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Authors: Traci McDonald
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stables slowly. “Maybe if you were the man you are trying to convince everyone you are, I wouldn’t have to see anything at all.” Jake felt the sting of those words as if she were slapping him with them right now, the jagged tips of every one like a flogging in his heart. What did she see? Who showed up in her mind when she heard his voice, but couldn’t see his face? Jake thought back over his words, his abruptness with her, his comments about Natalie, and the way she had become more and more mistrustful in his arms as they danced.
She was misunderstanding; she could only hear and get the wrong impression. That guy who showed up at Mcgoo’s was empty and sweet, charming and stealthy. Casanova. The actor. Cassie knew Jake Caswell the Hollywood heartthrob, but she had never seen him. Jake stopped suddenly in the dimming light of the sunset.
They all knew Jake Caswell the actor. That was why the women cared nothing about anything but the way he looked. He didn’t have to show anyone else more than that, and he didn’t want to. Had she been right about him? Had she seen the man he was showing her, and without his looks that guy was a snake? Jake leaned against the doorway to the stables feeling tightness in his chest that made it difficult to breathe. Was that who he had become? Casanova?
• • •
Jake lost himself in the farm, the mustangs, and the women. Sustaining this complex juggling act kept his mind from sinking into deeper thought. In the weeks since Heidi’s revelation about Cassie, Jake found it took more energy than he had to avoid thinking about her and observing her every move. He noticed now the way she held out her hand to meet obstacles, the lift of her nose into the air when a slight breeze would blow, the tilt of her head toward a sound too quiet for most ears. The slight signs that gave away her disability had seemed quirky habits before. They were survival skills, he saw that now. And he wondered how he had ever missed them.
July was excruciatingly hot in the desert. The hard work and the distractions were loosening their grip on his mind, and a part of him thought he should go face Cassie again, but his pride over her rejection, and his stupidity about her blindness kept him trapped on the farm.
His father was growing annoyed with his restlessness and put him to work with the horses for distraction. The sleek black Arabian, Starlight, had been given to Caswell Farms when Miriam had gleaned her herd three years ago. The horse was a beauty, but her canter was far too spirited for therapeutic purposes, and The Rocking J had not had the resources to keep her. Now his father’s roan stallion, Ruiando, had taken possession of her, and Jake was going to need to move him and the other mares into the outer corrals before Starlight laid down to birth their colt. He admired her power and beauty and wondered what would be the result of foaling her with Deseo. The prospect of her spirit and Deseo’s sheer power intrigued him.
Jake’s lack of focus with the cattle was costing him, though. His father had hired Carter part-time, and Jake found himself in infuriating confrontations with the guy daily. As the wave of angry heat rolled from the barn that day, Jake was finished. Finished placating Carter’s mean streak, and finished trying to understand the guy’s attitude.
“You take the roan out to the paddock.” Carter snarled, his hands in fists and a sneer disfiguring his face. “I’ll stay with Starlight.”
“I don’t have time to argue with you about this. Just take the horses out.”
“I don’t take orders from you, Casanova, and I’ll do what I want … or whoever I want to. I’m surprised your little friend didn’t tell you that.”
Jake removed the halters and bridles from the wall and brought them back to Carter. “I have no idea what your problem is, or what you’re talking about. Take the horses; the filly is fragile, and I’m staying with her.”
Carter threw the bundle
She was misunderstanding; she could only hear and get the wrong impression. That guy who showed up at Mcgoo’s was empty and sweet, charming and stealthy. Casanova. The actor. Cassie knew Jake Caswell the Hollywood heartthrob, but she had never seen him. Jake stopped suddenly in the dimming light of the sunset.
They all knew Jake Caswell the actor. That was why the women cared nothing about anything but the way he looked. He didn’t have to show anyone else more than that, and he didn’t want to. Had she been right about him? Had she seen the man he was showing her, and without his looks that guy was a snake? Jake leaned against the doorway to the stables feeling tightness in his chest that made it difficult to breathe. Was that who he had become? Casanova?
• • •
Jake lost himself in the farm, the mustangs, and the women. Sustaining this complex juggling act kept his mind from sinking into deeper thought. In the weeks since Heidi’s revelation about Cassie, Jake found it took more energy than he had to avoid thinking about her and observing her every move. He noticed now the way she held out her hand to meet obstacles, the lift of her nose into the air when a slight breeze would blow, the tilt of her head toward a sound too quiet for most ears. The slight signs that gave away her disability had seemed quirky habits before. They were survival skills, he saw that now. And he wondered how he had ever missed them.
July was excruciatingly hot in the desert. The hard work and the distractions were loosening their grip on his mind, and a part of him thought he should go face Cassie again, but his pride over her rejection, and his stupidity about her blindness kept him trapped on the farm.
His father was growing annoyed with his restlessness and put him to work with the horses for distraction. The sleek black Arabian, Starlight, had been given to Caswell Farms when Miriam had gleaned her herd three years ago. The horse was a beauty, but her canter was far too spirited for therapeutic purposes, and The Rocking J had not had the resources to keep her. Now his father’s roan stallion, Ruiando, had taken possession of her, and Jake was going to need to move him and the other mares into the outer corrals before Starlight laid down to birth their colt. He admired her power and beauty and wondered what would be the result of foaling her with Deseo. The prospect of her spirit and Deseo’s sheer power intrigued him.
Jake’s lack of focus with the cattle was costing him, though. His father had hired Carter part-time, and Jake found himself in infuriating confrontations with the guy daily. As the wave of angry heat rolled from the barn that day, Jake was finished. Finished placating Carter’s mean streak, and finished trying to understand the guy’s attitude.
“You take the roan out to the paddock.” Carter snarled, his hands in fists and a sneer disfiguring his face. “I’ll stay with Starlight.”
“I don’t have time to argue with you about this. Just take the horses out.”
“I don’t take orders from you, Casanova, and I’ll do what I want … or whoever I want to. I’m surprised your little friend didn’t tell you that.”
Jake removed the halters and bridles from the wall and brought them back to Carter. “I have no idea what your problem is, or what you’re talking about. Take the horses; the filly is fragile, and I’m staying with her.”
Carter threw the bundle
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