Dressage Dreaming (Horses Heal Hearts Book 1)

by Kimberly Beckett

  “So he’s gone?” Jessica couldn’t believe her ears. She breathed a sigh of relief. Then, her heart sank. She needed to see Michael as soon as possible and explain to him that what he saw was not as it appeared. Although she knew that her future with Tempest was probably non-existent after what had happened last night, her thoughts were entirely on Michael, and doing everything she could to preserve their relationship. She had to talk to him.

  Jessica finished her breakfast, and she and Liz made their way to the barn. Jessica tacked up Tempest, all the while looking toward the house anticipating Michael’s appearance at any time. Finally, after she had donned her safety helmet and mounted Tempest, and Liz was talking to her in the outdoor arena, Michael exited the house and approached them. Jessica tensed when she saw Michael’s demeanor. He walked rigidly, his fists clenched at his sides as if he were struggling to hold himself back from doing something physically harmful to someone. When he looked at Jessica, she felt his cold, hostile stare, and knew she had her work cut out for her. The only feeling she got from him was anger, even hatred. She shuddered inwardly.

  Liz appeared not to notice Michael’s hostility, but Jessica had become sensitive to Michael’s moods and immediately stiffened. Tempest picked up Jessica’s tension, and began swishing his tail nervously in response. Jessica tried to quiet the stallion, but her efforts weren’t working, so Liz suggested she start working to alleviate the tension. As they began trotting around the arena, Jessica relaxed, and Tempest responded right away, relaxing and moving forward with his usual confidence.

  Michael had to exercise superhuman control to stop himself from expressing his anger and disgust with Jessica in front of Liz. Later, when they were alone, he would make certain that Jessica knew exactly how he felt about her blatant betrayal. As he watched Jessica ride, he seethed at the improvements in her riding that he personally had provided her through his training. He also, however, saw some flaws in her riding that he felt a perverse pleasure in pointing out to her, now being as good a time as any to do so, in his mind.

  “Jessica, watch your position,” Michael called out. “You’re not centered as you should be.”

  “All right.” Jessica re-adjusted her seat and checked her position. Everything seemed in correct alignment from what she could see.

  Liz shot a quizzical look at Michael. Jessica’s position looked fine. Michael ignored her glance, focusing completely on Jessica and Tempest.

  Once Tempest had been sufficiently warmed up, Liz asked Jessica to start riding the Grand Prix Special test, so she could get a feel for where the two needed work. Jessica began to do so, when Michael interjected again.

  “I’m not sure she’s ready to ride the entire test, Liz. She’s been having trouble with the transitions between piaffe and passage, and I think we should be working on that instead.”

  Jessica heard Michael’s comment to Liz, and her temper flared. They had been practicing those transitions frequently, and had gotten them nearly perfect. There was no need to go over them again. She stopped Tempest and walked him over to Liz and Michael to make that exact point. Michael saw that Jessica was irritated with him, and smiled to himself. Good. It serves her right. It’s the least I owe her after what she’s done to me.

  Liz didn’t understand the dynamic that was playing out between Michael and Jessica, but decided that it wouldn’t hurt to work the transitions quickly before moving on to ride the test, so at Liz’s request, Jessica ground her teeth and took Tempest to the middle of the arena.

  They started with several steps of passage, transitioned to ten steps of piaffe, then transitioned back into the passage. From Jessica’s perspective the stallion was working very well, and she was ready to move forward, but Michael wouldn’t let them go. The transition from piaffe back to passage was never good enough for him, no matter what she did. She finally asked him as sarcastically as possible what he suggested she do to improve their performance.

  “You need to use the spur at exactly the point of the transition, to keep him coming through from behind all the way through it,” he said, putting as much exasperation in his voice as he possibly could. His tone was one of condescension and long-suffering frustration. “We’ve gone over this many times. Use the spur, and if the spur isn’t enough, tap him with the whip.” Jessica had noted that Tempest was losing patience with this constant repetition, and was tensing and irritated. He was pinning his ears and swishing his tail and had become extremely sensitized to her aids. She knew if they continued in this vein, he would eventually erupt in a nasty temper tantrum. She would be damned, however, if she would let Michael see her apprehension. He would just use it to accuse her of being a timid rider, afraid to assert herself with the willful stallion.

