If Wishes Were Horses

by Robert Barclay

  “But there’s something else you need to know, Krista,” he added softly. “Although in my own way I will never stop loving you, my heart has finally been freed. Not from your memory, but from the mistaken belief that I could never love another the way that I loved you. I was wrong, my darling, and I hope you can forgive me for what I must now do.”

  Wyatt went to his knees. The earth was soft and gave way easily to his touch. After burying the ring before Krista’s headstone, he stood.

  “Good-bye, my love,” he whispered.

  With tears still streaming down his face, he finally stood. He then looked up at the stars, as if he could watch his heartfelt words rising toward the heavens.

  “Wyatt?” a voice called out in the darkness.

  Wyatt turned to see Mercy standing just outside the cemetery fence. After walking back through the gate, he faced her. She, too, was still wearing formal attire.

  Wyatt took a deep breath. “You heard?”

  Mercy nodded. “I didn’t mean to. I couldn’t sleep, so I was taking a walk. All the excitement, I guess. I’m sorry.”

  Wyatt shook his head. “Don’t be.”

  Mercy took a deep breath then she, too, looked up at the stars for a time. Before gazing back at Wyatt, she wiped away some tears.

  “The heart wants what it wants, Wyatt,” she said. “And as much as it pains me to say it, we’ve both come to realize that your heart wants Gabby.”

  When Wyatt started to speak, Mercy reached out and placed her fingertips against his lips. She shook her head.

  “It’s all right,” she whispered. “I suppose I’ve known ever since that night Sadie’s colt was born. I saw her and Trevor leave tonight, and she seemed upset. Go to her, Wyatt, before it’s too late.”

  Wyatt stepped closer. Leaning forward, he gave Mercy a light kiss on one cheek.

  “Thank you,” he said, and then he was gone.

  THIRTY-EIGHT

  SEVEN HOURS LATER, Gabby lay awake in bed. Her sleep had been fitful, at best. She looked at her alarm clock to find that it was nearly ten A.M. As she thought of Wyatt, tears came again and she quickly brushed them away. Then she remembered that it was Sunday, and she groaned. She and Celia had made plans to eat breakfast together and then go shopping.

  Some retail therapy might do me good, Gabby thought. But not so much as some hot coffee and a brisk shower…

  Right on time, the doorbell rang with an insistency that only Celia could somehow muster. Gabby groaned again and covered her head with her pillow. Celia was her best friend, but it was too early to suffer her snooping.

  She’ll be frantic to find out about last night, Gabby realized. That’s too bad, because she’ll surely be disappointed.

  There was no point in dallying, so Gabby threw off the covers. After trudging to the closet, she grabbed a nightshirt at random and pulled it on over her head. Without looking, she stepped into the nearest pair of slippers. As she shuffled toward the front door she realized that she had slept in her makeup and that she must look terrible, but she didn’t care. Then the doorbell rang again.

  “Jesus, Celia!” she shouted. “Knock it off! I’m coming as fast as I can!”

  Without peering through the security lens, she opened the door. She was fully prepared to give the snoopy redhead a good piece of her mind when her jaw dropped open.

  Wyatt stood there, looking her up and down with mild curiosity. He was dressed in ranch clothes. After pursing his lips, he made a comic show of examining the number on her town house door.

  “The Powers residence, I presume?” he asked.

  Despite last night’s party he seemed as fresh as a daisy, with a smile to match. He checked the door number again then looked back at Gabby.

  “Strange,” he said, shaking his head. “I was told that a beautiful woman lived here. Do you know where she might be?”

  Gabby was mortified. She instinctively moved to close her robe before remembering that she was wearing only the flimsy nightshirt. When she tried to speak, no words came.

  “Wyatt…?” she finally uttered.

  “In the flesh,” he answered.

  Wyatt held a bulging Dunkin’ Donuts box in one hand, and a tray containing two paper coffee cups in the other. Only he and God knew how he had managed to ring the doorbell.

  “May I come in?” he asked. “I brought caffeine and sugar, two of my favorite food groups.”

  “Uh, er, yes—yes, of course,” Gabby said, still nervously clutching the front of her nightshirt. Wyatt sauntered in and looked around.

