Finding Love Again (Crystal Lake, Montana Book 1)

by Ann,Christa

  “Yes, the barn is double the size of most. I have seven stalls on one side and six stalls on the other. The other space on that side is an open storage area that holds the ropes, blankets, reins, and saddles for the horses. Across from that is a grooming area with the brushes, combs, sweat scraper, and picks to clean the hooves. The stalls across from the storage are filled with hay on one side and barrels that hold the oat feed.” Ryan showed off his space with pride.

  “Most of the horses are in the corral. But I do have some of them in their stalls.” He knew she would wonder where all the horses were. Shannon walked over to a stall that had a nameplate that read ‘Trigger’, the home of a buckskin-colored Quarter Horse. Next to him was Midnight’s stall, a black Quarter Horse. “Trigger is Dustin’s horse. He only lets Colby on him, because he has a bad attitude. Midnight is Colby’s. Almost anyone can ride him, if he’s in a good mood.”

  “They’re beautiful. When we drove up I saw an Appaloosa. What’s his name?” Shannon asked, without looking at Ryan because at that moment Midnight trotted over and hung his head over the stall door.

  “That beast would be Thunder. He’s mine and won’t let anyone ride him but me. His name suits him because the damn horse loves storms. Stupid, but he does, and he watches over everything going on. Let’s go out to the fence and I’ll call him for you.”

  Standing by the fence, Ryan reached inside his pocket and pulled out a quarter of an apple. “Here, take this.” After he handed it to her, he whistled loudly.

  They couldn’t see, but they could hear Thunder running to the barn. He was a gorgeous horse. When he spotted Ryan, the animal slowed down to a trot and stopped when he got close. “Go on and show the beast what you got. Look, Thunder.”

  He watched as Shannon held her hand out flat so her fingers wouldn’t be mistaken for a carrot or anything edible. “Here you go, boy. Look what I’ve got for you,” Shannon encouraged.

  Thunder leaned in, smelling her hand, then took a step forward and took the piece of apple out of her hand. After he ate it he nodded his head up and down, snorting air out of his nose, and stomped his right leg in the dirt. Shannon laughed when he then started to rub his head against her shirt, obviously looking for more food.

  Ryan couldn’t hide his surprise. “Well, this is a first. He must like you. Thunder has never done this to anyone before.”

  “Hey, man, you ready to head out?” JP asked as he joined them. “You haven’t saddled Thunder yet. Come on, by the time we get to the lake it will be past noon.”

  JP, Steve, Max, and Ryan worked together to finish getting the rest of the horses saddled. Rosa, his housekeeper, had Mitch hauling the coolers that she’d filled. Of course, she had to come out and see who was there. Rosa had overheard Steve and him talking about the ride and Shannon the night before. So, she knew that Ryan planned on asking Shannon out on a date today.

  Rosa came up to Ryan, “Is there anything else you need?”

  Ryan leaned in and chuckled in her ear. “You trying to find out which one she is, aren’t you?” When he stood up straight, she lightly slapped his arm while he laughed.

  Hank, her husband and Ryan’s foreman, came over. “Are you putting your nose where it doesn’t belong?” He smiled down at his wife and placed an arm around her.

  “Oh, you stop it. I want to know what one has Ryan’s attention,” Rosa said, trying to be serious.

  Ryan called everyone over and made the introductions. He made sure to save Shannon for last, just to torture Rosa. Rosa shook her hand and gave Shannon a big smile. She turned and patted Ryan’s arm, still smiling as she went back to the house. Well, she likes Shannon at least.

  Ryan, Shannon, Erica, and Steve hopped into their saddles. The wagon followed next, with Mitch guiding the horse along with Max and Bianca. That left JP and Lisa to bring up the rear.

  As they rode out to the lake, Ryan could tell Shannon admired the scenery. Every so often, someone made a comment or asked a question. The mountains, which looked small from the ranch, grew the closer to them. They still had some snow on their peaks. He would love to climb up there with her and throw snowballs just to see what she would do. The scent of the horses, wildflowers, and forest hung in the air around them. A slight breeze whispered down from the mountain and tried telling them a secret that they couldn’t quite hear.

