by Barbara Gee
Vince nodded and smiled. “I am now. Actually, I guess I always believed, I just didn’t practice my faith. I stopped going to church when I got drafted into the league because I didn’t think being a professional athlete and a committed Christian were compatible.”
“What changed your mind?”
“It’s a long story, but the short version is I hit bottom last summer and finally realized hockey wasn’t enough. Some good friends made me see it was time to turn things over to God, and I recommitted my life to Him. Since then Boone has been hauling me to church every Sunday we have free, and four of us guys get together a few times a month for a Bible study. It’s been really good for me.”
“Changed your life, did it?” Jeremiah asked.
“Oh yeah. It hasn’t always been easy, but it’s definitely been for the better. My attitude and outlook on life are completely different now.”
In fact, even though he’d committed his life to Christ only a year ago, Vince could no longer imagine going through his days without the comfort his faith provided. Before, he’d lived in almost constant fear. Most athletes did, they just didn’t show it. He’d feared injury. Losing his edge and not being able to perform at the level the team expected. Being traded again, or worse yet put on waivers, not knowing if another team would pick him up, or if he’d end up in the minor leagues.
Those had been daily thoughts, and to some extent they still were, it’s just that the terror associated with them was gone. When he’d accepted the gift of salvation last summer, God had taken his fears and shown him there was more to life than hockey. Whether he was able to play at the highest level, couldn’t play at all, or something in between, he would be okay. His sport no longer completely defined him as a person. It shaped him and it certainly dictated his schedule for now, but he knew he wouldn’t fall apart without it.
“I hope you’re still here when I’m gone,” Jeremiah said, interrupting Vince’s thoughts. “It would be nice for Callie.”
Vince looked quickly over at the man, not sure he’d heard him right. “What?”
“I’d like knowing she had someone she could lean on. You’re a big strong guy, and you’re easy to talk to. I think you’d be good for her.”
Vince gave a wry chuckle. “I appreciate that, I guess, but I’m not sure she’ll feel the same. We barely know each other, and she doesn’t seem much inclined to change that.”
“You’ll get to know her,” Jeremiah declared confidently. He swiveled and scooted to the edge of his seat. Vince hurried around to help as he lowered his feet to the ground and pushed slowly up.
The older man straightened and smiled at Vince, his faded blue eyes glinting with a hint of mischief. “I’m going to guilt her into giving you riding lessons. You got any problem with that?”
Vince raised his brows and tilted his head. “Why do you want her to give me lessons?” he asked carefully. “Because you think I should learn to ride, or so I can get to know her?”
“Both. But mostly the latter. So you two can see what’s what and all.”
Vince thought about it for a moment, liking where this was going. Callie wouldn’t have any problem refusing his own request for lessons, but it wouldn’t be as easy for her to say no to Jeremiah. Maybe it wasn’t the most gentlemanly thing to do, but at this point he was willing to take whatever help he could get.
A smile tugged at his lips. “Actually, I don’t think I’d have any problem with that at all.”
Jeremiah gave a satisfied chuckle before starting his shuffling walk to the door. “Didn’t think you would. Just wanted to check.”
The door swung open just as he reached for the knob, and Vince caught his breath at the sight of Callie standing there. It wasn’t because she was doing anything special, or wearing anything special. She didn’t need to be. She took his breath away merely standing in the doorway in a simple tee shirt, jeans, and socks.
She managed a tight smile at Vince as her grandfather walked past, then she quickly turned away. Whatever it was that was sparking between the two of them, she was doing her best to deny it.
That realization made Vince grin as he followed her into the house. She was going to freak when she realized her grandfather was on his side.
Jeremiah didn’t waste any time proving that, either. “I’m tuckered out,” he announced, not even pausing as he walked through the kitchen. “I’m gonna go sit in my chair and catch a nap before supper. You sit out here and feed Vince a few more cookies. He earned them, spending so much time with me.”
Callie gave Vince a sideways glance, her wide eyes showing a hint of panic before she looked away. He could tell she wanted to make an excuse to get out of spending time alone with him, but she didn’t know quite what to say that would be believable.
He decided to make it easy on her. “I can only stay a few more minutes. Time for one more of those cookies, then I need to be going.”
She evidently decided she could spare him that much. She watched Jeremiah as he walked down the hall, but stayed put in the kitchen.
“I’ll bring you some tea in a bit, Grandpa,” she called.
***
Now what?
Callie swallowed hard as she faced Vince across the room. She already had his cookies bagged up and ready to go—it would have been so easy to just hand them to him, thank him for his visit, and send him on his way. Instead she was stuck trying to make small talk. Thanks, Grandpa!
Thankfully, Vince himself had limited it to just a few minutes. She could survive that.
“So, um, what did you think of the horses?” she asked, walking to the fridge and taking out a jug of milk. “I hope you raved about them. Grandpa could use a little ego stroking.”
“Of course I raved,” Vince said, leaning a hip against the counter as she poured two glasses.
She motioned him over to the table and set the milk down before going back to the counter for the cookies.
“What if I don’t like milk?” he asked as she put two cookies on a small plate before taking a seat across from him.
