Bareback(46)
Charlie’s eyes lit up. “Yeah, I could eat two.”
The lunch went by quickly and it was well past noon when Jessica looked at her watch and announced that it was time to head back. Charlie’s face turned glum immediately.
“Hey, buddy, don’t look that way,” Jess said softly. “I have a good feeling about your uncle. You need to give him a chance. Your mom would have wanted that, don’t you think?”
He nodded and attempted a small smile. “Okay, Jess.”
“Okay, then. I bet the horses are getting tired of being tied up. Let’s get everything together and head back to the center.”
After repacking their saddlebags, they rode back slowly, each seemingly lost in thought. Skyler gave Charlie’s shoulder a little squeeze after they dismounted.
Staring anxiously at the strange SUV parked in front of the house, he asked, “Is that him?”
“I guess,” Skyler said.
They were tying the horses to the hitching posts in front of the barn, when Kate walked out of the barn trailed by a thirty-something, dark-haired man with the same brilliant blue eyes as Charlie.
“God, Charlie. Your uncle looks just like you…only older,” Jessica said.
The young man knelt down and beckoned the boy. “Hey, Charlie. I’m your Uncle Mark. You probably don’t remember me. I used to come visit you and your mom when you were little. Then I was out of the country because of my job. But your mom used to write long e-mails, telling me all about you. She sent lots of pictures.” His eyes filled with tears. “I wish she had told me she was sick. I really miss her.”
Mark held his arms and Charlie moved to him and began to sob into his shoulder. “I miss Mom so much, too.”
They hugged tightly and Mark said, “I know you don’t want to leave Kate, but the last time I talked to your mom, I promised her that you and I would take care of each other. It’s what she wanted for both of us.”
Charlie nodded, his tears slowing to sniffles.
“I’m going to be working in Atlanta nine months out of the year while you’re in school, but I’ll have to do some overseas traveling during the summer months. I thought you could spend summers here until you’re old enough to travel with me.”
Charlie’s eyes grew wide and he asked Kate, “Can I?”
Kate held her arms out and he shyly walked into her bear hug. “Your uncle and I had a good talk. You can come every time he’s away till you’re tired of all this.”
“I’ll never get sick of being here,” Charlie said solemnly. “I love it.”
“And we love you,” Kate said, wiping some tears.
At that very moment, a blood-curdling yowl came from the depths of the barn that sent them all rushing in to see what horse was standing on Peach’s tail. Every hair stood out straight on the battle-scarred old tom as a chubby, black Labrador puppy jumped playfully around him.
“Look out there, fellow.” Skyler laughed as she scooped the puppy up out of the reach of angry claws. “Peach probably isn’t the best playmate for you, little guy.”
Mark stepped forward and took the squirming puppy from her. “Oh, so that’s where you got off to.” He held the puppy up, facing Jessica and Skyler. “I’d introduce this little rascal to you, but he doesn’t have a name yet. That’s going to be up to Charlie because this is his new puppy.”
“Wow! He’s mine?” Charlie beamed as Mark handed the puppy to him. “Thanks, Uncle Mark. I’m going name him Rascal.”
“That’s a great name.” Mark turned to the women as they watched the puppy joyfully lick at Charlie’s face. “I don’t know much about being a father, but I’ve had a lot of experience being a boy. I’m counting on that to get me and Charlie through without my sister here to supervise us.”
“Why don’t we go sit on the porch for a while so we can get to know each other?” Kate suggested.
“Skyler and I will take care of the horses,” Jessica said. “Then I’ll join you.”
Jessica and Skyler made quick work of rubbing the horses down and turning them out in the paddocks to relax before they were brought in to the barn for the night. Their eyes met often, and they exchanged smiles as they went about their tasks in the barn. Skyler turned the last horse out and headed to the tack room to hang up the halter and lead rope in her hand. When she stepped through the doorway, Jessica reached out and grabbed Skyler’s shirt, pulling her close.