  Ryan pointed in the distance. Pronghorns grazed in the field, making sure they stayed close to the forest line for easy escape. Black-Billed Magpies flew by, looking for food. He appreciated the peace surrounding them. Listening to the wildlife around him, the horses making noises, and the whispering of the wind soothed his soul. Birds called back, answering the whispers. He would love for Shannon to be a part of his world every day.

  Ryan could read the expression on her face. “Breathtaking, isn’t it? You should see it out here at night. Fireflies light up the area. The moonlight shines off the lake that I’m taking you to. Even though I don’t want the wolves to kill my animals, I do love to hear them howling to one another. I imagine that they’re telling each other it’s safe to come out and play. The bears and sometimes the cubs get ready to sleep or find food. This is Mother Nature at her best.”

  Shannon didn’t say anything, just looked at him and smiled the most beautiful smile he had ever seen. Her whole face lit up and her eyes sparkled like diamonds. He would do anything to make sure that expression never left her face. Fuck. What the hell.

  “Okay. I’m going act like a teenager, here. Are we there yet?” Erica yelled to make sure everyone heard her. She started singing that phrase over and over.

  Everyone laughed at her. Most of them yelled back, “No.” Ryan was the one who ended up giving a more specific answer. “The lake is over the next rise.”

  Steve came up behind Ryan’s horse. “Don’t you fuckin’ do it, Steve.” Before he could finish his sentence, Steve gave Thunder a smack on his ass and he took off. Steve raced after him, followed by JP, hooting and hollering.

  “What are they? Ten?” Lisa asked. Ryan heard Lisa’s question and at the same time the sound of two additional horses running his way: Shannon and Erica. Now, this was the most fun Ryan had in a very long time.

  Stopping at the top of the rise, they looked down at the lake. “Well, Erica, you’re here.” Ryan gave Shannon a wink and finished galloping down to the lake.

  They all joined Ryan and he told them to tie up the horses. Steve and JP took off the saddles and blankets to give the horses a rest. Ryan fed them and made sure the square wooden bucket had fresh water. Mitch and Max got the coolers, blankets, and towels out of the wagon. Ryan went into a small storage shed that sat between two pine trees and brought out chairs.

  The lake was so clear Ryan knew that they would be able to see the bottom. There was a small wooden dock with an area for chairs. On the left by the shed, one of the trees had a rope tied to it and almost to the bottom was a knot with a space for feet. “I haven’t seen a rope swing since I lived in Maryland.”

  “The picnic table isn’t here. The boys have to replace some of the wood,” Ryan explained.

  Shannon helped set up the chairs. “This is really nice. You guys come out here a lot?”

  “We used to come out more, but we all try to get together at least twice a month now. Someone, who I will not mention, has been an ass about not getting together,” Steve stated firmly.

  Ryan turned his head. “Shut the fuck up, asshole.” He had no heat behind the comment and it was said low enough for Steve’s ears only, as more of a joke.

  Bianca passed Ryan. “Mia would love this.” She obviously missed her daughter. “I don’t think I could get her to go into the water. The dock, yes.” He watched her follow Lisa to the dock.

  “Why won’t she go in? Can’t she swim?” Matt asked. He looked concerned that Bianca’s little girl wouldn’t go swimming.

  Shannon answered, “It’s a long story. To shorten it, Mia had an accident in a pool and lost part of her hearing. She hasn’t gone in
to the water since. Bianca doesn’t force the issue, either. Can I help out with anything?”

  Ryan picked up on the tension and Shannon redirecting the conversation, so he tried to lighten the mood. “Why don’t we all sit down and eat? I’m starving.” Placing his hand on Shannon’s lower back, he guided her to the blanket and chairs that they had set up. He gave his friend the ‘shut up’ look.

  They all sat down to eat the sandwiches, potato salad, and fruit salad that Rosa packed for them.

  Ryan wanted to learn as much as he could about them… well, about Shannon.

  “I work in the accounting department at a bank. Bianca works in bakery. Lisa is an administrative assistant for an advertising firm, and Erica works as a secretary for a real estate company,” Shannon informed them.

  “We get together and go to the movies or the beach or shopping, when we get together,” Lisa added.

