Adam stopped and turned back to her. “How about you be ready at eight thirty tomorrow morning? I’m going to take you horseback riding.”
That was presumptuous.But the idea excited her, and spending more time with him after today would be fun. That little voice in the back of her mind nudged her.Something new. Got to go for it.And then Adam saying it was never too late to dream. She swallowed back the fear and let the words tumble out. “Yes. I’ll be ready.”
“Jeans and a T-shirt. There are wild blackberries along the trail. They’re tasty, but those stickers will scratch you up. See you in the morning.”
She waved and watched him walk back down toward his house.
I’m going horseback riding? With a handsome, honest-to-goodness cowboy?She held in the squeal, because one thing she’d learned about these wide-open mountain spaces was that sound traveled.
After letting the screen door close behind her, she set the pies on the counter. Her little kitchenette was more than enough for her, but after spending the day in a real kitchen with Adam, it seemed so inadequate.
—
Later that evening, with hair still damp from the shower, she sat on the porch swing out front. From there, she could see lights on at Adam’s house through the trees. Maybe he was fixing dinner.
It had been a really interesting day. He was so easy to talk to. She’d kept her divorce and her leave of absence a secret when she hit town. It just seemed easier, since she wouldn’t be here that long, but she’d been tempted to tell Adam about her situation. He’d be the one person who might understand.
She picked up her phone and typed his name in the search bar, and a whole page of links popped up. He had made quite a name for himself in high school rodeo around here. There was even a scholarship named after him and several articles written about him when he was in college in Texas.
On the Professional Bull Rider website, she saw his statistics for the past few years, and he hadn’t been exaggerating when he’d said he was a contender this year. Right now he was leading the board. His dreams were certainly within reach.
The goals were lofty, but they looked attainable if he could stay healthy and focused.
His determination was inspiring. She pulled her bare feet up into the seat and hugged her knees.
What is it that I want out of my life?
10
Merry Anna’s alarm sounded atseven. It wasn’t like her to sleep until it went off, and suddenly she found herself panicked at the thought of getting up and ready on time for this horseback ride she was supposed to go on.What was I thinking to say yes to that?A trickle of anxiety stole her breath.Because I’m trying new things, that’s why.
“Here’s to new things.” She got out of bed and pulled her hair into a braid.
She was brushing her teeth when her phone rang. A picture of Mom and Dad smiled back at her from her phone. She pressed the speaker button. “Hello.”
“Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Merry Anna—best daughter in the world—happy birthday to you.” They held that last out-of-tune note long enough for her to almost beg for mercy.
It was an annual thing: the torturous duet from her parents, followed by the—
“Thirty-three years ago today,” Mom started without a hitch, “I was—”
There it was. “Yeah, yeah, I know, Mom. Good morning.”
“You always say the same thing,” Dad grumbled. “Give thegirl a break. She doesn’t care what you were doing the day she was born.”
Mom mumbled something in the background.
“When are you coming back home and to work?” Dad always did cut to the chase. “This has gone on too long.”
“I don’t know, Dad.”
“Happy birthday, honey,” Mom sang out. “Do you have big plans?”
She didn’t really know how to answer that. “I’m celebrating with the girl I work for. I’m really looking forward to it.”Why am I lying to her? I am divorced. I’m a grown woman, and I can do whatever I want to do. Then again, Mom never baked a pie. She probably wouldn’t even be impressed.
“That sounds lovely, dear.”
“Why are you still working in that gift shop?” Dad sounded annoyed. She wished she’d never told them about taking the job there. “That bet with Kevin is ridiculous. Living on next to nothing? What does that prove? How long are you going to let this go on? You could own a chain of little gift shops if that’s what you want. It’s about time you come back and do your real job.”