  “Please don’t take this the wrong way,” Gabby said. “But what are you doing here?”

  Wyatt set the coffee and doughnuts on the kitchen table. After Gabby shut the door, Wyatt looked into her eyes.

  “I need to talk to you,” he said, “and I didn’t want do it over the phone. I hope that you can forgive my barging in this way. I got your address from Trevor’s New Beginnings application.”

  Wyatt handed her a cup of coffee. “Drink that. It’s not as potent as Aunt Lou’s, but it’s pretty good.”

  “Bless you,” she answered.

  Like him, she drank her coffee black. The paper cup warmed her hands, and the life-giving brew tasted good. She suddenly wondered what she must look like, so she stared across the kitchen and into a wall mirror. To her horror, it was even worse than she’d thought.

  Her hair and makeup were a total mess. The nightshirt that she had chosen at random had been a gag gift from Celia. Across its front, huge letters read: a day without sex is like a day without sunshine. Then she looked down at her feet. Her slippers were hot pink, with bunny faces embroidered across the toes and pink bunny ears drooping down on either side. Gabby groaned inside.

  Jesus, she thought. Of all the mornings in all the world…

  Wyatt sensed her embarrassment and smiled. Then he pointed to her nightshirt. The phrase printed there hung strangely askew, as it blanketed the twin peaks of her breasts.

  “I couldn’t agree more…,” he said.

  Wyatt’s wolfish comment wasn’t lost on Gabby, and she blushed. “Could you give me a couple of minutes to pull myself together?” she asked.

  Wyatt smiled. “Sure. I’ll just sit here with my health food. By the way, is Trevor home?”

  Unsure, Gabby glanced at the message board clinging to the refrigerator door. It read: “Gone to the pool.” She pointed it out to Wyatt.

  “Ah,” he said.

  Desperate to make herself more presentable, Gabby left the kitchen. Ten minutes later she returned wearing jeans, a gray sweatshirt, and white Keds. Her face was washed, her teeth were cleaned, and she had put her dark hair up in a scrunchie. The new and improved Gabby certainly didn’t qualify as a Vogue cover model, but she would have to do. She again joined Wyatt at the table. Too nervous to eat a doughnut, she politely took another microsip of coffee.

  Wyatt smiled at her approvingly. “Better,” he said.

  “What did you want to talk to me about?” she asked. Beneath the tabletop, one of her feet began to twitch.

  Wyatt put down his coffee. “Are you angry with me?”

  “God, no! Why would you think that?”

  “Because you left the ball without saying good-bye. Ram and Mercy thought you were upset. Was your Honda about to turn into a pumpkin or something?”

  Her mind racing, Gabby tried to devise an answer that wouldn’t give too much away. “I was very tired, and so was Trevor. That’s all it was. I was planning to call you today, to thank you again for your wonderful gifts.”

  Wyatt sat back in his chair. “Okay. I’ll settle for that.”

  Gabby said nothing for a time as she tried to adjust to the fact that Wyatt had come to visit her. Only minutes ago she’d thought she would never see him again. And now here he was, calmly drinking coffee at her kitchen table. Although the doughnuts weren’t glass slippers, it seemed that the prince had found her after all.

  “Was there something else?” she asked.
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br />   Wyatt nodded. “I know that it’s a spur-of-the-moment thing, but I’d like you and Trevor to come with me. One of the ranch Jeeps is parked outside. We’re leaving for the day—assuming that you’re interested.”

  “Where are we going?” Gabby asked.

  “Back to the Flying B. I was hoping that Trevor could spend the day there while you and I ventured off on our own.”

  “Where?” Gabby asked again. Her foot was twitching even faster now.

  “I want to show you my lake house,” Wyatt said. “It’ll be just you and me, for once. Aside from your ill-fated horse ride, we’ve never spent more than an hour in private.”

  Gabby’s heart leaped at Wyatt’s offer, but she needed to be sure of his motives. She gave him a sly smile. “Why, Mr. Blaine,” she said. “Are you asking me out on a date?”

  “Yes, Ms. Powers,” he answered. “I do believe that I am.”

