Chapter Nine
Hallie
The sun beat down from above, warming my old Stetson and keeping my head warm. This kind of weather had come to be my favorite in England—the brisk coolness of a winter’s day, but with a clear blue sky, the sun beaming brightly above, casting the mass of green fields in a stunning golden hue.
Clicking my tongue, I smiled as Huxley immediately moved from a trot to a canter as we worked at liberty. His dark coat glistened in the bright light as he circled around me, highlighting each of the muscles that’d been honed and defined from all our training.
“Good boy,” I praised, and Huxley’s ears pricked back and forth at the compliment.
We were outside in an arena away from the main body of the estate.
Yesterday, an insane number of security guards had turned up at Golden Oaks and were staying for the foreseeable future.
Word in the yard was that Jasper had hired more guards due to a string of stud farm break-ins that were happening up and down the country.
I understood the reasoning for the extra protection, but seeing a guard everywhere you turned was a little unnerving.
Today, I wasn’t riding. This morning was just Huxley and me bonding, something I’d been doing with him since we’d been assigned as a team. Taking out my cell, I video-called the one person who’d appreciate this.
When Canyon’s face came on my screen, I smiled despite the lingering ache that had been there for the past couple of days, one that had cast a shadow over my happiness, regardless of my best efforts to put it behind me.
“Hallie-girl!” Canyon said, and the rising Texas sunrise behind him made homesickness crash over my heart.
Canyon was clearly on horseback if the bobbing of the camera was any indication.
It was about 5:00 a.m. on the ranch, but I knew Canyon already would have been up. Ranchers awoke at the crack of dawn.
“How’s the ranch today?” I asked. I kept my arm out to signal to Huxley to keep going. I wanted him to do his final rounds of this exercise, then we’d call it a day.
Canyon lifted his steel coffee mug to the camera.
“Good, Hals. Havin’ my mornin’ ride around the perimeter with Rosie.
” Canyon moved the camera down so I could see his old, treasured quarter horse beneath him.
She didn’t work cattle these days, but she still loved to hack around the land.
My chest squeezed tightly. I loved my life now, what I did for a living, but there was something about ranch life that called to me like a siren’s song.
I wiggled my toes in my cowboy boots and felt the heavy denim of my trusted jeans pressed against my thighs.
Wearing these clothes, if I closed my eyes, I could almost taste Texas.
Could almost trick myself into believing I was back there with him.
The way I’d been feeling these past couple of days, I wished I was. Just for a small reprieve from the cave that had burrowed into my heart.
“Hals?” Canyon said, suspicion in his voice. “What’s wrong? I know that face.”
I opened my eyes and forced a smile. I turned the camera so Canyon could see Huxley being lunged without a line. Our liberty work was coming along nicely, and my beautiful stallion trusted me increasingly each day.
“He’s a beauty,” Canyon said. I turned the camera back to me and whoaed in a gentle voice, signaling Huxley to come down to a walk. He did exactly as I wanted. “He trusts you,” Canyon said approvingly, and I could see the pride on his face. “We’ll make a horse whisperer out of you yet.”
I laughed. “I’ll leave that to you and your magical touch, but I like the bond Hux and I have built up.
I’m really getting to know what makes him tick.
” I held up my hand, and Hux came over to where I stood.
I laughed again when he laid his head over my shoulder, his beautiful face filling up the screen of my phone.
I kissed his nose and said to Canyon, “I’ve almost got him jumping bitless.
After that, I want to see if I can do it with just a neck rope. ”
“You’re doing that on the circuit?” Canyon asked, surprised.
“Not yet, just in private. My trainer knows I do it, but there’s no plans to take it to tour. Maybe one day, if Hux and I stay as a team for a while.” My stomach turned. I would be devastated if I lost the ride on Huxley.
With that thought, my mind drifted to Jasper and how he so cruelly shot me down the other night. God, I loved it here at Golden Oaks, but things between Jasper and me were strange, and it was casting an eclipse over my future.
“What’s happening, Hals?” Canyon asked, seriously this time. His brows were drawn down, and I knew I wasn’t getting away with not saying something about my mood.
“Homesick, I guess,” I said, not wanting to disclose the truth.
Canyon was practically my brother. Even though he was only a few years older than me, he had always been my protector.
