Read Online Riding Hard by Vicki Lewis Thompson - Free Book Online
Authors: Vicki Lewis Thompson
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have it, but that didn’t mean that they should. He’d pretty much promised Josie Chance that he wouldn’t, and in a town like Shoshone there was zero probability that it would stay a secret.
For the moment he wouldn’t worry about it. As he toweled off, he caught the subtle aroma of lentil soup warming on the stove. She must have put the corn bread in the oven as well, because he could smell that, too.
For the first time in months, he felt relaxed and almost peaceful. Tracy knew the worst about him, and yet she was fixing him supper. Better yet, she needed him around because of Dottie. Remembering her panic whenever she thought he might leave made him feel a little bit like her knight in shining armor. His armor might be tarnished, but she’d agreed to look past that for the time being.
By the time he walked into the kitchen wearing some of Regan’s clothes but his own jeans and boots, she was in the dining room setting the table. She glanced up and smiled. “Dinner’s almost ready, but I was wondering if you’d—”
“Take another look at Dottie?”
“Yeah. Am I being obsessive?”
“Nope.” Even if he thought so, he wouldn’t have said it. She’d taken on the responsibility of this pregnant mare, and she wouldn’t rest easy until the foal had been born and both mother and baby were fine.
He wouldn’t totally relax until that moment, either. Although he’d been through a lot of deliveries in his Virginia practice, most involving very valuable foals, this one loomed larger than all the others. He wanted to be Tracy’s hero.
Walking outside, he took a deep breath of the warm evening air. The sun had disappeared moments ago, leaving an apricot glow behind. Enough light remained to make out the barn, which was pink with turquoise trim, and the house, painted neon green with orange trim. The orange almost matched the horizon.
Drake remembered his initial impression of this place, the day he and Regan had talked for the first time since the Christmas Eve incident. Regan had cautioned Drake not to make fun of the paint job. Lily was a free spirit who believed in shaking things up. Since that day, Drake had spent enough time here to grow used to the unusual colors, but newcomers always gawked and some of the old-timers muttered about the neighborhood going to hippie hell.
Drake had loyally defended Lily’s paint choices to anyone who had criticized them in his presence. Considering his poor reputation around town, he’d wondered lately if maybe his defense had hurt more than helped her cause. So he’d become less vocal about it.
But the pink-and-turquoise barn appealed to him. The colors flew in the face of tradition, and he was all about that these days. His family was steeped in tradition. He might even say mired in it.
As he walked down to the barn, he realized that this equine-rescue facility made him happy. He’d forced himself not to come here too often because he hadn’t wanted to be a pest, but now he had a perfect excuse to hang around and absorb the ambiance of this little five-acre piece of goodness and light.
He envied Regan, who planned to live here for the foreseeable future. He’d continue his vet practice with Nick Chance, and he’d provide free vet care for the animals that Lily took in. Sweet. Regan had found what he wanted in life. Drake was still searching for that perfect fit.
Inside the barn, he hit the switch that turned on some lights installed along the aisle near the floor. Regan said he’d patterned the lighting after what he’d seen in the much bigger barn at the Last Chance Ranch. Drake would have to take Regan’s word for it. An invitation to the Last Chance, other than Josie’s urging him to go stand on some sacred rock, didn’t seem to be in his immediate future.
Familiar aromas greeted him as he walked down the wooden aisle—sweet hay, sun-dried straw, oiled leather and the earthy scent of horses. Would he like to own a barn like this someday? He might,
For the moment he wouldn’t worry about it. As he toweled off, he caught the subtle aroma of lentil soup warming on the stove. She must have put the corn bread in the oven as well, because he could smell that, too.
For the first time in months, he felt relaxed and almost peaceful. Tracy knew the worst about him, and yet she was fixing him supper. Better yet, she needed him around because of Dottie. Remembering her panic whenever she thought he might leave made him feel a little bit like her knight in shining armor. His armor might be tarnished, but she’d agreed to look past that for the time being.
By the time he walked into the kitchen wearing some of Regan’s clothes but his own jeans and boots, she was in the dining room setting the table. She glanced up and smiled. “Dinner’s almost ready, but I was wondering if you’d—”
“Take another look at Dottie?”
“Yeah. Am I being obsessive?”
“Nope.” Even if he thought so, he wouldn’t have said it. She’d taken on the responsibility of this pregnant mare, and she wouldn’t rest easy until the foal had been born and both mother and baby were fine.
He wouldn’t totally relax until that moment, either. Although he’d been through a lot of deliveries in his Virginia practice, most involving very valuable foals, this one loomed larger than all the others. He wanted to be Tracy’s hero.
Walking outside, he took a deep breath of the warm evening air. The sun had disappeared moments ago, leaving an apricot glow behind. Enough light remained to make out the barn, which was pink with turquoise trim, and the house, painted neon green with orange trim. The orange almost matched the horizon.
Drake remembered his initial impression of this place, the day he and Regan had talked for the first time since the Christmas Eve incident. Regan had cautioned Drake not to make fun of the paint job. Lily was a free spirit who believed in shaking things up. Since that day, Drake had spent enough time here to grow used to the unusual colors, but newcomers always gawked and some of the old-timers muttered about the neighborhood going to hippie hell.
Drake had loyally defended Lily’s paint choices to anyone who had criticized them in his presence. Considering his poor reputation around town, he’d wondered lately if maybe his defense had hurt more than helped her cause. So he’d become less vocal about it.
But the pink-and-turquoise barn appealed to him. The colors flew in the face of tradition, and he was all about that these days. His family was steeped in tradition. He might even say mired in it.
As he walked down to the barn, he realized that this equine-rescue facility made him happy. He’d forced himself not to come here too often because he hadn’t wanted to be a pest, but now he had a perfect excuse to hang around and absorb the ambiance of this little five-acre piece of goodness and light.
He envied Regan, who planned to live here for the foreseeable future. He’d continue his vet practice with Nick Chance, and he’d provide free vet care for the animals that Lily took in. Sweet. Regan had found what he wanted in life. Drake was still searching for that perfect fit.
Inside the barn, he hit the switch that turned on some lights installed along the aisle near the floor. Regan said he’d patterned the lighting after what he’d seen in the much bigger barn at the Last Chance Ranch. Drake would have to take Regan’s word for it. An invitation to the Last Chance, other than Josie’s urging him to go stand on some sacred rock, didn’t seem to be in his immediate future.
Familiar aromas greeted him as he walked down the wooden aisle—sweet hay, sun-dried straw, oiled leather and the earthy scent of horses. Would he like to own a barn like this someday? He might,
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