Authors: Diane Michele Crawford
“
Jeanette, Paul and I aren’t going together,
”
Kenzie pointed out.
“
You could if you spent more time with him. He likes you a lot.
”
“
I like him, too, but—
”
“
But nothing!
”
Jeanette interrupted.
“
When’s your day off
? We’ll spend the whole day at the club. Paul’s there every afternoon.
”
“
I’m not a member anymore,
”
Kenzie re
minded her quietly.
“Y
ou can go as my guest.
”
Kenzie hesitated. After so many years as a member, being a guest at Silver Hills seemed strange. Then she shrugged. Why not?
“
Okay. My day off is Friday.
”
“
Great!
”
Jeanette excl
aimed. She filled Ken
zie in on the latest gossip about their crowd, and when they finally hung up, Kenzie almost felt as if she’d spent the day at the club herself. Almost, but not quite.
By the time Adam dropped her at the ranch the next morning, some of Kenzie’s sore muscles had stopped pro
testing. Steve Calvert was wait
ing for her by Ali’s stall.
“
Hank wants me to work with you and Nugget this morning,
”
he said.
“
Our first summer group of kids from the center is coming this afternoon for riding therapy.
”
So soon? Would she be ready after only a few hours of training?
Steve was watching her closely. Shaking off a sudden surge of anxiety, Kenzie gave him a big smile. She didn’
t want him to suspect for a sec
ond that she doubted her ability.
“
Sarah had me practice sidewalking yesterday,
”
she told him.
“
The rest isn’t hard,
”
Steve said.
“
Hank, Dennis, and I do the actual instructing.
”
Kenzie stroked Al
i
’s neck and gave him a sugar cube.
“
Sarah isn’t an instructor?
”
“
No. She fills in if we need her, but most of the time she’s a leader.
”
“
The leader controls the horse for a rider who doesn’t have the strength,
”
Kenzie said promptly.
“
Most of the kids who are coming today haven’t ridden before, so they’ll all need leaders.
”
He moved closer until his face was only inches from hers. Then he sniffed.
“
As much as I like the perfume you’re wearing, you’ll have to wash it off before the sessions this afternoon.
”
Kenzie gazed into his brown eyes.
“
What are you talking about?
”
“
Perfume attracts insects that might spook the horses,
”
Steve answered softly. He was close enough to kiss her
….
What's the matter with me?
Kenzie thought, flustered. Quickly she took a step backward.
“
Nugget’s saddled and ready to go,
”
Steve said in his Deputy Ramrod tone of voice.
Kenzie gave Ali a final pat before following Steve into t
he paddock where Nugget was sad
dled and waiting. She waved at Greg, the ranch hand of the day, and gave Nugget one of Ali’s sugar cubes.
Kenzie’s training session with Steve proceeded without problems. She’d been afraid he would give her a hard time, but he was patient and thorough, traits she imagined made him a good instructor for riding therapy. When the session was over, Kenzie loosened Nugget’s girth and tied his lead rope around a fence rail of the paddoc
k where he’d stay until the les
sons began.
“
One of the counselors from the center called and said they have plenty of volunteers today.
”
Steve told her,
“
so
I’ll put you in as a leader.
”
“
Thanks!
”
Kenzie said, surprised that he hadn’t found some fault with her.
There was something very appealing about Steve Calvert, she thought as he draped an arm around her shoulders in playful roughness.
“
We’ve got just enough time to saddle a couple of horses before lunch, cowgirl,
”
he said, leading her into the
barn
.
Once inside, St
eve stood still. There was some
thing in the way he looked at Kenzie that made her catch her breath. And then he kissed her.
That unexpected kiss sent sweet chills through her. She responded instantly, thrilled by the touch of his soft lips on hers.
The next thing she knew, Steve was pulling awa
y as though she’d bitten him. “
So
rr
y,
”
he muttered.
“
That won’t happen again.
”
Abruptly he started walking down the aisle between the stalls, pointing out the horses that needed to be saddled.
Kenzie stared after him. Why was he acting like they’d done something wrong? She wasn’t at all sorry they’d kissed. But what if Steve hadn’t liked kissing
her
?
She went into Ali’s stall and buried her face in the Arabian’s silken mane.
