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“He’ll outgrow the rodeo eventually. I have a feeling he’ll never outgrow you,” Josie said, then looked up as someone called her name. “Oops, got to run. I hope Cody gets back with those supplies soon!”
“I was wondering where he was,” Chasity said before blowing a raspberry on Marshal’s cheek and making him squeal in delight.
“He often makes runs like that on Saturday mornings, but he’s usually back by lunch.” Charlotte glanced at the door. She didn’t see Josie’s husband, but she noticed the upbeat in the kids’ activity level, signaling that lunch was just about over. “I’ve got to get Apollo ready for the after-lunch group. Is Kami attending again?”
“If you don’t mind?” Chasity responded hesitantly, but the girl who had been chatting with some other kids turned when she heard her name.
“Of course I don’t! I always love having her.” Charlotte smiled at the girl and then Chasity. “See you out there.”
The last of the kids left, leaving Charlotte feeling fulfilled and at peace. She was meant to be right here, right now. That was all that mattered. She didn’t have to figure out what was going on with Austin and her. She could leave that in God’s hands, and maybe they could get around to talking about it after Nationals. That was less than three weeks away.
After this many years, what was another three weeks?
“Good boy, Apollo,” she soothed her massive horse, rubbing him down and giving him extra treats. He was so gentle with the little ones, as if he knew they were kids and needed a softer handling. His horse-scent filled her senses, leaving her heady and calm. Horses had a way of doing that to her. “You just make everything right in this crazy world, you know that, boy?”
“Well, I actually think he does.” The deep voice had her spinning to find Austin leaning against the wall of the barn watching her.
Her hand froze halfway in the midst of a brush stroke, her mouth dropped open, and her body tingled as if it had fallen asleep. “What-What are you doing here? How long have you been there?”
“Long enough,” he said, pushing off the wall and coming to her. “I needed to talk with you.”
“So you flew across four states?” She shook herself, dropping the brush and turning completely toward him.
“Yep,” he said, pushing up the brim of his hat and leaning over the gate. “Is that okay?”
She licked her lips while struggling to come up with the right response. “Of course, I mean…I just didn’t expect it.”
“Well, you expect little from me, so maybe get ready for some unexpected things?” He shrugged.
“What was that supposed to mean…I expect little from you?”
“You don’t ask much of me. Did I word that better?” He stared into her eyes, the green of his becoming even more intense.
“Uh, yeah, and it’s not my place to ask anything from you.” She turned away before he saw right through her, put Apollo’s tack away, and fed him some grain, anything to keep her from meeting his intense gaze again.
“I would like that to change,” he said, his words quiet but powerful enough to make her turn back toward him.
“You want me to ask more of you?” She tried to keep her voice light, and add some humor to the situation before she went too far down the rabbit hole of hope. “How about handing me a flake of that hay?”
His lips twitched into a smile. “I can do that.” He pushed off the gate and grasped an armload of hay for Apollo to munch. “What else?”
She looked at him and bit her lip. “Go for a walk with me?”
“Absolutely,” he said, opening the gate for her.
She gave Apollo a scratch behind the ears. “You’re a good boy, Apollo. Enjoy your rest.”
“Do you bring him up here every weekend?” Austin asked as he shut and latched the gate behind her and walked with her toward her trailer.
“Not every weekend, but many. Whenever Josie lets me teach classes to the kids. Sometimes I just go on trail rides with them or teach them basics. Then I leave him at home.” She glanced at him as she veered away from her trailer toward a trail that led through the forest.
“And where is home now?”
“A little ranch right outside of Chico. It’s only ten miles from the vet clinic. They let me stay there in my trailer for free in exchange for helping take care of their horses.”
“Wow, that’s quite the deal,” Austin said, brushing up against her as they continued up the dirt trail.
“It is, and it’s one of the main reasons I came here…well, that and Camp Hope…but I felt God led me here. I’m trying to follow His lead right now…I know that might be hard for you to understand.”
