Summer on Kendall Farm

by Shirley Hailstock

  But it should have been his. Or at least partly his. He should have the right to pass it on to his son. How had things gotten so out of control? Jace needed to talk to Sheldon. Jace had to make some decisions about Ari, about their future. If he decided to fight for the Kendall, it would be expensive and take a lot of time. During the process, he’d need somewhere else to stay. He’d have to uproot Ari again and the child was just getting used to being with Kelly and the horses. Ari loved the horses. Removing him would hurt.

  If he didn’t pursue the Kendall, they still needed someplace to live. They couldn’t go on staying at the Kendall and having Kelly support them. Turning around, Jace returned to the truck and headed for the farm. He’d begun to think of it as home, but the Kendall had never been his home. As much as he wanted it to be. As much as he wanted all the love due a son and a brother, he never got it and he would never be able to give it to his own son.

  They were going to have to make other arrangements. Being at the Kendall had been a mistake. Getting to know Kelly had been a mistake, too.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  THE MAIN HOUSE WAS empty when Jace returned. There were no smells coming from the kitchen. No sounds of movement anywhere. Shrugging out of his jacket, he hung it on the coat tree and called, “Ari?” No answer. “Kelly?” No answer.

  After a moment, he went to her office. The room was neat, but empty. He looked out of the window at the horse barn. There was no sign of them anywhere. The kitchen looked as if they’d just up and left. The coffeemaker was off, but it had a timer that would turn it off after an hour, so they could have been gone that long or longer. The remnants of breakfast, however, still lay on the table. Discarded eggs and toast had dried on the plate. Coffee in the cups was cold. Even Ari’s bowl of cereal was soggy and abandoned.

  “What happened?” he muttered, fear invading his heart.

  Then he heard car doors and people talking loudly. Quickly, he headed for the front door. Ari was the first to see him.

  “Dad,” he called. “Kelly’s hurt.”

  Jace was down the steps before his son had finished speaking. He ran to Mira and Drew’s truck. Kelly was in the backseat. Mira was driving. Jace yanked the door open and looked at her.

  “She’s all right,” Ari said, standing next to him. “We went to the hospital.”

  “I’m fine,” Kelly told them.

  “She’s not fine,” Mira warned, also standing next to him. “She fell off the horse and it kicked her.”

  Jace’s eyes opened wide. “They’re very gentle horses,” he said. “I would never bring unsettled horses here unless we were ready for them.”

  “Let’s just get her inside,” Mira said. “We’ll explain there.”

  Jace reached for Kelly, lifting the pale redhead into his arms. He carried her into the house and upstairs to her room, Mira and Ari on his heels.

  “How did this happen?” Jace asked, after Kelly was in bed and Mira had pulled the covers over her.

  “Later,” she whispered.

  “Kelly?” Ari stood beside her and spoke in a low voice. “Are you gonna be okay?”

  Kelly gave him a weak smile. “Yes,” she said. “I’ll be good as new in the morning.” She was drowsy, her eyelids closing heavily.

  “The doctor gave her pain medication. She’ll be asleep in a moment,” Mira told him.

  Ari slipped his hand in Jace’s and looked up at him. “Is she really okay?”

  Jace lifted the child into his arms. “She’ll be fine.”

  “Let’s let her sleep,” Mira said.

  Jace backed out of the room. Mira followed, closing the door.

  “Is her leg sprained?” Jace asked. It had been thickly bandaged.

  Mira nodded.

  “But she’s always so active. And there’s a lot going on.” Jace should have been here. While he was off looking for a way to get the Kendall back, she was falling off a horse, one that he had brought to the farm. He felt responsible.

  Ari loved Kelly. He’d taken to her almost from the first. Jace realized his son wasn’t just having medical issues. Those had cures or controls, whereas missing a mother was something entirely different.

  He wasn’t sure he knew what to do about it. His feelings for Kelly were definitely there, but if he pursued the lawsuit for Ari’s sake as much as his own, he’d cause her pain. Worse.

