Page 3 of Tough Love

“Your daughter is young. She could make a full recovery with the right physical therapy. But I doubt she will have a show-jumping career from this point onward.”

The white room and bar windows of the hospital room close in on me.

Footsteps clack toward where they stand in the doorway. Dad appears. His face is twisted, sadness lining his eyes. He shakes his head.

“Oh Jesus, she is going to be so devastated, Logan.”

Dad pulls Mom into a hug, and her shoulders shake.

“The horse?” the doctor asks, but he looks down at his clipboard.

Dad stares at him. “Snake bite. She was gone before we even got Addy out from under her.”

“How the hell does that happen?” Mom pushes out of Dad’s arms.

“It was in the bloody hedge jump. The course builders figure it came in for the water and hid in the hedge. Addy and Jewelwere the last ones over that jump. It would have been good and riled up after twenty-odd horses disturbed it. Was a taipan.”

“At least it was quick.” Mom’s words are barely there.

I knew something was up with Jewls, and I pushed her anyway. My chin wobbles and tears burn down my cheeks. My poor girl. She trusted me, and I didn’t listen.

Mom sighs, folding her arms over her chest. “The doctor was saying Addy will need physical therapy to get back on her feet. No more jumping.”

“So, we funnel all of our efforts into vet school for her.” Dad’s words are kind, hopeful.

I slam my hands over my face.

How can they be thinking about me still becoming a vet after this? Sobs wrack my body. I struggle to pull air to my lungs. Mom’s hands land on mine a moment later. I sit up and she folds me into her. Her hands stroke my hair, the way they always have since I was a little girl when I’m upset. “I’m so sorry, Addy.”

Dad’s splayed, warm hand rubs my back. I know I should be glad I’m okay. I have seen things go so wrong for other show jumpers in the ten years I have been doing this. Much worse than a messed-up hip. But I can’t breathe.

Jewls is gone.

The day I met her, she changed my life. She chose me. Just walked on over and rubbed her dark muzzle into my arm. We were so much more than a girl and her horse.

She had my back for five years. And I let her down.

I was so obsessed with making time, I didn’t pay enough attention to her. This is all my fault.

My heart shatters.

Chapter One

HUDSON

Almost eight years later . . .

Summer 2024

Charlie trots beside my paint gelding, nose to the ground, tail up. As if he is tracking the herd of pregnant mares ahead of us through the flowing grass on the hilly peak. He’s shorter than the grass and disappears now and then, the swaying sea of stalks swallowing him whole. I chew on one such stalk I plucked before we set out for home.

The wind is up today, buffeting against the brim of my Stetson, and the gelding tosses his head, mane flopping over his patchy neck. The sun warms my tanned arms. There’s a solid line where the light blue t-shirt ends and the sunburnt skin starts. Mountains flank us on either side. Snow-capped and blue, and they darken as the clouds drift overhead.

Our pace is steady, despite the fact that my father will be pacing the barn as he waits. Nothing is ever fast enough or done well enough for Harrison Rawlins. The oversized, full bellies of my mares sway ahead. We are taking it slow; they will be foaling in a few months. The ranch will need new blood in a few years.

Charlie barks, taking off after a rabbit, his ragged terrier instincts kicking in.

I slide my sunglasses down a little as he darts around the grass, white with patches of tan long-haired pup appearing now and then. I chuckle, enjoying the serenity of the quiet ride home. I know that the moment I’m off this horse, the old man is going to want to get right into breaking in.

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