Page 15 of Captivated

Nate wasgrateful Dad had programed the trip into his phone. He’d never driven this far alone before, and he had visions of getting lost in the wilds of Montana. Dad had suggested bringing him to Salvation and picking him up once the two weeks were over, but Nate had fought him on that.

“I’m not a kid anymore. You’re not dropping me off at summer camp.”

More than that, he didn’t want anyone at Salvation thinking he couldn’t get there under his own steam, and he wanted to have his own transportation in case he needed to get out of there in a hurry.

Hey, that doesn’t sound positive.

He’d promised Dad he’d do his best to keep the negativity at bay, but Nate knew that was easier said than done.

When he hit Bozeman, Nate breathed a sigh of relief.

Almost there.

Dad had described Bozeman as the last bit of civilization before the ranch, and it appeared to be a reasonably sized town, not that Nate intended stopping there. It was past five o’clock, and he wanted to be at Salvation in time for supper.

He turned when the virtual voice told him to, and not long after that, civilization was behind him, the sky pressed down wide and empty, and the two-lane road ahead stretched out like a dare into nowhere.

He’d gone online to take a peek at Salvation. There were a lot of photos of horses, rolling hills, stunning views…When he saw the pictures of people on horseback, that gave him a moment’s pause, until his common sense kicked in.

Did you think the ranch was populated by nothing but horses?

Besides, there were the weeks when the action wasn’t so much about riding, but other kinds of pursuits. Dad never talked about what happened during those times, but Nate could read, for God’s sake. And he only had to look at Dad after one of those weeks to know whatever he’d been doing, it was doing him a helluva lot of good.

According to Nate’s phone, he was minutes away from Salvation.

He clenched the steering wheel tighter, his fingers aching where he’d been gripping it too long.

I hope to God I’m doing the right thing.It wasn’t the first time that thought had crossed his mind since he’d agreed to do this. Both Dad and his therapist had been optimistic. Nate knew he hadn’t imagined the glisten of tears when Dad had said goodbye, and he was pretty sure he’d caught the word“proud”in there somewhere when Dad squeezed the life out of him in a ferocious hug.

This is a big deal. Apparently for both of us.

An eight-hour drive was definitely huge, and Dad had factored in several stops along the way where there’d be a restroom, someplace to eat… They’d worked out the best time to leave, so he’d miss the worst of the traffic.

As for what lay at the end of it?

Nate didn’t have a clue what to expect.

The dirt road twisted through pines and high-country scrub, and Nate kept a lookout for the gap in the log fences that Dad had told him led to Salvation. And there it was, a long curving driveway that dipped in places. When he saw the arch of logs,SALVATIONburnt into the crosspiece, his heart skipped a beat.

It feels as though I’m stepping off the edge of the world.

Nate drove into what was obviously a parking lot and killed the engine.

He didn’t move.

I don’t do people.

I don’t do groups.

I don’t want new.

He hated how much his chest was already tightening with the thought of being seen. Judged. Misunderstood. His therapist had said the horses wouldn’t care. They’d just want him to show up. No pretending. No talking if he didn’t want to. But horses came with people.

Then he froze.

Someone was walking out of the barn toward him.

He wasn’t all that tall, but he had broad shoulders, and the rest of him was pretty lean. Visible beneath the brim of his white hat, his hair was dark brown, gray at the temples, his beard showing silver at the chin. His flannel shirt looked as if it had been through years of wind and work.

---