  She’d never forgive him.

  * * *

  KELLY MOANED AS she woke up. Her head ached and any movement made it worse. She opened her eyes. Jace smiled at her. He was sitting on the side of the bed. She was glad to see him. Even with the headache, she felt a little better knowing he was there and that he’d been close by.

  “How long have you been sitting there?” she asked.

  “Not long,” he said. “How do you feel?”

  “Like I’ve been kicked by a horse.”

  He smiled. “You can joke, so you must be feeling better.”

  “Where’s Ari?”

  “In the kitchen with Mira.”

  “She’s still here?”

  “She wouldn’t leave until she knew you were all right.”

  “How’s Ari?” she asked.

  Jace frowned. “Why Ari? Was he hurt by the horse?”

  “No,” she tried to shake her head, but the pain was too much.

  “I have a headache,” Kelly said.

  “You’ll feel better after you eat something.”

  “I am hungry,” she said.

  “Good, that’s a positive sign.”

  “Is this your own diagnosis, doctor?” She tried to joke, but Jace looked really concerned. Kelly wondered if Mira had told him what happened.

  “It is.”

  “Don’t worry. The doctor said I’d be fine in a few days.”

  “Mira said you fell off one of the horses.”

  “Clumsy of me.” She smiled, even though the effort caused pain.

  “I’ll go and get you something to eat,” Jace offered. He got up, allowing Kelly to move her legs toward the side of the bed.

  “I’m sure I can eat in the kitchen.” She started to sit up. Pain gripped her. She fought through it and put her feet on the floor.

  Jace eased her back into the bed. “No need. How often do you get breakfast in bed? Take advantage of it.”

  Kelly was glad to lay back down. She didn’t want to move for decades or at least until her headache was relieved. Her leg felt tight, but better than her head. She wanted to see it, see if there was a bruise or any broken skin. After the horse kicked her, she’d grabbed for her leg. The severe pain had caused tears to flow from her eyes. Mira came running and after one look, she was on the phone, calling for help.

  The doctors told her she was very lucky. Kelly knew it. She’d seen accidents with horses before and she was usually very careful. But when she saw Ari running toward her, his innocent body unaware of the danger, she miscalculated and tried to get down when she was in the process of getting in the saddle. Her foot caught and she scared the mare. It naturally balked and kicked out, clipping her on the ankle.

  Ari had cried on the way to the hospital and his face was still damp when they’d wheeled her into the waiting room and pronounced her well enough to go home. He’d dried his eyes only when she hugged him and assured him she was all right.

  Kelly pushed the covers back. She rolled onto her side and with effort sat up. She was still wearing her clothes, although one pant leg had been cut for the doctors. Carefully, she pushed the torn pant leg aside.

  “Oh,” she gasped, seeing the black-and-blue marks on an ankle the size of a grapefruit.

  “What are you doing?” Jace came in. Quickly, he set her tray on a table and rushed to her, lifting her back in the bed.

  “According to Mira, the doctor said you need to stay immobile for at least twenty-four hours or until the swelling goes down.”

  Kelly fell back against the pillows, feeling completely defeated.

  “Can I see Ari?” she asked.
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  “Sure, he’s clamoring to see if you’re all right.”

  Kelly smiled with effort. Jace retrieved her tray. He sat it in front of her and handed her two pain pills.

  Taking the glass of orange juice from the tray, she swallowed the medication and drank the entire contents of the glass.

  “I know what Mira said, but I think you’d better tell me what happened.” Jace sat in the chair next to the bed.

  She told him the whole story as well as she could remember it. “You didn’t say anything to Ari?” she asked, concerned for the boy.

  “No,” he said.

  “It wasn’t his fault. He didn’t know he could spook the horse. I should have...”

  Jace leaned over and brushed his lips over hers. Kelly’s eyes opened wide.

  “I understand,” he said. “But he needs to know how to properly work around animals.”

