The Summer of Us: A Romance Anthology

by AJ Matthews

  “She-?”

  “Aunt Therese!”

  Cami felt as if she were experiencing her dream come true inside a total nightmare. By now they were outside. Caught in the trance of hangover combined with total disbelief, Cami watched a groom lower the gleaming, giant white trailer ramp. He clicked a lead rope to the fancy leather halter of a giant, seventeen hand chestnut jumper, and backed him down the ramp. Once on the ground, Sfumato snorted. Tossing his head up in the air, he crab-hopped sideways as the groom spoke to him.

  Admiring the gorgeous chestnut, Cami felt brain-dead, unable to process what was happening. The groom looked questioningly at Cami, so she gathered her wits. “So, walk him out, then maybe he can go into that paddock?” She motioned. “Get his kinks out?”

  The groom nodded, moving off with Sfumato, who walked with some of the longest strides Cami had ever seen. He was a big, bold, beautiful horse, that was for sure. But Cami’s head was spinning. She hadn’t told B about the returned rent check, so how did B know about the barn? Wait, her father is Anton, who must have . . ?

  Flabbergasted and more than a little panicked, Cami just stood there, sleep deprived and hungover. Caught in a weird dream that never seemed to end, she’d been passing through her life in a haze of disbelief all summer, and last night’s events had only intensified that weirdness.

  Now she watched a sleek, brand new silver Mercedes pull past the farm’s stone pillars, just like B’s BMW had that day, except this time, tinted windows disguised the driver. Engine humming, the car parked. A chic, elegant woman in heels and a silk suit stepped from it, and Cami recognized Therese Valdezzi, Marcus’ ex-wife.

  That “this is my worst nightmare” sensation that had gripped Cami the night before, as she’d walked into Sauvignon with Sid was now roaring back, worse than before. - Oh, my god, I’m wearing my cruddiest, saggiest jeans!

  Barely managing to recover, Cami adjusted her frozen, deer in the headlights expression to a frozen, deer in the headlights expression with a plastered on smile.

  It was the best she could do.

  But Therese seemed uncertain, as well. As she approached Cami and Bianca, Her smile was shy, hesitant.

  “Hi, there!” Cami had no idea where the warm, welcoming voice had come from.

  Dummy, that’s your voice!

  Her right hand was extended, hovering in midair, ready to shake Therese’s.

  That was good.

  “Welcome to Wellspring Willows Farm! I’m Cami Winston!” She almost choked on her name. . and I slept with your husband!

  “Cami Winston. Hello!” Manicured fingers extended, Therese’s voice was cultured, pleasant, something elegant and unusual in her pronunciations. “I’m Therese Valdezzi. It’s lovely to meet you.”

  Inwardly, Cami winced. This quiet, beautiful woman shaking her hand was Therese Valdezzi, suddenly a very real person. And Cami’d slept with this woman’s very real ex-husband.

  There was no kind of about it.

  Well, she’s not throwing nun-chuks, anyway.

  “B says you bought the barn?” Cami managed.

  “We did, Anton and I,” Therese answered, giving Cami a half-smile. “We should have spoken to you about it, of course, but negotiations were a bit dicy up to the end, and we’d promised the seller confidentiality. I’m sorry we’ve sprung this on you. I’ve been keeping my horses stabled elsewhere, but with B spending so much time here, Anton suggested we combine forces. I’ve been out of the country and Anton. .” here, Therese waved a hand. Her lipstick was bright red, a power color, but her eyes were careful, apologetic, and Cami sensed real consideration beneath Therese’s calm, carefully curated exterior. “Do I owe you an apology?”

  The candor of the question threw Cami off-guard, but Therese brown eyes regarded her patiently. She knows. The realization bowled into her, like a kick to the gut. How could she know I slept with Marcus?

  It can’t be! But yes, there wasn an acknowlegement in Therese’s careful, sensitive brown eyes. It feels like I owe her the apology.

  Suddenly, Cami felt part of a complicated dance, a dance involving Therese, Marcus and herself.

  That dance, which had now been going on for quite some time, had just gotten a lot more complicated, Cami’s horses and all of her business were at Therese’s mercy, and Anton and Bianca were involved as well.

