Читать книгу To Protect His Own - Brenda Mott - Страница 9

“I DON’T THINK you’re ready for this, Caitlin.” Evelyn sounded worried, reluctant to let her go. “Why do you have to be so stubborn?”

Caitlin returned her mother’s firm stare. “I’m walking on my own now.” Pretty well. “I’m sick of being smothered. I need my space.”

“I don’t like the idea of you being alone. What if you fall?”

“I’ll get back up.” Caitlin folded her arms. “Mom, I’m twenty-three years old. When are you going to stop treating me like a child?” Until the accident, she hadn’t realized just how much she’d leaned on her parents, her grandmother and brother. A close family, albeit a rather nontraditional one, they’d never lived far from one another, and Caitlin had spent her entire life at the family’s horse ranch—Foxwood Farms.

“You’re the one who’s acting like a child,” Evelyn said, hands on her slender hips.

“Now, girls, let’s not argue.” Benton Kramer placed his hands gently on his daughter’s shoulders. “Honey, your mother is simply worried about you, and so am I.” Six foot two with a sturdy build and silver-streaked black hair, he had the same blue eyes as she did; the same blue eyes as Gran. The laugh lines around them that Caitlin loved so much now crinkled with concern. “Are you sure you’re ready for this, peach?”

“Yes, Dad, I’m sure.” Caitlin ran her hands up and down his arms affectionately, sickeningly aware of the fact that it took a conscious effort to move her left one. “It’s been almost seven months since the accident. And it’s not like I’ll be far away.” The small farmhouse she’d rented was three miles from the Kramers’ five-hundred-and-fifty acres. And the house on the neighboring property, which belonged to the Bagley family—longtime residents of Deer Creek—had sat empty, for sale for some time now, so Caitlin would have plenty of peace and quiet. Plenty of seclusion. Exactly what she wanted.

“Okay, then.” Benton lifted his hands in surrender. “Dillon and I will move your stuff in this weekend.” He ignored Evelyn’s continued protests.

Caitlin turned her back on her mother and, with the aid of her cane, headed slowly toward the sweeping staircase and her room.

By Friday afternoon, her things were gathered and she was ready to go.

“Is this it, Cate?” Dillon hefted a box of kitchen goods into his arms. At twenty-six, with coal-black hair and the Kramer blue eyes, he attracted his share of women out on the show circuit. He kept extremely busy, riding, training, showing—their father’s right hand in the running of Foxwood Farms. But he’d always made plenty of time for his little sister.

“That should do it.” Caitlin felt an exuberance she hadn’t known lately as they headed outside. The mid-September heat engulfed her as she headed for her new pickup truck. New to her, anyway.

Her father had offered to buy her a fully loaded, top-of-the-line, dually pickup straight off the showroom floor, but spending that much money on a pickup was foolish. She’d seen the candy-apple-red, ’79 Chevy parked at the local lot, owned by a reputable dealer. Something about the way the truck had obviously been lovingly cared for appealed to her.

Caitlin tossed her purse into the passenger seat. She couldn’t drive yet. Her ability to perceive distances correctly had been compromised by her head injury. As had her ability to judge the weight of an object. Her brain was left with no way to know how hard to flex her muscles. Without proper balance coordination, her brain initially couldn’t even communicate the simple act of moving a finger, and it had taken intense concentration and physical therapy to begin to overcome these obstacles.

The Chevy had an automatic transmission. No clutch for her weakened left side. She hoped to be driving within the next month, at least around the ranch.

“You be careful,” Evelyn said, giving her daughter a warm peck on the cheek.

Gran hovered over her, fussing with Caitlin’s hair, touching her as though she might crumble into dust and blow away on the wind. “Keep that cell phone clipped to your belt, you hear?” She pointed a stern finger. “I know how you’re always misplacing it.”

“I hear you, Gran.” Caitlin smiled and shook her head. “I’ll be fine, really. Shauna will be checking in on me, too.” Her best friend since fifth grade, Shauna had stuck faithfully by her side ever since the accident, even when she’d tried to push her away. Caitlin kissed her mother and grandmother on the cheek. “I love you both, even if you are a couple of worrywarts.”

Evelyn graced her with a good-natured frown. “That’s fine. You go on and think that way. We’ll see how you feel when you’re a mother one day.”

But she didn’t plan…never had planned…on being a mother. Caitlin herself had been raised by a series of nannies. Evelyn had never been the sort of nurturing mom she now suddenly wanted to be in lieu of Caitlin’s accident. Except on the horse show circuit.

