by Becky Harmon
She took Kathleen’s keys from her hand and picked up her briefcase. She unlocked the car and held the driver’s door open for Kathleen. When she was settled, Cassie handed her the briefcase and Kathleen laid it on the seat beside her.
“I need the keys too, Cassie.” Kathleen smiled up at her.
“Oh, right.” Cassie handed her the keys and Kathleen started the car, rolling down the driver’s window.
Cassie pushed the door closed and leaned on the windowsill. “Call me when you get home, okay?”
Kathleen nodded. “Thank you for an amazing weekend.”
“Thank you.” Cassie stepped back from the car and waved. She stood there until the taillights disappeared from her view, then sank onto the steps between Zoey and Pandy.
Chapter Eighteen
After passing through Riverview, Kathleen turned her car south toward Pensacola. She could have taken the faster, more-traveled route, but she chose the little two-lane scenic route instead. Time and space was what she needed right now. She felt like she had just awakened from a dream. A wonderful dream where she had been free to act any way she wanted without consequences. She had been wrong though. There were consequences. The biggest was the emptiness she felt inside. Okay, so maybe time and space was not what she needed. She began to play over every second of the weekend in her head. The anxious feeling when she arrived and the feeling of giving in to her desire. Playing each scene and then backing it up and playing it again.
* * *
Cassie watched Pete approach tentatively.
“Hey, Cassie.” He sat down beside Pandy on the porch steps. “We’re thinking about grilling some shish kebabs for lunch. You want to join us?”
Cassie ran her fingers through Zoey’s fur and looked at Pete. “I don’t think so, but thanks for asking.”
“So, uh, Kathleen headed back to the city?”
“Yeah.”
“When are you going to see her again?”
“I don’t…uh…I don’t know.” She looked from Pete to her empty coffee cup. She didn’t remember getting a cup of coffee. Getting to her feet, she could feel the fog lifting and her mind begin to feel clearer. “We didn’t really talk about details.”
“Well, when you talk to her tell her we said it was nice to meet her. Maybe we’ll see her again before we leave.” Pete got to his feet too. “If you change your mind, come join us. We have plenty of food.”
Cassie took her coffee cup back inside and checked the time. Kathleen had been gone for almost an hour. She cleared the breakfast dishes and was surprised by how little either of them had eaten. She downed a glass of water and headed out to the barn. Grabbing the bucket of grooming supplies, she went into the pasture. She haltered Cheyenne and tied her to the hitching post, brushing her from head to tail. Applying conditioner to her mane and tail, she brushed out all of the tangles. She sprayed her down with fly repellent and walked her into the middle of the pasture before turning her loose. She repeated this procedure on two more horses before her cell phone rang. She released Dakota and pulled her phone from her pocket, sitting down on a hay bale inside the barn.
“Hello,” Cassie answered tentatively.
“Hey, Cassie. I’m home.”
“That’s good. I hope it wasn’t a bad drive.”
“Not too bad. I took the long way to avoid traffic.” Kathleen sighed deeply. “I’m sorry for running out on you.”
Cassie longed to say how she felt. To just throw it out there and see what happened, but she knew they both needed time to process their own emotions.
She wondered if she had spoken her thoughts out loud when Kathleen’s words echoed her thoughts. “I’ve never felt like this before. I’m a little crazy about you, and I’m having a hard time getting my head on straight. I feel like I’ve walked out of a dream.”
“I was pretty foggy after you left too. I’d like to see you again soon though.” Cassie held her breath, waiting for Kathleen’s response.
“I’d like that too. Let’s talk later in the week. Maybe I can come up on Friday.”
“That would be great. I’ll call you.” Cassie wanted to say tomorrow, but Kathleen had said later in the week. “Wednesday?”
“That’s fine. We’ll talk on Wednesday. Thanks again for a wonderful weekend. I have a lot to think about this week.”
“Yeah, me too.”