  Therese Valdezzi had the silly little baker girl, the one that had slept with her husband right before they married completely pinned down. She could ruin Cami with the blink of an eye.

  Was that what she wanted to do?

  Her professional veneer of calm gone, Cami’s voice pinched. “Ah, can you excuse me a moment? I just. . .” Struggling, sweaty, dizzy and panicked, a little nauseous, even, she barely managed to say, “. . I just need to grab my water.”

  Therese turned to Bianca, who stood nearby, more excited than Cami had ever seen her. “Well, B, it’s been ages since I’ve watched you ride. Were you thinking about tacking up Wanderlust? I’d love to see that mare go.”

  “I’d love to show her to you, Aunt Therese.”

  Grateful to be out of the spotlight, Cami wobbled towards the barn. Her stomach pinched, her head ached, and she felt like she was going to throw up. Cami’s future, her business and her horse’s well being all rested on what was going to happen in the next few days, and, after the summer she’d been having, she’d best prepare for the worst.

  Heavenly’s injury had been just the first wave of the very large tsunami that was apparently still sweeping her life. And now Therese Valdezzi had shown up, possibly to deliver the final blow.

  Monday night, Cami was seated at Guisippe’s, a standout Italian place, with Therese, Anton and Bianca, all dressed to celebrate.

  “I’m can’t believe we are all in the horse business together!” B said excitedly.

  “I hope you’ll enjoy having Sfumato at your barn, Cami,” Therese said, her cultured voice low and reassuring. “Have you had a chance to get up on him?”

  “No, I, well, he was turned out, today, of course, and I mean, I lunged him, I just. . ” Here she glanced at Anton, who was engaged, focused, hanging onto every word she said. Nervously, she took a deep breath, “I just thought I should get a better understanding of what the arrangement would be, before I became. . attached.”

  Anton jumped in, calm, decisive, and very, very alpha, his broad shoulders bulging beneath a blue linen dinner jacket. “Everything stays status quo with management, Cami, except that now your duties will include exercising Therese’s competitive animals. We’ve discussed salaried compensation as the barn’s manager and head trainer.”

  This was the conversation they’d had last night, over the phone, when Anton had offered Cami a giant salary. Well, a giant salary for the horse world.

  “Bianca will be around more, of course, since she’s deferred college admissions . .” Anton penetrating eyes turned to B, who looked at him, all wide eyed innocence, and wrinkled her nose, “. . Taking one single gap year, before matriculating to Vassar, her mother’s alma mater. I’d like B to take over most of the daily business management tasks, to free you up for riding and training, Cami. She certainly can handling ordering, bill paying, and some of the children’s lessons, as we discussed. We’ll all meet weekly, for dinner, so I can stay abreast of things, and Therese and I will meet with you monthly, Cami, to review cash flow, set quarterly goals, and make some bigger decisions.”

  “That sounds. . great!” Cami said, swallowing her nerves.

  Because honestly, it did.

  She couldn’t imagine a job more perfectly tailored to her dream specifications.

  She’d be getting paid a generous salary to keep running the barn, a business she’d been managing on a shoe string, the whiff of profit gone each month to rent and basic expenses.

  And now, she had a stable full of some of the most promising equine jumping prospects in the world.

  Still, she was hesitant, waiting for the catch, waiting for the trip wi
re.

  Anton continued, “My interest is mainly to see B productively occupied during her gap year,” Anton continued. Here, he glanced at his daughter. “And infuse some spare cash, of course. Therese has been in the horse business some time, and I assure you, we have reasonable expectations.”

  B grinned, delighted.

  It all sounded perfectly ideal, to Cami, which panicked her all the more.

  How could Marcus’s ex-wife have so altered her life, in a single swoop, and what was the catch?

  She had to get past it, focus only on the horses.

  B, one of her favorite people in the world, would be at the barn each day, rather than at school. Free board for Heavenly, a ton of money invested in the barn facility and vehicles for improvements she’d longed for but couldn’t afford, and best of all, she’d be riding and training Therese’s young horses with a salary.

  And, because she was riding and training for the Valdezzi’s, she’d have access to instruction by the world’s top jumper talent.