Caitlin slid into the pickup, settling her cane against the floorboard. No. She’d never be a mother. She couldn’t really relate to Evelyn on a maternal level, and couldn’t transfer the concept to herself. Besides, she’d always looked forward to a career as an equestrian with a future in the field of animal science.

What she hadn’t planned on was the crash.

Facing forward in the seat, Caitlin looked at the windshield as Dillon drove through the gate and onto the county road. From there, they took a narrow dirt road to her new home. Caitlin noticed that the house on the old Bagley property across the road—a modest, two-story, pale yellow frame—no longer looked deserted…the For Sale sign gone. Curtains hung at the windows, chairs sat on the porch, and a blue Ford Ranger was parked out front.

Huh. She hadn’t counted on neighbors, but it shouldn’t be a problem. In addition to the narrow road, enough space divided their yard from hers to give her plenty of privacy. Plus, a small area of her backyard was fenced off.

“Here we are,” Dillon announced unnecessarily. He shot her the grin that made women swoon. “For what it’s worth, Cate, I think you’re doing the right thing.”

“Thanks.” His support didn’t take her by surprise, since he’d always been there for her, yet still, it choked her up.

“But that doesn’t mean I won’t be keeping a close eye on you,” he added. Dillon lived on his own horse ranch a few miles from Foxwood Farms, dividing his time between both places.

“Yeah, yeah.” Caitlin grinned back at him as he turned off the ignition. But her grin turned to a frown as she opened the truck door and heard a familiar sound. A whinny, and not just any horse. Caitlin froze in her seat, staring at the four-stall barn and adjoining paddock behind the house. Silver Fox trotted back and forth along the fence, then stopped and hung his dapple-gray head over the rail. Ears perked, he stared at her with soft brown eyes, as though asking why he’d been moved from his familiar surroundings with the other horses. “What is Silver Fox doing here?”

Dillon’s smile slipped. “What, you’re not happy to see him? I thought he might cheer you up.”

Caitlin set her jaw. “Take him back to the stables.”

“Caitlin…”

“I mean it, Dillon.” She got out of the truck and slammed the door, stumbling as she fumbled with her cane. “Dad’s going to bring Spike over later once I’m settled in. He’s all the company I’ll need.” The two-year-old Jack Russell terrier had been hers since he was a pup, and his vigorous devotion and enthusiasm helped raise Caitlin’s spirits.

“Come on, don’t be that way.”

“What way?” She whirled to face her brother, the motion making her dizzy. Tears stung her eyes, but she refused to cry. “How could you do this to me?”

Dillon’s mouth gaped. “Do what? I was only trying to make you feel at home by bringing your horse over.”

“Well, I don’t want him here.” She clumped up the walkway, tripping on an exposed rock.

Instantly, Dillon was at her side, catching her by the elbow. “Careful.” He glowered at her. “Maybe you’re not ready for this after all.”

“Would you stop treating me like an invalid!” Caitlin jerked out of his grasp. “I don’t need everyone hovering over me, I don’t need your help walking up to the damned door and I sure as hell don’t need Silver Fox reminding me of everything I’ll never have again!”

“Caitlin, wait.”

But she ignored him, moving toward the house with determination.

THE SOUND of raised voices floated to Alex on the clear mountain air as he stepped outside. He paused in the middle of lifting another sack of groceries out of the truck to listen. Odd. He’d been under the impression no one lived in the white-frame farmhouse. It was why he’d purchased the property across from it. Privacy for him and Hallie. He frowned at the sight of a tall man arguing with a woman who had her back to Alex. She walked with a cane and, as he watched, stumbled and nearly fell. The man took hold of her arm, and the two continued to argue heatedly before she turned and walked away.

Alex hesitated. It wasn’t any of his business. But even though he’d moved Hallie away from Aurora knowing the crime rate in Deer Creek would likely be low, he wasn’t naive enough to believe that domestic violence didn’t happen everywhere. Setting the bag of groceries back in the truck, he crossed the dirt road dividing the properties.

“Is there a problem here?” he asked gruffly as he drew close to the couple.

When the woman stopped and faced him, recognition hit him hard. It was her, the dark-haired, sapphire-eyed beauty he’d seen at Pearl’s Diner a few weeks ago. The woman Hallie had insisted was Caitlin Kramer. She was no longer in a wheelchair. He would’ve smiled if the situation at hand hadn’t been so serious.

