Wyoming Sweethearts

“Three months. Animals don’t forget those they love.” Sean ambled up to the fence and held out his hands for the horses to scent.

She took the opportunity to put a little physical distance between them. He was more touchy-feely than she was used to or felt comfortable with. “How do you know that?”

“Uncle Frank knew. I told him where I was headed. He knows everyone in these parts.” Sean patted one of the horses. The big black gelding lowered his head for a good ear scratch. No one had taken time to comb out the tangles and burrs in his mane, and his hooves needed attention.

“You are a good fellow,” Sean mumbled and the horse closed his eyes in trust. There was something deeply calming about the man, Eloise agreed. He made others feel safe.

“Are you the folks the vet called about?” A middle-age man wearing faded overalls and carrying a pipe limped into sight. He didn’t seem to be in good health.

“We are.” She spun to face him, thinking about the blank check her boss had handed over to her. “I’m Eloise from the Lark Song Inn.”

“I’m Harry.” He tipped his sagging hat. “Are you still interested now that you’ve seen them? They ain’t much, and I regret to say I’m not up to caring for them.”

“I’m sure we can settle on a price.” She glanced over her shoulder at the horses, one still accepting strokes from Sean, the other watching the blue pickup sadly. He finally lowered his head, perhaps realizing his beloved former owner would not be emerging from the pickup, and stood still and silent, his dejection as tangible as the wind on her face.

She couldn’t bring back to them what was lost, but she could make sure these horses were cherished and pampered. Good things were ahead for them. They just didn’t know it yet. She tugged the check out of her purse, wondering how best to proceed.

“Do you trust me?” Sean towered over her, as breathtaking as any hero in a Western legend. “I can negotiate for you, if you’d like.”

“Yes, thank you.” She handed him the check, relieved in more ways than she knew how to say. She had no idea what the horses were worth, and she could see the man had a tough row to hoe. She didn’t know what was fair, but she sensed Sean knew how to make it right.

She watched him stride away and offer Harry his hand. They shook, making introductions and small talk about the man who was deceased. A low-throated nicker caught her attention, and she found the friendlier horse watching her with curious eyes.

“Your lives are about to improve.” She ran her fingertips down the gelding’s graying nose. “Just you wait and see.”

In the back lot at the inn Sean lowered the ramp with a clatter, surprised as Eloise tapped up the incline with a lead rope in hand. She didn’t let her cane slow her down much. A glow of admiration filled him as he followed her up. The horses, not used to the trailer, were in various stages of fear. The black one fidgeted against his gate.

Eloise laid a comforting hand on his flank and spoke calmly and confidently like someone who had been around horses all her life. “It’s going to be all right, Licorice.”

The gelding blew out a breath, as if he were highly doubtful of that.

“How about you, Hershey?” she asked, unlatching the brown gelding’s gate. The bay glanced over his shoulder to study her, his eyes white-rimmed, but he didn’t move much as Eloise clipped into his halter and led him out.

Why couldn’t he look away? He ought to be paying attention to the horses, but all he saw was the woman. She walked like a ballerina even with an obvious limp.

There was strength and a beauty inside her that became clearer every time he looked.

“I know you’re worried, Hershey, but trust me when I say you have one of the best stalls in the county waiting for you.” Her alto rose and fell like a song over the pad of her cane and the clomp of hooves on the ramp. “Cady went all out when she built this stable. Every stall is huge and it has a view. That’s it. Turn for me, big guy. Come this way, that’s right.”

Kindness made a woman truly beautiful, Sean decided as he laid a hand on the black’s neck. The gelding shivered, lunging nervously against the metal barrier.

“It’s all right,” he crooned, aware of the tension bunching in the horse’s muscles. “It has to be hard having no say in this, but you are going to be just fine. No worries, buddy.”

He clipped on the lead and backed the horse down the ramp. Every step Licorice took was halting as if he wanted to bolt into the trailer and go home. The unknown can be scary, so Sean used his voice to reassure the horse and led him down the breezeway between large but empty box stalls.

All he had to do was follow Eloise’s voice, which felt as natural as breathing. Sunlight found her, burnishing her blond hair and haloing her like a Renaissance painting. Her frilly blouse and slacks weren’t typical barn wear, but she didn’t look out of place as she secured the gate to the straw-strewn stall. Inside, Hershey gave a snort and paraded around, taking in his view of the grassy paddock and various troughs for water, grain and alfalfa.

