Her Country Heart

by Reggi Allder

  “Mommy?”

  “He takes care of the horses.”

  “We have horses?” Bobby ran into the barn before she could stop him.

  They ran after Bobby. Wyatt got there first with Amy and Nan close behind.

  “Be careful. Don’t get too close,” Amy shouted.

  Bobby stopped and stared at the first horse. “He’s big.”

  “Yes, he is.” Nan elbowed Amy and looked sideways at Wyatt.

  “Nan, I’m going to kill you,” she whispered.

  “Mister, can I ride the horsy?”

  The corners of Wyatt’s mouth turned up.

  “Maybe tomorrow, if it’s okay with your mother, but right now the horses have to go to bed.” He winked at Amy.

  Her cheeks flushed. Surprised by his kindness, she couldn’t help smiling. Why had Sophie said Wyatt didn’t like kids?

  Did he like them or was he just trying to, as her Granny use to say, Get into her panties?

  She watched Wyatt walk to the weight bench, grab his shirt and pull it on.

  She cleared throat. “Baby, come into the house and I’ll show you your room. It has new paint and”

  “I want to touch the horsy.”

  “I don’t know…”

  Amy looked up and found Wyatt standing next to her. Without a word he picked up Bobby and held him. “The horsy likes to be touched, but there are a couple of rules first.”

  “Okay.” Bobby put his arm around Wyatt’s neck.

  “First rule, never yell and wave your hands around the horsy. He might get scared. And second rule, never stand behind him. He could kick you by accident.”

  Bobby’s eyes widened.

  “It’s okay. The horsy won’t hurt you. This is Sal. He’s a nice old boy. He likes you to rub right here just above his nose.” Wyatt demonstrated.

  The little boy slowly reached out and softly rubbed the horse. He giggled and patted him again.

  “Okay Bobby that’s enough for now.” She reached for him.

  Wyatt set him down and he ran to her. “His hair is soft mommy. Do you want to touch him?”

  Amy watched Wyatt. “Maybe tomorrow.” Her cheeks flushed again.

  “Thank you.” She hesitated. “Do you want to join us in the house for dinner?”

  “Got plans.”

  “Oh.” For the first time in recent memory, jealousy crawled up her spine. Of course he has dinner plans with another woman.

  “See you tomorrow big guy.”

  “Night mister.”

  “Bobby, this is Mr. Cameron.”

  “Call me Wyatt.”

  “Okay.”

  “See you Amy.”

  “Yeah.” She felt Wyatt scan her.

  “Mommy, why is your face red?”

  Wyatt walked out of the barn and the door slammed closed.

  “It’s nothing Bobby. Too much sun I guess.” Her voice didn’t sound like her own, too high. She cleared her throat. “You’re staying the night.”

  “Can’t. I have to work tomorrow. If I leave in the next half hour I’ll back in the city by eleven o’clock. I got the food you wanted for Bobby. And ten pounds of gluten free flour and some organic brown rice.”

  “That’s great. I can’t thank you enough. They have more gluten free food in the stores these days, but I haven’t had a chance to check in town.”

  “Forget it. Just invite me back if you find out Wyatt has a brother.”

  They both laughed and Amy hugged her BFF. “Drive carefully.”

  “Yeah, yeah.” Nan hugged Bobby. “See ya.”

  Together she and Bobby watched Nan get in the small Toyota and drive away. Her son waved with one arm while he wrapped the other one around her leg.

  “Come on, time to get ready for bed.” She took hold of his small hand, walked into the farmhouse and shut the door. “Bobby this is your new home.”

  ***

  Bobby sat at the breakfast table eating oatmeal. Amy took a seat next to him and sipped coffee.

  “Do doggies and horses like to play together?” he asked his mouth full of cereal.

  She stifled a laugh. “Swallow before you talk.”

  He gulped and said, “Do they?”

  “I don’t know, but the horses are just visiting. They belong to Wyatt and he’s only staying in the cottage for a little while.”

  Bobby frowned and pushed his bowl away. His bottom lip stuck out. His brow knitted further. Without warning he jumped up and ran out of the room.

  “Where are you going?”

  She ran after him.

