by Gracie Guy
She found her hands were shaking when she dialed his number. By the third ring, she thought she’d dialed the wrong one. Looking at the paper again, she was startled when his familiar voice came on.
“Hul-low.”
“Whip?” Her voice sounded shaky to her own ears.
“Yep, you got ’im.”
“Whip. It’s Kara.” She waited for recognition.
“Who?”
“Kara. Kara Maloney.” She intentionally left off her married name since she’d been single in the years of palling around with Whip.
“Oh. Well hey girl. How the hell are you?”
She felt herself start to relax. “I’m good. You?” Then she remembered the standard question asked by people in the trades. “You working?”
“Oh, yeah. As always. I’m at the co-gen they’re building in Rensselaer.”
“Hey, that’s a nice drive for ya.”
“Yeah, I can’t complain. Just hoping it holds out for the winter. Pretty soon the building will be buttoned up and we’ll be running pipe inside.” She could hear him take a drag of his cigarette. About the only thing she didn’t like about Whip was his smoking. “So what’s up with you?”
Kara decided Whip would prefer she cut the bullshit chitchat and get to business.
“Well, there have been a few changes in my life and I’m looking to move back to the Capital District.” I don’t think he should hear the details about Dan. Whipper always thought he was an ass. “I’m moving my horses to a farm in Chatham so I’m looking for a house to rent in your neck of the woods.”
She heard him suck in some more cigarette smoke.
“I was hoping you might have an inside track on something affordable, and dog and tractor friendly. Maybe near Valatie or Kinderhook?”
“Are you working in the Albany area?”
“Yes, I am.”
“So you’d like whatever you rent to be an easy drive to Route 9, allows dogs and has storage space?”
“Yeah, that about covers it.”
“What’s your price range?”
“About $1,500 a month.”
“And how long are you gonna be there?”
“I don’t know. Six months to a year, at least. Once I’m settled back in the area I’ll look into buying some land to build on.”
“Well, just so happens there’s a place on Winding Brook Road that’s just been foreclosed on. The bank might be interested in leasing it until they can find a buyer. But it’s really a wreck.”
“Is the house livable?”
“Yeah, probably. You might get lucky and the bank’ll replace the blue tarps the owner used to patch the roof.” She heard him chuckling. Living in the Adirondack Park, where zoning was serious business, she’d forgotten how many people used those uniquely colored tarps to cover just about anything. Add a little duct tape and you could create a miracle roof replacement for a lot less money than shingles. “My aunt is an assistant manager at the branch holding the mortgage. I’ll see what I can find out. Do you want me to call ya?”
“Actually, I’ll be in Chatham tomorrow, dropping off my horses. Can we meet somewhere non-alcoholic?” Kara thought it best to clarify the beverage given the countless nights they’d spent in bars years before.
“Sure. I get out at four. There’s a Dunkin’ Donuts on Route 9 in Valatie. If I’m there by four thirty will it work?”
“Yeah, okay.” Kara reluctantly agreed. She wanted to be home before dark, but this was important so she gave him her cell number. “If anything changes, give me a call.”
“You got it kiddo. See you tomorrow.”
“G’night Whipper.” She hung up without waiting for a response.
“Time for bed, you two.” She motioned to the dogs while shutting off the lights. “We’ve got a big day ahead of us.”
Chapter Seventeen
On Friday, Kara and the dogs were heading down the Northway with a fully loaded horse trailer by seven in the morning. She was halfway through a stellar rendition of “Mercedes Benz,” singing along with Janis—well maybe singing was too generous to describe her input—when the Bluetooth on her truck kicked in. “Shit!” The jangling of the faux telephone was a brief shock—she didn’t realize she’d gone far enough south to be within cell phone range.
“Hi. This is Kara.”
“Hi kiddo, it’s Dave.”
“Oh, hi Dave. What’s up?”
“Sorry to bother you on your time off. But you got a call already this morning from some guy named Mark. Works for a Twin Cities Development.”
“Oh. Okay.” She couldn’t help but grin. “Thanks Dave, but it can wait.”