  Liz attempted to intervene. “Michael, I don’t think . . .”

  “Fine,” Jessica said, her temper near the boiling point. Tempest, sensing her anger, and not knowing whether or not he was the source, shook his head, and snorted his confusion and irritation. Jessica knew Tempest was warning her that his tolerance was nearing an end, but she was so angry at Michael’s attitude toward her, she ignored the signs. It hurt Jessica deeply that Michael had seemingly forgotten all of the time they had spent together, and in one brief, fleeting moment was willing to believe that she was just another untrustworthy woman like Emma without even taking the time to assess the reality of the situation.

  Just as Jessica was poised to again execute the transition, one of Michael’s barn cats streaked through the arena, chasing a mouse she had seen on the other side, going right between Tempest’s back legs. As far as Tempest was concerned, that was the last straw.

  The stallion gathered himself and leaped into the air, twisting his body, then upon hitting the ground threw his head down between his front legs and executed a vicious buck, then spun on his hindquarters ninety degrees and bolted. Jessica tried valiantly to hold on, but when Tempest bucked, she lost her balance, and when he spun there was no way she could hold on. She was launched out of the saddle, and landed on her shoulder, then her helmeted head hit the ground hard. Michael and Liz heard the impact. When the dust cleared, Jessica laid still on the ground, not moving at all.

  “Oh my God, Jess!” Liz cried, as she ran to Jessica’s side.

  Michael, his heart in this throat, was right there with her, berating himself as a fool for pushing Jessica and Tempest until the horse finally had enough. Damn it, you should have known better than to take your temper out in this way. You may have just killed the woman you love. Yes, even after her betrayal, Michael knew he was still in love with her. As soon as he reached Jessica, he could see that she was unconscious, and unresponsive to Liz’s attempts to communicate, but still breathing. He took out his cell phone and called for an ambulance. One of his barn workers heard the commotion and caught Tempest, who was now acting like a tired old plow horse, and took him into the barn to untack and put away.

  Jessica had still not regained consciousness when the ambulance arrived, and her shoulder appeared to be twisted in an unnatural position, so Michael surmised that she had either dislocated it or suffered a broken collar bone. The EMT’s confirmed the collar bone was indeed broken, and gently placed Jessica on a gurney. As soon as she was placed in the ambulance they rushed her to the hospital in Guildford. Hailey had been in the house eating a leisurely breakfast when she heard the commotion and rushed out as quickly as she could using her prosthetics and crutches to see what had happened to Jessica.

  “Michael, what happened?” Hailey cried.

  “It’s Jess, Hailey. Tempest threw a temper tantrum and bucked her off. The paramedics think she has a concussion and a broken collar bone. We’re taking her to the hospital now.”

  “I want to go too.” Hailey looked at Michael, then Liz. “How could this happen? Jess and Tempest had been getting along fine. You even said that they are a brilliant pair. What changed?”<
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  Liz couldn’t help but wonder the same thing. According to Jessica, she and Michael cared deeply for each other, and their training sessions with Tempest had been going well. How had things changed in just the past twenty-four hours?

  “Yes, Michael,” Liz said. “I’ve been watching you and Jess work with Tempest for weeks now. There has never been any problem like this. Can you explain what’s going on?”

  Michael grimaced as if in pain. “It was all my fault. I was angry with Jessica and provoked her into losing her temper. While we were arguing, neither of us realized the Tempest was becoming more and more agitated. All it took was the cat to provide the trigger, and he went off. I’m so sorry. I want you to know that I love Jessica very much, and whatever happens between her and Blake McMillan, my feelings won’t change. I’ll do everything I can to support your sister with Tempest.”

