A Fragmented Journey (The New York Journey Book 1)

by Gracie Guy

  “Kara, the night we had that conversation you were scared. Besides, you’d already made the decision to move. All I did was purge any boogeymen from your driveway with a bright light.”

  So I’m not special to him? “Well, either way, I appreciated it.” She tried desperately not to be let down by what he’d just said as her face heated with embarrassment. “So, thanks for your support. Listen, I’ve gotta go. I’m headed to the farm for a ride while the sun is still out.”

  “Whoa, wait a minute.” She noticed a change in his voice. Was it compassion? “I think this is very exciting. How big is the house?”

  “Um, actually, there is no house. Just a really nice barn. I have to build a house. There’s a local contractor drawing up plans for me.”

  “Who’s the builder?” She thought it was an odd question.

  “Michael Corbin. Why? Do you know anyone in this area? Or are you suspicious of everyone?”

  His deep laugh returned. “No, on both counts. Just asking questions to hear your voice.”

  Kara’s mouth dropped open at his response. Wow! Just wow! Even though she hoped his mind was on her, at least occasionally, she was speechless by his admission.

  “You still there?”

  “Um, yeah.” She tried to rein in her stutter. “Yes John, I’m here.”

  “Oh good. I thought maybe I’d said something wrong.”

  “No, definitely not.”

  “Good, I want to hear all about your new place.” She heard a blaring voice in the background. “Listen, I’ve got to answer that radio call. Call me when you pick out a house.”

  “Okay, I will.” She loved how the smile plastered to her face felt. “But it might be a couple of weeks.”

  “Hopefully sooner. I’ll talk to you then.”

  She looked through the windshield of her truck when John hung up. “I think the sun just got a little brighter.”

  ***

  Kara was pleased to find no one home when she arrived at Laurie’s house. She wanted only the company of her animals while she reveled in the joy of finding a farm and talking to John. She saddled Maple, tethering Diva to the back ring of her saddle. Once mounted, she whistled for the dogs, both of which came careening around the corner of the barn, leaving a dust cloud in their wake. Gently, she squeezed Maple’s sides, the signal to move off.

  When they reached the first hayfield, she squeezed a little tighter, asking the big Quarter Horse mare to jog. The gentle swaying of her gait was as natural to Kara as a rocking chair was for most other people. She’d spent her lifetime on a horse, having gotten the first one at four years of age. The rhythmic thud of Maple’s hooves striking the ground, the squeak of leather, the occasional head toss and sneeze from her. Every part of it permanently etched in her soul. The smell of their stalls, their hay, their grain, their coats. The gentle nickering when she walked in the barn, heads tossing over the half door, anxious to move. Their sleepy and appreciative eyes after a good brushing, the velvety soft spot on the side of their muzzles where she loved to give them a kiss. Horses were central to her being and Kara knew she would have one for the rest of her life. And now, she would have them on a farm with wide-open fields, not a two-acre clearing in the middle of the mountains. Even the light, sloppy snowflakes eddying around couldn’t dampen her mood.

  The dogs were playing a game of racing into the hedgerows and then bursting back out right in front of Maple, causing the mare to throw her head up in surprise. After the third time, Kara signaled the horse to move into the field more, something she wouldn’t do if the hay were still long. When grass was uncut, it was nearly impossible to see the holes caused by woodchucks as they created their underground home. One misstep would break a horse’s leg, requiring euthanasia. She couldn’t bear the idea of having caused that sort of injury to any horse, let alone these two. Staying along the edge of a field was the safest way to avoid the holes. For some reason, the varmints preferred to have both openings of their tunnel be in an open area.

  An hour later, Kara decided to head back to the barn while there was still enough daylight to see. She wasn’t familiar with Laurie’s property and she didn’t have a flashlight. When she reached the barn, the sodium light mounted thirty feet above came on just as she started to dismount. Diva nipped Maple a few times, requiring Kara to quickly untie her from the saddle and lead both of them through the open door. The dogs crashed past her, rushing to see if Laurie was there with treats. And she was.