  “Don’t forget the trips to Disney for Mia. Oh, the zoo, the parks, and miniature golfing.” That came from Bianca.

  Lisa added, “We also go to all the craft fairs and other events.”

  The girls were close, but they always did something so Bianca’s daughter, Mia, would be able to attend.

  Over the course of the conversation, Ryan realized that Shannon didn’t watch a lot of TV and loved to be outside. “I do go horseback riding in the wintertime. We’ve even went canoeing on Peace River once.”

  As if you could call winter in Florida cold. Ryan kept that thought to himself.

  Mia, Bianca’s daughter, was clearly loved by everyone. He could tell by the way their faces lit up when talking about the little girl.

  “Does she see her father?” Mitch asked Bianca.

  Shannon answered, “No. He’s isn’t involved, and that’s for the best.”

  He noticed Mitch and Max looking at each other and then at Bianca with interest. He swore that the twins could hold a whole conversation with one look; just like his boys.

  The guys had their swimsuits on under their jeans. They all decided to get ready to go into the lake. They set up the towels on a tree branch to give the girls some privacy.

  Ryan knew they would all see the scars on his back when his shirt came off. When they all got back to the towels, Ryan looked at everyone, “I remember the time my parents let me go riding without them. I had a Quarter Horse named Bullet. Anyway, I took off when I knew the weather was declining. The storm came and Bullet took off with me on him. He ended up throwing me right into the barbed wire fence. Took my parents hours to find me. Rushed me to the hospital with deep gashes on my back. That move left me with permanent scars.” Then he took off his shirt and turned around.

  It was JP who spoke first. “I remember that. You wouldn’t take off your shirt in front of us for years.”

  “How long did it take for you to get on a horse again?” Ryan wasn’t too surprised the question came from Bianca.

  “To be honest? Two weeks. But, my parents didn’t let me go out without them for a couple of months. I couldn’t give up on something I love to do. It wasn’t that easy the first day, but I made myself do it.” Ryan answered after turn back to them.

  He heard Shannon. “I’m sorry that happened to you, but glad you didn’t stop doing what you obviously love to do and are good at.”

  “You should’ve seen Ryan when he jumped in the lake once and his swimsuit came off. We were in middle school and had some girls here, too. That was hilarious. He almost blinded us with that white ass of his,” Steve told them, wanting to change the mood.

  “That’s enough, Steve.” But Ryan’s interruption didn’t stop him. Steve and JP stood up, taunting him. Ryan got up, along with Matt, and the four of them started to wrestle until they all ended up in the lake.

  Eventually everyone ended up in the lake, splashing each other. The guys got out, grabbed the rope swing, and did cannon balls into the lake. The five of them tried to outdo one another and that made them laugh even harder. They all acted like a bunch of teenagers. Shannon and her friends rated each trick the guys did, and the guys would argue if they didn’t like the scores or comments.

  The girls wanted to show them how it was done. They not only did cannon balls, but turned and twisted in the air before hitting the water. The girls received higher scores than the guys. They swam around and splashed each other.

  Something caught Ryan’s eye and he headed for the dock. Bianca was sitting on a towel, watching everyone else having fun. Kneeling down, he said, “You got out of the water early. You okay?”

  Shrugging her shoulder, she answered, “Yes, I’m good. It’s absolutely beautiful here. I love the mountains… the peacefulness and clean air.”

  Sitting down next to her, he bent one knee and rested on his hand. “Thanks. It is.”

  Glancing over at Ryan, she said, “She’s trying to fight the attraction she feels for you. She worries that being with you is betraying Tom and what they had. They loved each other dearly, and when he died a piece of her died, too. But, normally time should heal that hole. Instead of letting it heal, she built walls around her heart. You’re going to have to rip them down. That won’t be easy.”

  Not wanting to say much, in the hope that Bianca would give him some for insight, he said, “It’s coming down. To stay.”

  “You’re going to have to push, Ryan. She’ll back off and close down fast if she thinks you’re getting close. She has laughed and smiled more than I’ve seen in years. Make her happy again, love her, and get that wall down so she can love someone other than us and her children.”

