Springtime at Hope Cottage

by Annie Rains

  Tuck was on another horse beside her, looking calm, cool, collected, and completely gorgeous. There was an ease about him in the saddle that made her jealous and wildly attracted to him at the same time.

  “If you fall off, I promise to give you unlimited physical therapy.”

  She narrowed her gaze, hearing something naughty in his tone. Maybe she should fall off and take him up on that offer. Before she could contemplate doing so or say anything more, her horse took a step forward, and she let out a startled squeak.

  “Relax. You’ll be fine—I promise. The horse can sense your fear so you want to radiate well-being.”

  “Easy for you to say.” Josie sucked in a cleansing breath and then another, feeling more like she was hyperventilating than relaxing. Then she listened as Tuck coaxed her on how to lead the horse, moving the reins one way and the other. After ten minutes, she felt more at home on her horse and could enjoy the soft breeze in her hair, the sounds of nature nearby, and the smell of horse, hay, and fresh mountain air. The combination aroused her senses, putting them in overdrive.

  “Looking good over there,” Tuck called from a few feet away.

  “Could say the same about you. So, you want to use the horses for therapy?” she asked.

  “That’s the plan. It’s called equine-assisted therapy. Shadow is so good with some of my patients. Animals have a way of getting through to people in a way that we can’t. Horses are great because they also help with your core muscles.” He patted his firm six-pack that she’d been up close and personal with only a few hours before. Then he patted a hip. “These muscles right here. The subtle movement of the horse keeps your body shifting and adjusting. It’s more of a workout than you might think.”

  “What if your patients don’t want to do it?” she asked, moving the reins and walking her mare closer to Tuck’s.

  “Then they don’t have to. Some of my patients fear dogs or are allergic. I don’t bring Shadow with me to treat those patients.” He shrugged. “There’s no ‘one size fits all.’ That’s why I like my practice. In the rehab center where I used to work, we tried to fit patients into a therapy mold that matched everyone else’s. It worked for some but not for others.”

  “Your patients are lucky to have you.”

  He slid his gaze to meet hers. “I work hard, but when the day is done, I stop. There has to be balance.”

  Josie swallowed, seeing immediately where he was going with the conversation. He’d accused her of running earlier. He was like a dog on a scent, sniffing out her weaknesses and wanting to explore them. She wasn’t exactly running from anything but he was right about her avoiding certain areas in her life. She’d given up the idea of a family in college. She’d had her chance and hadn’t taken it.

  “After my wife died, I buried myself in work. It was easier that way.”

  “People have different ways of coping, I guess,” she offered. “I did an article on coping skills once.”

  Tuck shook his head. “That’s just it. I wasn’t coping. I was shoving everything under the bed. Then I finally started dealing with her death in my own way. Not on some counselor’s couch like others had suggested.”

  “What did you do?”

  Tuck glanced over. “I started nature walking. Renee loved to take long nature walks. It was her personal time to think about life or cool off after I’d made her mad. She usually took her painting supplies with her and scoped out a place to paint.” A slight smile pulled on the corners of his mouth as he talked about his late wife, making Josie feel a little uneasy. “So my eventual grief therapy was doing the same. It helped. During those walks, I eventually came up with the idea for my physical therapy practice.”

  “That’s a good story.”

  He looked over with a wry expression. “No working, remember?”

  She went to hold up her hands but then tightened her grip on the horse’s reins as the mare continued to stroll along the path. “I’m not. Although that would make a nice piece in a magazine.”

  Tuck gave a soft command to his horse and moved the reins, turning left on the path. Josie followed, falling slightly behind. After a few steps, he stopped his horse, causing her to do the same. He pointed at a bright-purple bird.

  “Oh, wow. That’s just like the one I saw behind the bed and breakfast. I saw it in my dream this morning too.”

  He looked at her with interest piquing on his brow. “American Indian culture believes in something called your animal spirit guide.”

  Josie took her eyes off the bird only briefly to give him a curious look. “So do you think that bird is my animal spirit guide?”