  “Hey, Kar. How are you?”

  “I’m good. A little wet and a little stiff. But good.” She knew she had a grin plastered on her face.

  “Well let me take the pretty Morgan from you. Then you can tell me why you’re smiling.”

  “What do ya mean, why I’m smiling?” Kara shook her head in mock questioning. “I just spent over an hour riding in blissful conditions. Isn’t it reason enough for me to smile?”

  Laurie returned from putting Diva in her stall, lead rope in hand. “You don’t know how thrilled I am to see you out there with your babies.” She reached out to hug Kara.

  “Thank you for having us.” She busied herself with Maple’s saddle before Laurie could see the emotions building in her eyes. “I couldn’t have done this without your generosity.”

  “Think nothing of it. You’re my friend and I had the stalls available.”

  Kara carried her saddle into the tack room, returning with a dandy brush to use on Maple. “Well, I have some news.” She looked at her friend’s expectant face. “Relax. It’s good news.” She couldn’t contain her smile any longer. “I bought a farm today.”

  “Wha- what did you just say?”

  “I bought a farm, near Stuyvesant Falls.”

  “Oh my God. I cannot believe you.” Laurie was hugging her again. “You are such a woman!”

  “I have to admit, I’m pretty excited.”

  “So tell me about it.”

  “It’s forty-two acres, has a great barn, fenced in fields, and it’s on the Kinderhook.”

  “Do I know where it is? What’s the house look like?”

  “Um, you might know it. Used to be part of the old Carson farm.”

  “Yeah, they used to have a big dairy. Like several hundred acres.”

  “The current owner is a young techie from the city.”

  “The city?” Laurie interrupted. “Can I assume you mean New York City?”

  “Of course, Laurie. Everyone knows New York City is the city.” She used air quotes around the word city and rolled her eyes in teasing exasperation.

  “Anyway, he bought the land, built a barn, put up the fences but never got around to a house before winter set in. Now he’s moved somewhere south.” Kara led Maple to her stall, but continued talking since Laurie followed her. “I got a good deal and met a contractor. And, the realtor’s brother is chairman of the Planning Board. He all but guaranteed me a permit to build the house by the creek.” Her friend stood shaking her head in disbelief. “Looks like I’ll be breaking ground for the house in early January.”

  “This is so exciting!”

  “I know. I know.”

  The two women were still grinning when they left the barn.

  Chapter Twenty-nine

  Kara found her life moving at breakneck speed, again. She went to work on Wednesday and Thursday, then, took Friday off to meet with Matt Colby and the seller’s bank. Her financing with ready cash made the sale much easier. They would run a title search, have it appraised, and call her with details for the closing. On the very outside, in two weeks it would belong to her.

  She knew she’d been avoiding Mark in the week since she returned from Dallas; that evening she decided to call him. Her stomach pitched a little with nervousness as she dialed his number from her landline. He picked up on the second ring.

  “Hey cowboy. How are you?”

  “Wow, I thought you’d tossed me aside.”

  “No, no. Just flat-out busy.” She paced nervously. But why?

 
“So what have you been doing?”

  “Honestly?” She paused a moment. “I bought a farm.”

  “What? Really?”

  “Yeah, it’s perfect. Forty-two acres. It has a nice barn with four box stalls and lots of fenced in pasture. It’s beautiful.” She felt her stomach settle a little as she continued to talk. “But I have to build a house.”

  “I thought you were gonna take a year and look around for something?” She thought she heard something deeper in his question.

  “Well here’s the deal. Monday I got a call from the state trooper up north who’d been handling Dan’s case.” She took a deep breath, remembering the call from John, how his velvety baritone made the news less horrible. For a moment she forgot who she was speaking to as her mind focused on the trooper. She shook her head. “You see, they found the woman, they know what happened and his death has been ruled an accident.”

  “Oh Kara, I’m sorry. I don’t know if this is a good or bad thing for you.”

  “Well, it’s a good thing ’cause it’s over. I have my answer.” She felt her throat tighten with tears. “It’s time to move on with my life.” John’s face swam in front of her eyes as she made the declaration. Hey, you’re talking to Mark, not John.