“
Why am I falling for a guy who isn’t interested in me?
”
she mumbled aloud, then answered her own question.
“
Because, like Mom says, you can’t choose who you fall in love with.
”
Her own words startled her. Love? Is that what she was starting to feel for Steve?
No way!
she told herself. She’d only known him for a few days, and for most of that time, he hadn’t even been nice to her.
“
Kenzie?
”
Sarah called from outside Ali’s stall.
“
I’ll help with saddling and then we can have lunch—if you want to have lunch with me, that is,
”
she added shyly.
“
Sure.
”
Kenzie smiled.
“
No goodies from Nora today so we can eat in the willow grove.
”
“
Sounds perfect,
”
Kenzie agreed.
After Sarah helped Kenzie saddle the horses that would be used in the afternoon session, they took their lunches to a picnic table in the welcoming shade of the willow trees.
“
Do the guys ever have lunch at the same time we do?
”
Kenzie asked casually. She felt uncomfortable at the thought of facing Steve socially for a while. The therapy riding sessions were different—that was business.
“
Sometimes, but not often.
”
Sar
ah took a bite of her sandwich,
then cleared her throat.
“
Uh—Kenzie, my sixteenth birthday is this Saturday. I was wondering if you’d want to come to my house that evening for a barbecue. I mean, if you’re not busy or anything.
”
Ordinarily, Kenzie would have been hoping for a date with Paul on Saturday night, but not anymore.
“
I’m not busy,
”
she said.
“
What time?
”
“
Six o’clock.
”
Sarah grinned broadly, her blue eyes shining.
“
I’m so glad you can make it!
”
“
Thanks for inviting me.
”
Kenzie meant it. She liked Sarah, and was looking forward to knowing her better.
“
It won’t be a big party,
”
Sarah went on.
“
Just my family and you and Steve.
”
Kenzie choked on the apple she was eating. She took a gulp of soda and gasped for air.
“
Steve Calvert
?
”
Sarah nodded.
“
Is that a problem?
”
Kenzie managed a weak smile.
“
Oh, no,
”
she fibbed.
“
No problem at all.
”
CHAPTER EIGHT
While Kenzie stood in front of Nugget later that afternoon, holding him gently by both sides of his bit, one of the volunteers lifted a small eight-year-old girl named Emily into the
saddle.
“
No!
”
Emily shouted, her spindly legs flailing wildly. Beneath the protective helmet she wore, Emily’s eyes were wide with fear. Two of the other children picked up on Emily’s panic and started c
r
ying.
Kenzie hated seeing the kids so upset. She wanted to say something comforting, but Steve had told her to let the volunteers handle things like that. Her job as a leader was to control
Nugget and to help Emily pay attention during the lesson.
Soothing words from the volunteer soon calmed Emily and the little girl allowed herself to be seated on Nugget’s saddle. As soon as a safety belt was secured around her waist, the volunteer handed Kenzie the lead rope.
The minute Kenzie and Nugget began to walk, Emily started screaming again. She dropped the reins and slumped forward, clutching the front of the saddle with both hands.
Steve strode over to Emily’s side.
“
Hey! Looks like you’re getting a head start on your exercises,
”
he said cheerfully. Emily stopped screaming and glared at Stev
e, who kept right on talking. “
Before we start lessons, you do stretching exercises for a few minutes.
”
He grinned at her.
“
Are you sure you haven’t been here before?
”
Emily shook her head, but Steve’s words apparently gave her enough confidence to loosen her white-knuckle grip on the saddle.
“
Kenzie’s taking you and Nugget over there,
”
Steve pointed across the paddock,
“
for exercises. The other kids have
n’t practiced, so don’t go show
ing off.
”
T
o Kenzie’s surprise, Emily actually smiled. Kenzie really admired the way Steve had handled the situation.
Two volunteer physical therapists from the center showed each rider a specific stretching exercise. Some of the children did the exercises easily. Others, like Emily, had less control over their muscles and struggled hard.
Fighting the sudden tears in her eyes, Kenzie squeezed them shut. A strong hand tightened on her shoulder, and she heard Steve’s voice saying,
“
One of the rewards of this program is watching the kids impro
ve, Kenzie. They’ll amaze you.”