“I don’t know Kara. This is the third time this week that he’s called.”
“Really?” She hoped her boss didn’t detect the pure joy in her voice.
“Yeah, something about meeting you in New York and contracts for Dallas. Is this somethin’ I should know about?”
“Nah, don’t worry about it. Did he leave a number?”
“Yeah, somewhere out west judging by his accent. I’ll text it to ya. Call him later, when you’re not driving.”
“Got it! Now will you hang up so my CD comes back on? I was doing one helluva Janis Joplin when you called.”
“See ya, bye.”
Seconds later, Janis was warbling about “Dialing for Dollars,” but this time Kara wasn’t singing along. Instead, as she continued south into her new life, her mind was on Mark and moving on. She thought about the conference in New York City.
Mmmmm…he’s so tall. And look at those buns.
In her mind, she saw him in khakis, walking a few yards in front of her. Kara licked her lips, imagining what was inside his pants.
I wish he’d turn around so I can see his package.
Suddenly, he did just that, causing them to collide. Bracing her hands against his broad chest, she looked up, eager to see his chocolate brown eyes with sweeping lashes that surely should be illegal on any man.
She let out a quick squeak, disturbing her reverie. Her left hand covered her mouth, the right hand gripped the steering wheel, her blinking eyes stared straight ahead at the highway.
“What was that?” The dogs sat up in response to her voice. “Where did he come from?” She shook her head in confusion. One moment she’d been staring at imaginary Mark’s deliciously round butt walking in front of her. But when he turned around so abruptly that she ran into him, something happened. While her hands were plastered against a well-defined chest, the textures of the fabric transformed from the cotton knit of a Twin Cities Technology polo to the crisp, smoothness of a dress shirt, her fingers splayed under a black suit jacket. Her toes were settled between wing-tipped shoes, like the ones he’d worn when he visited earlier in the week. When she looked up, she was swimming in the depths of a pair of cobalt blue eyes. John’s eyes.
Wow. Just wow! She found herself squinting at the road. That must be it. I’ve seen John twice since I last saw Mark. And man, is he one hot cop. Kara opened the window, hoping the fresh air would clear her mind. What is it I want? A roll in the hay with someone who lives half a continent away? Or a man who is close by? Afraid to know the answer, she turned the radio to an NPR station, hoping to find a discussion about libraries, vegetarian recipes, or how they manufacture number two pencils. Right now, she preferred anything random to get her mind off of men and occupy her until she reached Chatham.
#####
Pulling into Laurie’s driveway just before eleven, Kara gazed longingly at the huge pond and post-and-rail fencing lining either side of the driveway. Yes, this time I will have a horse farm. Not a few cleared acres in the middle of the freaking woods! She never was able to get Dan to understand—living in the middle of a forest was counter-intuitive for horses. They liked wide-open space where they could see their enemies coming. Now her girls would have some.
She stopped the truck and trailer about twenty feet from the main door of the barn. The mares each nickered to her as sh
e walked past them—to the back of the trailer to drop the ramp. When she stood up, Laurie was crossing the driveway, arms open for a welcome hug.
“I’m so glad you made it. I was starting to worry about you.”
“It was a nice ride. But I went a little slow. It’s been a few years since I hauled the mares by myself.”
“I know that feeling.” Laurie walked to the back of the trailer. “It’s amazing how two strong women like us kinda got sucked into needing our man.” She mimed air quotes around the word needing. “Then shit happens and we remember we’re pretty tough and resilient chicks!” Her friend’s deep-throated laugh burst from her freckle-laden face, eyes glowing with affection and humor. It was just what Kara needed.
“Yeah. I’ll admit that I’m still finding me again.” She struggled not to let the lump in her throat turn into tears. Ever since his death, she realized how much of her personality had been sucked away by the force known as Dan. Knowing that she had allowed it was still something she had trouble looking at. “But I’m getting better at it.”
“Let’s get these girls off of here so they can stretch their legs.” Laurie opened the side door so Kara was able to climb in to unload the first horse.
