Her Small-Town Cowboy

“Perfect,” she announced, her ponytail bobbing as she nodded. “Just like Cinderella.”

“Well, don’t get your hopes up,” he teased. “We’re fresh out of princes around here.”

For some reason, Lily’s smile disintegrated, and she sighed. “I’ve had my fill of princes. The ones I meet always seem to turn into frogs.”

Mike wasn’t sure what to say to that, so he decided it was best to ignore the comment. “Ready for your lesson?”

“Definitely.” She shook off her momentary funk, and that playful grin was back. “Are you?”

Despite his plan to keep a professional distance from her, he found himself returning her smile. “I guess we’ll find out.”

He strolled over and let Abby climb onto his shoulders, then lowered her to the floor.

“Daddy, can I go have a snack with Grammy while you give Lily her lesson?”

“Sure, but save me some of those cookies. They smell real good.”

She thanked him with a quick hug, and he smiled as he watched her zoom back toward the house. Hard as it had been for him to leave his ranch foreman’s job in New Mexico behind, his daughter was happy here, surrounded by his large, chaotic family and now a class full of new friends. Much as he hated losing his independence, her happiness made it all worth it to him.

Hauling his mind back to reality, he led the way through a sliding door that opened onto the paddock where Gideon was dozing in the sun. When Lily moved out of his sight, Sarge let out a pitiful whimper and jumped up to follow her. To Mike’s knowledge, the dog had never shown much affection for anyone but Captain. That he seemed to have taken a shine to the soft-spoken teacher had to mean something. But right now, Mike couldn’t for the life of him figure out what it was.

Chapter Three

“Seriously?” Swiveling toward Mike, she gave him a horrified look. “You couldn’t find a slightly smaller horse for me?”

“Give him a chance,” the trainer cajoled, rubbing the enormous animal’s chest as if he was a golden retriever. “Gideon’s the gentlest horse on the farm. Abby rides him all the time.”

Clearly, that last comment was meant to goad her into leaping onto the saddle that looked to be five precarious feet above the ground. Shaking her head, Lily announced, “She’s a lot braver than I am.”

“I doubt that. Most folks’d be terrified to take on a roomful of kindergarteners all on their own for the first time, but you did just fine with them. After that, this guy should be a piece of cake.”

“You thought I did well today?” she blurted without thinking how it might sound to him. It was a good thing she wasn’t trying to impress this man, she thought ruefully. Coming across as needy was bad enough, but add in a heavy dose of insecurity and most men understandably ran for the hills.

“You were great with them,” he said without hesitation. “Kids are like animals—they know a phony when they see one, and from where I was sitting, I could tell they really liked you.”

His praise rang with sincerity, and she smiled. “That’s nice of you to say.”

“Like I told you the other day, I don’t say things just to be nice. The truth’s not always easy to hear, but at least it doesn’t change from one day to the next.”

Someone had lied to this man, she realized with sudden clarity. Someone he trusted enough to care very much that the person had deceived him. Since she already suspected that this devoted single father was divorced, it didn’t take a rocket scientist to guess that someone had been his ex-wife. Lily was definitely curious about what had happened to their marriage, but she’d never dream of asking a virtual stranger such an intensely—and probably hurtful—personal question.

Instead, she refocused her attention on the horse standing quietly in the middle of the fenced-in space. Now that she’d calmed down a bit, she registered the fact that he was more than big. He was powerfully built and covered in scruffy brown fur that made her think of a retro-style shag rug. To add to his unusual appearance, there was an off-kilter white star on his forehead that led to a strip of white that zigzagged down along the right side of his nose.

As they stared at each other, his large brown eyes shone with intelligence, and she was almost certain he was taking stock of her the same way she was doing with him. The corner of his mouth crinkled, and she couldn’t help laughing. “Is he smiling at me?”

“I’d imagine so. He really likes people.”

Puzzled by Mike’s tone, she glanced at him. “You sound surprised by that.”

“If you knew what this old boy’s been through—” Mike fondly ruffled the horse’s shaggy mane “—you’d be surprised, too.”

That did it for her. Sympathy for the rescued animal flooded Lily’s heart, and she put aside her earlier reluctance to approach him. He nuzzled her hand, and on her other side, she felt something tap her arm. Looking down, she realized Mike had a few apple slices and was trying to sneak them to her.