Kenzie sniffled and gave him a grateful smile. She felt a little better.
After exercising, the riders, each with a leader, a spotter, and a sidewalker, split into four groups. Because there were more ride
rs than usual,
Hank had asked Sarah to help instruct.
She joined Kenzie’s group.
“
Today we want you to get used to being on a horse,
”
she told the children.
“
We’re going to show you how to sit in the saddle and hold the reins.
”
After Sarah helped each child individually, the leaders walked the horses behind one another around the paddock, keeping plenty of distance between them.
Emily dropped the reins several times, and she had trouble staying upright. More than once the sidewalker had to support her in the saddle so she wouldn’t slip. But Emily didn’t cry. She see
med to be enjoying herself, Ken
zie thought.
When the session ended, the spotters helped the children dismount and settle into wheel chairs.
Kenzie patted Nugget and gave him a sugar cube for a job well done. He’d been the perfect horse for a frightened little girl. When Kenzie noticed Emily watching with interest, she tied Nugget to the fence and went to the little girl’s wheelchair.
“
What’d you give the horse?
”
Emily demanded.
“
A sugar cube.
”
Kenzie took another from her pocket.
“
Maybe you’d like to give him one.
”
The little boy sitting in the wheelchair next to Emily scowled.
“
I don’t like horses.
”
He was one of the kids who’d cried at the beginning of the session.
“
I don’t like horses either,
”
Emily agreed, scowling, too.
“
I think you
two need a little sunshine to m
elt those frowns off your faces,
”
Kenzie de
clared. Suddenly she had an inspiration.
“
Only members of the Sunshine Club can feed sugar cubes to the horses.
”
Emily’s expression didn’t change.
“
What’s the Sunshine Club?
”
she asked suspiciously.
“I’
d like to hear about that myself,
”
Steve said, pausing near the boy.
Collecting her scrambled thoughts, Kenzie made it up as she went along.
“
The Sunshine Club is for riders who—uh—who go through a whole lesson without a prob
lem. No crying or complaining.”
Now that she had the kids’ attention, she didn’t dare stop.
“
You get a certificate when you become a member, and for every perfect lesson, you get
”
—Kenzie paused, her brain cells going into ov
erdrive—
“
you get a ri
bbon, a paper ribbon with a pic
ture of a horse on it. And for every two ribbons you collect, you get sugar cubes to give your horse!
”
While Steve and the kids were considering the idea, volunteers from the center came for the children. Kenzie and Steve stepped aside, allowing them access to the wheelchairs.
Emily turned to the boy.
“
I’ll have ribbons before you do.
”
“
You will not,
”
the boy countered as a couple of volunteers moved them toward the van.
“
Will too!
”
“
Will not!
”
Steve grinned at Kenzie.
“
That was quick thinking, Blondie.
”
Kenzie laughed.
“
Thanks, cowboy.
”
“
So where are you getting those certificates and ribbons?
”
he asked.
“
My dad has a computer program that can
do all kinds of neat stuff,
”
she said. Looking over his shoulder, she saw Dennis and Greg taking some of the ho
rses into the
barn
, and for the second time that afternoon, Kenzie had an inspiration.
“
Steve, how would you like to do a favor for a friend?
”
“
Depends on the friend, I guess,
”
he an
swered warily.
“
This is for Sarah.
”
“
Why doesn’t she ask me herself?
”
“
Because she doesn’t know about it. I want it to be a surprise,
”
Kenzie said.
“
Can you bring Greg to her birthday party on Saturday?
”
Steve looked surprised.
“
How do you know about the party?
”
“Sarah invited me.”
Steve blinked.
“
Sarah invited you? And you're going?
”
“
Of course I’m going,
”
Kenzie said impatiently.
“
Now when you ask Sarah if you can bring a guest, don’t say it’s Greg. Maybe you could say your cousin’s in town or something, and then when you sh
ow up with Greg, you can say…”
“…
My cousin couldn’t make it so I brought Greg instead,
”
Steve finished for her. Kenzie nodded.
“
I don’t get it, Kenzie. If Sarah wants Greg to come, why doesn’t she invite him?
”