out to the Austin Fairgrounds, where the auction was taking place. She quickly learned that tonight was only a preview of the animals for sale. People could buy food, mingle with the horse breeders, ask questions, and wander through the stables and pens, looking at the horses that were up for sale.
She also realized she needed a ticket to attend, and they weren’t for sale. They were special invitation-only tickets, and she didn’t have one. Standing outside the gate, frustration washed through her. How could she get in and find Levi without a ticket?
With hundreds of horses, the auction started in the afternoon on Friday, with the most prized animals reserved for Saturday morning. She wondered which horses had caught Levi’s eye, and if he’d even attend both auctions. Dwayne hadn’t detailed their plans, or what they normally did. She couldn’t ask, as that would be way too obvious.
A man wearing one of the bright blue polos that indicated he was in charge of something approached. “I understand you don’t have a ticket.”
“I just need to get in and talk to my…brother.” Though she didn’t want to see Dwayne, she couldn’t call Levi her boyfriend. “I’m not going to look at any of the horses.”
The man scanned her. “Who’s your brother?”
“Dwayne Carver, out of Grape Seed Ranch.”
A frown pulled at his eyebrows. “I know Dwayne. Let me give him a call.”
“No.” Heather lunged forward, latching her fingers around the man’s arm as he started to turn. “I don’t want—” She slowly uncurled her fingers as he watched. “I’ll call him. Thanks.” She spun away before she did something that got her escorted off the property.
She ducked behind a horse trailer and took several deep breaths. If that man knew Dwayne, it really was only a matter of time before her brother knew she was here. And once he knew, Levi would know.
“Isn’t that what you want?” she asked herself. Foolishness raced through her. Maybe she shouldn’t have come. Maybe this plan to surprise Levi and beg him to forgive her for not calling, for not being more understanding about his son, was pure rubbish.
“What are we goin’ to do now?” A man’s voice reached her, and Heather peeked around the end of the horse trailer. “Sheila leads all of our horses,” he said, removing his charcoal cowboy hat and resettling it on his head. “You can’t do it.”
A younger man who was clearly his son glanced around, his face showing his frustration. “I don’t know, Dad. Surely there’s someone we can get to lead a
horse. It’s Austin. This city is full of people.”
“Galaxy is a finicky horse,” his dad said. “And she needs someone she trusts.”
Heather stepped out from behind the horse trailer. “I’m so sorry,” she said as she approached. “I couldn’t help overhearing. I can lead your horse in the auction.” She had no idea where the words had come from. She had no idea why one of them couldn’t lead the horse. She had no idea how this auction ran, and if she led Galaxy in it if Levi would even see her. But she had to try.
They both sized her up, and she was extremely glad she’d changed out of her flowery blue dress and into jeans and cowgirl boots. She forced a laugh out of her throat. “I don’t really know why either of you can’t lead the horse, but—”
“It’s the rules,” the older man said. “Owners can train and bring the horses. The auction provides walkers. We’ve had Sheila for years.”
“But she broke her leg last week,” the son said.
“The auction doesn’t have anyone else?”
“People have their favorites.” The father shrugged.
“I could do it,” Heather said. “I grew up on a ranch, and my brother’s been coming to this auction for years.”
“Who’s your brother?” The younger man stepped closer, really peering at her face now.
“Dwayne Carver. He comes with Levi Rhodes every year.” She commanded herself not to squirm, but her feet still shuffled in the dirt. “I’m really good with horses. Levi says I can get them to do whatever I want.”
“Levi Rhodes,” the son said over his shoulder. He gave Heather one last look before he turned back to his dad. “Dad, she could do it. Levi bought Starscape from us at the Houston auction last year.”
Warmth bloomed in Heather’s soul. “I ride Starscape every weekend.”
Both men turned back to her, surprise etched on their faces. “You ride Starscape?”
“Yeah.” She giggled and lifted her broken arm. “She threw me a couple of weeks ago when she got spooked. But she’s a great horse.”
The father and son exchanged a glance, and Heather felt her chance slipping away. “Don’t let the arm fool you. I can lead your horses in the auction.”
“We have eight of them,” the dad said. “We’re in the Saturday morning auction. Galaxy is our toughest horse, and we’d want you to meet her first.”
Heather waved her good arm. “Well, let’s go meet her.” She joined the two men, her hopes as high as they’d ever been. “My name’s Heather, by the way.”
“Dylan,” the younger man said. “And that’s my dad, Cornelius Clarion.”
“Clarion?” Alarms sounded in Heather’s head. “Of Clarion Champions?” She’d heard her brother talk about them, and they were the premier breeders and sellers of horses in Texas.
“See, Dad? Everyone’s heard of us.” Dylan nudged her, a playful smile on his face. But Heather was suddenly wondering if she’d already gotten herself in over her head.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Levi couldn’t focus the following day. But he managed to make it around to all the horses, and this year, he talked with Dwayne before they sat down to the auction on Friday afternoon.
“So who do you like?” he asked.
“Oh, a few here and there.”
Levi chuckled. “We have a trailer that holds four,” he said. “And you brought an extra man. Give me a hint so we don’t have to do what we did last year.”
“What?” Dwayne adjusted his cowboy hat. “Me outbidding you on that bay?”
“I could’ve bought him had I wanted to.” Levi hadn’t even bid once, so there was no “outbidding” that had happened. He had been prepared to give his friend whatever cash he needed to get the horse though. He’d been in a bidding war with another man from Clearwater, but Dwayne had won on his own.
