Love Inspired January 2014(49)

                “You got that right,” he said, giving her a halfhearted smile.

                “Eat this pie and all your troubles will disappear. If they don’t, take it up with Ms. Jo.” She shook her head and walked away to bring words of wisdom to the next table.

                Rowdy cut a big bite of the chocolate pie and let the rich flavor give him some comfort as he mulled over the situation.

                Morgan did the same. After a few minutes, Morgan said, “Don’t beat yourself up. Women are just hard to read sometimes. But there’s something going on here, or it wouldn’t matter to either one of you. Give it time. You’re making progress, and don’t forget that.”

                Rowdy drank his coffee, his mind tumbling over itself thinking about Morgan’s words. Progress. Was he?

                He hoped so.

                But there were some things even progress couldn’t help.

                * * *

                The contractor had started working on her studio and had informed her that the barn had good sturdy bones. He’d have the loft finished in a couple of weeks.

                Wonderful!

                Or at least it should be, but she wasn’t in the best of moods. Lucy hopped to her feet. She had to get outside; a walk would do her good.

                There was only a mild breeze blowing across the endless pastures as she started walking. Moose pranced behind her, stalking grasshoppers along the way.

                The sky was a gorgeous cerulean-blue, the clouds perfect for painting. Despite her foul mood, the walk seemed to clear out some of the negativity and she was not quite as down as she made her way back up the hill thirty minutes later.

                To her surprise, Tony was sitting on her back porch playing with Moose, who’d abandoned her not long after she’d started the walk. When he saw her, Tony jerked to his feet.

                “Hi, Lucy.”

                “Hey, yourself,” she said, feeling better just seeing him.

                He looked nervous, she realized. “Is something wrong, Tony?”

                He sat back down on the porch and Moose curled against his side. “Can I ask you something?”

                “Sure.” Lucy sat down on the other side of Moose.

                “I saw your scars the other day.”

                Lucy took a long breath. She’d never talked to him and Wes and Joseph about seeing her scars. “I thought so.”

                “You know I have them, too.”

                The words took her by surprise. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know.”

                He was such a handsome kid and he now pinned serious eyes on her. Pain was shining in them. “My parents... Anyway, I’ve been thinking about it and watching you. And I figured out you’re not comfortable with them. Me, either, just so you know.”

                She didn’t know what to make of this. Why had he come? She looked around to see how he’d gotten there and spotted a horse tied to the fence. It was almost hidden by a huge oak tree.

                “It’s been bugging me, and I had to come make sure you knew you weren’t alone.”