Read Online Dreams for Stones by Ann Warner - Free Book Online Page B

two, and she realized she was
still sitting on Siesta. And instead of bouncing, she was moving in
an easy side-to-side motion. She opened her eyes, and after several
more careful breaths, she unclenched her legs and let go of her
death grip on the saddle.
    She lifted the reins the way Alan had told
her to, and after she did, she began to notice other things. Like
how the world looked from the back of a horse, as if there were
more of it, somehow. The way it had looked when as a small child
she’d been lifted onto her father’s shoulders in order to see
better.
    The autumn air brushed her cheeks, lifting
her hair and cooling her neck. In an instant, delight replaced
fear. She was riding, and not only that, she understood for the
first time why people actually did it for fun.
    After several circuits, Alan slowed his
horse back to a walk, and Kathy’s horse quickly followed suit.
    “How was that?” he said.
    It was...wow ! She couldn’t tell him
that. Their relationship was much too cool and distant for that
kind of sharing. “She’s so smooth. I didn’t bounce at all.”
    “That’s a Paso Fino for you. Do you know any
Spanish?”
    “Fine passage?” Kathy hazarded.
    “Close. Fine step or fine gait. Let me show
you something. Stay here.”
    Kathy tightened her reins slightly, and
Siesta stopped and stood quietly. It made Kathy feel in control,
safe.
    Alan, meanwhile, rode over to Grace and
Delia and spoke to them briefly before turning Sonoro toward the
center of the ring, where Kathy had noticed a wooden platform
embedded in the dirt. At an invisible signal from Alan, Sonoro’s
legs began moving in a quick step that, given his forward progress,
was rather like jogging in place. Reaching the wooden platform,
Sonoro danced slowly across, rapping out a staccato rhythm.
    Delia clapped her hands in delight, and
Kathy felt the same delight as the little girl. It was magic.
Enchantment.
    When Sonoro’s dance ended near Grace and
Delia, Alan leaned over to say something to Grace before riding
back to Kathy.
    “I see why you call this TapDancer Ranch,”
Kathy said.
    They began walking around the ring again.
“You know." He stopped and cleared his throat. "I’ve been trying to
figure out how to apologize.”
    Kathy, still feeling exhilarated from having
faced her fear, was abruptly reminded she didn’t like this man.
“Oh.” She tightened her legs, and Siesta danced sideways.
    “Easy.”
    Kathy didn’t know if he was speaking to her
or to the horse. She relaxed her muscles, and Siesta instantly
responded with a return to a slow walk.
    “You surprised me at the tail end of a bad
day, and I acted like an idiot,” he continued. “No excuse. But,
well. Anyway. If you still want to use the office in the evenings,
it would be fine.”
    “I’m using a carrel in the library.” Okay,
now she was the one sounding like the recipient of a bad diagnosis.
“Thank you, though. It’s kind of you to offer.” Better, but still
not award-winning.
    “I also want to thank you for not
complaining to Hilstrom.”
    “How do you know I didn’t?” Kathy said,
feeling a sudden urge to tease him.
    He glanced at her quickly, looking glum, and
Kathy remembered her first impression of Hilary Hilstrom—that the
woman wasn’t someone she’d want to cross.
    “I’m not a snitch. And I fight my battles
myself.”
    He met her eyes briefly looking relieved,
then he signaled Grace to lead the pony over. “Time we call it
quits for today.”
    When they reached the barn, Kathy
dismounted. Not smoothly like Alan, but awkwardly. Her leg muscles
were already letting her know they would be reminding her of the
ride for several days to come.
    She held Siesta’s reins until Alan came and
took them from her.
    “Thank you for the lesson.”
    “You’re welcome.” He glanced at her briefly
before turning to Grace. “You and Ms. Jamison ought to talk,” he
said. “She’s an editor.” Then he turned to Kathy. “Grace writes
children’s