  “And spending a lot of money is the key?”

  She couldn’t help but laugh. He didn’t know her very well. “No, I got a good deal on the farm.”

  “So what’s the next step?” His voice no longer sounded as guarded as it did earlier.

  “The next step for what?”

  “Um, you. Your life?”

  “Oh. Well, the closing should be done in two weeks. And I’ve already got a contractor working on plans for the house.” She started pacing again. “It’ll all take care of itself and I should be able to move in around March.”

  “Hey beautiful, I don’t mean to cut you off, but my brother’s expecting a call back right away.”

  “Oh, sorry.” Kara felt like he slapped her with the abrupt change in topic. “Didn’t mean to bother you.”

  “No bother, just need to wrap up hunting plans. I’ll call you in a day or two.”

  Staring at the quiet phone in her hands, Kara was confused. “Did I just insult him?” Shrugging her shoulders, she decided that some ice cream would give her the answer and proceeded to sink into the couch with the pint of salted caramel she found in her freezer. After six or seven spoonfuls, her concern waned. “Who cares what the cowboy thinks?”

  ***

  The week leading up to Thanksgiving was a blur for her. Most days, work took priority in her schedule. She tried getting over to Laurie’s every day, frequently going there right from work instead of picking up the dogs first. Even though it was too dark to ride, she found the tasks of cleaning the barn and brushing her horses to be therapeutic. A barn and horses—definitely an oasis for her. One evening while there, she took the liberty of inviting Laurie to join her at her mother’s house for Thanksgiving.

  “Are you sure she won’t mind?”

  “Nah. My mom loves company.”

  “Ya know this will help you get out of there earlier, right?”

  “No, it won’t. But it might keep her from grilling me so much.” She looked Laurie in the eye. “Do you mind being my buffer?”

  “Will there be leftovers?” Kara nodded her head. “Then no, I don’t mind. She’s an awesome cook and I won’t have to.”

  “Thanks a million. I’m just not up to dealing with her on my own right now.” She gave Laurie a hug. “Gotta run, the dogs haven’t been out yet. I’ll pick you up at noon on Thursday.”

  As Kara hoped, Laurie’s presence for the holiday was the perfect panacea for the stress, which frequently accompanied time spent with her mother. There were no lectures about the new property, living forty miles south of her, or building her own house. It might have been the most peaceful Thanksgiving Day in years.

  Friday morning she went to the office to sort through contracts. Once again, she was struck by the largess of her income for the year. “I think I should take a sabbatical.” She flipped a few more pages. “I wonder what Dave will think?”

  “Think of what?”

  Her boss’ voice made her jump. “Freakin’. I thought I was alone.” Kara barked at him as she knocked her water bottle off the desk.

  “Eh. Quiet day. Thought I’d come in while the family goes shopping.” Dave took off his jacket and sat in one of the chairs in front of her desk. “Is there something you wanted to ask me?”

  Kara looked up from the papers and into the warm eyes of her friend and mentor. “Yeah.” She didn’t know how to phrase her request. “Look, you have been great to me. And I really appreciate it.”

  “But?”

  “But…even though you just gave me time off, I need more.” She saw his eyes flash. “All the years of kowtowing to Danny. All the years of commuting from up north. All the travelling for business. And all the stress of moving…” She paused, but stood to look out the window. After a moment, she turned to face him. “I’m tired Dave. It’s time to do something for me.”

  “So, you want a few weeks off? Or are you planning on leaving me for good?”

  “Oh, no. I’m not quitting. Unless you want me to.” She shook her head at him. “What I want is to take five or six months off.” He arched his eyebrows so high she thought they were in danger of becoming part of his hairline. “Chill for the rest of the holidays and get my house built. I’m having trouble finding the old me. The before Dan, me.” She squinted over his head, focusing on the empty wall where countless pictures of Dan used to hang. “Maybe I’ll go do something fun. Or something that makes me feel good by helping others.”