  “Kelly, Kelly,” Ari shouted as he ran down the hall. Kelly heard him coming. Jace moved away from her and as the little ball of energy came into the room and headed directly for the bed, Jace caught him before he launched himself onto the spread and upset Kelly and her breakfast tray.

  “Good morning.” Kelly smiled at him, hoping the pain didn’t show on her face.

  “You slept a really long time,” he said. He looked at his dad. “Dad said we needed to be quiet. I was quiet.”

  “I didn’t hear you at all,” she told him.

  “Is your leg better?”

  “It’s swollen, but that will go down soon.”

  “Can you walk? Dad carried you up here.”

  She remembered. Even in the haze of medication, Jace holding her had been familiar. Kelly thought about the night of the open house. She remembered being in her office, putting the receipts in the safe and looking at her computer. The next thing she knew it was morning and she was fully dressed, in her bed, with the spread over her. She had no recollection of how she got there, but some dreamlike memory felt the strong arms that carried her.

  “Ari, we need to let Kelly rest now,” Jace said.

  “She rested all night.” Ari’s logic tickled her. “Didn’t you, Kelly?”

  “You’re right, Ari. I did rest all night, but the medicine makes me sleepy.”

  “Okay. When it’s lunchtime, are you going to eat in bed?”

  “I have to keep my foot up, so I might have to stay here,” Kelly explained.

  “Can I eat in bed with you?” he asked.

  “Maybe.”

  “Wow!” he said. “What about tomorrow? Will we eat in bed then, too?”

  “Tomorrow I might be able to eat at the table if your dad will help me get there.”

  Ari turned around sharply to look at Jace. “You will, won’t you, Dad?”

  Jace bent down to Ari and said, “I will if you promise me something?”

  “What?”

  “Promise me that you won’t go running after the horses even if you see me or Kelly getting on them. You’ll always, always call us first. So you won’t get hurt?”

  Ari had given his full attention to Jace when his voice became serious.

  “I promise,” he said. Then he looked at Kelly. “Did I hurt you?”

  “No,” she and Jace said at the same time.

  “The horse hurt me, Ari,” Kelly said. “I need to be careful, too. And I wasn’t. That’s why I got hurt.”

  “You’ll be careful, too?”

  “I will,” she told him. “I promise.”

  “We have to go now, Ari.” Jace caught the boy’s hand.

  “Ari?” Kelly called. He faced her. “Do you think I could have a hug?”

  He smiled and ran to the bed, reached up and Kelly leaned down and hugged him.

  He let go and turned to his dad. “You hug her, too, Dad.”

  Kelly felt the color drain from her face. Then a flash fire took possession of her and her face was no less red than a cooked lobster. Glancing at Jace, she saw his face reflecting the exact same color.

  * * *

  KELLY’S LEG WAS still throbbing when she woke for lunch four hours later. The swelling had gone down some, but not totally. Mira came up and helped her wash and change clothes. The effort took more energy than she thought it would.

  “Where’s Ari and Jace?” Kelly asked.

  “In the kitchen. Ari is making you a special lunch. At least, he’s trying to, and Jace...” She seemed to intentionally leave the sentence hanging.

  “What about him?”

  “You’re attracted to him.” Mira stated it as if the entire world knew it to be true.

  Kelly didn’t bother to deny it. “Nothing new, I’m afraid. You know I’ve been drawn to him since he was a wild teen riding across the fields.”

  “But this time, he’s attracted to you, too.”

  Kelly leaned on the cane she’d come home from the hospital with and stared at her cousin.

  “Don’t look at me like that. You should see how he looks at you when you’re not paying attention.”

  “That’s just because of Ari,” Kelly said.

  “It’s not only because of Ari. When he carried you out of the truck yesterday, he held you as if you were the most precious thing on earth.”