After they said their goodbyes and hung up, Cassie returned to the pasture and selected the next horse for grooming. She noticed Ana sitting on the grass outside of the fence.
“Hey, Ana.”
“Hello, Ms. Cassie.”
“You can come in and help me if your parents give you permission.”
Ana didn’t respond but took off at a sprint, returning a short time later with Anita in tow.
“Hi, Anita.” Cassie walked over to the fence. “I’m sorry if I caused any problems. I thought she might like to help me.”
Anita smiled. “No problem. We were sitting at the picnic table talking to Pete and Rory. In fact, I think everyone is headed this way now.”
Cassie laughed. “The more the merrier. Is it okay if Ana comes in here with me? I’ll keep a close eye on her.”
Anita looked at Ana dancing from foot to foot. “Yes, go ahead. But,” she said, putting a hand on Ana’s shoulder. “Pay attention and do what you’re told. Okay?”
“Okay, Mom.” Ana unlatched the gate and carefully locked it behind her.
Cassie dumped everything out of her bucket and, flipping it upside down, motioned for Ana to take a seat. As she worked, she explained everything she was doing to the horse. Then she allowed Ana to stand and pet the horse’s neck. When they finished with Juliet, Cassie walked her away from Ana and released her. She and Ana joined her parents and Pete and Rory at the fence. Ana climbed onto the fence rail, making herself taller and began explaining what Cassie had been doing to the horses. While she was talking, Cassie noticed one of the goats moving closer to inspect the situation. Tate was friendly and curious.
Cassie moved away from everyone and sat down on the grass. Ana talked for a few more minutes and then stopped to watch Cassie. Cassie held her hand out and Tate approached cautiously. When she was close enough, Cassie grabbed her around the waist and pulled her into her lap. At first, Tate resisted, but after a few useless attempts to stand she resigned herself to being held and petted.
“You can come over now, Ana,” Cassie called to Ana who was once again dancing from foot to foot.
“Walk slowly,” Anita reminded her.
Ana approached and sat down on the ground beside Cassie. “This is Tate.” Cassie held Tate’s head close to her chest. The goats didn’t really bite, but they did nibble and she didn’t want to scare Ana.
“She’s really cute. I like her,” Ana gushed.
Cassie held Tate for several minutes and then explained to Ana that they needed to release her. She had Ana move back over to the fence, and she pushed Tate off her lap. Everyone laughed as Tate kicked up her heels as she ran out into the pasture to join the other goats. It felt good to laugh and Cassie enjoyed the simple pleasure.
* * *
Cassie ate leftovers for dinner as she sat in front of the television. When she finally made it to her bedroom, she found the clothes Kathleen had borrowed folded neatly on the bed. Cassie tossed them in the closet with her own dirty clothes and prepared for bed. She debated changing the sheets but decided it could wait until tomorrow. She crawled under the covers and settled on her back. The bed felt big and empty. After several attempts to find a comfortable position, she shifted onto her side and slid her arm under the pillow. Her fingers touched cloth and she looped the fabric, pulling it from under the pillow. She sat up and flipped on the lamp. Her hands held Kathleen’s silky white bra. Cassie smiled. Not only because of what she held in her hands but knowing Kathleen had gone without.
She pulled her phone off the nightstand and sent a text to Kathleen. Very soft. Thank you.
Seconds later she rece
ived a response. You’re welcome.
Cassie put the bra back under her pillow and laced her fingers through it. Sleep came slowly as her mind whirled with thoughts of Kathleen.
Chapter Nineteen
Monday morning arrived fast and Cassie felt like she had barely fallen asleep. She trudged through feeding herself and the dogs, leaving the outside animals to Dillon. She wasn’t trying to avoid Dillon or Shelley, for that matter, but she wasn’t really ready to talk about the weekend.
Shelley located her on the back deck not long after she and Dillon had arrived. She set two cups on the table between them and flopped into the other chair. “Spill it.”
“Nothing to spill. We had a wonderful weekend and she went home yesterday.”
