Chapter 9
CHAPTER 9
“ W hat was in the box?” Spencer asked, his voice cutting through the bustling kitchen of the ranch house.
It was a lively morning; the previous night had brought several visitors, and everyone seemed to converge for breakfast simultaneously. The toaster popped up two slices of golden-browned bread at the same moment the tea kettle began whistling its symphony on the stove. Meanwhile, Nana Jo sliced through a colorful assortment of fruits meant for a salad: strawberries, bananas, melons, and peaches. Spencer had tried to make himself useful with the coffee pot, but in reality, he was just stalling, attempting to stay out of his grandmother’s earshot so he could get some answers from his sister.
Clara, his twin, blinked up at him, a jug of orange juice in her hand. “In the box? Nothing special, really. Just a few patchwork quilts we worked on when I was back in high school and never finished.”
A young woman with a bright smile bumped into Spencer’s side, flashing a deeper grin with her apology. He just tipped his hat and refocused on his sister while he poured himself a cup of hot coffee.
“Why do you think she wanted you to have them now? Seems like something that could have waited until you came out for the holidays,” Spencer pondered aloud.
He didn’t like his grandmother’s sense of urgency lately. She’d always been generous, but in recent years it went beyond simple gifts and tiptoed toward liquidating her assets. He knew she was getting up there in years…He shook the thought from his head.
“I don’t know why it couldn’t wait, either,” Clara replied, downing a swig of her juice. “She asked if I would want to work on finishing them while I’m in town for the next few days.”
Clara had relocated to Sacramento years ago for a position at a marketing firm specializing in digital media. Of all the grandchildren, she had embraced the ranch life the least and was eager to establish herself far from Snowdrift Summit. Initially, Spencer had missed her company, but as fate would have it, his cattle ranching didn’t take place too far from where she’d settled. For years, they were able to meet for weekly lunches, moments he cherished now that they were each other’s closest remaining family.
He’d missed her since moving back to the ranch. Of course, he had wanted her to visit, but he still wasn’t clear about these particular circumstances.
“She’s up to something,” he mused, returning the pot back onto the coffee maker.
“She’s always up to something,” Clara said with a snort. She tugged on the handle to the refrigerator and placed the orange juice container on the middle shelf next to the milk. “Either way, I’m happy to be back in Snowdrift for a bit. My PTO was stacking up. I needed to use it or lose it.”
Spencer guessed he could just choose to be happy and not curious like his sister, but he was never any good at that. Even as a kid, he asked questions, unrelenting in seeking answers. Why do horses wear shoes? Why do roosters crow at daybreak? Why do you put chains on your tires when it snows? Some found it annoying, but it served him well in the long run. He was always learning something new.
“What have you got on the agenda other than quilt making?” he asked.
“I told Nana I’d go with her to her doctor’s appointment.”
Spencer bristled. He wasn’t aware she had one. “Something wrong?”
“Don’t think so. Said it’s a routine checkup but I volunteered to tag along, because hey, what better do I have to do than accompany my beloved grandma to her doctor’s visit?”
“You could work the horses with me.”
“That would be a big, fat no.” Clara gave him a look. “You know that’s not my thing.”
It wasn’t, never had been, and he knew better than to push his sister.
“But Nana did say she bought a new mare,” Clara continued. “I’d like to see her when we get back from the appointment if you’ve got time.”
“Should. All I’ve got on the schedule is a lesson with Trinity’s daughter.”
“Trinity Tillman?”
Spencer nodded. “Yeah. Her daughter is a certified horse girl. I thought the new horse might be a good fit for her.”
“Never thought you’d be in the business of giving riding lessons.” Clara gave him a look.
“Never thought I’d do anything other than cattle ranching.” He shrugged. “But things change.”
It startled him when his sister reached out and touched his forearm, her tone filling with sincerity when she said, “I know I never thanked you for stepping in to help save the ranch. Without you, our family could have lost this beautiful place. You really saved the day, Spencer, and everyone in the Major family is grateful. I know I am.”
Clara looked around the kitchen, which had grown quieter now as guests filtered into the dining room with their breakfast plates and mugs of coffee. Even Nana Jo had stepped out to place the finished fruit salad on a buffet table next to a pile of the sweetest smelling cinnamon rolls.
“I was glad to be in a position where I could help.” He drained the last sip of coffee from his cup with a big gulp. “And I’m thankful for the opportunity to build a place of my own on this land.”
