Dances with Wolf (11 page)

“Looks like Bullet
’
s on a coffee break,” he said.

“She doesn
’
t have to do anything. She
’
s supposed to stand, walk a little, stand some more. I
’
m just trying to keep her relaxed in high water. It
’
s not her natural habitat, you know.”

Gradually, she worked her way around Bullet
’
s rump, then moved her hands down her left leg. This time, her motions were stronger, more deliberate. Her paddock jacket was soaked up to her waist. She seemed oblivious to the volatile weather, and to Wolf, too. She was crazy about what she did for a living. Or maybe just plain crazy.

“Okay, All-Round Cowboy. Come on in here and let me give you a few tips.” Abby motioned to him and he made his way toward the pool. She held one hand out, and Wolf stepped in. The rocks gave way beneath his feet, and he slipped.

“Uh oh!” he cried out, a little shrilly, like a child or an old woman. Damned embarrassing.

Abby toppled into the stream seconds later. Both floundered for footing as their rubber boots filled with water. He caught sight of her face, where consternation battled with helpless laughter. She spun toward him in a vortex of water and he caught her around the waist, Bullet
’
s lead line wedged between them.

“Darlin
’
, as much as I
’
d like to give you a manly hug right now, I
’
m going to take a rain check. Excuse the pun.” He was nervous—he’d never been much of a water-sports guy—and hoped she couldn’t tell. With some effort, he pulled her toward the creek bank until her feet gained hold on the slowly eroding earth. She yanked at Bullet
’
s line and the horse clambered up after her. He held Bullet
’
s tail and scrambled up last.

“You
’
re a rescue horse in more ways than one, girl.” He slapped Bullet across the flank.

“What do you call that, that tail-grabbing?” Abby asked. She looked up at him, her hair plastered to her face, her eyes like two searchlights shining on his face in the pouring rain.

“It’s called tailing. Lots of ranchers use it to cover uphill territory and give their animals a break at the same time.”

“It’s a cool trick. But maybe save it for when we know Bullet’s at a hundred percent.”

“Right. Sorry.” He pretended to hang his head down, but kept his eyes on Abby
’
s face. It was a map of constantly changing emotions, whirling around like the eddies in the river. Hypnotizing, but it could make you dizzy if you looked too hard or too long.

“You think the water-walking
’
s going to work, then?”

“If we give it time, and you
’
re able to get her out here on a regular basis.”

“That’s all there is to it? Just bring her in, massage her hock a little?”

“Yeah, but consistency is the key. That means twice a day, morning and night. Alternate between walking and standing. She
’
ll respond. You
’
ll see.”

“I
’
ll do it. I promise. But I may claim a reward or two.” He breathed into the back of Abby
’
s neck, where her ponytail was caught under her coat collar. His lips hovered over her neck. He wasn
’
t sure whether to kiss or bite.

She gave him a quick peck, then held one hand out like a school traffic monitor. “Hey, come on. I
’
ve got to head back now. I know these weren’t ideal conditions, but…” She shook her bangs, and water flew like tiny silver bullets, spattering both of them.

“But it was ideal in a couple other ways.” Wolf pulled her into him.

She resisted. “No need to rush, bud.”

“Rush? We’ve been at it like a couple bunny rabbits for the last twenty-four hours.”

Abby laughed, but she was still holding back, the stubborn thing. “Bullet’s just finding her footing after a little injury. You’re not going to rush
her
, right? You’re going to follow the program?”

“Yeah, like I said.
Promise.
”

“Well, I’m kind of just finding my footing too, so…”

Wolf pulled her close to him. “And you’re…nursing your own injury, maybe?”

Her smile was equal parts joy and melancholy. “You may be on to something, sure.”

“And we’re not talking about a hock here…”

“Nope. We’re definitely not talking about a hock.”

He covered her eyes with one hand. “Just tell me if I
’
m getting warm, okay?” He paused for a minute, then placed his hand on her heart. “Right around here?”

He didn’t know why he was doing this. The whole morning, he’d been hoping to get her into bed one last time before she left, not just for the sex, but for the chance to lie there with her, to simply
be
with her a few moments longer. Now that urge had gone away and been replaced by another one. He could feel her trying to still herself under his touch, and all he wanted was to hold her close and protect her from…what? Himself? The hurt he’d caused her before?