  “I’m sure you’re wrong. I’m betting Jace wants the Kendall. He’s only hanging around here until he can get on his feet and find a permanent place.” Kelly said the words, but she knew the man who’d kissed her, and those kisses couldn’t be delivered by someone who had no feelings for her.

  “If you say so.”

  Kelly knew Mira didn’t believe her. She didn’t truly believe her own words.

  “I can have proof in just a moment. He’s coming up to carry you downstairs,” Mira said. The smirk on her face was unmistakable.

  As it was, both Kendall males came to fetch her. Jace didn’t hesitate. He swept her into his arms and carried her down the stairs and into the large kitchen. The table was set for five and everyone took a seat. Drew arrived just as they were sitting. Since Mira had come to help for a few days, Drew had joined her.

  Kelly glanced at Jace. She considered whether Mira saw something she had not. Sure he’d kissed her more than once and she enjoyed it. She admitted she wouldn’t mind exploring where their relationship might go, but she still had a purpose that took top priority in her life. Men, she knew, could complicate that. Did Jace?

  His coming to the Kendall had nothing to do with her. Even when they were kids, he had never really looked at her. She had noticed him, though. Often she could only see him from a distance. Yet secretly she wanted him to notice her, too. But he was into himself, his problems, and his efforts to get his father’s attention. From what Kelly could tell, that never happened. She didn’t know that at the time. She thought he was rebelling, like most teenagers. And then he was gone. For months she wouldn’t see him. Then she’d get off the bus to watch the horses and he’d be racing along the far fence or driving through town as fast as the car would go.

  But even her red hair, which everyone said was like watching fire burn, wasn’t bright enough for him to see her. She was invisible perched on that fence.

  “You’re very quiet,” Jace said. “Are you in pain?”

  Kelly shook her head. “My leg is beginning to tingle.”

  “Wow. Tingle,” Ari said. “Tingle, tingle, tingle.”

  He must have liked the sound of the word, since he repeated it several more times.

  “What do you mean?” Jace asked.

  Kelly could feel the vibes coming from Mira. She refused to look at her cousin for fear she’d say or do something to give Kelly away. “The doctor said that was a sign it was healing.”

  “Put no weight on it for three full days,” Jace said.

  She nodded.

  “He just wants to carry you around,” Mira said teasingly.

  “I do,” Jace admitted. “It’s the hair.” He indicated Kelly’s red hair. “It smells good.”

  Mira laughed. “It used to smell like horses.”
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  “I’ve grown up,” Kelly said. “Now I wash it.”

  “Can I wash it?” Ari asked.

  Kelly suddenly had an image of Ari’s little hands tangling in her mass of hair.

  She hadn’t said anything and the child must have thought she was going to say no. As a suggestion, Ari said, “Dad can help.”

  Mira and Drew laughed. Kelly and Jace turned red.

  * * *

  KELLY HADN’T BEEN in her office in days and she was glad to be ambulatory again, even if it was with a cane. The swelling had gone down on her ankle enough for her to put on shoes. She finally had a chance to feel elated at the income from the first open house. They’d taken in enough fees to cover the expenses for the month. The next four weeks would be gravy. Kelly looked up from her computer screen. Tears gathered in her eyes and rolled down her cheeks. It worked, she thought. She was going to be able to support the house at least through the summer and fall seasons. Winter would have far fewer visitors. She’d been working on school programs, but they required deep discounts to look appealing. Still...

  More than likely, there would be some loss leaders, but over time they would gain other paying guests.

  She went back to the computer. She needed to prepare for the next open house. Even though one open house had gone well, there was no guarantee that others would be the same. Kelly had enough inventory of brochures, donation forms and one-page summaries of the history of the house. She was going to have to hire more kitchen staff and maintenance people. Jace had done an excellent job, but she couldn’t be sure of his continued employment.

  The thought of him leaving, however, had her heart sinking. There wasn’t enough money at the moment to make the changes she needed, but by this time next year she may be able to afford the racecourse.

  “Hi.” Ari stood in the doorway. He was wearing his father’s jacket.