  If her fairy godmother had appeared, offering to take all her stress away, Cami would have asked for this exact arrangement.

  Still, she cut her Chicken Francese in small pieces nervously, nibbled on bits of rice and asparagus, eager for the meal to end.

  She needed a chance to process everything that had happened that evening.

  Because there was more.

  She’d been early, parked her dented lime VW bug, waiting until she’d seen Therese’s silver Mercedes coupe pull in. Then, because doing otherwise would seem antisocial, she’d gotten out of the car, greeting Therese in the parking lot.

  As they’d waited at the bar for Anton and B to arrive, Therese ordered them both wine, an exquisite Chianti, poured by the glass. As Cami put her lips to the glass’s rim, Therese glanced at her watch.

  “Don’t count on my brother for punctuality,” she said off-handedly. “Running ten minutes behind schedule is Anton’s version of early bird, and thirty is more like it.” Sipping her wine, she checked her phone for a message. “They’re on their way,” she said.

  Putting the phone back in her elegant slim black leather bag, she met Cami’s eyes. Her’s were a rich, deep brown, and so very soulful. “I’m sorry about Heavenly. You must have been devastated. She’s a fine mare.”

  “Thank you,” Cami managed, unsure of what might come next. Both Heavenly and Marcus were Achilles heels; she was at Therese’s mercy with both.

  “I know how it feels to have a horse you love bow a tendon, Cami, and I hate to see the bad luck of it holding you back financially.”

  Then, out of the blue, she offered to purchase Heavenly as is, as a broodmare or jumper prospect. “I really like her bloodlines, Cami. You’ve chosen well.”

  Cami refused, but Therese named a price. “Regardless of her recovery, Heavenly can stay at the barn, or, at least, within reach, I’ll promise you that. You could see her every day, or at least, often.”

  “That’s very kind, Therese,” Cami answered carefully. She couldn’t help but like Therese, but she wasn’t totally ready to trust her.

  “The offer stands, Cami, if you change your mind. If she doesn’t recover and you’re willing to use her as a broodmare, I’ll cover stud fees if we can share ownership of her get.”

  “Really?”

  All of Cami’s problems had just been solved.

  By Therese Valdezzi.

  Was it just a bribe, to keep her away from Marcus?

  But no, that didn’t seem likely.

  Because then she’d mentioned Marcus dispassionately, as if it had come up in conversation, which it hadn’t.

  “Marcus married me as a favor, actually,” Therese said smoothly, sipping her wine. “We’d been wonderful friends for most of my life, Marcus and I. I still love him, of course, but it wasn’t right for either of us. I realized it soon after the honeymoon.” Eyes downcast, a regretful little smile for Cami, she continued, “Marcus likely knew it all along, but being a gentleman, he indulged me. I have no regrets. We’ll always be friends, and I’ll always be grateful for his kindness to me. We made some wonderful memories, and I’ll always have those. I hope his life soon includes someone special, for his sake. He’s a good man.”

  Her patient, calm eyes still regarded Cami easily, as if there was no real meaning to her words. “I hope to be at his next wedding, as a friend, of course. He’ll fall in love the next time, of course. He’ll be a devoted husband to the woman he chooses, and I’m certain he’ll be a wonderful father.”

  Rich endorsement indeed, Cami had to admit, and no whiff of a suggestion from Therese that Marcus had been looking for a financial advantage, as had been rumored.

  “I’m so pleased with what he’s done with Sauvignon. It’s been a dream of his, for a long time,” Therese continued.

  Shocked, Cami couldn’t bring herself to respond; Marcus had devasted Cami, and it seemed Therese knew it. Which made all the magic that Therese, B and Anton had brought to Cami’s life in the past week that much more confusing, upsetting and, quite frankly, weird.

  Monday Madness

  “You really thought you’d get out of here with your panties intact, Cami?”

  Dinner ended, finally.

  Driving herself home, still feeling uneasy, Cami mentally reviewed the sum of it all.

  She had no reason to distrust Therese and Anton; this was business. Anton and Therese were in it for B and Therese’s love of horses, which meshed with Anton’s need for a tax-write off.

  It was just a convenience that Cami’s dream career was also being realized.

  If they could be so open-minded and generous-spirited, so could she.