  He let out a soft laugh, careful not to spook the bird, which had landed on the ground and seemed to be watching them as well. “Well, a purple finch isn’t a traditional animal spirit guide. Eagles, falcons, and ravens are more common. A spirit guide can be anything in creation though. It speaks to you through dreams, physical appearance, signs, and symbols.”

  “You think that little bird is trying to tell me something?” she asked with just a hint of wariness in her voice.

  He shrugged his broad shoulders. “Maybe.”

  “Well, you might be able to speak dog but I don’t speak bird.”

  Tuck smiled. “Just slow down and listen to the voice inside you. That’s usually how you get any messages that life is trying to send.”

  Josie had never been one to make time for yoga or meditation. “Do you have a spirit animal?”

  He nodded. “A bear. I’ve been seeing them since I was young. Never in a threatening way. They’re always just there, watching me in the same way that I study them. Sometimes I look up at the sky and the Great Bear, or Ursa Major, stands out to me.”

  “And what do they mean?” she asked, fascinated as Tuck explained some of his beliefs.

  “Well, bears represent strength and introspection. They protect their cubs, or those they love.” He looked over. “Some guides come and go; they have different purposes. The bear is my life guide.”

  He pulled the necklace from around his neck, holding the pendant with the bear between his fingers. “I wear my totem around my neck to remind me of who I am. I needed this more than ever after Renee died.”

  Josie looked back at the path. “I never saw a bird like that one until I came to Sweetwater Springs.”

  “A journey animal guide appears at a fork in the road of your life. When you’re faced with a decision. Maybe that’s what this is for you.”

  Josie watched the creature for a second longer, and then it fluttered and took flight, disappearing down the trail. What did it mean? She wasn’t sure but excitement stirred inside her. She really was at a proverbial fork in her road. Everything felt like it was changing somehow. Maybe that beautiful little bird really was trying to tell her something. But she had no clue what it was.

  They continued riding for another half hour, and then Josie and Tuck returned the horses to the barn and Tuck chatted with the owner.

  “Yours if you want ’em,” the man in a cowboy hat said. “I’m retiring and moving out west where my daughter and grandchildren are. I’ll miss the mountains but family is everything.”

  “Can’t blame you there,” Tuck said, reminding Josie that he wasn’t her type at all. He was a family man at heart. That was who he was before Maddie, and now it was even truer.

  “These horses need a good home. Looks like they bonded well with you two,” the cowboy said.

  Josie shook her head. “Oh, I won’t be part of their home. I live in New York.”

  The cowboy frowned. “That’s a shame.”

  “Well, maybe she’ll come back to visit them every now and then,” Tuck offered, not looking at her when he said it.

  Would Tuck want her to come see him when she visited? Could this little fling of theirs continue after she returned to New York? Maybe she could return and visit Sweetwater Springs more often. A home away from home of sorts. Then she wouldn’t have to say goodbye to Tuck, at least not just yet.
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  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  It’d been a long time since Tuck had a day like the one he’d just shared with Josie. Horseback riding, laughing, and now they were sitting on his back deck with a glass of iced green tea in hand. The perfect day.

  “Sore yet?” he asked, admiring Josie in the quickly fading sunlight.

  “You’re right. I can feel muscles I didn’t know I had.” She ran a hand along her outer thigh as if to prove a point.

  The only point she proved, though, was that he could want her no matter how tired he was.

  “I might not be able to move tomorrow.”

  “I can help with that.”

  She narrowed her eyes. “What do you have in mind?”

  “There’s a natural hot spring right down from the creek. It does wonders on sore muscles. Best-kept secret in town.”

  “And you’re sharing your secrets with me?” she asked with a growing smile.

  “Not all of them just yet. I have to have a reason for you to keep coming back for more. Want me to take you there?” he asked.

  “Where?”

  “The hot spring. It’s just a short walk through the woods. Do you have a swimsuit?”

