The Staying Kind (16 page)

“Understood, but honestly, I don’t have anyone to call anyway and I’m not interested in television. I’m never in one place long enough to care about any shows. I’m a book person.”

“Glad to hear it. So, it’s all ready to go up there. A few boxes to move around. There’s storage above the carriage shed next to the house if you want to lug it over.”

A thrill ran through Rio that was so unexpected, so solid, she nearly danced. Her first place, a real apartment she could call her own. She could actually go out and buy dishes and bedding and decorations.

Even something as simple as decorating a bathroom put her on cloud nine. Suddenly she loved the prospect of
settling down.

“I can’t thank you enough,” she said simply.

Sadie grinned. “Oh, I’ll make you work harder. Got a show to prepare for. You, Fleur, and me. It’s only November, but spring will be here soon enough. First Sunday in May there’s a little show down in Connecticut I’ll be entering you into. It’ll get your feet wet. I have high hopes for you, Rio. You and Dante. For Jessa, too.”

Rio glanced behind her. Jessa led Barnaby in from his paddock, her face still stony with anger and rebellion. She hadn’t said two words to anyone since arriving, except for mumbling one-word replies if necessary.

“You think she’ll change her mind about showing and be happy?”

“The girl has to be involved in something to take her mind off what’s eating her. She used to ride all the time, now it’s like pulling teeth. Showing again will give her some purpose. She needs a goal, an incentive. That boy she’s mooning over will be nothing but heartbreak for her.”

Her attention on Jessa, Rio wondered if riding would be enough to turn the girl. “I hope you’re right. What kind of incentive? I mean, it’s not really my place to say so, but she’s had all the opportunity in the world to keep riding and she hasn’t. Why would she want to start now?”

“Ah, that’s the secret. Two weeks down in Florida next winter. It would do it for her, I’m certain of it. She’s always wanted to go. When she was younger she had so much potential, and she loved it. Could have been down there long before this if she’d kept up with the riding.”

So, Sadie hoped Jessa could reclaim that love.
Could work
. Rio had seen some moments when Jessa let down her guard around the horses. She had a definite, genuine fondness for the animals.

“She’ll ride Barnaby while you show Fleur. Once you get settled with Dante I’ll put her on Fleur.”

Boy, Sadie had it all planned out. Jessa might not be pleased by being railroaded into this. Things could become worse before they got better over in the Lithgow household, so it was for the best that Rio move out.

And move out soon.

Chapter 15

During lunch break, after an intense lesson on Dante, Rio dashed upstairs to her new home and gave it a thorough examination. While doing so, she moved the boxes that had been stored up there, clearing out the living room and hallway.

The room was about the same size as her bedroom over at Shadow Oak, furnished with a rose-colored sofa patterned in sage green pinstripes. A mismatched pair of cushioned chairs flanked the sofa, facing a small television.

In the back of the room a compact, round wooden dining room table with three chairs sat in the corner. None of the chairs matched, yet that added to the charm. Two windows overlooked the paddocks and horses. To her, the view was worth a million dollars.

The kitchen didn’t contain much besides a stove, a small refrigerator, and cabinets. She could live with that. She wasn’t exactly a gourmet chef in need of the finest. Cabinets held a set of dark green and cobalt blue dishes and bowls, a few coffee mugs, and half a dozen glasses. Again, nothing matched.

The bedroom was half the size of the living room, large enough for the queen sized bed, a tall dresser, and a trunk. There was a closet as well.

With a full bathroom, what else could she possibly want? She already had plans on new curtains, a few throw rugs for the kitchen and the bathroom, matching towels.

Her first real home.

Rio stood in the middle of the living room and savored the moment. Despite feeling a bit dopey about it, tears built up in her eyes. She’d have moved in tonight if she could.

As much as she’d miss seeing Travis and even Jessa every morning and evening, the longing to sleep in a bed of her very own for a year, maybe more, was deeply satisfying.

Although she wished she could stay in the upstairs apartment for the rest of the afternoon, she had a ton of work down in the barn before her afternoon lesson with Fleur.