  Maybe it was herself she distrusted; Cami had to keep pinching herself that it was actually Therese Valdezzi who was helping her realized her wildest dreams.

  She couldn’t help feeling torn by what Therese had revealed about Marcus. It explained the sadness in his eyes.

  This was a small world she was circling, and she was still dancing.

  Maybe her sacrifice was coming back to her, in dividends.

  Maybe she could finally let her guard down.

  “Oh, Cami, he just adores you!” Therese called happily as Cami and Sfumato sailed over a huge oxer. It had been two and a half weeks now, and Cami and Sfumato had become a team, encouraged and supported by Therese.

  For the demo, Cami and B had assembled a technical training course that included fences of varying heights, difficult distances, crazy spots, a series of gymnastic cross rails at single stride intervals, everything Cami could think of to show Therese that she and Sfumato were a good fit, that the horse trusted her, that they’d be ready for bigger and better things whenever Therese said the word.

  He was the most talented animal she’d ever ridden, a giant coil, always ready to spring. Sfumato loved to jump, and she’d easily gained the horse’s confidence, gradually asking him for more, but always with a lot of praise.

  Cami got into a half-seat and stroked the horses neck. “Good boy, Sfume,” she whispered, and his ears pricked back. She was growing to love the horse; she liked her new life so much that it almost hurt.

  Back in the saddle, she gave Therese a smile of acknowledgement, then, closing her leg for a little half-halt to collect the giant strided chestnut, Cami turned, heading towards the crazy in and out she and B had disguised with hay bales.

  Sfumato jumped it with ease and grace, and then they were on to a giant, airy fence with streamers, four and a half feet in height, to a triple combination; two strides, a bounce, then three strides, a line that required collection, focus and concentration for both horse and ride, and a ton of discipline and trust on the horse’s part.

  Sfumato was green, so after they’d finished, Cami gave him a bit of rein, easing off. Grabbing bit, the horse’s rear feet skipped out from under him and he gave a little buck, just having fun. Then he settled, always ready for more. Grinning, Cami closed her leg, circled at an even, steady stride, then guided him ba
ck to the oxer, jumping it in reverse.

  “Wonderful!” Therese called, clapping her hands as they finished. “You guys look fantastic! I couldn’t be more pleased, Cami!”

  They were all becoming a team: Therese, B, Cami and Sfumato.

  It felt so good.

  Smiling, patting the bold horse’s muscled neck, Cami brought him down to a trot, then to a walk, finally dismounting. B grabbed her saddle.

  Bridle still on, Cami was walking the sweaty horse out, Therese right next to her, in a silk blouse, linen skirt, and track shoes. “How would you feel about working with Fletcher Smith?” Therese asked. “I’ve spoken with him. He’s still recovering from that nasty fall, of course, but it does mean he has some time in his schedule.”

  “I’d love to work with Fletcher!” Cami breathed.

  “Fletcher’s been up on Sfumato more than once, knows him well, said he’d be happy to coach you along. I’d love to see this horse go in the DesLongs Prelim, in Los Angeles in September, with you aboard, Cami,” Therese told her. “What do you think?”

  “I don’t have to think,” Cami smiled, completely thrilled. It had been her dream to qualify Heavenly for the DesLongs, but it had been a long shot, and that was before the pulled tendon. “Yes! I’m in. Thank you, Therese!”

  Handing Cami her breakfast of pureed cucumber, kale, lemon and flax seed, Aliah asked lightly, “So, have you seen Marcus?”

  Looking a bit askance at her friend, Cami glanced at the green concoction, and took a sip. “Mm, this one’s surprisingly good, Liah. I must admit you’re getting better at these scarily healthy things. Why would I have seen Marcus?”

  Aliah sighed. “No reason, I guess.” Then she said, voice brightening, “Today’s inventory, Cam. We’re having lunch, seafood in scampi, all fresh from the Bay, with homemade pasta!”

  “Liah. . ” Cami began. Why was her friend so hung up on this idea of her with Marcus? She didn’t want to hurt her Aliah’s feelings, but. . “I don’t mean to be rude, because the invite is flattering. I know the idea of us all together as friends is appealing to you, but it just won’t work for me.”