  “Like what?”

  “I was thinking about the dogs and me learning about tracking for things like search and rescue. Between having them, the horses and my own truck and trailer, I’m pretty well set up to do it in remote locations.”

  She watched as Dave shook his head and shrugged his shoulders in one motion. “Well, sounds nuts to me, but we live in different worlds.” He ran his hand across the top of his brush-cut. “Tell you what kiddo. I’ll put you at half-pay for the time off, if you promise me you’ll be back by June.”

  Kara was stunned; she didn’t expect such generosity from him. She had planned on no income for six months. Stepping away from the window, she reached out to shake his hand. “Deal.”

  He pulled her into a quick, platonic hug before nodding toward her desk. “Now straighten up that pile of contracts and get outta here before I change my mind.” She heard his voice crack with emotion.

  “You got it, boss.” She moved back to her chair. “I’ll call you at Christmas time.” Within an hour, she was pulling out of the parking lot of Avion Technology, a stellar smile dominating her lightly freckled face.

  #####

  Later, lying in bed, Kara couldn’t concentrate on the book in her hands. Resting it on her chest, she thought about the intimacy she’d had with Mark when they were in Dallas. She closed her eyes, to see if she could still feel his touch, hear his laughter, taste his kisses. But when she saw John’s face come into focus and not Mark’s, little fingers of guilt tapped at the edges of the sensual vignettes she had tried filling her thoughts with. Why hasn’t Mark called back? When are you going to tell him about your leave of absence? Are you going to invite him north and show him the farm you’re buying?

  Rolling over to put her book on the bedside table and shut off the lamp, she shook her head silently. Nah, you’re not. He’s a sexy cowboy and you’re lonely, but you’re in lust, not love.

  Early Wednesday morning, her cell phone was ringing when she got out of the shower.

  “Hul-low. This is Matt Colby.”

  She loved the rural cadence of his voice. “Hey Matt. How are you?”

  “I’m good, Kara. How are you?”

  “I’m well, thanks for asking. Does this call mean I’m about to be better?”

  “Well I’m sorry for the short
notice, but the bank wants to schedule the closing for the day after tomorrow. Can you swing that?”

  “Yes I can. What time and where?” Kara scribbled the information on the back of an envelope from the satellite company, absently wondering why she even received a paper bill when she paid everything online. “Thanks, Matt. I’ll see you on Friday.”

  Despite the early hour, as soon as she ended the call with Matt, she dialed the number of the contractor. She was a little disappointed when the call went straight to voicemail. “Mr. Corbin, this is Kara Elliot. We met a few weeks ago at Matt Colby’s office. I’m closing in two days on the last piece of the Carson farm and I’d like to meet with you to go over any house plans you’ve prepped for me. Please give me a call when you get a chance. Thanks.”

  She decided a quick trip to Laurie’s house to feed the horses was in order. From there she would swing by the supermarket before going home. She hadn’t been there in weeks and her kitchen cabinets were nearly bare. A fresh layer of snow covered the road to her friend’s farm, causing her to proceed slowly. It seemed silly to use the four-wheel drive for so little accumulation, but honestly, her truck sucked in two-wheel-drive winter driving, and it was very tempting.

  Laurie tended to go out to the barn early, making it difficult for Kara to do the morning chores, including cleaning the stalls, as a thank-you for keeping Diva and Maple there. She was pleased at finding no footprints in the snow as she pulled up to the barn. When she opened the front door, she was greeted by a chorus of knickers, with Diva’s the most demanding.

  Twenty minutes later, she was pushing the wheelbarrow to the last stall when Laurie arrived with a fresh cup of coffee for her.

  “Good morning barn angel, thought you’d like this.”

  “Thanks.” Kara pulled off her leather gloves before taking the steaming mug. “I found the opportunity to be here early so I thought it’d be nice if I took the morning shift.”

  “Well, thanks. I can miss a day of mucking stalls.” Laurie laughed in her appreciation. “It’s nice to see you, even if you hadn’t done the stalls.” She sat on an unopened bale of hay.