“Abby, I’m so sorry…for everything.”

What was he apologizing for? Not the prom, again. For much more: the time they’d missed out on, maybe. All those years they could have had together, but were now simply gone. When she looked up at him, he felt no further need to explain. Somehow, she seemed to understand.

“It’s okay,” she said. “It’s okay now.” She squeezed his fingers.

“Bye, sweetie,” he said. He never called anyone
sweetie.
What in God’s name was happening to him?

“Bye bye…
Wolfsie
,” she teased, winking at him.

She turned toward her truck where Stella, dry as a hot August day, lay sprawled across the front seat. The dog raised her head to watch them as the rain misted the windows. Wolf knew he had to let her leave now, but his heart ached at the thought of not having her there by his side anymore. Before she’d even pulled out of the driveway, he’d invented a half-dozen reasons for her to come back.

Chapter Fourteen

Halfway across the Divide, Abby pulled the truck over to check her tires. Her cheeks still flushed when she thought of Wolf’s send-off, the way he’d dropped his bad-boy act and just held her like that. She hoped she’d be ready to be held again, soon enough. But waiting for it, wanting it this badly even though she’d just left his side two hours earlier—wasn’t that a pleasure in itself?

She checked the bars on her phone. There hadn’t been decent reception for forty-five minutes, but that always changed at this point in the Divide, so she dialed Bridget.

“Finally,” Bridget answered. “You’re home?”

“Almost. Be there in two hours.”

“Well, call me then. This is face-to-face news.”

“Bridge, come on, don’t be mean. The suspense is killing me.”

“Well, I waited through a forty-eight hour storm. The least you can do is wait a couple more hours.”

“Just tell me—this is
good
news, right? Everything’s okay?”

“I’
m fine, Mark
’s fine. The world’
s a wonderful place, etc. etc. etc.
” Bridget paused. “He asked me to marry him, that’s all.”

Abby whooped. Thank God, she liked Mark, had always hoped he’d be the one. What a disaster if her best friend were marrying some loser. “Really, Bridget? He did?”

“Yeah, but you weren’t even here. And that made me want to keep the news from everybody till I could tell you myself.”

“You haven’t told anybody?” she asked. “Not even your parents?”

“Not even Ma and Pa Olsen.”

“Oh my God, I feel awful.”

Bridget held two long beats, then cracked up. “Just kidding, of course I’ve told everybody.”
Except your brother
, Abby thought. “I waited for about a half a day, but after that, I couldn’t restrain myself. And neither could Mom, once I told her. She even called all the relatives in Stockholm, people I’ve never even met!”

“You have relatives in Stockholm?”

“Only about a million. Dad nearly had a migraine over that. If one of them comes to the wedding, fifty will. ‘You don’t know the chaos fifty Swedes can cause,’ he said.”

Abby laughed, but for just a moment—it felt like an actual, physical jolt to her heart—an unnamable sadness took hold of her that seemed like the very definition of loneliness. Why, though? Because she was “losing” her best friend? That was silly; she’d probably see Bridget as much as ever. Because it was Bridget’s happiness being celebrated, and not her own? Because she was so close to the perfect love, but still so far away? Everything about her last two days with Wolf had been so great, but there was no way it could last. Long-term relationships and the rodeo were sworn enemies. Everybody knew that. If she and Wolf lasted a month, it’d be a miracle.

“Look, I know you have a lot to catch up on when you get back, a whole herd of horses you’ve got to teach how to walk on water. But can you please leave some time this week to help me look for a dress?”

“Already?” Abby asked. “What’s the rush?” Hadn’t they just gone dress-shopping? Oh right, that had been for Abby.

“Don’t get all weepy on me, promise?” asked Bridget.

“Promise.”

“We’re having a baby. We just found out.”

“Oh my God!” Abby had to actually hold the phone away from her mouth so Bridget wouldn’t hear her having a semi-panic attack. She was genuinely happy for her best friend, but she was overwhelmed, too. Bridget, a
mom
? While she, Abby, was playing mother to horses, fending off creepy farm hands in the local bars, and having totally unworkable flings with hot cowboys who also happened to be related to this newly minted mother-to-be?

“Mark’s so psyched. We’re not quite at three months, and—”

“Three months! I thought you’d
just
found out.”