“No, there’s no problem.” The man frowned at him. His jet-black hair and row of even teeth said pretty boy. His khaki slacks and polo shirt screamed money, as did his haughty attitude. “Who are you?”

“Alex Hunter.” He nodded in the direction of his own house. “I just bought the place across the road.”

The young woman raised one eyebrow in a way that sent his libido racing. “I didn’t realize I had a new neighbor. The Realtor’s sign was still up the last time I was out here.”

“I thought your house was empty, too,” Alex returned. “We just moved in a couple of weeks ago.”

“I’m Dillon Kramer.” Pretty Boy held out his hand, and Alex shook it, surprised to find it work-roughened, the man’s grip strong and sure. “This is my sister, Caitlin.”

So it was her. “I’ve heard of you.” Alex nodded and took Caitlin’s hand, relieved she was okay.

Her face flushed and her eyes darkened. “I hope you’ll excuse me, Mr. Hunter, but I’ve got things to do.”

“Sure. Sorry for the intrusion.” He gestured toward his place. “I’ve got groceries to put away myself.” He looked at Dillon. “Nice meeting you. You, too, Ms. Kramer.”

“Likewise,” Dillon said.

But Caitlin didn’t answer. She merely nodded politely, then turned her back on the two men and walked away.

To Alex’s surprise, Dillon addressed him softly. “Please excuse my sister’s rude behavior. She’s not normally like that.”

Alex shrugged. “I didn’t really think she was rude. I’m the one who barged over here uninvited.”

Dillon gave him a crooked grin. “You know, I’m actually glad you did. It’ll give me some comfort, knowing someone’s nearby to watch out for my sister.” He shook his head. “She’s very stubborn.”

A million questions hammered Alex as he stared at the closed door of Caitlin’s house. He knew enough from his daughter’s magazines to realize that equestrians of Caitlin Kramer’s caliber didn’t normally live in a modest old farmhouse. His eyes fell on the tall gray horse that moved restlessly in the nearby paddock. Was it the same animal Hallie had been in such awe of?

“Nice-looking horse,” he said. “My daughter’s been bugging me for one for some time now.”

“How old is your daughter?”

“Twelve.”

“Ah.” Dillon nodded. “Another young girl bitten by the horse-lover bug.”

Alex laughed, warming to the other man in spite of his initial reservations. “A common virus, I hear.”

“Oh, yeah. Caitlin was riding before she could walk. Of course, I was, too, so I guess it attacks us guys, as well.”

“Yeah.” Alex nodded. “I had a horse when I was a kid. But my mom and I moved to Denver when I was in junior high, and that was the end of that.” He didn’t like to think about how his mother lost their home after his father had died of cancer and the medical bills had eaten up all their savings and then some. Or the way she’d had to work two jobs to make ends meet.

He’d helped all he could when he’d grown old enough to work. He and his mother had had only each other to rely on, just like he and Hallie now did. His mom had passed away when Hallie was five.

“Guess I’d better let you get back to your groceries,” Dillon said with a wave. “If you decide to get your daughter a horse, come pay us a visit at Foxwood Farms. We’ve got some nice ones.” He headed toward the house.

I’ll bet you do.

Alex stared after him, wondering what Caitlin and her brother had been arguing over. Dillon seemed like a concerned and caring sibling. But then, one never knew what lay behind closed doors.

Alex walked back across the road, anxious to tell Hallie that she now lived across the road from one of her favorite horsewomen.

CAITLIN SAT in the living room, staring out the window. She felt tired, drained both physically and mentally. Her argument with Dillon had depleted her of the last of her energy, and she sat in Gran’s old rocker with a teacup of chamomile balanced on one knee, trying to calm her frayed nerves. She sipped from the cup, using her right hand to hold it, her left to awkwardly steady it. Her therapy continued twice a week, and though she was gradually improving, she still wondered if she’d ever be able to do the things she’d once taken for granted.

It broke her heart to see her grand prix jumper standing uselessly in a paddock when he should be in a show ring. Couldn’t Dillon understand that the gelding was a reminder of everything she’d lost? Understand or not, at least Dillon had agreed, albeit grudgingly, to get the horse trailer and return for Silver Fox.

Now as Caitlin watched Fox through the window, she saw the gelding’s ears perk. He was staring at something and, hearing the sound of a diesel engine, Caitlin craned her neck to see the far end of the paddock. A school bus was pulling away. A little girl, perhaps eleven or twelve, stood on the shoulder of the road, her gaze locked on Silver Fox. She hesitated and glanced toward the house. Caitlin ducked quickly out of view.