“And yet you look like someone beat you.”
Cassie shrugged.
Shelley sat silently, sipping her coffee. Cassie had experienced Shelley’s tactics before. She had the patience of a saint, and Cassie knew the sooner she gave in the sooner the talk would be over. “We didn’t really talk about where things would go from here.”
“And that bothers you?”
“Yes, because I don’t know how to act or even when I’ll see her again.”
“Did you ask her?”
“Yes, but she was vague. She might come up this weekend.” Cassie loved her farm and the cabins, but at times like this it was frustrating. Two hours was not that long a drive, but she had responsibilities. She couldn’t simply walk away for an afternoon.
“So take a day and go see her.” Shelley stated it like it was an obvious solution. “Dillon and I can handle things here. You can take her to lunch or something.” She smiled evilly. “I know that’s not ideal, but at least you have some control of the situation too. Instead of just sitting and waiting for her to make up her mind.”
She appreciated Shelley’s offer. She was right. She needed to take some control of the situation. “Maybe I will.”
Shelley wandered back to the office after a while, claiming she needed to study. Cassie saw her returning from the barn with Dillon for lunch. Cassie chose to eat in the house and did not join them. She knew her silence was killing Dillon, but he would have plenty of time to quiz her tomorrow when Shelley was not around to protect her. She spent the afternoon cleaning Cabin Four and preparing it for the next guests.
She was returning to the office when her cell phone rang. She checked the screen, hoping for Kathleen, but instead she saw Greg’s name. He was as sad as she was when he left last summer and was glad that he called often. The last time they had spoken he had tracked down his real father and was thinking about contacting him. She regretted that she hadn’t called to check on him.
“Hey, Greg. How are you?”
“I’m good, Ms. Cassie. How are you?”
“I’m good too. Things are crazy here as usual. I’m glad you called. What’s going on with your dad?”
“I made contact with him, but he’s not a very nice man. I guess I kinda already knew that.” He fell silent.
“I was hoping he had changed too, Greg. It’s been a lot of years since he walked out on you and sometimes people do change. I’m sorry he hasn’t though.”
“Yeah, it was disappointing.” Greg hesitated. “Are you taking in any kids this year?”
“Believe it or not, I’ve agreed to four girls.” Cassie laughed.
“Wow. Sounds like you’ll have a house full.”
Greg grew silent again and Cassie tried to draw him back into the conversation. “You know you can visit anytime, Greg.”
“Right. I might do that,” Greg said, clearly anxious to get off the phone now. “I better go. I need to be at work in an hour.”
After they hung up, Cassie struggled with Greg’s quick change in moods. She made a mental note to call and check on him later in the week.
Chapter Twenty
Cassie was waiting in the office the next morning when Dillon came in to make his coffee. She had brought the horses in and fed them but had not let them out yet. She wanted to give them baths and thought it would be something she and Dillon could do together.
“Morning, Cass,” Dillon mumbled as he selected his coffee and watched it brew.
Cassie waited for him to take a seat beside her before answering him. “Morning.”
He looked at her over the rim of his coffee cup while taking a sip. “You look better today.”
“I feel better today. I’m sorry I was distant yesterday. The weekend was a bit of an emotional roller coaster and I needed a little time to process.”
“I know. Shelley told me to leave you alone today.” He shrugged. “I’m not very good at doing what I’m told.”
They both laughed and he bumped her shoulder. “I’ve never seen you as happy as you looked on Friday. If I was you, I’d try to hold on to that.”
Sometimes Dillon brought things back to simple. Yes, she would hold on to that. She smiled at him. “Thanks.”
Dillon stood. “I’ll let the horses out.”
“Enjoy your coffee. I thought we’d give them all baths today. They’ve been rolling a lot with the rain.”
“Sounds good.”