“Licorice can have the corner stall.” She spotted him coming and opened the gate wide. “Rocco, who’s on barn duty, has everything ready for them.”

Across the row, a gold-and-white mare raced in from her paddock and clattered to a stop in her stall. Curious to meet her new neighbors, she arched her neck, whinnying in a friendly manner. Her big chocolate eyes shone a welcome.

“This is an exciting day for Misty, since she’s been all alone in the stable,” Eloise explained as he closed the gate and unhooked the lead.

“It’s a pretty good day for me, too,” he quipped, not at all sure how to say what he was feeling. “We did good work today.”

“Yes, and I am indebted to you, sir.” She handed him back the rope she’d used on Hershey. “I couldn’t have done this without help.”

“You mean without me.”

“Well, yes, since you’re the one who helped me.” She gave her shiny hair a toss behind her shoulder, shaking her head at him as if she didn’t know what to make of him. “It was good of you to volunteer. Cheyenne doesn’t know what she missed out on. Until next time, that is.”

“Hey, I don’t mind doing this again.” He kept his tone casual and made sure he didn’t make eye contact. A lone wolf didn’t work at making connections, he kept things light and loose. “I had fun. There’s a lot of satisfaction to this. These horses weren’t wanted, and now they are. It’s a good way to spend an afternoon.”

“So, you’re really volunteering for next time?”

“Absolutely. Might as well make myself useful. Besides, Cheyenne might be busy and I have lots of spare time.”

“Doesn’t Frank keep you busy at the ranch?” Her grin hitched up in the corners of her soft mouth.

Cute. He ambled down the aisle at her side. “Sure.

I get in a hard day’s work. Lately, my personal life has been a bit slow. That’s the way I want to keep it.”

“Me, too.” Was that a hint of sorrow turning her gorgeous eyes a deep, emerald green?

Hard to tell because it was gone as quickly as it came. “That is, if you want me to lend a hand. You know I come with a horse trailer, right?”

“I know.” She rolled her eyes at him.

Cuter. “Then you aren’t agreeing to this reluctantly?”

“I am.” She leaned her head back and gazed up into his eyes full on, a spark of humor lighting her up. “I am very reluctant about you.”

“Sure, cuz most folks are.” He smiled all the way down to his toes. It was nice being with her. They emerged through the open double doors into the kiss of the late-May sun and heat. Larks warbled, robins swooped by and a sparrow up on the roof chirped at them warningly. Grass whispered in the wind, leaves rustled and he couldn’t remember the last time he felt so good.

“My dad didn’t want me to grow up to be a cowboy, you know.” He knelt to put up the ramp, working quickly, hardly thinking about it. He finished the quick task with a rattle and clang. “Said it was hard work and a hard life. He wanted something more for me.”

“Is that why he didn’t stay and help Frank with the ranching?”

“Yep, but I guess he didn’t have the calling. Ranching is in my blood. That’s why I’m here.”

“Sometimes you get blessed with the right path to follow in life.” The wind tangled her sleek blond locks. Again, that brief flash of sadness disappeared as if it had never been. “It doesn’t always last, so you should enjoy it while you can.”

“Good advice.” He glanced at her cane, wondering if that’s what life had taught her. He had some advice for her, too. “Sometimes you feel lost. When you look down, you realize you are already walking the path meant for you.”

“You are a glass-is-half-full kind of man, aren’t you?” She led the way down a garden walkway.

“Sure. It’s a matter of choice. The glass has the same water in it either way.” He flashed his dimples at her. “Let me guess. You’re the kind who sees the glass as half-empty.”

“I’m pleading the fifth.” Dimples framed her smile, bright and merry.

The cutest yet. He jammed his hands into his pockets. “Speaking of glasses, I’m thirsty. How about we hunt down something cold to drink? My treat.”

“No, that makes it a date.” She grimaced in good humor. “Yikes. We probably don’t want that. I’ll get mine, you get yours.”

“Wow, I guess I know where I stand,” he quipped, following her down the breezeway.

“I’ve been on a lot of first dates lately. Did I sound defensive?”