“I like the Appaloosa from Clarion,” Dwayne said. “She’s my top choice.”
Relief trickled through Levi. “I’m goin’ to go after Galaxy then.”
“Oh, the black beauty from Clarion. She was a pretty horse.”
Lots of spirit, Levi thought. Just like Starscape. And Levi loved the Clarion Champions’ horses with a free spirit. He pictured Heather sitting atop the horse, and his heart constricted. Oh, how he wanted her by his side when they broke the horse.
“So I guess neither of you are bidding today.” Kurt exhaled as he sat next to them. “Since I can’t afford a Clarion Champions horse, I’m goin’ to try for the pinto.”
“He’s two years old already.” Dwayne looked at his foreman with surprise in his eyes.
“We bonded.” Kurt shrugged and bit into the sandwich he’d bought from The Yellow Sub food truck. The owner had taken an old Airstream camper and painted the whole thing bright yellow. He’d added the scope on top and everything, converted the inside to a kitchen, and made some of the best sub sandwiches Levi had ever tasted.
Kurt too, apparently, as he groaned. “The pepperoncini in this is soo good.”
“I’ll help you get a new horse,” Dwayne said, his voice almost a whisper. “Who did you see that you liked?”
“I’m not bidding against Levi,” Kurt said as he gave Levi the side-eye. “I’ve seen the man’s house. Besides, sometimes good things come in older packages.”
Levi didn’t comment. There would be plenty of people who wanted Galaxy, and he’d had to pull out his money if he wanted the horse. And he did. So he sat silently through Friday afternoon’s auction, enjoying the feel of the sun on his skin and the scent of horse in the air.
Saturday morning arrived, and he skipped the final walk-through in the barns and stables. He knew what horse he wanted. When he met up with Dwayne and Kurt, they both wore smiles so wide, Levi immediately knew something was up.
“What’s goin’ on?” he asked slowly.
“Did you go look at the Clarion horses again?”
“No. Why?”
Dwayne shook his head, but his smile wouldn’t budge. “No reason.”
“Dwayne,” he warned. “What do I need to know to win that horse?”
“Nothing, I swear.” He clapped Levi on the shoulder. “I think you’ll win just fine.”
“Ladies and gentlemen, horse lovers alike, it’s time to start our auction!”
Levi had no choice but to focus on the dealings in the arena before him. But Dwayne and Kurt whispered every so often, which drove Levi nuts. He hated it when people whispered, and he kept shifting on the seat like ants were crawling over his skin.
About an hour into the auction, the Clarion horses began. The first one was trotted out by a cowhand Levi hadn’t seen in the auction yet, which was strange. At the Austin auction, Cornelius always employed Sheila to show his horses. Always a woman. He leaned forward and peered at the man, but he didn’t recognize him. Just another auction-provided—“Holy cow.”
His heart accelerated from zero to sixty in under a breath. He stood up without expressly telling his body to do so.
The auctioneer continued as if the woman leading the American Quarter horse was just another auction-provided helper. But she wasn’t.
He volleyed his gaze from Heather to Dwayne, unsure of what to do. He wanted to yell out and wave his hands. Get her attention.
She seemed to be scanning the crowd, and as she came toward his side, Levi did raise his right arm above his head. Her eyes caught his, and everything else fell away. The auctioneer’s voice went silent. Someone tugged on Levi’s shirtsleeve, but he ignored them.
Dwayne stood up too, but Levi was already pressing his way toward the aisle.
Heather was here.
Heather was here.
Heather, Heather, Heather.
He had to get to Heather.
Something powerful and strong clamped down on his wrist, drawing him out of his singular need to leave the seats. He looked at the tanned hand and then up into Dwayne’s face.
“She’s working,” he said. “Let her finish.”
Levi blinked, the w
ords sounding like English but making no sense in his head. “Working?”
“It’s how she got in to this ticketed, invite-only event.” Dwayne pulled his arm back toward their seats. “Come sit down. Your horse is comin’ up.” He didn’t relinquish his hold on Levi’s arm until he’d followed him back to their seats.
But Levi couldn’t sit still. He tracked Heather as she took the now-sold horse to the gate and passed the reins to Cornelius himself. How had she gotten the job? Why had she come? Did her phone not work?
She paraded another horse around the arena, and then another. Galaxy was next, and Levi sat a little straighter, determined to buy this horse and get down to the cash-out table immediately afterward. Then he’d be able to take his receipt over to Clarion’s stables—and Heather.
“And now we have a thoroughbred filly named Galaxy. Bidding starts at fifteen thousand dollars.”
Levi hesitated, testing out the field to see who else was interested. Four hands went up, and the auctioneer’s voice spend into rapid-fire words. Before Levi knew it, the bid was up to twenty-two thousand and he hadn’t even lifted his paddle yet.
Dwayne elbowed him, and the words “Going once, do I have twenty-three? Going—” entered Levi’s ears.
He threw his paddle up. His bid was acknowledged, and the war continued. Gary Burton turned and caught Levi’s eye. Levi knew the cowboy out of the Fort Worth area and groaned inwardly. Gary would bid him up and then let him have Galaxy.
Sure enough, the bidding war commenced between the two of them until the entire crowd was volleying their gaze between Gary and Levi. Levi kept his focus on two people: The auctioneer, so he’d know when he had to bid again, and Heather, who couldn’t seem to look away from him.
With the bid at forty-six thousand and the ball in Levi’s court, she gave him a hesitant smile. Emotions exploded through Levi, and he lifted his paddle again.