“Hold your palm out flat.” He demonstrated for her. “He’s pretty careful, but if you curl your fingers he might nip you by mistake.”

“Okay.” Still a little nervous, she held the apples out for Gideon, who blew on her hand before delicately taking a piece from her. His lips tickled her skin, making her giggle like one of her students.

When she was out of treats, he slurped her hand in an equine thank-you and just about knocked her over when he started rubbing his forehead on her shoulder. Thankfully, Mike steadied her until she could brace herself more firmly. “He’s really strong.”

“He’s a Belgian draft horse. Most of him, anyway.” Scratching him between the eyes, Mike continued. “The rest, I’m not so sure about, but it doesn’t matter much. He’s got a great heart, and that’s good enough for me.”

Now that she’d seen him in his natural element, Lily was beginning to notice a pattern in the gruff trainer’s personality. He wasn’t crazy about humans, but he was wonderful with animals. Considering all the troubles she’d been having lately, she had to admit he might have the right idea, after all. “He seems to like you, too.”

“Yeah, well, he’s pretty easy to impress.”

“Easier than people?”

Mike’s eyes narrowed with sudden displeasure. “You sound like my ex-wife.”

“I’m sorry,” she stammered, feeling awful for inadvertently hitting what was obviously a sore point. “I didn’t mean to stir up bad memories.”

They stared at each other for a few self-conscious moments, and then he shrugged. “It’s no big deal. We fought all the time, so the divorce was actually a relief.”

She recognized his response as brave words meant to conceal the pain darkening his features. He made her think of a child who’d had his feelings hurt but stubbornly refused to own up to it. Hoping to lift his spirits, she said, “Maybe she just didn’t understand you very well. With some people, you have to work a little harder, but in the end they’re worth the effort.”

“Aw, man,” he groaned, “you really are an optimist, aren’t you?”

It sounded as if he was accusing her of some kind of crime, and Lily’s reflex was to bristle the way she had the first time they met. Then it struck her that this was an opportunity to bend his opinion of her in a more positive direction.

Giving him her sweetest smile, she said, “It works for me.”

To her amazement, his frown mellowed into a crooked half grin. “Can’t argue with that. So whattya say? Are you ready to give ol’ Gideon a whirl?”

He punctuated his invitation with a black velvet hard hat, and she knew this was the moment of truth. Either she was going to go through with this, or she’d leave Gallimore Stables in disgrace. Because she was a St. George, she chose the first one. “Absolutely.”

Taking the helmet from him, she fastened it on and moved to stand beside the horse. Mike gave her a boost into the saddle and helped her get her feet settled in the stirrups.

“Okay up there?” he asked.

“More or less.” Her heart was already moving at a fast trot, and all she’d done so far was get on. Mike seemed to sense that, because he had her lean forward and back in the saddle, then bend from one side to the other. Once he’d convinced her that she was fairly safe, things got more interesting.

Her teacher strolled to the center of the ring and stood with his hands in the front pockets of his jeans as if he didn’t have a care in the world. “Take him out on the rail and let him walk.”

“I’m not taking him anywhere,” Lily replied in a voice that shook a lot more than she’d have preferred. “He’s in charge.”

“Just ’cause he’s bigger than you doesn’t mean he’s in charge,” Mike corrected her in a patient voice that told her he’d said those exact same words many times. “He might be stronger, but you’re smarter. The trick is to make him think it’s his idea.”

How on earth was she supposed to do that? Lily wondered. Then she recalled Mike’s comment about animals being similar to kids, and she decided it couldn’t hurt to try treating Gideon like one of her students. “All right, big guy. Let’s try walking along the rail.”

Nothing. The horse patiently stood there, apparently content to watch his stablemates munching away out in the pasture. When she heard a low chuckle, she glared over at her not-so-amusing instructor. “Are you making fun of me?”

“Guess I wasn’t very clear. Give him a nudge with your heels and bring your reins to the left.”

She noticed he didn’t deny he’d been laughing at her, but since her life was pretty much in his hands, she decided now wasn’t the time to take issue with his prickly personality. She followed his suggestion, and to her astonishment, the Belgian obeyed her instantly, plodding over to the track that had been worn in the ground.