“Only a little.” He was glad to be with her. Eloise was fun and interesting. He was looking forward to finding out exactly how much.

Chapter Four

“Thank you, Sierra.” Eloise lifted the iced coffee from the silver tray and took a cooling sip. Across from her on one of the inn’s comfortable porch swings, Sean did the same.

“That engagement ring looks good on you,” he told the waitress.

“Thanks. It’s taken some getting used to.” Sierra blushed rosily. Happiness radiated from her as she admired the impressive diamond on her left hand. “We have finally agreed on a July wedding.”

“This is news.” Sean leaned back, stretched his legs out and crossed them at the ankles. He was an interesting man to watch, all long, lean lines, strength and old-West charisma. “Tucker said you wanted to make sure not to interfere with Autumn’s wedding next month.”

“More like in three weeks. Haven’t you noticed the flurry over it? You live in the same house.” Sierra shook her head merrily as she padded away, off to wait on the Neilsons who were at the far end of the porch, holding hands and talking intimately.

“A bachelor tries to ignore all conversations, activities or magazines with the word ‘wedding’ in them,” Sean quipped as he sipped at his coffee. “Self-preservation.”

“Typical. I suppose you’re the carefree-bachelor type. Never one to settle down.” He was handsome enough to have his pick of women. “You probably left a dozen broken hearts behind when you moved here.”

“Only one.” His grin didn’t lessen but the shine inside him did. His personality dimmed like a cloud passing before the sun. “And I didn’t leave it behind. I brought it with me. It was mine.”

“Yours?” He didn’t look like a man with a broken heart. He certainly didn’t act like one, not with his charm and easy humor. When she looked closer, emotion worked its way into the corner of his eyes, leaving attractive little crinkles. Perhaps he wasn’t as easygoing as she first thought. She gave the swing a little push with her foot, setting it into motion. “Are you sure you weren’t the one who did the breaking?”

“I was probably responsible for it.” His confession rang low with truth and sincerity. He gave the appearance of a tough, untouchable man but she suspected his feelings ran deep. His grin was gone along with his easygoing manner, replaced by a solid realness that was attractive and manly. He swallowed hard before he spoke again. “I landed a good job at a software company. I was in management overseeing this great project, but I wasn’t happy being trapped indoors all day.”

“That can be hard for a country boy.” She could picture it.

“I worked long hours, not that I mind hard work. I liked being a programmer, but I didn’t love it. When Uncle Frank called on my birthday in February, I admitted to him that I would rather be in a saddle all day. That he had my ideal life.”

“And he offered you a job?”

“He did. Temporary to start. To test the waters, he said, but I think he didn’t want to upset my dad too much.” He shrugged, glancing over his father’s disappointment. He took another pull on the straw, letting the cool settle across his tongue and glide down his throat. It helped wash away the tough feelings he was trying to avoid. “I gave my notice and talked my folks into seeing the positive side of this. I was really psyched. Uncle Frank has a lot of land and livestock. This is a good opportunity for me to do what I love for a living. It was my decision that changed everything.”

“What do you mean?”

“A special someone didn’t want a blue-collar ranch hand for a husband.” He may as well get it off his chest. “Meryl and I were engaged.”

“Were?”

“She dumped me.”

“Because you followed your dream?”

“That’s the long and short of it.” The country cliché was easier than admitting the truth. He’d loved Meryl. “I could have stayed, in fact I had the phone in hand to call Uncle Frank and decline his offer when I got the news she was already dating someone else and had been for a while. Hedging her bets, I think.”

“I’m sorry. That had to have hurt.”

“Yes.” He swallowed hard against the pain, which was lessening. Mostly it was the humiliation that troubled him now. “I made a crucial mistake, but I learned a valuable lesson. Never fall in love with someone who doesn’t love you the same way in return.”

“I learned that hard lesson, too.” She bit her bottom lip, the only sign of vulnerability he’d seen her make. With her classic good looks, smarts and kind personality he couldn’t imagine she’d been through something similar.

“Who had the bad form not to care about you?” he wanted to know.

“Oh, he cared. Just not enough.” Ghosts of pain darkened her green eyes and she shrugged one slender shoulder, as if she were well over it. No big deal.