  THIRTY-NINE

  WYATT SHIFTED GEARS again as he steered the four-wheel-drive Jeep across the Florida grasslands. Gabby sat beside him, happily watching the countryside roll by. She was wearing sneakers, shorts, and a checkered shirt. At Wyatt’s suggestion she had also brought along a swimsuit, which lay inside her tote bag. Wyatt was still wearing his ranch clothes. Before leaving, Gabby had called Celia and begged off on their plans for the day. True to form, Celia made Gabby swear to call her later and tell her everything that happened.

  Courtesy of Aunt Lou, a cooler full of food and beer rested in the back of the Jeep. Gabby smiled, as she thought about the lovable old Cajun woman who was such an integral part of the Flying B. Gabby had long suspected that Lou was in her corner, especially after confiding to her that Wyatt had secretly rearranged the table seating at last night’s ball. When Gabby told Lou that Wyatt was taking her on a real date, Lou kissed her crucifix then gave Gabby a celebratory hug. For his part, Trevor was ecstatic about returning to the ranch so soon. To Gabby’s relief, he also seemed pleased that she and Wyatt were going off by themselves.

  The day was hot and clear, and according to Wyatt the drive would take about fifteen minutes. Sometimes he came by horseback, he said, especially if he was planning to stay the night. Gabby thought that the landscape was pretty, in a rugged sort of way. She was eager to see the lake, and the small house that was Wyatt’s private retreat.

  Reaching into the back of the Jeep, Gabby retrieved a water bottle. After offering Wyatt a sip, she also drank some. As the Jeep jostled beneath her, she took a moment to consider the unexpected changes she was noticing in Wyatt.

  He hadn’t suddenly become a different person, but he did seem far happier and that made him even more attractive. Wyatt’s mood had always been pleasant enough, if often somber. Like everyone who understood him, Gabby knew why. But for the first time, Gabby sensed a sustained lightness about him that hadn’t been there before.

  Earlier in the day she had also noticed that his wedding band was missing, and she suspected that its absence had something to do with his changed mood. She very much wanted to ask him about it, but she decided not to pry. If he wanted her to know, he would tell her in his own good time. For now she had Wyatt all to herself, and that was enough.

  A few minutes later, Wyatt unexpectedly stopped the Jeep. Gabby couldn’t guess why, because she could see nothing before them but more scrubby grassland. Deciding to tease him a bit, she looked at him and smiled.

  “If you wanted to go parking, all you had to do was ask,” she said. “But I can think of more comfortable vehicles in which to do it.”

  Wyatt laughed. Leaning forward, he rested his tanned forearms on top of the steering wheel. “I want to show you something,” he said.

  Gabby raised her eyebrows. “Like what? There’s nothing out here but a lot of grass and tree clumps. It’s endless.”

  “Exactly,” Wyatt said.

  “I still don’t get it.”

  Wyatt pointed into the distance. “Look out at the horizon,” he said. “Then follow it full circle until your eyes return to their starting point.”

  Gabby did as he asked, but she saw nothing new. “Okay,” she said. “What’s the big secret?”

  “No secret,” Wyatt said. “It’s just that for as far as you can see, you’re looking at Flying B land. One needs to actually come out here in order to grasp the full scope of the ranch.”

  Gabby was amazed. Although she knew that the Flying B was huge, until this moment her idea of the ranch had been limited to the big house and its immediate surroundings. Like the man sitting beside her, the Flying B was much more than she had first supposed.

  “My God,” she said. “I had no idea.”

  Wyatt smiled and shifted the Jeep back into gear. “I know,” he answered. “Nobody really gets it until they come out here. I’m glad that you could see it. I’m also glad that after five long years, I have someone to share it with again.”

  Ten minutes later, they arrived. The little house on stilts was adorable, Gabby thought. The lake looked broad and clean, its sky blue water rippling lightly in the wind.

  “It’s wonderful,” she said.

  Wyatt smiled. “Ram and Morgan don’t think so! Morgan says that it’s like being in prison, with a chance of being eaten by alligators.”

  Gabby laughed. “It can’t be as bad as all that. If you love it, then I’m sure that I’ll love it, too.”

  Wyatt parked near the front steps, then he and Gabby unloaded the Jeep. After taking the cooler and Gabby’s tote bag up into the house, Wyatt started opening the windows.