As they circled the small space, she was awestruck by the power she felt rippling underneath her. This brawny animal could crush her without any effort at all, but here they were, moving in the same direction together. Slowly, to be sure, but it was a huge accomplishment for someone who’d lived her entire life being treated like a rare flower in a greenhouse.

“You’re looking good, Lily. How does it feel?”

“Incredible.” Gaining confidence, she reached down to pat Gideon’s flexing neck. “You’re such a good boy.”

The Belgian blew a raspberry and seemed to nod in agreement, making her laugh. They did a few circuits each way, even trotting for a while to keep things from getting boring. The rest of her promised half hour passed by in a flash, and she had a hard time remembering why she’d been so nervous at the beginning.

In what was apparently his customary way of handling any situation, without preamble Mike came forward and took the reins from her. “I think that was a good first lesson. Why don’t we quit while we’re ahead?”

“That’s fine. It’s pretty hot, and we don’t want to overtax him.”

Her comment sparked something in those icy blue eyes, and they warmed just a touch when they settled on her. Then it was gone, and she wondered if she’d imagined the whole thing. He helped her down, then removed the horse’s tack so deftly, she wouldn’t be the least bit shocked to learn he could manage the task blindfolded.

He balanced everything on the top rail and opened a gate that led out to the front pasture. “All set, boy.”

Clearly delighted, the gelding shook himself out, then loped through the opening to join his buddies at the far end. Lily admired them for a few moments, savoring the peaceful end to a hectic day. Between moving into the room she’d rented in town and prepping for school, she hadn’t had any free time since her sister’s wedding. It felt good to stand here in the sunshine and breathe in the warm, hay-scented air.

But she knew Mike had things to do, so she dragged her eyes away from the beautiful scene and smiled up at him. “So, did I pass muster?”

“Sorry?”

“Are you willing to take me on as one of your students, or do you need more time to decide?”

“Oh, that.” Shaking his head, he chuckled as they started walking toward her car. “I guess we can make it work. What day’s good for you?”

“How about Fridays at four? It would make a great start to my weekends.”

“So you’re staying in town after school’s done, then?”

“My lease goes through the end of August. After that—”

She shrugged, and for some odd reason he frowned. “You don’t have a job for the fall?”

“I’ve been told something might open up at the elementary school, but right now there’s nothing available. We’ll see what happens.”

Just as they reached the driveway, she heard a familiar voice chirping her name, and she turned to find Abby running over to join them. “I’m so glad you’re still here! Grammy said to bring you in to meet her. Y’know, since you’re my new teacher and all.”

“Miss St. George is a busy lady, Abs. We don’t wanna hold her up.”

“Oh, I have time.” Smiling down at her student, she added, “Abby’s told me a lot about your mother, and I’d love to meet her.”

“I can just imagine what you’ve been hearing from our little one,” a woman’s voice chimed in from the front porch. The accent had a musical lilt to it that reminded Lily of her late great-grandmother Katie, who’d stepped off a boat from Ireland and into a career that took her from the garment factories of New York to the homes of high-society women up and down the East Coast. It was in one of them that she’d met the dashing Alexander St. George, and the rest was history.

That image sparked wonderful memories for Lily, and she faced the woman with a smile. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Kinley.”

“None of that now,” she protested, waving off the formality with a hand dusted with flour. “It’s Maggie to everyone hereabouts. Including you.”

“Thank you. And I’m Lily.”

“That you are.” Flashing a dimpled smile, she turned to her son with a disapproving look. “Michael, aren’t you going to invite this lovely young lady inside for something to drink on this hot day?”

“I think you just did that.” He scowled back, but the fondness twinkling in his eyes betrayed him. So, he wasn’t such a grumbly bear, after all, Lily noted. It made a girl wonder what else was going on behind that lopsided grin.

“Come on,” Abby urged, grasping Lily’s hand to pull her up the steps. “We’ve been making chocolate chip cookies. They’re still all gooey, so we have to eat them fast.”

“My favorite kind. It smells like you put extra chocolate in them, too.”

“That’s how Daddy likes them.” Flashing him an adoring look, she grinned. “Isn’t it, Daddy?”