  Josie set her glass down. “Matter of fact, I do. I never travel without one because you never know where you’ll get an opportunity to take a dip. I can’t say I’ve ever been given an opportunity to relax in a natural hot spring. That sounds like a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”

  “Unless you live here. I find the mineral spring to be just as good for the soul as they are for the body.”

  Josie stood. “You’ve sold me on the idea. I’ll be right back in my suit.”

  He pushed back from the table as well, making Shadow lift her head. “I’ll grab mine too.”

  Ten minutes later, Tuck left Shadow in the house, and he and Josie started walking down the path he traveled with a lot of his patients. The sun had continued its descent and could barely be seen behind the pines and distant mountains. He estimated that they still had an hour and a half of daylight, and even if the sun went down, walking out here after dark wasn’t a major concern. He’d seen a bear a time or two, but as he’d told Josie, he had a kinship with the burly creatures.

  “You okay?” he asked as they walked.

  She shivered in the sweater she wore over her bathing suit along with a pair of shorts. “It’s a little chilly out here.”

  “Not for long. The water runs about one hundred degrees Fahrenheit. We’re almost there.” He led the way through the woods. There were orange ribbons that he’d tied on the pines several months ago to ensure none of his patients ever lost their way. “Be careful. The ground is a little uneven in here.” Tuck reached back for her hand to make sure she didn’t fall but he didn’t let it go once they hit easier terrain. The feel of her skin along his palm felt intimate and right.

  “I think I hear the water,” Josie said excitedly a few minutes later.

  Tuck tugged her a few more steps and then the pines opened to a small clearing.

  “Oh, wow.” She stopped and stared for a long moment. It wasn’t a large hot spring but it was big enough for a handful of people. Or just two who couldn’t keep their hands off each other. “It’s gorgeous,” she said almost breathlessly.

  Tuck was watching her as she took in the surrounding area of the water and the trees making a natural fence to outsiders. The hot spring was nice but she was the gorgeous one.

  She turned back to look at him, her lips slightly parted. “Do you come up here often?”

  He shrugged. “Often enough. Maybe once or twice a week unless I’m busy. I use it with my patients sometimes.” Tuck led her closer to the spring, the sound of rippling water growing louder with each step. Somewhere in the distance, a coyote howled.

  “You have a lot to offer here, don’t you? Horses, a therapy dog, a hot spring. If you don’t watch out, you’ll be the most sought-after physical therapist in town. You won’t be able to keep up with business.”

  He laughed and shook his head. “Most patients still prefer to go to the hospital rehab center, and that’s fine by me. I’m only one person, and there are limits to how many patients I can see in a week.”

  Josie turned back to the spring and then, before he knew it, she’d pulled her cardigan off and shimmied out of her shorts. She was wearing a modest two-piece bathing suit that showed off just a few inches of her toned stomach. Even though they’d spent last night together, her cheeks blushed just a little as she looked over her shoulder at him. “Aren’t you going to take off your T-shirt and get in with me?”

  “Oh yeah.” He pulled his T-shirt over his head and discarded it on a nearby rock. “Let me go in first,” he said, “just to make sure there aren’t any loose rocks down there that might slide away under your feet. I don’t want you reinjuring your knee…Try to follow in my footsteps.” He lowered himself to the edge of the hot spring and put his right foot in first. The water was hot, and it awakened every nerve in his skin. He slid the rest of his body into the pool of water and then turned to help Josie.

  “Ohhhh!” she moaned as she got in, awakening all of Tuck’s other senses. “You were right. This is heaven. I doubt I’ll have any soreness once I get out of this pool.” She beamed at him. “But I still might need that massage once we get back home.” Her smile faltered just a little when she realized what she’d said.

  He’d noticed too. Even though she’d been at Hope Cottage for only two weeks, she’d called it home. He knew it was just a slip of the tongue but it also felt true. He’d tossed out the idea earlier that they could continue to see each other after she returned to New York but they hadn’t discussed it. He just wasn’t ready to let her go, and some part of him wondered if he ever would be.