He was wiser than his years. My daddy would say he believed Canyon had been on this earth before this lifetime.
That he was an old soul who felt and thought deeper than most.
Canyon raised an eyebrow. “That’s the story you’re sticking to?”
A smile pulled on my lips. “It is,” I said with a firm nod.
“That tells me it’s guy business, therefore none of my business. That ’bout right?” he asked, and I couldn’t help but laugh.
“Let’s go with that,” I said, and Canyon shook his head playfully.
I kissed Huxley again as Canyon said, “You just remember whose daughter you are, Hallie-girl. You’re Texan, and we Texans don’t take shit from anyone.”
“I’ll remember that,” I said, feeling warmer inside than I was before. The sound of cows bleating in the background of Canyon’s cell sailed through my phone.
“Aw, hell,” Canyon said, groaning and giving me an apologetic smile.
“Duty calls. A fence on the west side just came down and the cattle are making a run for it.” Canyon turned Rosie toward the broken fence, then held up the cell and showed me the view.
My heart swelled in my chest, seeing the sun rise over the fields I knew so well, and in this moment, I could almost mistake Huxley’s head over my shoulder for my daddy’s heavenly hug as I looked out at our land, the land that meant so much to him.
“Texas misses you, Hallie-girl,” Canyon said, and tears built in my eyes. Canyon’s face appeared again. “And so does your family.”
“Love y’all,” I said, and wiped at my eyes. “Tell your mama and daddy I’ll call this weekend.” I spent some time every Saturday and Sunday calling Canyon’s mama and daddy and my aunt Jeanie and uncle Luke, telling them about my progress over here in England.
“Will do,” Canyon said, and I hung up the phone just as Canyon began racing Rosie toward the fleeing cows. I looked up and saw a robin on a nearby tree take to the sky above us. I put my cell back in my barn jacket and fixed my Stetson. I had work to do.
Turning, I stepped away from Huxley, seeing his ears prick and his tail swish in excitement.
“Are you ready?” I said. Laughing, I started to run around the arena, and like the playful boy he was, Huxley gave chase.
I was a huge believer in the fact that if you wanted a horse to perform for you, that you also had to give them what they needed.
For Hux, that was grazing in fields, treats, and playtime.
Horses were just big dogs in my opinion.
They had personalities and loved silliness too.
As I ran around the arena, Huxley bucking in excitement as he chased me, I allowed the fun and levity to cast away the residual hurt in my heart.
Breathless, I took off my hat and used it to fan my face.
My cheeks were hot from the exercise, and Huxley came to stand beside me.
I ran my hand down his neck and laid it over his heart to feel it thumping.
Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out a Polo, held it to his mouth, and he gobbled it right up. I tipped my head back to the sky to catch my next breath when I heard, “That was wonderful to see!”
I snapped my head to the left, not realizing I had company.
When I glimpsed over the fence, Genny Knighton was there in her wheelchair, a bright smile on her pretty face.
My instant happiness at seeing her again was immediately washed away when I saw Jasper behind her, dressed in his usual barn jacket and flat cap.
My gaze flicked to his. His expression was tight, and his hands gripped the wheelchair handles so hard I thought he might break them. But Genny was all smiles, and I made myself ignore Jasper and walk toward them.
“Genny!” I said, and climbed over the arena fence. I landed in front of her and bent down to give her a hug. Genny’s embrace was warm. When I drew back, I nodded at Jasper. “Mr. Knighton,” I said, and heard the creak of the plastic handles under his hands.
Good. I’m glad the use of his formal name pissed him off.
“Pfft,” Genny said, and laughed. “Mr. Knighton!” She held up her hand. “Call him Jasper, Hallie. He’s too uptight as it is to be called Mr. Knighton too. It’ll go to his head.”
I nodded to Genny and gave her a tight smile. “How are you doing, darlin’?” I said, hoping I wasn’t being too forward.
“Better,” Genny said, positively. “It’s been a rough road, but I’m getting there,” she said and took a deep breath. “Slowly.” That strained breath told me just how hard it had been for her—still was.
I took hold of her hand and squeezed. “You’re missed.”
“Thank you,” Genny said, and I noticed Jasper’s hands loosen on the wheelchair’s handles a little. Like he was a touch more relaxed. Huxley chose that moment to put his head over the fence and nudge my arm of the hand that was in my pocket.