“That’s also something I’d like to check out later today. New horse, new house. Lots of changes around here.”
It was a lot of newness, Spencer supposed, but all good things so that made it easier to adjust. “You’ll fill me in on the appointment?” He arched his brow. “I don’t think Nana tells me everything that’s going on.”
“Oh, I think there’s a lot that Nana doesn’t tell any of us. That woman likes to think she can do it all on her own, but there’s no shame in asking for a little help every now and then,” Clara said. “But yes, I’ll keep you posted. You know I’ve never been able to keep anything from you.”
“And vice versa,” he said. He sometimes wondered if that was just a twin thing.
“That means you’ll have to tell me all about Trinity later, too.”
Spencer’s spine pulled taut, his brow line drawing over his eyes. “What about Trinity? Nothing going on there.” What had his grandmother said?
“ Sure , there isn’t.” Clara smirked.
“Seriously, there’s not.”
Clara still didn’t believe him, her scrutinizing eyes pinning him in place. “I’ll only report back about Grandma if you come clean about the real reason you want to give lessons.”
“The real reason is that I think we’ve finally got a horse that would be a good teacher.”
“Mmm, hmm.” Clara wasn’t buying any of it. “If you say so.”
Spencer was done with the runaround. Between his twin sister and his grandmother, he’d had his share of evasive talk lately.
Popping a donut hole into his mouth from the pink box left on the counter, he tipped the front of his cowboy hat. “Gotta run. Meeting Lance in fifteen.”
“Tell him hi for me. I still need to venture up the Summit to check out his shop.”
“It’s been open for several years,” Spencer pointed out. “You know, if you would visit more often, you wouldn’t have to keep familiarizing yourself with this place.”
Clara gave her brother a slug in the arm. “Hey, I’m here now, aren’t I?”
He figured he should just be grateful for that. Enough with the teasing. He pulled her into a hug and said, “You are. And thank you. It means a lot to Nana. And to me.”
Rolling her eyes rather than accepting the compliment, Clara just grinned.
It was good to have her back, even if it was just for a few days.
“These should fit.” Lance handed Spencer a brand-new shoe box, the weight of it surprising him even though he knew based on the display pair that they were made of genuine leather. Lots of times, manufacturers would skimp on quality when it came to kids’ shoes. Apparently, not so with riding boots.
“We should have a helmet in her size, too,” his cousin said. “Just got a big shipment that’s still in the back that I haven’t had the chance to unpack. I’ll go see what I can find.”
Up until a few seasons ago, Lance’s store, Major Hart Mountain Sports, specialized mostly in winter gear and attire. They gave guided snowmobile tours during the snowy seasons and offered some mountain biking and hiking expeditions in the warmer months. But their recent partnership with the ranch opened up new adventure opportunities, and slowly, Lance had been incorporating equine-focused gear into his shop alongside his other offerings. The local feed store had a very limited selection of tack and supplies, so Spencer appreciated Lance’s initiative and expanding inventory.
He lifted the lid on the boot box while Lance rummaged in the back room. He’d have to trust his cousin on the fit; he had no clue what size shoe a five-year-old would wear but knew the bright pink stitching across the cognac-colored leather was a detail she would adore. He had contemplated texting Trinity but had a hunch she’d say he didn’t need to purchase the boots, that she would take care of it. Her financial situation wasn’t any of his business, but he knew she worked hard to provide for her family. If he could take some of the strain off by supplying the added things that went along with lessons like boots and helmets, then he would happily do so.
“You’re in luck.” Lance appeared at his side just as Spencer was sliding the small boots back into the box. “Got an extra small helmet just her size.”
Spencer never wore one; he grew up in an era when helmets weren’t the norm. But they would be mandatory during any lesson he planned to give. And this one was perfect: bright white with a purple horseshoe printed on the side, dotted with rhinestone accents and sparkly glitter that twinkled when it hit the light at a certain angle. He didn’t have a daughter of his own, but he was certain any young girl would be thrilled with this particular helmet.
Taking a look at his watch, he realized he would need to pick up the pace if he hoped to get back to the ranch before Trinity and Mia were scheduled to arrive. Thanking his cousin for his help, he paid for the items and then made the short drive down the hill. But, just as he’d feared, Trinity’s car was already parked outside the big barn, the engine still idling as she waited.