  He was yanking on the barn door by the time she reached him.

  Wyatt opened it and let him in. “Ready for your ride big guy?”

  “Do doggies and horses like to play together?”

  Without a beat Wyatt answered, “Sometimes.” He smiled.

  “Cause my mommy said I could get a dog. But I want a horsy too.”

  “I said maybe we could get a dog. We’ll have to see.”

  “Come on big guy let’s see about going for a ride.”

  Amy sucked in a big breath of air. Wyatt was really going to put her baby on the back of a horse. Until this moment she hadn’t considered just what that meant. Sal was huge. True, she’d practically grown up on a horse. Still, she worried because Bobby was small for his age and delicate. It’d be easy for him to slip out of Sal’s saddle and fall.

  CHAPTER 9

  “You and your mom wait. I’ll bring Sal out.”

  When the sorrel quarter horse left the barn, he looked bigger than he had yesterday when Amy rode him.

  “Don’t worry,” Wyatt said. “I’ll take it easy. You’ll be fine, won’t you big guy?”

  “Can I ride now?” Bobby said showing no fear.

  He took the boy’s hand and lifted him onto Sal’s back. “Just sit there for a minute. See this?” He pointed to the saddle horn. “You can hold on to that. It’s okay. Hold on. I’ll make sure you don’t fall.”

  The little boy grabbed the horn with both hands and grinned.

  “Way to go. Now these are the reins. They tell the horse which way you want him to go. Right or left.”

  Amy watched her son’s serious expression on his boyish face. His tiny hands holding on the saddle horn for dear life, his knuckles white. She yanked her smart phone out of her pocket and took a photo of him. And hoping Wyatt wouldn’t notice, she took one of him too and then another when he wasn’t looking at her.

  “We’re going have Sal walk around the yard. We tell him to move by saying giddy up.”

  “Giddy up horsy.”Bobby giggled.

  Sal moved forward and began to stroll the length of the yard. Wyatt beside him his hand supporting Bobby’s back as they went.

  “Mommy, look at me.” Her son ginned. “Giddy up.”

  Wyatt let the horse move a little faster and jogged along side.

  “Look Mommy. Look.”

  “I see honey. Hold on tight.” She snapped another photo.

  Wyatt jogged for little longer and then said, “Easy boy.” The horse slowed and then stopped and he picked Bobby off the horse and held him. “You did great. You’re a natural.”

  “What does that mean?”

  Amy laughed.

  “That means you did a good job.” Wyatt smiled.

  “I did good Mommy.” Bobby ran to her.

  “Yes you did and I have photos to prove it.” She hugged him and showed him the pictures on her cell. Skipping the ones she’d taken of Wyatt.

  “I’m thirsty.”

  “Go and get a drink, but drink slowly.”

  Bobby ran toward the house.

  “I’ll be right there,” she shouted. “Thanks. You’re good with kids.”

  He shrugged.

  “He’ll never forget it.”

  “I meant what I said. He’s a natural. Most kids freeze up the first time they get on a horse, especially someone his age. It looks a long way down to the ground when you’re that small.”

  “It
scared me just to watch him, but I could see he was having fun.”

  “He should have lessons.”

  “Maybe someday, I can’t afford them now. Come into the house for a cool drink.”

  “I’m taking Sal out for a workout. Then I’m going into town. You can catch a ride with me if you want.”

  “Thanks I’d like that. I need to pick up couple of things at the health food store.”

  ***

  It was almost one pm when Amy leaned back in the Ford and watched Wyatt slowly maneuver the truck down Sierra Creek’s crowded main street.

  “I don’t think I’ve ever seen it so busy.” She gazed out the passenger side window. “At least not since the mill closed two years ago.”

  “A lot of the old timers come to town on Saturday to do their shopping for the week or even for the month.”

  She watched as people scurried on the raised sidewalks into and out of the stores.

  “Mommy, look a horsy.” Bobby pointed to a buckskin tied to the hitching post out in front of the general store.

  “I don’t see a parking space anywhere, should have ridden a horse.” Wyatt laughed.

  “I guess the tourists are still in town.”