Kara gently patted the big chestnut Quarter Horse’s neck to reassure her. She moved her hand to Maple’s chest, clucking lightly, signaling her to back up. The instant they were both standing on solid ground, the other mare started to whinny.
“Hey, hey spoiled girl. I won’t forget you, Diva.” Kara handed Maple’s lead rope to Laurie and went back into the trailer to retrieve her baby. “Easy dolly. Back slowly.” The little Morgan mare was busy trying to turn to see where her roommate was. Kara grabbed the side of her halter to pull her head back around so they wouldn’t get pinned in the narrow space. Moments later, both horses were out of the trailer, their steps mincing, probably from the odd sensation of the leg wraps they wore.
By noontime, the horses walked in their own paddock. Kara stowed their buckets and grain with the ones Laurie kept for her horses. Then she put their saddles and bridles in the wood-paneled tack room near the front door. When she pulled the door closed behind her, she noticed the large hasp and an open padlock hanging from a nail. “Trouble with the neighbors?”
“Nope. But a farm north of here had all of their tack stolen once, so I figured I’d beat the problem before it could start.”
“Cool.” Both women left the barn and stood by the driver’s side of Kara’s truck. “Are you alright with me leaving the trailer here?”
“Of course. Park it over by mine and we’ll have some lunch.” She saw the worried look on Kara’s face. “And yes, the dogs can come in.”
Kara smiled as she maneuvered her truck and trailer into place. Once she’d unlocked the hitch, she moved the truck closer to the back door of the house. Just as she was about to let the dogs out, her cell phone rang. Hhhmm…don’t recognize this number. But since it was local to the Albany area, she thought better of letting it go to voice mail.
“Hi. This is Kara.”
“Hey. It’s Whip.”
“Hi. I just got done with the horses.”
“Great, cause I just got outta work early. Do you want to meet soon?”
“Um, yeah. Yeah that would be great.”
“Then why don’t you sound so happy?”
“’Cause I was just about to have lunch with my friend, Laurie.” Kara watched the dogs run in circles. “She’s doing so much for me. I don’t wanna ditch her. Feels weird.”
“Okay. So I’ll meet you at the Dunkin’ Donuts around one thirty.”
“Thanks, Whipper. That’ll be great.”
When she pulled into the parking lot ten minutes early, Kara felt her right eye start to twitch. “What the hell is wrong with you?” The dogs whimpered slightly, thinking she was mad at them. “Stop babies.” She reached into the back seat to scratch their heads. “You didn’t do anything wrong. Mom’s talking to herself again.” Suddenly, they both stood up and started growling. Kara turned to see Whip approaching her truck. “Hey, sit. It’s okay.” She calmed the dogs, cracked the windows a few inches, and got out.
For a moment she and Whip just stood there grinning at one another, the old days flashing through her mind. Whip made the first step forward, holding out his arms and wrapping Kara in a sturdy hug, nuzzling her hair and kissing her cheek. She felt herself shiver.
“So, you look magnificent.” He rested his right hand on her shoulder. The left was buried in the pocket of his jeans. “Apparently the northern air, or married life, agrees with you. Which is it?”
“Oh, it’s probably a few things.” She felt a nervous chuckle escape her lips. I can’t tell him the truth about Dan—not now. “Glad we could meet earlier than we originally planned. This way, I can still make it back north before dark.”
“No problem.” He stuck the other hand in his pocket, where she assumed he had stashed a pack of cigarettes.
Kara knew he felt the awkwardness engulfing them.
“I talked to my aunt this morning. The bank will lease the place for six months. After that you’ll have to renegotiate or buy it.”
“Oh, okay. Maybe I’ll like it enough to just buy the place.” She busied herself by slipping small treats in to the dogs. “Do you know when it’ll be available?”
“They’ll get a contractor in next week to button up the roof and maybe change the locks.” Kara could feel his eyes on her face. “That’s about all I know. You can swing by the bank and see my aunt. She’s got more details for ya.”
