Chapter Fourteen
At Skyline Drive-In, Asher spotted a familiar cowgirl standing in the middle of a wildflower patch. Her curly hair fell past her shoulders and her laughter floated across the knoll. Finally. He caught his breath, even though he was standing still.
Kelley saw him and waved. “Hurry up, cowboy!” She shook a large blanket out and let it float down to cover the grass. “You don’t want to miss all the fun!”
He had been missing his cowgirl all day by mere minutes.
He missed her at breakfast. When he was with Derby Dreamer that morning, she was prepping in his kitchen.
When he headed back to his house, she was already with the staff in the break room barn.
And so it went for the entire day, from the Blackwell Stables to the Galloping Fork and everywhere in between.
Their paths did not cross. Until now. And now he realized how much he missed her.
Asher turned to look for his carpool crew and said, “I see the others. They’re heading this way.” Then he wasted no more time and made a beeline straight for Kelley.
Up on the knoll nearby, the Arbor sisters set a basket of wildflowers on another blanket and smiled brightly.
“I recruited extra hands to help weave,” Asher announced by way of a greeting.
“We are more than happy to have them.” Beatrice scooted around Asher to hug Frannie, Owen and then Big E. She linked her arm around Owen’s. “The more, the merrier, in my mind.”
He was feeling slightly merry himself suddenly. Asher dropped down onto the blanket, barely giving Kelley time to make room. As it was, he sat close enough that their knees and shoulders touched. Just where he wanted to be. Right beside his cowgirl.
“Sorry, we are late.” Big E eyed Asher under the brim of his cowboy hat and added, “We got a bit delayed riding out on the trail.”
Kelley glanced at Asher.
He kept his expression contained and shrugged, even though he knew full well he was the reason for that.
“We took the pasture patrol trio out for some exercise.” Frannie joined them on the blanket. “Pride is enjoying his new friends, by the way.”
“I know,” Kelley said, meeting Asher’s gaze. “I checked on him first thing this morning.”
Asher was not surprised, only disappointed he had not thought to catch up with Kelley then.
“We would have been here to help collect flowers,” Owen said, good-naturedly yet not regrettably, it was clear. Excitement beamed from his face. “But Asher and River Run were jumping. Asher thinks River Run might be suited for hunter-jumper competitions.”
Kelley’s eyes widened. She did not bother to hide her surprise. “Is that so?”
Outed, Asher nodded. “I was only following River Run’s lead and going where he wanted to go.”
“Straight over the stream,” Owen added, his enthusiasm buffering his words. “Three different times.”
Big E frowned, yet there was affection in his words. “And that doesn’t include everything else that pair jumped along the way.”
After that first leap, Asher could not seem to stop. Sort of the same way he could not seem to stop wanting to be around his cowgirl. “River Run needed the exercise.”
Kelley’s eyebrows arched higher. She tipped her head and said, “You enjoyed every minute of it. I can see it on your face. Don’t try to deny it.”
“Old habits and all.” Although he sort of had a new habit. A cowgirl kind of one. Asher chuckled. “What can I say? You inspired me after you rode last Sunday.”
“That was nothing,” she said, brushing dried grass off the blanket. “It was a short, slow walk around the pasture. Hardly worth mentioning.”
Everything about her was worth mentioning. “It was more than that. We both know it.” Just as he suspected there might be more between them. Although, he supposed, if they did not acknowledge it, then there was no cause for concern.
“Well, I know we need to get ourselves down to the snack bar before the line gets any longer,” Lynette announced, her gaze fixed on the increasing crowd.
“It’ll be the first task for our extra helping hands,” Beatrice declared and turned Owen toward the long lineup. “You can help us carry our snack bar loot.”
Frannie jumped up and said, “I’ve been looking forward to s’mores bark all day.”
“Come on, Elias,” Lynette said. “I see Sully Connelly heading that way, too, with his son and nephew. Never hurts to find out what the competition is up to.”
“You’re not wrong about that.” Big E held his arm out for Lynette and said mildly, “However, I suspect they are loading up on snacks. Same as us.”
“Well, then, we best head ’em off before they get all the good stuff.” Lynette laughed.
“Wait for us,” Kelley said and started to stand.
