Page 31 of Something Stronger
“She’s pregnant for now. This is our third try here. She lost a baby the last time we did this. Hallie’s a little excited and I don’t have the heart to bring her down. We’re hoping we get awinner out of this one. I only have one racing at the moment, and he’s going to be of retirement age soon. I went and looked at a three-year-old last week and he seemed promising if the owner and I can come to an agreement on price. There’s a lot that goes into this business. You probably don’t want to hear about all of it.” He chuckled. “Hallie says I talk about work too much.”
“I like hearing about it. I’m surrounded by dance and flower shop talk all the time. This is nice.” I laughed lightly. “I might need this recipe. It’s so good.” I stuffed another bite of chicken into my mouth.
“Not a problem.” He nodded as he finished off what was left on his plate. “So, I know you’ve been a dance mom for years and you work at your sister’s flower shop. What else do you like to do? Has drawing always been your thing?” He sat back and crossed one leg over the other as he watched me.
“I always loved to draw as a kid. My sisters and I assumed we’d take over the farm when my dad retired. My older sister, Codie, has already started working with him. She’s an accountant. I went to school for communications. I’ve worked in PR at different capacities since I graduated. When I got married, my husband wanted me to stay home with Amy, and I did. I loved it, but when things started falling apart, I took any job I could within the realm of PR to support us. Carrie happened to need someone to help out in the shop and to come up with ways to drum up business. I decided it was the perfect fit. When she asked me to paint the mural, it was like dream. I haven’t had so much fun working in years.” I shrugged as I wiped my mouth with my napkin.
“It’s good to find what you love.” He nodded as if he truly understood what I was saying. I was trying my best to be honest without dumping too much baggage all at once. I could hear Charlie’s voice in my head telling me that no one else wanted me. I was used goods.
“Feel like taking a walk?” He stood and offered his hand.
“Sure.” I took it and let him lead me over to the stairs that led down to the grassy yard. We walked beside each other in the quiet until we reached the practice track. The crickets were starting to chirp, and there was a soft breeze in the air. The grass tickled where it brushed my ankles.
“This is one of my favorite spots on the farm. I come here some mornings before the sun is even up and just listen. I lean against the railing, and I imagine the sound of hoof beats as a horse barrels into the final turn. Dirt flying up behind it, a jockey poised in the saddle, the crowd erupting as my horse crosses the finish line first. Sometimes I’ll hang back when Craig is breezing one just imagining what could be. I’ve caught Hallie out here too. I never realized how much of me is in her.” He shook his head as he pushed away from the rail.
“Growing up, my favorite spot at our farm was the hayfield. Codie and I would climb on the bales before the farmhands would stack them in the loft. I fell off one when I was nine and broke my wrist.” I laughed. “I was like my dad, too.”
“I wondered when I bought this place if I was making a mistake. I could give up racing and live comfortably, but then I’d see Hallie and listen to the way she’d talk to Craig, and I knew I needed to keep the business going to leave her a legacy. So, Lucky Star is pregnant and if all goes well, we’ll have a champion in a few years.” He sighed as we started walking again.
We meandered around the property, saving the barn for last. I knew he wanted to show me the horses, but he also knew that adding Hallie and Amy to the mix would take the romance away. “There’s one more place I want to show you before we head down there.” He pointed to the barn.
“Ok,” I followed him as he led me to the edge of the woods. “I’ve been thinking about this since I saw you at the front door.”One side of his mouth curled up as he turned us so my back was to a large tree.
“What’s that?” I looked up. I felt so much like a teenager in that moment. I had countless memories of escaping my parents’ house and rushing into the woods or the hayfield to hide and sneak a kiss with Charlie. There was something about those memories that made this moment strangely awkward.
“This.” He cupped my cheek and leaned in, pressing a light kiss to my lips. I melted. Part of me didn’t want to, but part of me did and that part won. The girl inside me craved attention like this. It had been withheld for so many years, and I’d almost forgotten what it felt like.
His fingers threaded through the hairs at my nape as his mouth slanted over mine. His tongue licked at my lips deepening the kiss, and sighed as I too reached up, cupping the back of his head. The kiss was slow, as if he were taking the time to taste me and enjoy it.
He pulled back, breaking the contact just as my eyes fluttered open. “I’ve wanted to do that since I first saw you at the studio. It was worth the wait.” He grinned.
I swayed on my feet, heady from the kiss. “Yeah.” I giggled like a schoolgirl.
“I’d like to see you again. Maybe you could show me somewhere new?” He bent his knees to look me in the eyes.
“I could do that.” I smiled. “Can we see the barn now?”
“We can see the barn now.” He chuckled as he reached for my hand, and we began walking toward the barn. When we stepped inside, I could hear the girls giggling.
“Anybody in here?” Issac called and both Amy and Hallie came rushing out of a stall, skidding to a stop.
Hallie looked at Amy and both girls were grinning at each other. “I told you!” Hallie hissed as she grabbed Amy’s hands.“Look.” She pointed at us, and I looked down to realize we were still holding hands.
“Are you ok with this?” I asked Amy.
“Yeah. I’m ok with it.” She rushed over and hugged me. “I like him,” she mumbled as she buried her face in my side.
“I’m ok with it, too.” Hallie bounced on her toes.
“Well, ok then,” Issac teased, and we all laughed.
We spent the rest of the evening looking at the horses and exploring the barn, but all I was thinking about was that kiss at the edge of the woods and I kinda wanted to do it again.
Chapter 19
Issac
Tomorrow was competition day, and it was the last one of the season. As much as I enjoyed seeing Hallie dance, I was kinda ready for a break. Spending practically every day at the studio and then traveling on the weekends for competitions made it hard to get anything else done. Racing season would start up soon, and I needed time to travel for that. There’s a rehearsal tonight at the studio, and I’m hoping to get some help with this costume because I’m not sure I got all the stones in the correct spot.