  Both of them turned their heads when Ryan heard Lisa calling for Bianca. “I’m coming!” Bianca hollered back. Ryan went to help her up. “Ryan, just don’t hurt her. I don’t ever want to see her in that much pain again.” Bianca’s eyes filled with tears.

  “Bianca, I have no intention of hurting her. That I can promise. I will get through. Thank you for trusting and believing in me… even though you don’t know me that well.”

  Wiping away a tear, she said, “I can tell just by the way you stare at her that you’re falling for my friend.”

  Mitch and Matt had concerned looks on their faces. Before reaching their friends, he said, “You know, you have a good heart and a pure soul. Just maybe you’ll find love here, too.”

  Stopping, she faced Ryan. “That would take a miracle.” Then she finished walking into the lake.

  Ryan glanced at Mitch and Matt. “I think I can arrange the miracle you deserve.”

  Ryan dove into the water and swam over to Shannon. Going under the water, he stood up, putting Shannon on his shoulders. She laughed and held onto his hair. “Hang on.”

  Turning, he noticed Steve had Erica, JP had Lisa, and Mitch was getting Bianca onto his shoulders to play chicken. The girls laughed and screamed. Lisa was the first to fall off JP, but she took him under the water with her. Mitch at one point transferred Bianca to Matt’s shoulders. Erica fell only because she covered Steve’s eyes and Ryan tripped him.

  It only left Shannon and Bianca, and the two of them wouldn’t push each other off. Ryan mouthed to Matt, “Go under on three.” With a nod from Matt he mouthed, “One, Two…” then Matt and Ryan went under the water, taking the girls with them.

  Ryan came out of the water and got a face full of water. Shannon had a wide smile as they all walked out of the lake. “You two cheated. I didn’t touch her.”

  “We knew you two wouldn’t push the other, so we helped.” Ryan picked up two other towels and handed her one.

  Ryan noticed it was getting late and they all started to get cleaned up. Bianca nodded her head at him and mouthed, “Go.”

  He saw Shannon going over to the horses and decided it was his chance to talk to her alone. Coming up behind, her he gripped her waist. “I have a question.”

  “And what would that be?” She sounded a little breathless.

  Gently, he turned her around. “Will you let me take you out to dinner?”

  Ryan noticed her eyes widening
as complete shock and confusion came over her face. He waited, wanting to give her time the think. Her lips parted and Ryan thought for sure by her scared look that a ‘No’ was next. Ryan noticed her taking a deep breath while her eyes sparkled and her face flushed. She decided. “Yes,” was all that needed to be said.

  CHAPTER 7

  The next day, she got a call from Ryan and found out he had to postpone their date for the following day. Apparently, Venus, a mix between Tennessee Walker and Quarter Horse, had gone into labor and was having a difficult time. She was having twins and he was a little worried, so he didn’t want to leave her. She admired his loyalty to his horses.

  Not wanting him to think that she was upset with him, she was quick to tell him, “I understand. I wouldn’t want to leave her, either. I hope everything goes well. How about tomorrow?” What was she doing?

  “Thank you for understanding. I’ll pick you up for lunch. We can go to the diner. See you tomorrow, Shannon.” He sounded tired. He must’ve been up for a long time.

  “See you tomorrow, Ryan. I’ll call you later.”

  Later that day they all went to the bookstore, wanting to look around. Shannon wanted to sit outside and read a good book, but she didn’t have a book with her, only magazines.

  As they entered the bookstore, she noticed Ryan’s daughter placing books on the shelf. “Hello, it’s Carly, right?” Shannon said with a smile. “I’m looking for the romance novels?”

  Carly just glared. Shannon wasn’t sure if it was the question or her that Carly obviously didn’t like. But by the closed off expression she had, Shannon knew she wouldn’t be getting an answer.

  Before Carly could answer, Mrs. Conway, the owner of the bookstore came out from the storage room. “Is there a problem here?”

  Shannon spoke first. “No, I’m just wondering where the romance novels are kept. I can’t seem to locate them.”

  “Oh, my. I need to fix the names on the shelves. I moved them to the front. Here, let me show you.” Mrs. Conway showed Shannon and Bianca where the romance books were. Lisa and Erica were two rows over, looking at the mystery books.