When she looked back, the girl was leaning on the paddock rail, talking to Fox. She stroked his nose, then bent and picked a handful of long, golden brown grass and fed it to him. The gelding lipped the treat from the girl’s hand as though starved, and Caitlin couldn’t help but smile. It brought back her own girlhood fascination with horses.

She set her cup of tea on the round, glass table near the rocker and reached for her cane. Despite her exhaustion, she moved toward the door. Outside, she called to the girl.

“Hi, there. You must be my new neighbor.” She hadn’t realized Alex Hunter had a daughter. Did he also have a wife?

The girl’s head snapped around, sending her long ponytail swinging, and her amber eyes widened as she looked at Caitlin. An odd expression crossed her face, and she pressed her lips together but said nothing.

“It’s okay,” Caitlin said. “I don’t mind if you feed my horse.” She walked excruciatingly slowly toward the paddock. “My name is Caitlin. What’s yours?”

For a moment she didn’t think the girl was going to answer. Long lashes shadowed the child’s eyes as she glanced down at her feet. “Hallie.” Then she reached up to pet Silver Fox’s nose once more. “I know who you are.”

“You do?” Caitlin was fully aware her neighbors knew of her aspirations to ride in the Olympics, and she’d been written up in more than one equine publication. Besides, the hit-and-run accident that had nearly killed her had been the talk of the town. She shouldn’t be surprised Hallie knew her.

“I recognized you from Horse Youth and Equus. I used to read them a lot.”

Recognition dawned with Caitlin, as well. She’d thought Alex Hunter seemed familiar. She remembered him now, as she looked at Hallie. They’d been in Pearl’s Diner on her birthday. Hallie had stared at her until she’d made Caitlin uncomfortable, overly conscious of her wheelchair and her limitations. They might be temporary, but she hated those disabilities, and had no idea how people who were permanently handicapped coped.

“I know you, too. Or at least, I’ve seen you before.” Caitlin forced a smile. “At the diner a couple of weeks ago.” Surely the girl hadn’t meant to be rude that day. After all, kids would be kids. But she also remembered the way Alex had stared at her. Not like she was a freak, but like he found her attractive. He was a good-looking man himself. But these days she didn’t feel much like flirting, and she wasn’t sure who had made her feel most uncomfortable, Alex or his daughter.

Elbows hooked through the paddock rails, Hallie looked at the gray gelding. “This is Silver Fox, isn’t it.” Her words came out not as a question but as a sure statement that she’d just met a celebrity of the four-legged variety.

“Yes, it is. The one and only.” She kept her tone light, though her heart felt heavy. She should sell the gelding. He was in his prime and worth six figures. No sense letting such a champion go to waste. The thought made her head throb.

“What happened to you?” Hallie asked abruptly. She looked down at the cane. “You were in a wheelchair that day at the restaurant.”

“Yes, I was,” Caitlin said. Deciding forthright was best, she met the kid’s honest, open gaze. “I was hit by a car. I suffered broken ribs, a bruised hip, a concussion and a compression fracture in my spine.”

Hallie frowned. “What’s a compression fracture?”

“It’s a break…it means I have to wear this back brace for another four weeks,” Caitlin said, lifting the tail of her shirt to expose the stretchy material that bound her like an old-fashioned girdle.

“Will it get better?”

“Probably.” But there would be residual pain, the doctor had warned.

“So then you’ll be riding in the Olympics?”

Caitlin pursed her lips. “Afraid not, kiddo.” She tapped her temple with one forefinger. “The concussion messed up my sense of balance. I can’t ride at all.” Hell, she could barely walk.

“So who’s going to ride Silver Fox?” Hallie asked.

Who indeed? Not me… Caitlin pushed the hated words from her mind. “I don’t know yet. My brother is going to pick him up today and take him back to my parents’ Thoroughbred ranch.”

“He is?” The child’s face fell.

Before Caitlin could answer, a rich, deep voice cut in. “Hallie, are you bothering Ms. Kramer?”

Caitlin turned to look over her shoulder at Alex, noting for the first time how dark his eyes were. How his hair was almost the same shade as her own, what she could see of it from beneath his black cowboy hat. In faded jeans, a Western shirt and cowboy boots, he looked every inch the rodeo cowboy, right down to the big oval buckle at his waist. It bore the outline of a quarter horse and, to her surprise, was engraved like a trophy buckle. She wondered if he’d actually won it. She hadn’t noticed any horses at his place.