  Gabby immediately understood why Wyatt loved this place; the sense of solitude was wonderful. She could easily envision Wyatt swimming, fishing, and sitting in one of the rocking chairs as he watched the sun set. While Wyatt continued opening up the house, Gabby stepped onto the porch.

  The view from the porch was lovely, and when the wind was right she could hear the lake waves rushing the sandy shore. Pine trees stood nearby, their aromatic tops waving lightly in the wind and sometimes pleasantly brushing across the roof. She decided that she quite liked the house being up in the air this way. After admiring the view for a few moments more, she joined Wyatt in the kitchen.

  Wyatt opened the cooler and removed two long-neck beers. After opening them he handed one to Gabby, and they clinked bottles. Gabby took a welcome sip then peered into the cooler. As was her custom, Aunt Lou had provided them with more than they would ever eat.

  “Could we go for a swim first?” Gabby asked.

  Wyatt nodded. “I put your bag in the first bedroom.”

  Gabby immediately left the kitchen, happily waving her beer bottle overhead as she went. “Last one ready has to clean up after dinner!”

  Ten minutes later they were walking across the sand and toward the water. Gabby wore a one-piece white suit; Wyatt had donned a pair of simple black trunks. This was the first time Gabby had seen Wyatt this way, and she was far from disappointed. His body was hard and lean from his many years of working on the ranch.

  Gabby put one toe into the water. “It’s nice.”

  Wyatt carefully looked up and down the shoreline.

  “Is it okay?” she asked.

  “Yes.”

  “Then I’ll tell you what,” she said. “Let’s race to the float.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I’ll win, that’s why. You don’t stand a chance.”

  “Like hell.”

  “Then prove it!” she shouted. Without warning, she ran into the water and dove in headfirst.

  Wyatt was a fair swimmer, but she beat him by a good fifteen seconds, giving her enough time to recline on the float and gloatingly watch him struggle aboard. His lungs heaving, Wyatt collapsed onto his back. Gabby laughed.

  “Jesus!” Wyatt exclaimed, gasping for air. “You’re…amazing! But you conned me! I had forgotten that you’re the girls’ swim coach!”

  Just then the sun peeked out from behind a cloud to begin drying their bodies. As Wyatt raised his left hand to shadow his eye
s, Gabby again noticed the white ring around his third finger. This time she reached out and touched it.

  “Do you want to talk about it?” she asked.

  Wyatt looked into her eyes. “It’s mostly why I brought you here.”

  “I’m listening,” she said.

  Wyatt told Gabby about Phoebe’s unborn child. He also recounted how he had finally made his peace with Krista and Danny, and buried his wedding ring at Krista’s grave. When he finished, Gabby had tears in her eyes.

  “I understand,” she said gently.

  Wyatt smiled slightly, but said nothing. Then Gabby saw his jaw muscles harden a bit, and his blue eyes narrowed. Reaching up, he grabbed a handful of her wet hair. Suddenly he could wait no longer. He pulled her head down to his to find that her kiss came willingly, eagerly.

  That first, new kiss is always a wondrous thing. More than any that might follow, it is the one that seals all the promises, exposes the heart’s true secrets, and makes all things possible. For Wyatt, kissing Gabby was all of those things and more.

  When he released her, she opened her eyes. He had always thought that her eyes were beautiful, but they now held an especially seductive quality he had not seen before. She smiled gently and brushed the wet hair from his forehead.

  “Let’s swim back,” she said quietly. Saying nothing more, she stood and dove from the float.

  Their return swim was slow and languorous. As they walked out of the water, Gabby held Wyatt’s hand. Soon they were standing before the living room fireplace, their still wet swimsuits quietly dripping water onto the floor. Gabby walked closer and put her arms around his neck.

  Wyatt kissed her again, harder this time. As she pressed her body against his, he felt the heat rise between them. Gabby took Wyatt’s hand, placing it against one of her breasts. A hungry look possessed her dark eyes.

  “Are you sure?” he asked.

  “Yes, Wyatt,” she answered softly. “I’m sure. I want it all…”

  With a single movement, Wyatt scooped her up into his arms.