  Liz and Hailey both stared at Michael in shock. They looked at each other, then back at Michael to make sure he was serious. Finally, Hailey spoke. “Oh, Michael, didn’t Jess tell you? Blake tried to force himself on her last night and she fought back. He got angry and made it very clear that he was no longer interested in sponsoring her. He left early this morning. Good riddance if you ask me.”

  Michael was stunned at Hailey’s revelation. The next wave of emotion that crashed over him was pure rage, first at Blake then at himself. Apparently, the scene he had walked in on wasn’t a passionate embrace but a sexual assault, and he had walked away and left Jessica to fend for herself. He was not only an idiot, he was nearly as much of a bastard as Blake himself. If Jessica ever spoke to him again, he had a lot of groveling and explaining to do. He vowed then and there that whatever he had to do to make Jessica his forever, he would do it. This was the woman he loved and whom he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. Of this, he had no doubts.

  The three of them rushed to Michael’s car and followed the ambulance to the hospital. Hailey and Liz took care of the admission paperwork in the Emergency Room, as the doctors and nurses examined Jessica. While Jessica was still unconscious, they set her collarbone, and wrapped the shoulder so she couldn’t displace the bone if she regained consciousness and was disoriented. As they were finishing the wrapping, Jessica moaned as the pain penetrated her consciousness and she slowly began to awaken. The medical team in the ER gave her morphine for the pain, and Jessica soon calmed. Hailey and Liz accompanied Jessica into the treatment area, but Michael decided that he might not be welcome, so he paced in the waiting room and hoped that Liz and Hailey would keep him informed of Jessica’s condition.

  While he paced, Michael continued to berate himself for his behavior with Jessica. It was entirely his fault that Jessica was hurt, possible permanently injured. He couldn’t deny that it was their argument that had caused Tempest to be so on edge that all it took was a crazy cat to set him off. He would not be able to live with himself if Jessica suffered permanent injury due to his childish temper tantrum. After nearly an hour of anxious waiting, Hailey emerged from the treatment area and informed Michael that Jessica was awake, and other than suffering from a throbbing headache and the pain from her broken collarbone, she seemed to be all right. The doctors had diagnosed a severe concussion, however, and were requiring Jessica spend at least twenty-four hours in the hospital for observation.

  “Can I see her?” Michael asked.

  “Actually, she was asking for you,” Hailey said. “Just don’t stay too long. She needs her rest.”

  “No problem.” Michael followed Hailey back to Jessica’s room, where he found Liz sitting by the bed, holding Jessica’s hand and trying to make sure she was comfortable. Jessica looked pale, and weak, but he could tell that she was aware of her surroundings, and didn’t appear to have suffered any brain damage from her fall. Thank God she had been wearing a helmet. If she hadn’t, she would probably be dead.

  Michael shuddered with the realization of how close he had come to losing her. He vowed this would never happen again. Not while she was in his life. If he had his way, that would be from now on. Forever.

  “Liz, honestly, they have me on so much pain medication, I’m not sure I can stand even if I wanted to,” Jessica was trying to reassure Liz that she wasn’t going to try to walk out of the hospital before the doctors gave her permission to leave.

  Jessica looked up when Michael appeared at the door. She could feel the tension he was holding. She smiled in an attempt to put him at ease and to reassure him that she was going to be all right, and that she wasn’t blaming him for her fall. “Michael, hi. Please come in.” She cast a speaking look at Liz, “Liz was just leaving, and taking Hailey with her.” Liz nodded and drew Hailey out of the room, leaving Jessica and Michael alone.

  “Jess, I don’t know what to say,” Michael started, guilt edging his voice. “This is all my fault. I should never have argued with you while you were riding Tempest. My actions were unforgivable.”

  Jessica looked at Michael, her gaze unwavering. “I have to take some of the blame as well, Michael,” Jessica responded. “I let my temper get the best of me, too. I couldn’t let your criticisms go without doing everything I could to prove you wrong. I could tell Tempest was getting tense, but quite frankly I didn’t care. I only wanted to prove you wrong.”