He wasn’t fooled. “Who was he?”

“My ice-dancing partner.” She tore her gaze from his and stared out at the horizon, where the jagged peaks of the Tetons seemed to hold up the sky. “Cliché, I know. Gerald and I spent eight to ten hours a day together either on the ice or in the gym every day since I was eighteen. We even took classes together at the nearby university.”

“You were truly close to him.” He sympathized. He knew what that was like.

“I was.” Shaky, she lifted the glass and sipped, still watching the white puffs of clouds in the pristine blue sky and the visual wonder of the Teton Range. Maybe she was trying to keep her emotions distant, too.

“You had been together a long time?” A question more than a statement, but he wanted it to sound casual, as if his pulse hadn’t kicked up and he wasn’t eager to know why she’d been hurt.

“We were friends for the first three years and then it turned into something more. Something really nice.” Maybe she wasn’t aware of how her voice softened and her expression grew lighter as if she’d had the rare chance to touch more than one dream. She sat up straighter and set her coffee on the nearby end table. “For a while it was sweet and comfortable and reassuring. He was there whenever I needed him, at least when we were skating partners.”

“Sounds as if you two had a good bond.” He couldn’t say the same. He’d loved Meryl. He hated to admit he might still love her a little bit and against his will. But he’d never had that type of tie with her.

“It was nice.” She might think she was hiding her sadness, but she would be wrong. “I guess some things aren’t meant to last.”

“What happened?”

“Are you telling me you can’t guess?” She rubbed at her knee in small circles before turning away from him to fetch her drink. He didn’t imagine the hurt in the silence that fell between them.

A car accident, Cheyenne had said. But it was far more serious than that.

“A drunk driver was going the wrong way on the floating bridge when I was coming home after a late night practicing for my church’s Christmas pageant. I saw the lights and I tried to avoid him. But I steered toward the right hand shoulder, what little there was of it, and he decided to do the same. I spent the next few months in the hospital and the next year in a rehabilitation center in Los Angeles.” She took a sip, letting the pain settle between them. “Gerald couldn’t wait, he had to keep training, so he found another skating partner. It turned out my injury and the distance between Seattle and L.A. were problems too big to overcome and our bond faded.”

“I’m sorry that happened to you.” Sympathy, that was the only reason he reached over to lay his hand on hers. He cared, sure, but he was in control of his emotions. He didn’t care for her too much. He willed his understanding into his touch. “It wasn’t fair.”

“Fair? No. God never promised this life would be fair.” Her chin went up, not a woman to feel sorry for herself. “But there have been many blessings that have come my way. I survived the accident. I beat the odds to walk again. I’m really very blessed.”

“Sure, I see that,” he agreed. She was blessed in more ways than he had understood before. She had strength and faith enough not to let the unfairness of her accident and injuries embitter her spirit. It was hard not to like her more, and he twined his fingers through hers, holding on and not wanting to let go. When he gazed into her clear green eyes, a similar tug of emotion wrapped around him. “You’ve had some tough blows. First the accident, then the breakup.”

“Gerald tried. I have to give him credit. In the end he chose someone else.” Her fingers tightened on his, holding on to him, too. “Yes, it was his new skating partner.”

“Did you feel passed over?” That was certainly how he felt.

“Yes. It was easy for Gerald to move on. Proof his heart wasn’t in it as deeply as mine was.” She smiled, a mix of poignance and beauty that made her compelling. “Life goes on.”

“It does.” He was lost in the moment gazing into her, and he couldn’t remember the name of any woman previous. The brush of the breeze, the murmur of the other couple on the porch and the faint rasp of the rocking swing silenced. The world narrowed until there was only Eloise and her hand, so much smaller, tucked in his.

Footsteps vaguely drummed closer and a familiar woman’s voice pierced into his thoughts, pushing back the boundaries of his world so that Eloise was no longer the center. Cady smiled down at him and she wasn’t alone. Two dark-haired girls, one around ten with braided pigtails and the other a little older with a touch of disdain, stood by her.

“Are you boyfriend and girlfriend?” the youngest girl wanted to know.

