An apology and an admission of guilt? “I’m just glad nobody was hurt,” Jessica said.
“Well, you’ll still have to clean his stall,” Skyler said. “I can’t trust him around the kids.”
There was that annoying arrogance again. “I always insist on taking care of my own horse,” Jessica replied brusquely.
Skyler nodded and started to leave. Painful as it was, the apology had lifted a little weight from her shoulders. They had almost connected there for a few seconds. But now, the moment was gone. She looked back, tempted to say something else, and caught Jessica staring. She’s checking out my ass! And Kate was worried about me jumping her!
Jessica quickly looked away. “Was there something else?”
Skyler studied her defensive stance and knew Jessica was trying to hide her need to lean on the cane. What she saw was a lot of pain, and a lot of heart. She’d seen that kind of courage in a few horses, but seldom so clearly in a rider. Maybe she’d been hasty in her initial evaluation of Rampage and Jessica.
“Oh, yeah,” she said softly. “Con’s favorite book was Misty of Chincoteague. I read it to him many times.”
Jessica stared after the retreating figure. She must have meant Con Man, the gray gelding she rode to a gold medal. She remembered watching from the stands as Skyler Reese bent her head to accept the gold medal after her spectacular ride seven years ago. One day, she vowed, Skyler could sit in the stands and watch that gold being hung around her neck. She looked over at Rampage. The big bay stared back as he munched his hay.
Man, have we got a lot of work to do in the next few months.
“Hey, Skyler. I hope you’re hungry.” Kate waved her spatula over the full grill. “Jess and Charlie have made enough hamburgers here to feed an army. We may have to send a couple out to West Barn.”
“Yeah, well, Clint certainly can put away a few,” Skyler said, pulling a chair up and settling into it.
She smiled as Jessica handed over an opened beer with a slice of lime stuffed in the narrow neck. Her dark hair was loose, softly framing her face and draping just past her collar. Skyler could not tear her eyes away as Jessica helped Charlie unwrap cheese slices to pass to Kate. They could have been brother and sister, both dark haired with blue eyes.
The eight-year-old did not hide his curiosity about the new arrival. “Are you alone, too?” he asked Jessica.
She looked uncertain for a split second, then seemed to realize he was wondering about her reason for staying with Kate. Jessica gave him a warm smile. “Oh, no, Charlie. I’m not alone. My mom lives in Atlanta. But since I never had a daddy, Kate has been a sort of second mom for me.”
Charlie sighed like he carried the world on his small shoulders. “My mom is gone. She had cancer. She died and Kate let me come stay with her until they decide what to do with me. I don’t have a daddy, either.”
“Then I guess we’re both sort of strays that have ended up on her doorstep,” Jessica said. “So maybe we could be friends. That doesn’t sound so lonely, does it?”
The boy brightened immediately. “Kate said Trekker could be my horse while I’m here, and nobody but me could ride him.”
Skyler almost laughed at the abrupt change of topic. Charlie’s mood sometimes seemed to shift by the minute.
“That’s great,” Jessica said. “Maybe we could take a trail ride together while we’re both here.”
“That would be cool. I can show you the trails.” Charlie grinned up at her.
His awed expression made Skyler a little jealous, but she wasn’t sure of whom. Was she jealous that her shadow was suddenly enchanted by Jessica? Or was she wishing it was her cheese slice Jessica was helping unwrap?
“Hello, Earth to Skyler.” Kate waved a hand in front of her face.
Skyler blinked. “Uh, just trying to remember if I closed the feed room door,” she lied, relieved that Kate didn’t seem to notice the faint blush she could feel creeping up her neck and warming her ears.
“Well, make yourself useful and light the torches to keep the bugs away.” Kate gazed around. “It’s a really nice night. I think we’ll just eat on the patio.”