She was ten minutes early, but he was admittedly later returning than he’d liked. He powered down his truck beside her vehicle and smiled when they made eye contact through the windows. With his purchases in hand, he hopped out of the truck to meet her.
“Sorry, I hoped to beat you here.” He lifted the bag. “Just stopped by Lance’s place to pick up a few things for Mia. She wouldn’t be a size ten shoe by chance, would she?”
“That’s her size,” Trinity said with a furrowed brow. “You bought her shoes?”
“Boots, actually. She’ll need them for the lessons.”
Something crossed over Trinity’s face, but she refocused her attention on her daughter who was now climbing over the back seat and into the front so she could escape through the driver’s side door and join the conversation, too. “You didn’t have to do that. I could have picked some up.”
“Wasn’t any trouble,” he said, but he felt foolish, like maybe he should have checked with her first. “I was already there. Had to pick up a helmet.”
“Another thing I could have gotten.”
Spencer couldn’t shake the feeling that he was somehow being scolded, even though Trinity’s tone held no hint of reprimand.
“I’ll need them for the other kids in our lesson program anyway,” he amended, thinking if he presented the boots and helmet as community items that she wouldn’t feel like he’d overstepped.
“Oh, okay.” Taking her daughter’s hand, Trinity had to practically hold Mia back to keep her wrangled. The girl was like an insistent horse pulling on a lead rope, trying to get to a fresh patch of grass. “Only if you’re sure.”
He was. He was not going to ask for another dime of Trinity’s money. In fact, the only reason he even came up with a dollar amount was because Clara had said it would feel too much like charity had he offered the lessons for free. But now he worried that supplying the boots and helmet fell into that same category.
“Hey, Mia.” He directed his attention toward the young girl rather than continuing to convince Trinity that accepting the items wasn’t a handout. “You excited about today?”
“Excited doesn’t even begin to describe her level of enthusiasm,” Trinity answered for her daughter. Spencer noticed that Trinity often spoke for Mia, even though Mia was perfectly capable of articulating her own thoughts. He wasn’t quite sure why she did that.
He looked directly at Mia. “Pretty happy to start lessons?”
“I’m thrilled!” she squealed, adding a little hop to her steps. “This is the best day of my life!”
Trinity forced a smile, but instantly looked away when Spencer met her gaze. What was going on here? Man, he really couldn’t read her today.
“No Liam?” he asked, noticing the little guy wasn’t in tow.
“I had wanted to bring him but he’s still not feeling one hundred percent. Plus, I had him with me at the shop all day. He was due for a good nap in his own bed. My parents are with him at the house.”
Nodding, Spencer said, “For future, he’s welcomed to tag along. I know Doodlebug would love his company.”
Even though that pony was sometimes a pain, he really was good with the little ones. It was often the bigger people and adults that he gave the most trouble. Spencer felt like the guy had a complex, but at least he played nice with someone.
“I’ll keep that in mind,” Trinity noted.
As they walked the path toward the barn, Spencer couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off between them. Maybe not even between them , really, because it wasn’t like anything was going on there. But Trinity’s demeanor was markedly different, and Spencer wasn’t sure if he was the reason for that. Had he gone too far in purchasing the boots and the helmet? He hoped not, but it was too late now, especially once they reached the barn and he instructed Mia to sit on a nearby bench while he pulled the boots from the bag for her to try on. The look on her face was pure joy, making it clear he couldn’t return them.
“Perfect fit!” She giggled the moment her foot slid into the first boot, then the second, leggings kicking on the bench. “Just like Cinderella.”
Spencer grinned, the sight of Mia’s joy dispelling some of his earlier worries. “They do look perfect on you. We’ll plan to keep ‘em here, but you can wear them anytime you come by for a lesson. Sound good?”
Mia nodded eagerly, her eyes wide with excitement. Trinity stood back, watching with a soft smile, but Spencer couldn’t help but notice the lingering tension in her posture.
He turned to her, lowering his voice. “You okay?”
Trinity nodded, her smile tightening a fraction. “I’m fine. Just... it’s a lot, you know?”
“Yeah, I get it. If it’s too much, just let me know, okay?”
She seemed to relax a bit at his words, taking a deep breath. “Thanks, Spencer. I appreciate it.”
He gave her a reassuring nod before turning back to Mia. “Alright, cowgirl. Let’s go get Bluebell.”