“No.” He abruptly sat up and whipped his hand away from Eloise’s. He knew why the kid was asking. It looked as if they were, sitting together with hands linked and sharing secrets. Couples did that sort of thing. He noticed Eloise seemed uncomfortable, too. He caught Cady’s curious look and set out to reassure her. “Just talking. That’s all. I suppose you heard about the horses?”

“I found Eloise’s message on my voice mail when I reached the airport. I had to pick up these two and their father.” Cady was honorary family to the girls and their godmother. They all had been close when she’d lived in New York City. Cady gently steered the kids toward the steps. “I can’t wait to see our new horses. I didn’t think to ask if they were gentle or even trained.”

“They appear to be.” Eloise grappled for her cane. “Their previous owner took good care of them, rode them regularly and they are steady and gentle. With a little training, they should make good, reliable horses for guests to ride.”

“Excellent. What a great job, Eloise.” Cady beamed, her happiness evident, before leading the girls away. “Let’s go see the horses that were saved because of you, Julianna Elizabeth Stone.”

“Do we get to ride them?” the little girl wanted to know as she skipped down the steps, and Cady’s answer was lost in a rising gust of warm wind.

“Well, I guess I had better get back to my desk.” Eloise checked her watch and grabbed her cane. “I’ve got just enough of my day left to call the farrier. Tonight I have to get off work on time.”

“Why’s that?” He climbed to his feet and followed her along the porch.

“I’ve got a date tonight. A blind date.” She let her tone say it all.

“Poor you. Who set you up?”

“My grandma.” She liked that Sean opened the door for her and held it. He was a gentleman underneath his cowboy charm. She stepped into the air-conditioning with a sigh. “She is the only person I can’t say no to.”

“So you are stuck going out on a date when you don’t want to date?”

“Exactly.” She liked that he understood. Her own mother had little sympathy for the situation with her matchmaking grandma. “But it’s only one dinner. I can suffer through anything for an hour or so, at least that’s what I tell myself.”

“Sure. Who is it with?”

“I don’t know him. Some guy who lives in the next town over.” She hesitated in the well-appointed lobby, where their paths would part. The front door loomed to the left, the hallway leading to her office to the right. Remembering what Julianna had said made her blush. She wasn’t interested in Sean in that way. “The last thing I need is a boyfriend.”

“Right, because who wants to be tied down like that?” He swept off his Stetson and raked a hand through his thick dark hair. “Who needs the heartache?”

“You said it.” It was nice that they shared this common ground. Not wanting a repeat of earlier when he’d held her hand too long, she backed away. Maybe a no-physical-contact policy between them would be a good idea. “Thanks again, Sean.”

“Any time. I’ll see you on the next horse-gathering mission?”

“Absolutely.” She spun on her heel so she couldn’t be tempted to watch him walk away. So she couldn’t be tempted to wonder why any woman would have chosen another man over him. He didn’t even seem to notice her disability. He didn’t treat her differently because of her limp. He had understood the devastation she’d felt after her accident and her breakup.

He was a nice guy. A really nice guy. That type of man was hard to find, which made her think about her impending date. She gripped her cane tightly and turned her thoughts to the evening ahead. Please, Lord, she prayed as she always did before one of Gran’s fix-ups. Let this blind date not be too uncomfortable.

God hadn’t answered that particular prayer yet, but there was always a first. She was determined to hold out hope.

“We have to fend for ourselves tonight.” Uncle Frank looked up from his laptop on the kitchen table the moment Sean came through the door. “The girls are in Jackson trying on the dresses for Autumn’s wedding and dragged Mrs. G. with them. I told her you and I could throw something on the barbecue or hit the diner. What do you say?”

“The diner.” He’d just finished cleaning out three stables and feeding all the horses. That explained where Autumn was, who practically lived in the barns. “Where’s Tucker?”

“His fiancée is cooking for him, but he didn’t see fit to extend an invitation to us.” Frank grinned and pushed away from the table. “Let me grab my hat and my keys. How did the horse rescue turn out?”

“Good. The inn has some gentle animals, and some good horses have a caring home.” He turned on his heel and headed right back out the door.

“Then it’s good news all around.” Frank seemed in an unusually chipper mood but he didn’t explain as he hopped down the steps. Buttercup dashed up to the fence and mooed, her bright eyes sparkling. “Hey, girl. I’ll come see you later. How’s that?”