  “Yeah, plenty of them looking for gold in the Mokelumne River or going to see the old tailing wheels, and then buy some rock candy in town.”

  “What’s rock candy?” Bobby asked.

  “Its candy made of sugar, but it looks like rock crystals, amethyst and the like,” Wyatt said.

  “Can we get some Mommy?”

  “We’ll see.”

  “Sophie sells it at the ice cream store.” Wyatt pointed the ice cream parlor.

  “If I could get even half of the visitors to come to Granny’s farm and spend just one dollar the farm would be self supporting,” she said almost to herself.

  “Sierra Creek’s a perfect place for a day trip from Sacramento. They just need a reason to drive to Granny’s Farm.”

  Amy rubbed her forehead and tried to think of one.

  “Hi Wyatt.” A young woman with blonde hair and big brown eyes yelled and waved. “Wyatt.”

  “Cowboy, you’re back in town,” a brunette shouted from an open doorway.

  He glanced at the women, but without answering her, kept driving.

  “I’m waiting for you to phone me.” A shapely teen grinned at Wyatt and then glared at Amy.

  “You’re a celebrity. Sophie told me, but I had no idea.”

  Another woman waved, but had the good sense not to yell at him.

  “It’s embarrassing.” He took a quick look at Amy. “I shouldn’t have gone on that damned TV talk show. Ever since then, they’ve been driving me crazy.”

  “Oh.” She laughed and he joined her.

  A sedan with Nevada license plates pulled out of a parking space and he parked the truck. “I’m going to Marty’s Hitching Post to pick up some new tack. It shouldn’t take long. Why don’t we meet at Sophie Ice cream parlor? I’ll buy you and Bobby a sundae and Bobby can pick out some rock candy.”

  “Can we Mommy?” He pulled on her sleeve.

  “Okay.” She jumped out of the truck and helped Bobby down.

  “Wyatt, can I have chocolate ice cream?”

  “It’s up to your mommy. If she says—”

  “Sugar!”

  A woman rushed up to Wyatt and grabbed him in a bear hug. Surprised, Amy watched the woman plant a kiss on his open mouth and then wipe her red lipstick off his lips.

  “Sugar, why didn’t you tell me you were coming into town?”

  Tall, with long black hair, blue eyes and white teeth surrounded by full red painted lips, she grinned.

  Black denim stuck tight to the woman’s ass and a red spandex top squeezed her chest to display her voluminous breasts. She gracefully stood on her tip toes in four inch stilettos and planted another kiss squarely on Wyatt’s tightened mouth and then threaded her arm with his as if she meant to walk away with him.

  “I just adored the ravioli dinner we shared the other night. It was scrumptious.” She wiggled her rear end and then blew him a kiss. “I should watch my figure, but who could resist you and raviolis.” She licked her lips.

  He froze in place, his hands at his side. An expression of a man whose shirt collar had suddenly tightened to choke him spread across his face.

  So Wyatt’s modus operandi was to bring Italian dinner to his women. Amy had been stupid enough to think he’d bought it only to her.

  “I guess he isn’t going to introduce us. I’m Charlene.” The woman interrupted Amy’s thoughts.

  “Amy,” she said in a weak voice.

  Charlene stared at her. “I know you. You used to live with that funny old “apple lady” out on Route Three.”

  With a frown Amy hid her berry stained hands behind her back and sucked her lips shut tight, not daring to talk or she’d definitely say something to Charlene that she’d regret later.

  She scanned the woman five foot eleven if not six feet tall, freckle free, olive skin, and straight smooth hair.

  At five feet three inches tall, Amy had never considered her height or her bust size one way or the other. But now she knew she was short, flat, not to mention pale and badly dressed in old jeans and a too big t-shirt.

  She squinted through her thick glasses. Damn, she should have taken the time to change her clothes and put in contact lenses. Not that it would have made much difference. She’d still be short and have a flat chest. But at least she couldn’t be thought of as four eyes, her high school nick name.

  Charlene continued a steady stream of talk at Wyatt, but Amy had lost track of the conversation.

  “And who’s this adorable little man?”

  She bristled when the Charlene turned her charms on the only other man in the area, Bobby.