“You two stay right there.” Beatrice waved her back into place, then pointed at the basket of wildflowers. “You’re both already comfortable and those flowers need to get sorted by color and size.”
Kelley shifted on the blanket.
“Don’t worry,” Frannie said. “We’ll get you something sweet.”
Asher wasn’t certain he needed any more sugar. He was already sweet on his cowgirl. Asher slid the basket closer and said, “We better get to work.”
Kelley scooped a handful of flowers carefully out of the basket. “You can go with them, if you want. I got this.”
“I’m fine right here.” He followed her lead and took out a bunch of flowers, then slanted his gaze toward her. He left the tease in his words. “Do I not look fine?”
She shook her head and chuckled. “You look really relaxed.”
“I guess that’s the thing about a good day. You just feel better all over,” he mused. “And it’s been a really good day.”
“You sound surprised,” Kelley said.
“I am,” he admitted and set a yellow flower to the side. “I checked my email today.”
Kelley laughed. “That can’t be unusual.”
“It wasn’t for work,” he said and watched Kelley reel in her amusement. “I checked my email for a coupon code after I signed up for the rewards program at Hearthstone Market.”
“Well, you have to be a rewards member at the grocery store.” Kelley’s laughter slipped free again. “They have exclusive BOGO days just for members. They’re not to be missed.”
Asher’s laughter mixed with hers as he said, “That is exactly what the cashier told me.”
Kelley sorted her flowers and asked, “Do you miss your day job?”
“I like what I do. But I have not minded this change of pace nearly as much as I thought I would.” Especially the part about getting to know Kelley.
But it would all be coming to a close soon enough.
Best to let the sharing stop here and now.
“I guess that’s the most surprising thing.
What about you? Any surprises in your day? ”
“My mom and stepmom helped me prep for the rehearsal dinner this afternoon and they got along.” She smiled. “Thank you for letting me use your kitchen for that.”
“Anytime,” he said. “They weren’t bothered by the less than modern appliances?”
“My mom and stepmom both claimed they felt right at home and welcomed the blast from the past.” Kelley continued, “Mom even showed me a trick to get the light in the second oven to turn on.”
“That will come in handy,” he said.
“It was a good day for both of us,” she said softly.
And looking to be an even better evening.
“We rode the pasture patrol trio to one of my mom’s favorite places this afternoon.
She called it her own personal thinking spot.
” It was on the opposite side of the property, far away from the stables and the constant buzz of activity.
“I swear I heard my mom’s laugh mixed in with the rush of the water in the stream. ”
“Was this before or after you jumped the stream?” she asked, her gaze bright.
“You should know it was my mom who taught me to jump,” he said wryly and reached for another handful of flowers. “She was the daredevil in the family and always up for an adventure.”
“So, she would have encouraged you today,” Kelley said, understanding in her words.
“She would have jumped first.” Asher smiled, welcoming the childhood memories. “Then she would have told me to lean in to my fear, go for it and trust it will work out.”
She nodded and bit into her bottom lip. “How did you know River Run, and you, for that matter, were ready to make that jump today?”
Some risks were easier to take. Leaps of the heart…
Those were not so simple. And Asher did not make those lightly, if ever.
He twisted a flower stem in his fingers.
“River Run and I had an immediate bond. We’ve been learning about each other.
Getting used to each other. The trust has been building. ”
“Still, why today? Why not wait until tomorrow or next week even?” She brushed her hands together and searched his face. “Didn’t it feel too soon? Too rushed?”
“It felt right,” he said, simply.
Kelley pulled back and gaped at him. “Asher Blackwell, are you telling me that you jumped the river today because of a feeling?”
She did not have to make it sound so out of character. He had emotions; he just chose not to let them get the best of him. “Haven’t you ever followed a feeling?”
“Yes. I got married and opened a restaurant because of a feeling. Then lost both,” she stated flatly. “I think we can both agree feelings are not exactly reliable.”
Point taken. That was why he would not pursue whatever was building between them. Whenever he jumped into love, the landing was never clean. And he did not trust this time would be any different. Asher said, “You weren’t afraid to follow your heart. There’s nothing wrong with that.”
“I fell in love, and I followed my ex-husband,” she explained. “I went along with him not to simply get along, but because it was all supposed to be leading somewhere.”
“Where?” Asher lifted his leg and rested his arm on his knee.