Kara decided she owed her friend an explanation about the bundle of nerves she’d turned into. “Whip, thanks so much for this.” She looked into his smiling face—wire rimmed glasses crooked as always, a freshly lit cigarette in his right hand. “A lot of things have changed for me in the past couple-a months. I’m not really ready to tell you all of it, but maybe soon.”
He snuffed out the burning Marlboro he’d dropped to the ground. “You don’t owe me anything, Kara. You know where to find me when you’re ready to talk.” He held her face in both hands, kissing her on the forehead. “Safe trip back.” He pulled his car keys from a front pocket of his jeans, jingling them as he crossed the parking lot.
“Bye Whipper.” She softly whispered and watched him pull away and head north on Route 9, knowing she would pass his road on the way home. That was weird. Why didn’t I want to hug him? Will I trust another man? “Maybe there’s some truth in the saying that you can’t go home again.” She took her time, getting a coffee and some donut holes to go, not wanting to see him make the turn off the main drag, down the narrow side road that lead to his home—where she envisioned he’d be enveloped in the warmth and love of his wife, teenage children, and a monstrous woodstove.
Stuffing a jelly-filled piece of donut into her mouth, she blinked back a fresh batch of tears, refusing to let loneliness engulf her. Maybe it’s still out there for me. The white picket fence and someone who wants to hold me.
#####
Kara made it to her driveway in Lake Placid just after five. The dogs did their usual mad dash around to check the premises. While waiting for them, she stood on the front porch. Without the horses, it felt like she was a visitor on someone else’s property. Whistling for her companions, she went inside to find some dinner and to call Mark.
Looking at the text her boss sent earlier in the day, she pulled out the landline and started to dial. Her stomach flipped on the first ring. Really? She was glad it was empty from a lack of food. Kara, he’s just a man! Her self-admonishment did little to rein in her nerves.
“Hey girl. I thought you were ignoring me.”
“No. Not at all.” She couldn’t help but smile when she heard his soft twang. “But I sure have been busy since we left New York.”
“Oh, yeah. Anything you want to tell me about?”
“Pretty boring stuff actually.” Kara was always one to protect her privacy. “You know, getting the house and barn ready
for winter.”
“No, actually, I don’t. What do ya mean?”
“Are you joking?” She found it incredulous—he’d grown up in the country and never prepared a property for winter. “Things like cleaning the chimney and wrapping the hydrant with heat tape. Making sure all the basement windows are locked and there’s enough firewood.”
“You do realize everything you just listed only happens up north, right?”
“Um.” Kara felt like a fool. He grew up in Oklahoma you idiot! “I guess I hadn’t thought of that. When you spend thirty-some winters living in the northeast, you tend to think everyone gets snow and ice all winter.” Now you really sound stupid. Quit while you’re ahead.
“Okay, Daniel Boone. I’ll send Davy Crockett up to help you!” Mark was chuckling. “But seriously, I haven’t stopped thinking about you.”
“Oh. Really?” Kara felt a blush heat up her cheeks. “Well, I guess that’s a good thing.”
“I’ll still see you in Dallas, right?”
“I’m not sure yet. It kinda depends more on where I am with a few projects here. Winter isn’t going to wait just ’cause I’d like to see your handsome face.”
“Can I help? I can be there by late tomorrow.”
Wow! Kara felt the world shift a little. She wasn’t ready for him to take over. Honestly, after what she’d discovered about Dan and their marriage, she wasn’t ready for anyone to take over her life. “Aw, no thanks. But I really appreciate the offer.”
“Well girl, give me a call next week. I won’t hold it against you if you miss Dallas. But I will miss you.”
“I’ll try my best.” Kara hoped he couldn’t tell she was holding back from him.
“Okay, I’ll talk to you then. Take care.”
“Be well.”
Moments later a dial tone filled her ear. So now I’ve managed to disappoint two men in one day—one I would love to sleep with and the other who has been such a great friend. Christ I’m an ass. “They’ll have to get over it. This time I come first, not a man.”