  Her son’s eyes widened as he stared at the woman and a sloppy grin spread across his face. “I’m Bobby.” He grinned.

  Even her son was charmed by the flashy woman. Traitor.

  “Well, aren’t you just the cutest thing?” Charlene’s white teeth blazed.

  Unconsciously, Amy pulled Bobby closer, holding him by his shoulders with both hands.

  “Is he your son?” she asked.

  “Yeah.”

  “And where’s his daddy?”

  “He lives in San Francisco.”

  “Oh. Well, you won’t mind if I take Wyatt away for a little while. Will you?”

  Surprised by the change of subject, she pushed her glasses up on the bridge of her nose. Her mouth was open ready to answer when she watched Charlene pull on Wyatt’s arm until he walked away.

  “Come on Bobby lets go the health food store and then I’ll buy you a sherbet.”

  “Wyatt’s going to buy it for me.”

  “He’s busy. We’ll get our own and then I’ll borrow Sophie’s car and take you home.”

  “But Mommy…”

  “Come on.”

  The joy of seeing Bobby eat his raspberry sherbet was tempered by the fact that Wyatt wasn’t there as he promised.

  ***

  At ten pm that evening, Amy heard Wyatt’s truck pull into the driveway. Bobby was asleep and she hoped the truck’s engine didn’t wake him.

  In her bathrobe, she didn’t look out the kitchen window to the cottage. Instead, she turned off the overhead light and was about to leave the room when she heard a knock at the backdoor.

  “Open the door Amy. I know you’re up,” Wyatt said as he banged on the door. “I have something for Bobby.” Anger deepened his voice.

  She tightened the belt of her cotton bathrobe and reached for the door handle. Should she open it? Before she could decide, he pushed open the door and entered the room. His eyes sparked as he scanned her. She stepped back from him.

  “Darn it Amy, I thought you were going to wait for me.”

  “I know what men are like when they’re— busy.” Without realizing it, she rubbed her arm where Robert had often left bruises when he grabbed her and
hit her for interrupting him.

  “I’m not Robert.”

  She startled. “What do you know about my ex-husband?”

  “Granny told me.”

  “What?”

  “Let’s just say I’d never do anything to hurt you.”

  She blinked. How many times had Roberts promised he’d never hit her again?

  “You don’t have to worry about me or my moods. I don’t hit women.” He hesitated. “Even so, you’re extremely annoying. I went to Sophie’s to meet you. You weren’t there. She told me you took her car and went home.” He ran his hands over the back of his neck. “Never mind, I bought some rock candy for Bobby.” He set the bag of candy on the table.

  “Thank you.” She clutched the bag to her. “He’ll be pleased.”

  “I’ve tried to keep my promise to Granny to help you and I’ll continue to do it. But I don’t owe you info about my social life. It’s none of your business. And that’s the most explaining I’ve ever done.”

  The door banged closed behind him. The shock of the slamming door reverberated in the quiet night. Stunned, she stood staring at it, frozen in place.

  CHAPTER 10

  Amy sat at Granny’s Limbert desk in the downstairs den and glanced at the calendar. Hard to believe a week had gone by since Wyatt brought the rock candy for Bobby.

  Since then, she’d made sure she and Wyatt were never alone. He worked on the farm fixing what he’d apparently promised he’d do for Granny.

  Today, once again he’d mentioned the fixes he’d make that would help when she put the farm on the market, something she didn’t plan to do.

  Maybe it was her perverse personality, but the more often he said to sell the more determined she was to stay and make the farm pay.

  Bobby and Wyatt had slipped into the habit of a morning ride while she made breakfast for them. If anyone had looked in on them, they’d appear to be the all American family, mom dad and son.

  Earlier Bobby had gobbled down his egg white omelet and then run out to see Wyatt. She hoped her son wasn’t getting to close to him. Was he beginning to think of him as a dad? Wyatt was nothing more than a temporary acquaintance at best. She grunted, and at worst? She wouldn’t go there.

  Still, she’d kept her silence, because she hadn’t seen Bobby warm to any guy since Robert had hit him. Around other men, he was silent and clung very close to her side. With Wyatt, Bobby was a carefree kid with an easy grin.