“All cowboys drink milk,” she replied matter-of-factly, a raised brow daring him to disagree.
“What if I’m lactose intolerant?”
“I think there are pills you can take for that.”
His blue eyes glinted with a smile he kept from his lips. “Okay, so if I want to be a cowboy for the summer, the milk comes with it, regardless of whether I can tolerate it?”
“Of course,” she said, her eyes narrowing in challenge. “Real cowboys drink milk. Do you have what it takes, Abbot?”
His quick grin made her pulse quicken. “Definitely. I love milk, especially with the best cookies known to man.”
She huffed out an exasperated breath. “Then why ask the question?”
He shrugged. “Just wondered. You didn’t ask before you poured.”
“I’ve never met anyone who didn’t like milk with their cookies. Even if it’s almond milk.”
He took a drink, then lowered his voice as if telling her a deep, dark secret. “Not many people know this, Callie, and it’s hard to believe, but there are actually people in this world who don’t ever drink milk or eat cookies. I’ve seen them myself, and it’s a terrifying thing.”
Callie giggled. “Let me guess—all those aspiring models and actresses who are watching their figures?”
He grimaced. “Even the established ones. They’re obsessed with not eating.”
She picked up her glass and took a deliberately long drink, making sure he knew she had no desire to be placed in that category.
His eyes crinkled at the corners when he smiled approvingly at her. “Ironically, their figures are nowhere near as appealing as yours.”
Callie raised her brows and gave him a stern look, even though his words made her feel a little warm and flushed.
His smile turned sheepish. “Was it not okay to say that? Sorry if I was out of line. It’s just that they’d all hate you for being so beautiful without all the ov
er-the-top effort they go to.”
His words were sweet, but Callie reminded herself this man was used to charming women of all types and backgrounds, and she couldn’t take him literally.
“Whatever, Vince. In a couple of months you’ll be telling all those svelte actresses about the weird country girl you met who drinks milk, eats cookies, lives on a ranch in a tiny town, and has no desire to ever leave it.”
He finished his cookie and took a long drink of his own, his eyes steady on hers over the rim of his glass. “I can promise you that will never happen. I don’t find you the least bit weird.”
“You don’t know me,” she reminded him.
He sat back in his chair and folded his arms across his chest. “I will soon,” he said, his eyes twinkling yet again. When he smiled like a cat with a canary, she knew he knew something she didn’t.
“Okay, I’ll bite,” she said slowly. “Why are you so sure of that?”
“Because we’re going to bond while you’re giving me riding lessons.”
Callie was glad she didn’t have a mouthful of milk, because it might have come out her nose when she laughed. “And where did you get that idea?”
He gave a nonchalant shrug, his expression as innocent as he could make it. “It wasn’t my idea. Jeremiah offered your services.”
“He did not,” Callie replied, although she realized as she spoke he may have done exactly that. He liked Vince, and wanted her to like him, too. Volunteering her for riding lessons—even after she’d told him no—wasn’t beyond him.
Part of her was highly annoyed, and the other part wanted to give her grandfather whatever he wanted in the time he had left. She wasn’t sure which feeling was the strongest at this point.
“Would it be too much of an imposition?” Vince asked. “I know you’ve got a lot going on. I don’t want to add to your burdens, but I have to admit I got a little excited when Jeremiah mentioned it.”
Callie shifted in her seat and fiddled with her empty glass. He’d given her an out, and she knew she should tell him it would be too much of an imposition right now. She should tell him exactly that, because spending more time with him was asking for trouble—she’d known that from the start. Yet, in spite of her earlier determination to resist him, those words wouldn’t come.
“A lot of people would jump at the chance to teach you to ride,” she said instead. It was true. She’d heard Brit make the offer, for one.…and remembering that offer made Callie feel guilty for even considering doing the lessons herself. But then there was Jeremiah and what he wanted, and that put pressure on her from the other side.
Vince’s gaze caught hers. “You aren’t one of those who would jump?” he asked softly.
She swallowed hard and looked down. “It would be better to get someone else.”
“I’d like it be you.” He leaned forward, resting his forearms on the table. “Do you ride every day?”
“Pretty much,” she said, still not looking at him.
“Do you go at the same time every day?”
“Usually before breakfast. While Grandpa is still in bed.”
“Could I just tag along with you once and see how it goes? You’d have to take it kinda slow for me, but at least it wouldn’t take extra time out of your day.”
Callie breathed slowly in and out. Gathering her courage, she raised her eyes to his and asked the question that needed to be addressed.
“Why me?” Her voice came out huskier than she intended and she felt her cheeks warm. Suddenly she feared she was reading too much into it. He might just want to get away from the Full Heart and learn to ride where there was no one else around to tease him about his efforts. If it was as simple as that, and she’d been assuming other motives, she’d die of embarrassment.
His smile was slow and heart-melting. “Because I want to get to know you, Callie. I don’t want to push too hard, but I’m not ready to give up, either. If you don’t go for the riding lessons, I’ll think of another way.”
She told herself he couldn’t mean that. He couldn’t be that set on getting to know her. Surely he was just frustrated because she wasn’t falling under his spell like he was used to, and he didn’t like to lose.