“She’s fine,” Caitlin said. With effort, she looked away. The cane and her left arm, curled awkwardly at her side, made her self-conscious. She hadn’t even bothered with makeup since the accident, and her hair was in a careless ponytail much like Hallie’s. She looked more like a high school kid than a senior in college.

Former senior. For the millionth time, Caitlin cursed the drunk driver who’d shattered her life and murdered the unborn baby of the Good Samaritan in the Chevy Blazer, a woman who’d been five months pregnant.

“She knows better than to trespass,” Alex said, breaking her from her thoughts. But his tone wasn’t harsh, his voice conveying the love and pride he felt for his daughter. He grinned. “But then, so do I. Sorry about the misunderstanding earlier.”

Caitlin shrugged. “No problem.” She really didn’t want to get into her personal issues with a stranger. She wished Dillon would hurry up and get here, and take Silver Fox away. Then she could hide in the house and lick her wounds the way she liked best. Alone.

The three of them stood in awkward silence for a moment before Alex spoke. “Come on, Hallie. Let’s go home and fix some lunch.”

But the child ignored him.

He frowned. “Hallie?” He took a step toward the paddock.

To Caitlin’s shock, when the kid faced him, a single tear slid down her cheek. “I don’t want lunch,” she said. “I only wanted to feed the horse.” Her eyes accused Caitlin. “But he’s leaving, too. Everyone always leaves.” She jumped down off the fence and raced across the road and through the barbed wire fence around her dad’s property, disappearing over a rise in the ground.

“Hallie!” Alex called after her. He muttered, “I’m sorry,” then took off in pursuit.

Caitlin stared after them. What in the world was that all about? From the paddock, Silver Fox nickered softly.

“You’re always hungry, aren’t you?” Hobbling closer, she leaned the cane against the fence and cupped the gray’s head lovingly between her hands. He lowered his neck over the fence, rubbing against her. “Quit it,” she scolded him affectionately, scratching his jaw and the side of his face with her fingertips.

She buried her face in his forelock, inhaling the sweet scent of his coat, which was already turning fuzzy with the coming fall. Prior to the accident, she’d always kept him blanketed and in a warm stall to prevent his winter hair from coming in thick so he’d look good in the show ring. But once she knew their riding days were over, she’d instructed the stable hands to turn the gelding out on nice days to gradually acclimate him to the outdoors. No sense in keeping him cooped up now when he needed the exercise of roaming free in the pasture.

No sense in keeping him here, either.

He’s leaving, too. Everyone always leaves. What had the child meant? But it was none of her concern. Lord knew, she had enough problems of her own without worrying about some guy and his kid.

Caitlin felt a pull of sadness as she stood there. It wasn’t Silver Fox’s fault she couldn’t ride him anymore, and she shouldn’t take her spite out on the horse. She’d missed him during the weeks she’d spent in the hospital and in her bed at home. And unless she made a definite decision to sell him, there was no sense in shuffling the horse from one handler to another, one place to the next. She might not be capable of riding, but surely she could manage to feed and care for one single horse.

Perhaps with the help of a little girl who obviously had issues, and who maybe needed a friend. She ignored her wicked inner voice that reminded her the girl also had a handsome-as-sin father and most likely a mother.

It didn’t matter. No man would ever find her attractive again. Who in his right mind would want to take her to bed and look at her ugly, scarred and twisted body? It had been a while since she’d had a serious relationship. She’d chosen to focus on her horses, her riding and her studies. Thought there would be plenty of time for love later on.

Now all that had changed. She no longer had the career she’d wanted ahead of her, and she also no longer wanted a man in her life. To say she had nothing wasn’t fair, because her family loved her, and for that she was grateful.

She stared into the distance where Hallie and Alex had disappeared. Caitlin had thought to hide out in seclusion at the ranch. But something about Hallie had touched her.

Caitlin looked at the horse and sighed. “Maybe you ought to stay here, boy,” she said softly. “At least for a little while.” At least until she figured out exactly what she meant to do with her life.

Unclipping the cell phone from her belt, she dialed Dillon’s number. “Hey, big brother. You can have Dad follow you over here to bring my truck back whenever you get the chance, but forget the horse trailer. I’m going to leave Fox here with me. Yeah, that’s right.” Dillon’s rapid-fire response buzzed in her ear, and she rolled her eyes to the afternoon sky…so clear, blue and vacant above her.

Vacant…

Exactly like she felt inside.

“Yes, I promise I won’t try to drive right now. But I still want my truck.” She disconnected, then cane in hand, made her way slowly and painfully back to the house.