Read Online Love Inspired August 2014 – Bundle 1 of 2 by Allie Pleiter and Jessica Keller Ruth Logan Herne - Free Book Online Page B
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at home, especially if Grandma and Grandpa move
in, but you know what, Jack?” She smiled when he spiked his right brow to show he
was listening. “I think I can be a help to them and my parents. I’m beginning to see
there’s more to life than hefty paychecks and bylines in university presses and museum
trade magazines. I forgot how nice this all is.” She waved a hand to include the rise
of mountains, the drought-touched fields, common in August, and the horse trailer
tugging along behind them. “So, no, I don’t think it’s a waste at all. Maybe, finally,
I’m growing up.”
* * *
Her words niggled that sore spot inside Jack. He’d had some growing up to do himself,
and he’d fought it, but sitting alongside Liv, trailering horses and grabbing front-seat
burgers, he felt as if he’d melded the old with the new into something wonderful.
Go slow. You messed with her head once. Treat her like you’ll treat that horse behind
you. Nice and gentle, with tender loving care. Horses and people who’ve been burned
spook easy.
Jack pulled into the restaurant’s parking lot and aligned the trailer beneath the
shade of a tall, mature tree. He hopped out of the driver’s seat, then turned. “Be
right back. Don’t go anywhere.”
Her smile assured him she wouldn’t, a smile he remembered well and couldn’t believe
how good it felt to see again. “I’ll be right here, cowboy.”
He tipped his brim and watched her smile deepen before heading inside. Their order
was ready, just as Liv planned. To some, that might seem to be a minor thing, letting
horses stand, trailered, while the owners ate.
Not to Livvie, and that said “rancher” all the way. She’d been gone a long time, yet
she still carried that indefinable “ranch first” mentality, a rare trait that said
she belonged in Big Sky country.
Seeing her sitting in the cab of the truck, busily adding to her electronic notes
when he came back through the restaurant door, his heart stretched open. She scrambled
to stow the notepad as he climbed into the driver’s seat. He handed off the bag and
grinned at how deftly she distributed the food, the drinks, not a motion wasted, treating
the front seat like a kitchen, cups here, napkins there, an old towel she’d found
behind the seat draped over her lap to avoid drips from a well-topped and messy burger.
He reached over and took her hand gently before they dived into the food.
She looked up. Saw his intent. Surprise faded to understanding and she squeezed his
fingers lightly. “Go ahead.”
He wanted to thank God for her. For this moment, this chance to set things right after
too much time gone by. Would that embarrass her?
Maybe. He kept it short and sweet instead, but his heart rounded out the quick prayer.
“God, thank You for this food. For the chance to be together, and Lord, we ask You
to help us be the friends this gelding truly needs. To anticipate his needs until
he feels safe and beloved once more. Amen.”
She didn’t let go of his hand straightaway, and that tiny measure of trust made him
feel better. She held his gaze, her blue eyes almost misty, then smiled. “Thank you,
Jack. That was lovely.”
“You’re lovely,” he told her, letting his grin say the rest. “Let’s see how lovely
you stay while eating a big, sloppy ol’ burger.”
She popped down the hinge of his glove compartment to use as a miniature table, but
the dust dissuaded her. She puffed it away, waved her hand and sent him a look that
said he should clean the truck more often.
“I’ll clean it this week. Promise. You know how bad the dust gets in July and August.
And there’s no keeping it out of the truck when I wear it into the truck multiple
times a day.”
“I hear you, cowboy. And a little dust ain’t never been no big thing in these here
parts,” she drawled, teasing. “The fact that I’m sitting here about to eat one of
the
in, but you know what, Jack?” She smiled when he spiked his right brow to show he
was listening. “I think I can be a help to them and my parents. I’m beginning to see
there’s more to life than hefty paychecks and bylines in university presses and museum
trade magazines. I forgot how nice this all is.” She waved a hand to include the rise
of mountains, the drought-touched fields, common in August, and the horse trailer
tugging along behind them. “So, no, I don’t think it’s a waste at all. Maybe, finally,
I’m growing up.”
* * *
Her words niggled that sore spot inside Jack. He’d had some growing up to do himself,
and he’d fought it, but sitting alongside Liv, trailering horses and grabbing front-seat
burgers, he felt as if he’d melded the old with the new into something wonderful.
Go slow. You messed with her head once. Treat her like you’ll treat that horse behind
you. Nice and gentle, with tender loving care. Horses and people who’ve been burned
spook easy.
Jack pulled into the restaurant’s parking lot and aligned the trailer beneath the
shade of a tall, mature tree. He hopped out of the driver’s seat, then turned. “Be
right back. Don’t go anywhere.”
Her smile assured him she wouldn’t, a smile he remembered well and couldn’t believe
how good it felt to see again. “I’ll be right here, cowboy.”
He tipped his brim and watched her smile deepen before heading inside. Their order
was ready, just as Liv planned. To some, that might seem to be a minor thing, letting
horses stand, trailered, while the owners ate.
Not to Livvie, and that said “rancher” all the way. She’d been gone a long time, yet
she still carried that indefinable “ranch first” mentality, a rare trait that said
she belonged in Big Sky country.
Seeing her sitting in the cab of the truck, busily adding to her electronic notes
when he came back through the restaurant door, his heart stretched open. She scrambled
to stow the notepad as he climbed into the driver’s seat. He handed off the bag and
grinned at how deftly she distributed the food, the drinks, not a motion wasted, treating
the front seat like a kitchen, cups here, napkins there, an old towel she’d found
behind the seat draped over her lap to avoid drips from a well-topped and messy burger.
He reached over and took her hand gently before they dived into the food.
She looked up. Saw his intent. Surprise faded to understanding and she squeezed his
fingers lightly. “Go ahead.”
He wanted to thank God for her. For this moment, this chance to set things right after
too much time gone by. Would that embarrass her?
Maybe. He kept it short and sweet instead, but his heart rounded out the quick prayer.
“God, thank You for this food. For the chance to be together, and Lord, we ask You
to help us be the friends this gelding truly needs. To anticipate his needs until
he feels safe and beloved once more. Amen.”
She didn’t let go of his hand straightaway, and that tiny measure of trust made him
feel better. She held his gaze, her blue eyes almost misty, then smiled. “Thank you,
Jack. That was lovely.”
“You’re lovely,” he told her, letting his grin say the rest. “Let’s see how lovely
you stay while eating a big, sloppy ol’ burger.”
She popped down the hinge of his glove compartment to use as a miniature table, but
the dust dissuaded her. She puffed it away, waved her hand and sent him a look that
said he should clean the truck more often.
“I’ll clean it this week. Promise. You know how bad the dust gets in July and August.
And there’s no keeping it out of the truck when I wear it into the truck multiple
times a day.”
“I hear you, cowboy. And a little dust ain’t never been no big thing in these here
parts,” she drawled, teasing. “The fact that I’m sitting here about to eat one of
the
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