“Well, relatively speaking.”
Bridget giggled. “I just thought it was bad luck to say anything before the second trimester, even to you. Even to Mom.”

“Are you showing?!”

“Depends on who’s looking. Mark and Mom swear they see a little bump.”

“Wait, I thought you hadn’t told your parents.”

“Mom knew I was expecting. But my dad? He was clueless until day before yesterday.”

“Holy cow. No idea, huh?”

“Nope. No idea that in less than three weeks, he’ll be giving my hand in marriage. But he’s happy about having a grandchild, believe me. Now that the shock’s worn off.” She cackled. Abby had never heard her this happy. “Who else is going to settle down any time soon? Luther? Wolf? Fat chance.”

“Yeah. Fat chance.” Abby looked out at the mountains. What had she just done these last couple days, playing so fast and loose with her heart? Wolf wouldn’t marry her, not in a million years. He didn’t even want to let people know they’d wound up in bed together. No matter how much fun she’d had, maybe it had been the mistake of her life. She had to start taking more responsibility for her own emotions. She’d changed in every possible way but that.

With a snap of his fingers, Wolf had been able to rope her back in.

The Macready kitchen smelled of cinnamon and almond, and Abby’s mom’s secret piecrust ingredient, cardamom. Every woman Abby knew seemed to have at least one top-secret ingredient at her disposal. Wondering when she would discover her own secret ingredient, Abby snuck up behind her mom and gave her a kiss.

“Oh, it’s you!” Her mom hugged her, hard. “Thank God you’re back. Do you know how many times Bridget and I tried to call you?” She braced her arms on her hips and turned her flour-dusted face toward her daughter.

“Did you get my messages?” Her mom had called again after they’d spoken. Maybe twice. Abby couldn’t remember.

“I’m sorry, Mom. You know there’s barely any cell coverage that far over the mountains.”

“It’
s fine.
” Her smile was genuine. “So you’ve heard Bridget’s news?”

“She’s gonna be a bride
and
have a baby in the same year? I can’t believe it!” She felt the excitement again, and the almost delirious panic.

“And I’ll bet I’m looking at the maid of honor,” her mom said. “Either Luther or Wolf will be best man, don’t you think?”

“
Wolf, I guess. He
’s the oldest.” She’d seen Wolf in every shade of dressed-up cowboy in the last few weeks, but best man in a formal wedding? Bow tie, cummerbund, white tux, the works? Now, that would be a sight to behold.

“So how was your time with him?” Her mom’s fingers again fluted the pie shell. “Am I allowed to ask that?”

“He has a decent spread down south of Choteau. Real nice accommodations for horses. A river goes through the property, but there’s high ground for when it gets wet, and he’s put up a three-stall barn. I was impressed.” Abby knew this wasn’t the answer her mom had wanted, but it was all she felt like giving her.

“Sounds like a very professional visit,” her mom said. “Suspiciously professional. You’re sure there’s not something else you want to share with me? Something a little more interesting than a three-stall barn?”

“
Mom, no. I spent the night, yeah. But we didn’t
do
anything. Not like that’s any of your business. I’m just helping him with his horse. Really.” Okay, now she was lying to her mom, too? She tried to keep a poker face, but this was brand-new territory. Why had she just denied it, before even giving herself a chance to think?

“Okay, subject closed. Promise.”

Abby and her mom were closer than most mothers and daughters Abby knew, though she wasn’t sure why. All through high school, through college, even through her relationship with Ben, she’d told her mom everything. Maybe it was because she’d been adopted, or because she was their only child, but she’d never gone through the rebellious streak Bridget and her other friends had. She’d always felt she owed it to her parents to be honest and forthcoming when they asked her questions—they’d given her so much, after all, and the last thing she wanted to do was to wind up with someone they couldn’t stand. But more importantly, she’d always been perfectly comfortable talking to them. They were both so sweet, and they had good advice, so why not?

This was the first time she’d felt the need to put some distance between her and her mom, and not just because Wolf was probably her mom’s least favorite bachelor in the Flathead. No, it was more than that. For the first time, Abby felt like she wanted this thing between her and Wolf, whatever it was, to be protected within an adult privacy that she’d never felt the need for before. She didn’t want anybody looking over her shoulder or second-guessing her every move.

She would keep Wolf to herself, at least for a little while.