Yet he’d done nothing to indicate he was that shallow. None of his words or actions had seemed anything but sincere, including the sweet way he’d interacted with Jeremiah.
“So, turning you down on the riding lessons won’t get you out of my hair?” she asked finally, her stomach twisted with nerves because she knew she was weakening.
“Not even close. I’m a resourceful person, and I really do want to spend time with you.” His eyes narrowed slightly. “Oddly enough, I don’t believe you’re totally opposed to the idea, even though you’re fighting it pretty hard. For reasons yet unknown,” he added.
Callie felt a little panicked. The man was way too perceptive.
She scooted her chair back and stood up. “I’ll think about the lessons,” she said quickly, before he could delve any deeper. She retrieved the large bag of cookies she’d gotten ready for him earlier. “You can enjoy these in the meantime.”
He took the bag and grinned. “I’ll think of you with every bite,” he promised. “Don’t make me wait too long, Callie. If I’m gonna have to get Boone to teach me to ride, I need to start gearing myself up for some ruthless teasing.”
Callie felt compelled to offer an alternative. “Rose or Brittany would be happy to do it, and I’m pretty sure they won’t laugh at you.”
He shrugged. “They’re nice girls, but I’m not going to open that door. If you won’t do it, I’ll ask Boone.”
Before she could respond, he walked over and retrieved his hat from its peg. “Thanks for the cookies. I’ll be waiting to hear what you decide.”
Then he was gone, leaving her standing at the counter, staring after him.
Callie had never, ever known a longing so strong.
One thing was certain. If Vince Abbot kept patiently punching through her defenses, she was eventually going to lose the will to stop him. The question was, how long could she hold out?
CHAPTER 9
It wasn’t until evening, when Callie was helping Jeremiah into bed, that he confessed. “Oh, by the way, I told Vince you’d be happy to give him those riding lessons. He’s real serious about learning how.”
Callie frowned. It was irritating to have him put it out there so casually, as if she hadn’t already told him no.
“I thought I told you I didn’t want to do it.”
“Aw come on, you don’t really mind, do you? He’s an interesting enough fella, and it’ll show him we’re hospitable folks.”
“I think we’ve already shown him that. He’s been at our place twice in two days.”
“Come on, Callie,” he chided. “Just see how it goes. It’ll be good for you to hang out with someone besides me for a change.”
“I have plenty of people I can hang out with if I choose to,” she told him evenly, reminding herself he meant well, even if his interference was annoying.
“Well I’d be mighty disappointed if you couldn’t spare the time for a few simple lessons,” Jeremiah said grumpily, pushing away the blanket she was trying to arrange under his arms.
She sighed inwardly, wondering why she was even expending the energy to argue with him. They both knew he was going to win. He would wear her down until she was all but begging for the chance to give Vince riding lessons, just to stop the nagging.
“I told him I’d think about it,” she announced, abandoning her efforts to straighten his bedding.
Jeremiah’s brows shot up. “You mean he already mentioned it?”
“Yep. Said you suggested it today. Which is after I told you I didn’t want to do it.”
The man chuckled, totally unrepentant. “He’s a go-getter, that one. Doesn’t let any grass grow beneath his feet. I could get used to having him around.”
“He won’t be around long, Grandpa. Remember that before you get too attach
ed.”
His eyes softened as his expression became speculative. “I would imagine you’re keeping that in mind yourself.”
Callie wished for a moment he didn’t know her quite so well. She plumped up a pillow and slid it behind his shoulders, propping him up the way he liked.
“Seems the smart thing to do, don’t you think?” she asked, not bothering to deny it.
“Maybe, maybe not,” he replied. “Being cautious keeps you protected, but you never know what you might miss out on because you’re afraid of taking a chance.”
She grunted. “I know you like him a lot, and that’s evidently giving you some wild ideas. But I’m pretty sure Vince is just looking to have some fun for the summer. You know….be a temporary cowboy….make some new friends….have some stories to tell his teammates about the wild west when he gets back home.”
“Hmph. I think you’re wrong about him, Callie-girl.”
“I don’t,” she insisted. “He’s a nice guy, I’ll give you that, and yeah, it might be fun to get to know him. But he’ll be gone in two months, and that’s a fact. He’s not one of us, Grandpa. He’s a professional hockey player.”
“So’s Boone Kendall,” he reminded her, “and I’d say he’s one of us, wouldn’t you?”
Callie felt her patience slipping, but she kept her voice calm. “Boone’s parents live here. He has good reason to make Barlow his home during every off-season, and I’m sure when he retires from playing he’ll end up on the Full Heart, working with his dad.” She put her hands on her hips. “Vince doesn’t have any ties here. Two months and he’s gone for good.”
Jeremiah grunted. “I don’t know whether you should be making assumptions about his future, considering you don’t know the boy very well yet.”
That much was true. She didn’t know him well, and she was trying to keep it that way. Callie took the glass he kept by the bed and went to the kitchen to fill it with fresh ice water. When she returned, she put it on the bedside table and folded her arms.