He drank his coffee silently while she finished answering emails and then they walked together to the barn. The day passed quickly, and Cassie was tired when she fell into bed. Her fingers rubbed the silk under her pillow, and she longed to hear Kathleen’s voice. She had checked her texts often, hoping Kathleen would reach out to her. Kathleen had said she was trying to get her head on straight and Cassie wanted to allow her the space to do that. She took a small amount of comfort in knowing tomorrow was Wednesday and they had a plan to talk.
* * *
The beds for the girls arrived around ten on Wednesday, and Shelley helped her arrange both rooms. She put temporary sheets and a comforter on each bed. She wanted the room to look inviting on first glance, but as soon as the kids arrived she would take them shopping to decorate their own living space. In the afternoon, she saddled Cheyenne and took her for a ride. Dillon met her on Dakota, and they rode the fence line in silence. She appreciated his company and his silence. When they returned, Ana watched them from the playground beside the lake. Cassie knew she wanted to ride, but her parents had not signed her up yet and Cassie wasn’t sure they would.
She tied Cheyenne to the hitching post outside the office and located Anita and Roz. They were sitting on a swing in the shade watching Ana play. Cassie walked over and joined them.
“She has a lot of energy,” Cassie said, taking a seat on the ground beside the swing.
“Yes, most days she wears us out.” Roz laughed.
Anita bumped her. “What do you mean most days? Every day.”
“I wanted to talk with you without her overhearing. I know you’re concerned about the animals, but I was wondering if I could take her for a ride on Cheyenne with me. We’ve been out for a while, so it would have to be a short one. I need to get the saddle off and let her cool down soon.”
Anita and Roz looked at each other.
Cassie continued encouragingly. “We have helmets, and she’s small enough to ride in front of me in the saddle.”
“I think that would be okay. Roz?”
“It might get her to stop harassing us about riding.”
“Or it might make her harass us more.” Anita laughed.
“I don’t mind taking her for a ride every day if you guys are okay with it. She’s eager to learn and she listens very well. I enjoy working with kids like that.”
“Okay.” Anita looked at Roz again and she nodded her agreement.
“Great.” Cassie stood and walked back toward the barn, waving for Ana to join her.
She took Ana into the barn and helped her select a riding helmet. Dillon guided Ana up the concrete steps to the mounting platform. Cassie swung into the saddle, noticing as she did so that Anita and Roz had moved to a bench facing the barn where they could watch from a distance. Ana slid easily into the saddle in front of Cassie.<
br />
“Hold on to the saddle horn.” Dillon wrapped both of her hands around the horn.
“Are you ready?” Cassie asked. Ana nodded. Cassie felt her little body tense as they started to move, so she held the reins in one hand and put her other arm around Ana’s stomach, holding her tight.
“Cheyenne is my horse and she’s very gentle.” Cassie continued to talk softly, telling Ana about Cheyenne and where she came from. After a few minutes Ana began to relax and ask questions. They circled the small pasture several times, and Cassie nodded at Dillon to open the gate.
“Want to go visit your moms?” Cassie asked.
“Yes!”
They slowly crossed the road and approached Anita and Roz.
“Look at me!” Ana called to them. “I’m riding a horse.”
“Yes, you are,” Anita said. “I’m going to get the camera.” She hurried off toward the cabin.
“You can pet her, Me-momm,” Ana said to Roz. “She’s very gentle.” Ana began to echo the words Cassie had told her earlier.
Anita returned with the camera and snapped several shots.
“Make sure you get a picture of Cheyenne, Mom. I want to show all my friends.”
They returned to the barn with Anita and Roz close behind. Dillon waited at the steps and helped Ana get down. She immediately ran to her parents and began telling everything again.
Cassie dismounted and Dillon took her saddle into the barn. She washed the sweat off Cheyenne and then stripped the water off with a squeegee before releasing her back into the pasture.
“Thank you, Ms. Cassie. That was so much fun.” Ana waited for her at the gate.
“Yes, thank you.” Anita smiled. “This has been the highlight of her trip.”
“Well, remember what I told you.” Cassie smiled at Roz and Anita. “Come by the office or flag me down anytime.”
