Page 100 of A Beach House Beginning

If she hadn’t been driving, Christa would have closed her eyes and groaned. She had explained to Hope that Jace had to leave and he didn’t know when—or if—he would be back. But the reality didn’t seem to sink through with her daughter.

“I doubt it. He’s probably already on his way to Texas.”

One more thing to fill her nights with guilt. Had she done the right thing, trying to protect her daughter from future pain? Or had she pushed him away for purely selfish reasons, so she could insulate her own heart?

“I wonder when he’ll be back.”

Christa sighed. “I don’t know if he will, honey. I talked to you about this, remember?”

Hope made an exasperated face, looking so much like her typical teen self that Christa nearly drove off the road. “Mom, I’m not stupid. I can remember something we talked about yesterday.”

“Then you should remember that I said I didn’t know if he would be back. He has many business interests away from Sage Flats that demand his attention.”

“He’ll be back,” Hope said with complete assurance, and Christa sighed heavily.

“Maybe. But you have to promise you won’t be too disappointed if he’s not.”

“He has three other houses. Did you know that?”

With the millions of other possible conversation topics, why did they have to continue talking about Jace? “No. I didn’t know,” Christa answered, racking her brain for a way to change the subject.

“Yep. One in Houston, one in California, on the beach, and another ranch somewhere in Montana.”

To her relief, they reached the equine therapy center just then and she didn’t have to scramble for a reply.

The next few minutes were busy taking out the wheelchair and transferring Hope, all while fighting a ridiculous flutter of anticipation that he might be inside the arena just like the first time they had come here.

But she was doomed to disappointment. No, it was relief, she told herself quickly after a scan of the building showed no sign of a familiar lean, gorgeous cowboy with blue eyes and a black Stetson.

Instead Hank Stevens greeted them with his usual gruff warmth.

“No Jace?” Hope asked, and Christa saw with a pang that much of the light had left her features.

Hank rested a beefy hand on her shoulder. “No. Sorry, kid. He’s catching a flight out tonight and had some things to do on the ranch before he left.”

“Oh.”

Compassion washed across his grizzled features, and his gaze flicked to Christa, then back to Hope. “You’re gonna want to try to find a smile in there again, especially when you see the surprise he left for you.”

Some of her excitement returned. “What surprise?”

“You stay here. I’ll be right back.”

He walked away, only to return a moment later leading a small sorrel mare with black markings.

As he approached, Hope caught her breath and clasped her hands together.

“What’s this?” Christa asked, not quite believing what her instincts were already telling her.

“Jace picked out this pretty little mare for our girl here. He must have looked at two dozen horses before he found this one. She’s the sweetest-tempered horse I’ve ever seen, with a smooth, easy gait that will be just perfect for Hope.”

“Mine?” Hope’s eyes shone with the light of a thousand stars.

“You want her?”

“Yes,” she breathed. “Oh,yes!”

“Her name’s Milagra. Mila. It meansmiraclein Spanish.”

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