“Got that right.”

He returned her look with an ease that astonished Lily. Up until now, she’d viewed him as a tightly reined-in kind of guy who wasn’t exactly the mushy type. But when he looked at his daughter, she saw a side of him she’d have never in a million years guessed he had. The more she got to know the gruff horse trainer, the more she liked him. That wasn’t the best idea for her, she cautioned herself. Getting involved with the father of one of her students—no matter how fascinating he might be—was definitely not going to happen. She had no intention of jeopardizing her teaching career by starting out with such a foolish mistake.

So, since anything serious with him was off the table, she resolved to keep him at a polite, professional distance. It shouldn’t be too hard, she reasoned. He was clearly doing the same with her, although she didn’t quite understand why. Normally, she had to push men away when she discovered they were more interested in making nice with her well-connected family than in dating her. Because of her evasive maneuvers during their first meeting, Mike had no idea who she was, but for some reason he was still keeping his distance. While that suited her in one sense, in another it made her want to find out why.

That wasn’t likely to happen today, so she took a seat next to Abby on a bench at the large oak table in the Kinleys’ kitchen. The sprawling white farmhouse had a comfortable feel to it, from the bright windows letting in sunlight and a soft breeze, to the mellowed wood of the carved cabinets that lined the walls. “Maggie, you have a beautiful home. How old is it?”

“Nearly a hundred years,” she answered as she piled cookies onto a plate. “My husband, Justin—God rest him—inherited the place from his granddad who moved here from Ireland just before the First World War. Back then, they trained horses for the military, then Justin and his father got into the racing business. And our boys, of course.”

“I just broke ’em in,” Mike clarified. “Dad made ’em into winners.”

The pride in his voice was tinged with sorrow, and Lily said, “He sounds like a wonderful man. I’m so sorry you lost him.”

“You have to make time to dance every single day,” Maggie advised as she set the cookies on the table and sat down beside her son. “You never know how many songs the Good Lord will grant you.”

“Is that an old Irish blessing?” Lily asked.

“Justin’s,” Maggie replied with a nostalgic smile. “No matter how tired he was at the end of a day, he always took me for a spin.”

“You’ve got the broken toes to prove it,” Mike teased, and she laughed.

“That’s the truth of it. I adored that man, but he wasn’t light of foot, to be sure.”

“Grampa used to dance with me, too,” Abby said, pointing to a collection of family photos on the wall. One was of a large man wearing suspenders and a flannel shirt who bore a strong resemblance to Mike. Gazing down at the tiny bundle he held cradled in his muscular arms, the man had a delighted smile that reminded her of the way Mike had looked at his daughter earlier. Lily was touched by the way the strong Kinley men seemed to melt in Abby’s presence.

Despite his brusque demeanor, she could easily see that Mike had inherited more than his father’s build and good looks. Recognizing that, she felt her vow to keep him at arm’s length beginning to waver. Maybe these riding lessons weren’t the best idea she’d ever had. If she was smart, she’d invent a reason to stop coming to the farm and avoid the temptation of getting closer to Mike. If only she didn’t feel so at home here, she added with a mental sigh. The animals were enticing enough, but now that she’d met more of his family, she liked the place even more.

“So,” Maggie said while she handed Lily an icy glass of sweet tea, “how was your first lesson on Gideon?”

“I’m not ready for an equestrian team yet, but I think it went pretty well.”

“I’m afraid I’m not much of a teacher,” Mike confessed with a grimace. “Gideon did his best, though.”

This was her chance to begin creating that space she’d just been pondering, but she couldn’t bring herself to let the poor man believe he’d failed her somehow. “You both did, and I really appreciate it.”

That got her a grateful look, as if he wasn’t accustomed to being praised for what he did. Something about this man tugged at her soft heart, and any thoughts of ending her lessons disappeared. After all, it wasn’t as if she’d be dating him, so that wouldn’t cross the professional line she’d drawn. And as her social-butterfly mother had often told her, you could never have too many friends. Recalling that upbeat advice, she smiled and made a mental note to call Mom later for a chat. An unapologetic free spirit, she’d been divorced from Lily’s father longer than they’d been married and spent most of her time exploring one fascinating place or another. She was in Barcelona these days, and it had been two weeks since their last call—way too long.