  * * *

  Josie set out early the next day on her bike, heading downtown. She’d become quite fond of the Sweetwater Café, which had the best coffee she’d ever tasted. She didn’t mind working in solitude sometimes but she found people-watching often conjured up lots of fresh ideas for articles. Some didn’t go anywhere but some were keepers.

  Her mind wandered as the gentle breeze ran its fingers through her hair. She was still processing the fact that Tuck was Maddie’s father, not that she was surprised. In addition to Tuck’s looks, she had his same temperament. They were both stubborn and determined. Both quiet and contemplative. Even on their girls’ day out, when Maddie had been much more talkative than usual, she’d still been more of an observer, grinning ear to ear as she went along with Josie and Kaitlyn.

  Josie slowed her bike and parked it in the bike rack downtown. Draping her laptop bag over her shoulder, she took her time strolling down the sidewalk. Now that the Sweetwater Springs Festival had ended, there were less people populating the quaint street. Josie still saw a few faces she recognized. She waved and said hello.

  When she reached the Sweetwater Café, she stepped inside and breathed in the delicious aroma of freshly brewed coffee. There was no better smell.

  “Josie!” Emma, the shop owner, said when Josie reached the counter. “Tall caffe latte with almond milk and three raw sugars, correct?”

  “Impressive,” Josie said, trying to remember any place she’d ever been that had remembered her order. Just one more of the many charms of being in a small town. “That’s exactly what I want.”

  With a nod, Emma started to pour the coffee while talking over the steady grind of machinery on her countertop. “I saw you at the festival over the weekend. You were with Tuck and a little girl.” One of Emma’s brows poked up on her forehead as she glanced over her shoulder.

  “Since I’m renting Tuck’s garage apartment, he was nice enough to invite me along.” Josie pulled her debit card from her wallet.

  Emma’s eyes told Josie she wasn’t buying it but the line behind Josie was growing and there wasn’t time to talk more. “Here you go! Come back up when you’re ready for a refill.”

  “I will. Thanks.” Josie paid and headed to an empty table
in the corner. As she was walking, someone called her name.

  “Josie!”

  Josie stopped in her tracks and turned to the woman. What was her name again?

  “We met over the weekend. I’m Michelle.”

  “Right. From Carolina Home magazine.”

  Michelle had her laptop open on the table in front of her. “Looks like you and I both have similar writing habits.”

  Josie patted the laptop bag she’d been using since college. “Sometimes the noise and commotion silence what’s going on in my head.”

  Michelle gestured to the chair across from her. “Do you have time to sit and share a coffee? Before you get started on whatever you’re working on?”

  Josie’s gaze wavered momentarily to the empty table behind Michelle. She’d been biting at the bit to work but it would be nice to get to know Michelle a little better. “I have all day to write so that would be nice.” Josie pulled out the chair and sat down.

  “Did you enjoy the festival?” Michelle asked, taking a sip of her beverage.

  “I did. It was a lot of fun. I was so tired I slept like a baby on Saturday night though.” After she and Tuck had their own festivities under the sheets, that is. “Did you get a lot of subscriptions for Carolina Home magazine?” Josie asked.

  Michelle leaned back comfortably in her chair and crossed her legs. “Quite a few, actually, but nothing compared to the reach that Loving Life has.” She gave Josie a meaningful look. “But it’s also nothing to sneeze at. When I first started the magazine, I think I had twenty subscribers. Progress is progress, and I’ll take it.”

  “That’s great.”

  “So, what are you writing today?” Michelle asked, gesturing to Josie’s laptop bag on the floor beside her chair.

  “Oh”—Josie shrugged—“honestly, I have no idea. I finished my follow-up article on Sweetwater Springs and sent it off. I’ve jotted down a few ideas but nothing solid just yet. All the ideas I ran by my new boss the other day were shot down with military accuracy.” She resisted the need to roll her eyes.

  Michelle sipped her coffee. “I’d love to hear your ideas.”