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Harley blew out her anxious breath, her pulse roaring in her ears. Mason had done it. He’d found her uncle. Emotion burned behind her eyes and she leaned into the horse as her knees buckled.
She’d only been here for a couple days, but she’d grown attached to her uncle in a way that surprised her more than anything else. He’d infuriated her. He’d bossed her around. But somehow, he’d also made her feel safe.
Pushing down that strange thought to a place where she didn’t have to deal with the confusion it created, she focused on the men as they approached.
It felt like it took forever for them to arrive at the barn, and the moment they came close enough that she could get a good look at her uncle, the concern returned. His face was pale, and he held his arm at an awkward angle.
“What happened?” she demanded.
“I’m fine, Harriet. It’s just a broken arm,” Vern said. “Mason here will drive me to the hospital, and I’ll get it casted.”
“I think there’s something wrong with his leg, too. Might be his hip,” Mason said.
Harley’s eyes darted to Mason. For a brief moment their gazes locked. A chill swept through her as she realized just how bad this could have been. With both a leg and an arm out of commission, Vern wouldn’t have been able to make it home. Clearly he hadn’t taken a phone with him, which was why he didn’t call. And she’d been so distracted that she wouldn’t have noticed he was gone until later in the day.
Her stomach roiled. His injuries might not have been her fault, but it would have been her fault if he hadn’t been found in time. They were lucky that Mason had scheduled an appointment today.
She looked down at the phone she still held. Maybe her uncle had been right to take it away from her when she’d arrived. Harley dropped it in her pocket quickly so her uncle wouldn’t notice. She’d return it to his office while he was gone.
Mason handed her the reins for the second horse and helped her uncle down. Together, they hobbled toward Mason’s truck. It wasn’t until he had Vern all situated that Harley realized she didn’t know what to do with the animals.
“Wait!” she called.
Mason stopped before opening the driver’s side door.
“What do I do with these guys?” She lifted the reins in either hand.
“Put them in their stalls,” Mason called back.
He got in his truck before she could clarify that she wasn’t sure how to remove all the gear or what to do next. Harley watched them drive away, feeling even more lost than she had when she’d arrived.
“Come on,” she muttered to the horses. “Let’s see if I can get you guys situated.”
* * *
Harley sat on the porch waiting for Mason to return with her uncle. She’d searched the internet for how to take care of an animal after going for a ride. After she’d clumsily taken the gear off, she’d brushed them down and given them water.
It was a different kind of an experience than she’d ever had before. The horses seemed to enjoy the brushing and one of them even nuzzled her a little bit for it. Maybe it wouldn’t be such a bad experience out here after all.
Now she didn’t know what to do. Lunch had come and gone. It was at this point she wished she had Mason’s number. She’d nearly called her mother a few times but then thought better of it.
Instead, her thoughts had shifted to Mason and how he’d taken control of the situation. She’d never seen a guy take responsibility like that before. Mason was something else. No wonder her uncle wanted him around. He was her complete opposite.
As the afternoon continued to grow later, Harley became more antsy. Her stomach growled with an intensity she didn’t think possible. Maybe she should go find something in the kitchen to make for when the guys got back.
She got to her feet and that was when she saw the truck rumbling up the road. Her whole body went on high alert for reasons she wasn’t sure of. She stood on her toes and watched as the truck continued toward her.
As soon as it pulled to a stop, she hurried down the steps toward it and pulled open the passenger side door. Vern had one arm in a cast and a sling. His leg was also casted to the point he couldn’t bend his knee. Her eyes widened and she covered her mouth with a shaking hand. “You said it wasn’t bad,” she whispered as she brought her eyes to her uncle.
“It’s not,” he grunted. “I’ve had worse.” He waved her off as Mason came up behind her. She stepped back, and Mason helped Vern out of the truck. He slung Vern’s good arm over his shoulder and they made their way slowly to the house.
Harley shut the screen door and followed after them. Her uncle’s dismissal of her had stung, but what did she expect? She hadn’t exactly been the best guest so far. Mason helped Vern inside, and she lingered out on the porch, feeling more helpless than ever.
She’d expected Mason to come back out soon, but what should have taken ten minutes max ended up being closer to forty-five minutes. When the door opened, she jumped. Mason let the door shut quietly behind him. “He’s gonna need rest tonight. Do you think you can handle being on your own?”
Her first instinct was to snap at him. She was an adult, after all. But she held back. It wasn’t his fault that he had a certain opinion of her. She hadn’t exactly shown him otherwise. Harley cleared her throat and nodded. “I’ll be fine.”
The silence that surrounded them felt heavy, weighing on her in ways she wasn’t expecting. She glanced at him briefly, so many questions burning in her mind. But the only thing she could muster was, “Thank you.”