Abby finished chewing her cookie, then looked at Mike with shining eyes. “Daddy, I just had a mindstorm.”

“Brainstorm,” he corrected her with a chuckle. “What is it?”

“At lunch today, I was telling my friends how when we lived on the ranch, you taught me how to ride when I was three. They thought it was really cool, and some of them wished they could learn, too.”

“Yeah? Which ones?”

“Kennedy, Brianna, Jillian.” She added several more names, ticking them off until she ran out of fingers. Then she cocked her head with a chiding look. “They’re all real. Ask Miss St. George.”

Obviously smothering a grin, Mike flashed Lily a somber look. Having gotten used to spending most of her time in her own company, she was pleased to be included in the Kinleys’ lighthearted banter. Playing her role, she held up her hand. “Scout’s honor.”

His gaze refocused on his daughter. “And you’re saying they want me to teach them?”

“Everyone thought you were really cool when you came in for show-and-tell. Especially Peter.”

“The boy whose dad died last year?” She nodded, and some of the skepticism left his eyes. Lily understood that he felt a kinship with the fatherless boy, and her estimation of the reserved horse trainer rose a few more notches.

Maggie tsked in sympathy. “I remember hearing about that. Such a tragedy for those children to lose their father so young. I’m sure we can find a way to do something for Peter, at least.”

“Well, we can’t tell him yes and the others no,” Mike pointed out in a resigned tone. Sending Lily a “help me” look, he went on. “If we offer him lessons, we have to do the same for everyone in Abby’s class.”

She’d love to give him an out, since he was making no secret of the fact that he wasn’t totally thrilled with the idea. But Lily knew how much it would mean to several of the children, not to mention Abby. Playing host to her friends at the farm would turn her into a minor celebrity, and despite his standoffish demeanor Lily suspected Mike might actually enjoy it. “That’s the best approach with kids. That way no one feels left out.”

“You should come, too, Miss St. George,” Abby breathed excitedly. “You could keep us all quiet and in line, just like you do when we’re at school. And Daddy can work with the horses, ’cause he’s good at that.”

While Maggie didn’t say a word, her hazel eyes glimmered with her opinion. Abby’s glowed like a clear sky, but Mike’s were a murky blend of blue and gray. The color had more than a tinge of warning to it, and Lily was inclined to take it seriously.

“I don’t know, honey. That’s a pretty big commitment for your father and me to make when we’re already busy with other things.” By Abby’s puzzled expression, Lily assumed she’d used a word beyond the girl’s six-year-old vocabulary. “What I mean is, we wouldn’t want to get started and then have to disappoint you and your friends because it takes too much time.”

“You could just do a few lessons,” she argued, her eyes beginning to well. “I’ll help, I promise.”

“I don’t mean to sound greedy,” Maggie said, “but the money would come in handy around here. If enough children sign up, maybe you could even take a few less wedding jobs,” she added, giving her son a prodding look.

A glint of humor warmed his eyes, and he shook his head with a good-natured grin. “You sure know how to hit a guy where he lives. Why don’t you two schemers wait in here while I talk to Miss St. George outside?”

Lily appreciated him giving her the chance to flee if she chose not to sign on, so she excused herself and followed him to the door. The screen creaked as he opened it and held it open for her to go out ahead of him. When they reached the far end of the rambling porch, he leaned back against the railing and folded his arms with a sigh. “Sorry about that. I had no clue that was coming.”

“A Kinley tag team,” she commented with a light laugh. “They’re good.”

“Tell me about it.” After a moment, he went on. “Look, if you’re not into this, it’s really no big deal. Riding herd on a bunch of rug rats isn’t my first choice of things to do, so if it never happens, I’d be okay with that.”

Something in his voice tipped her off, and she tilted her head with a smile. “You’re a terrible liar. The minute Abby started tearing up, you decided to go along and give her friends riding lessons.”

“Yeah,” he grumbled, staring up at the bead-board ceiling of the porch roof. Coming back to Lily, he went on in a wry tone. “When they handed her to me at the hospital, I knew there’d never be anything I wouldn’t do for her. Sappy, huh?”