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The message from Dad helped ground me.
After getting Sparkles settled back in her stall, I headed to one of the rehabilitation rooms. It was where they kept the Aqua Equine Treadmill. The horse walked into a clear rectangular box that surrounded him. A belt on the bottom moved as the water climbed up to about eighty or ninety percent of the horse’s leg height. Jaxson stood tall next to a long, blond-haired man up on the platform. They looked at me at the same time. The blond man’s blue eyes were a crystal clear as he gave me a friendly smile. Jaxson motioned for me to wait. “That’s looking good, Dwayne. Go for another fifteen and let him rest.”
“Will do.”
Dwayne waved to me and then focused intently back on the horse as Jaxson’s footsteps could be heard on the metal steps while descending the platform that gave a good view of the horse in motion. The earlier warmth I felt was still gone, and I felt my palms become clammy. I was more nervous than I had been after screaming in his face and waking up almost the entire house.
It was best to clear the air. “I’m sorry if I overstepped by taking Ty for a ride. I’ll check first with anything until I know the parameters.”
“No, thank you. I’ve been wracking my brain on how to get him on a horse again after he saw me get thrown.” Jaxson scrubbed a hand down his face. “We’d taken on a flighty as shit racehorse for rehabilitation. He’d broken his leg in the holding area at the starting gate before coming here. It was his first ride since the accident. I didn’t want anyone else to ride him. Ty happened to walk into the arena at the worst possible time.”
I followed Jaxson. He didn’t say another word as we walked down a corridor. “What was wrong with the horse on the treadmill?”
“Another racehorse. Fracture to his left cannon bone on his leg. He’s worth about ten million dollars, so the owners are trying to salvage his racing days. It’ll take time, but that horse will see a racetrack again.”
We walked past two guys taking another horse into the room with the pool. I asked, “Why did you choose the Aqua treadmill for that horse versus the pool?”
“I like a slow progression. I think it helps take the strain and allow for a more natural healing in serious cases.” Healing horses was his passion. It was evident as he spoke with fervor.
“Dad has that philosophy too.”
Jaxson slipped back into mechanical mode as he explained the operations of the business. For now, I was helping with the grooming side since I was used to it. I’d float between areas to learn the different aspects and help where I was needed. Something fun, interesting, and different from what I was used to.
ONE WEEK PASSED. LIFE WAS settling into a routine which was good. The McCole’s welcomed me with open arms—more than I ever imagined. I talked to Dad and Millie every day. Since arriving, no additional notes were left that I knew about. My apprehension lessened more each day and made everything easier.
I sighed as I gazed out to the pasture in front of the McCole main house while early evening approached. It was a therapeutic gesture. Picturesque was the only word I could think of as horses meandered about grazing. Ty begged for me to stay and eat dinner with them daily. Tonight was the first night I accepted. Through the week, Pam took me to get groceries, but she wanted to assure me I had an open invite to dinner anytime.
Jaxson was a doting father, committed to the business, helped anyone who needed it. There had been a man broken down on the side of the road. Jaxson was late picking up Ty one evening because he helped the man get a new battery. He was genuine and the love of his family was evident. He watched out for all of them. I’d never met a man, besides my father, who exuded such qualities. It would be easy to fall for someone like him, but it was apparent there was no interest.
Things with Jaxson were off. Or maybe they were right. I wasn’t sure if maybe that first couple of times was him having lack of sleep. Who knows. It shouldn’t have bothered me, but things had heated up quickly. Millie was baffled like me as she assured me there was interest from his end when they spoke the one time. I agreed there had been an unmistakable chemistry between us. I saw it in the way our bodies gravitated toward each other without thinking the first night and morning.
Then, somet
hing had doused his fire. Maybe he found out about my past. At times this week, it was as if he was restraining himself as I thought back to one of the many instances, but I wasn’t sure.
Ty and I were swimming in the pool. A splash war against each other was underway his giggles filled the air as he used all his might to send as much water as he could my way. At the end of each lesson, we played until he was worn out. Today we focused on his backstroke. As one of my summer jobs in high school, I was a swim instructor to help pay for all the dance fees. It seemed like I remembered most of it.
“Ty, we need to head to town.”
We stopped and saw Pam leaning against the rail. Ty swam as fast as he could to the steps. Pam was taking him to get some new boots and out for ice cream. The kid would do anything for ice cream.
“Bye, London. I’ll see you later.”
“Bye, Ty.”
He waved and ran up the steps while dripping wet with water. Wrapping a towel around him, Pam picked him up and smothered him with kisses. The smile that spread across his face as he pretended to not want the affection was picture perfect.
Picking up all the toys, I saw the Dr. Seuss book Ty always read at night on the lawn chair. He’d brought it this morning for us to read together. Quickly drying off and then leaving the wet towel, I headed into the main house to leave the book on the kitchen counter. As I came around the corner, Jaxson stood in the kitchen sipping a cup of coffee.
His eyes shot to mine and they roamed over my black-bikini-clad body. “London.”
Every time we were in the same proximity, electricity intensified around us. But then, Jaxson would abruptly leave or barely look at me while he gave his next set of instructions.
As usual, I tried to stay relaxed. “Hey, Jaxson. Ty left his book outside and I knew he’d want it tonight.”
Setting the coffee on the counter, Jaxson held his hand out. I took a few steps closer to where I was within reaching distance and slipped on the floor. Quicker than I would have thought possible, Jaxson’s hands shot out to catch me, bringing us chest to chest. The book clattered to the floor.
“Are you okay?”