  She plucked absently at the blanket on her hospital bed as she considered what to say next. “About Blake, I know how it must have looked to you to see Blake with me in the kitchen. If I had actually been making out with him as it probably looked like I was, if I were you, I would have been mad, too. I want to make sure you know it wasn’t what you thought. That being said, I am hurt and disappointed that you were so quick to draw the worst conclusion about me and didn’t allow yourself to believe I was different from Emma.”

  Michael forced himself to look into Jessica’s eyes. “Hailey told me what really happened last night with Blake. I owe you an apology for assuming the worst about you. I should have known you better than to assume that you and Blake were lovers behind my back.”

  Jessica frowned. “Hailey knew? She must have overhead my ultimatum to Blake after I escaped from him and locked myself into my room. What actually happened last night was that Blake found me in the kitchen making tea, and forced himself on me. He pinned me to the counter, and gripped my arms so that I couldn’t defend myself, or push him away.” She showed him the bruises circling her upper arms as proof of Blake’s brutality. “It was only the fact that he left my legs relatively free, and I was able to knee him forcefully in the groin that I was able to escape him and lock myself in my bedroom for the rest of the night.”

  “I’m so sorry, Jess. The fact that I left you to fend for yourself against a brutal predator shames me irrevocably. I wonder why you’re still speaking to me at all.” If Michael felt guilty before, he felt even more so now. It had been so easy for him to put Jessica in the same class as Emma without even a thought for how different the two of them were, and how much more he cared for Jessica than he ever had for Emma. Coupled with his own guilt was a tremendous anger at Blake for his behavior. He felt like tearing the bloke’s head off. No man should ever treat a woman the way Blake had treated Jessica. The fact that he had brutally attacked her and might even have raped her drove him insane with anger. He wanted to find the man and rip him apart with his bare hands.

  At that moment, the doctor treating Jessica entered the room, and asked Michael to leave so he could examine Jessica and update her on her treatment and status. Michael nodded and went to look for Liz and Hailey. He found them in the waiting area. Hailey confirmed that she had filled Liz in on Blake’s behavior with Jessica the night before. Not certain how the two women Jessica loved most in the world would treat him after the way he had behaved, he approached them with a certain amount of caution. “I suppose you both know how much of an ass I’ve been in the past twenty-four hours.” When neither of the women responded immediately, he co
ntinued, “I want you both to know that I’m prepared to do anything it takes to convince Jessica that I love her, and that I was completely unjustified in thinking that she was unfaithful to me and that I won’t give up until she forgives me and accepts me.”

  Hailey stood up and walked over to Michael. Her solemn countenance broke into a huge grin, and she threw her arms around Michael and hugged him close. “I can’t guarantee anything, Michael, but if you say those words to her, Jess would be crazy to reject you.” Liz was also smiling and nodding at him, and Michael breathed a sigh of relief. With these two on his side, he knew the odds of getting Jessica back were in his favor. In the meantime, he was determined that Jess would be well cared for. He had decided that to ensure Jessica wouldn’t be alone while she was in the hospital he would be staying with Jessica for the rest of the day, then overnight tonight. Liz and Hailey agreed, and Liz offered to bring Hailey to relieve Michael first thing tomorrow morning.

  Michael also realized that Tempest would be missing his regular work unless Liz was able to cover, so he asked her if she could do that. Liz agreed. After bidding Michael a good night, Liz and Hailey left for the farm.

  While Michael was out speaking with Hailey and Liz, one of the ER doctors came into Jessica’s room to check on her. Jessica looked expectantly at the doctor as he looked at the computer screen next to her bed, and checked her current status. “It appears that at least for the next 24 hours, you’ll be our guest, but you’ll be happy to know that your collar bone break was clean, and should heal nicely with no complications.” After confirming that Jessica’s head still ached in the aftermath of her concussion, he assured her that was normal, and that her pain medication should help with that. He did some further tests to determine the extent of any brain trauma cause by the concussion. “By the way, I want to assure you that the fall didn’t harm the baby, and we made sure that the pain medication you’re taking is safe.”