Actually he already had, although it hadn’t been for sex. Which now that she thought about it, was kind of sad. “He’s a friend,” she began.
Rita laughed. “Words every man longs to hear. If you decide to turn him away, send him over to me.”
“You’re happily married.”
“I know, but I’m still allowed to have fantasies. I doubt there’s a woman alive who would tell him no.”
Izzy suddenly had a burning need to know what he looked like. She had a sense of his height and shape. She knew he was strong and she could pick out his scent in the dark. But what about the rest of him? Did he smile much? What color were his eyes?
As for telling him no, she thought about their earlier conversation. How close they’d been standing. The way he’d touched her cheek. She’d liked the feel of his fingers on her skin and for a second, she’d thought he might kiss her.
An unexpected sense of loss made her chest hurt. She couldn’t shake the feeling of having missed out on something important. Which was insane. She was here because she had to be here. When she could get along in the real world, she would leave. Nick wasn’t any part of her life.
“Okay, go grab me a dandy brush from the storeroom,” Rita said. “Then it should be time for lunch.”
Izzy turned toward the barn. “I don’t like the storeroom. It’s too dark.”
“So?”
“It scares me.” Even with the lights on, she couldn’t see anything in the storeroom. “Like a creepy cave.”
“Life is full of creepy caves. Take them one at a time.”
Rita’s dismissal annoyed her. Everyone was so free with their advice. “I agree that I have to work through things, but not all in one day. Give me a break. I’m making progress. Isn’t that enough? Let me guess. It’s not. Because everyone here has an opinion about my life. You don’t know what it’s like to be blind.”
“Neither do you. You have thirty percent of your sight.”
“Big whoop.”
“It would be to someone who was totally blind. To them you’d have everything.”
“Right. Because I always have to remember there are people worse off than me.”
“Not worse off. Just dealing with more. And you’re wrong about me. I do know what it’s like to be blind because I am. Completely. Have been since birth.”
She kept talking, but Izzy couldn’t hear the words.
Rita, blind? But she ran the stable. She fed and exercised all the horses, knew where they were, took care of them. She told Izzy what to do, explained how and then corrected her if she was wrong. She moved easily, never stumbling.
“I don’t understand,” Izzy breathed.
“What’s to understand? It’s a pretty straightforward condition. My parents put me on a horse when I was four and I never wanted to get off. I’ve always been around them. They seem to know I can’t see because I’ve never been stepped on or even pushed down. Nick had to pay a lot of money to get me away from my last job. But I was interested in a change and he sweet-talked me the rest of the way.”
Blind. Izzy couldn’t believe it. “I never would have guessed.”
“No offense, but you’re not tough to fool. It’s not like you see 20/20.” Rita patted her on the shoulder. “It’s only the dark, kid. Just because you can’t see what’s there doesn’t mean you should be afraid. It’s only the dark.”
It was a whole lot more than that, but Izzy wasn’t going to argue. Especially not with Rita, who obviously had no trouble getting along in the world. There was a lesson there, Izzy thought. One about courage and determination. One she apparently needed to learn.
TWO DAYS LATER Izzy stood in the shade, grooming Jackson. She and the horse had come to terms with each other. At least that’s what she told herself. One of these days she was going to get on him and ride, just like she used to. The fact that she couldn’t really see where she was going was an issue to be dealt with another time.
She heard footsteps, but didn’t bother turning around. Based on the speed and sound, she knew exactly who it was.“Hi, Aaron.”
“You’re getting spooky. I won’t ask how you knew it was me. I have a surprise for you.”
She might not have been at Nick’s ranch all that long, but she knew enough to guess not every surprise was one she would enjoy. “A good surprise or a bad surprise?”
“A good one. At least I think so. Your sisters are here. Norma said they could stay to lunch and she won’t do that for just anyone. So she likes you.” He paused. “Should I pause for a dramatic reaction to the news?”