Whether or not Jessa would be joining them, Rio wasn’t sure. The girl certainly worked hard when they were in the ring earlier, as if she had something to prove. Rio had snatched peeks at her and was envious of Jessa’s natural skill, even if coupled with an air of boredom in everything she did. Sadie may have been working her hard on purpose, and still Jessa met every command without complaint.

Rio would’ve loved to see how well the girl would do if her heart had actually been in the activity.

Jessa didn’t join them in the ring for Rio’s second lesson. Instead Sadie had her in the tack room cleaning saddles and bridles, a task the girl obviously didn’t relish. Rio put her out of her mind and concentrated on Sadie’s commands.

Riding Fleur was completely different than riding Dante. Though no less a pleasure, the mare didn’t provide as much of a challenge. The ten-year-old Fleur was a seasoned performer and she easily did everything asked of her. If she performed as beautifully in a show ring as she did here at Cobble Creek, Rio had nothing to be worried about, except for her own riding. And she had all winter to improve her skills.

“Tomorrow we’re going to raise some of those fences,” Sadie announced when she called Rio to the center of the ring. “Time to become a little more serious about jumping.”

So far they’d kept the cavalettis no more than eighteen inches high to work on her form and the ability to set her mount up for the jump. How high Sadie planned on setting the jumps, Rio didn’t know. She’d seen the photos in the tack room and in Sadie’s office in the barn; horses and riders flying over fences four feet tall and higher.

She didn’t have to ask if Sadie had that in mind for her. Rio already knew. Not tomorrow, not next week. Maybe by the first show in May.

You should be scared to death.
The rush she felt, however, wasn’t fear, but thrills.

To Sadie she replied, “I’m ready when you are.”

“Good girl. Now get Fleur cleaned up and ready for bed. As soon as the kids are in their stalls and fed, come on up to the house so we can talk business.”

As much as Rio wanted to head to Shadow Oak to pack up, she wouldn’t argue. Probably best to put all the particulars in order before she moved in. The sooner the better, in fact.

Distance would help Travis deal with Jessa and more importantly, with his ex-mother-in-law. And distance would give them both a chance to take a step back and think about where their own relationship was headed.

Neither Sadie or Jessa were in the barn when she finished up, so she switched the lights off, closed the big sliding door, and headed up to the house. Delicious smells drifted through the air as soon as she opened the door and entered. Spaghetti sauce and garlic bread?
Lucky Sadie.
Ravenous, Rio made a mental shopping list with spaghetti makings at the top.

“Happy Birthday!”

The chorus of voices startled her. As the shock drained from her system, she stared at the three faces. Even Jessa smiled, a birthday gift in itself. Sadie absolutely glowed, her grin wide, obviously pleased with herself for pulling this off.

Lastly Rio studied Travis. She hadn’t even realized he’d arrived. He must’ve parked out of sight of the barn. The warmth in his gaze filled her with pleasure. Maybe the others couldn’t see it and it was probably for the best. The way he studied her made what she’d been feeling, the forbidden emotions growing inside her, real.

“Wow,” she finally managed, her voice thick with emotion. “I was not expecting this.” She couldn’t recall ever having a birthday party. Once, when she was seven, her teacher had brought in cupcakes for the class and they had all sung “Happy Birthday” to her. That was the closest she’d ever come to an actual party. Her mother sure as hell hadn’t done anything special, not for any of them. It had been up to her to celebrate Storm’s birthday in any way she could, even if it was taking him for a walk or making him a homemade card in school.

“That’s the best kind of surprise,” Sadie declared, stepping forward to enfold her in a warm hug. “Come on, I’m famished and dinner is ready.”

Sadie released her. “Jessa, would you help me bring dinner out to the dining room? This is definitely an occasion that calls for the fine china. Travis, escort Rio to the table, please.”

Travis took hold of her elbow and directed her toward the formal dining room. The table was indeed set with beautiful china. Two tall candles lit the center of the table, with the overhead light dimmed to low.

Sadie must’ve brought out the sterling silver as well. Linen napkins, too.

“I can’t believe this,” she whispered, the tears beginning to blur her vision.

“You deserve it,” Travis replied. He moved close and kept his voice low. “Happy birthday, Rio.” Then he pressed a soft kiss on her cheek.

She longed to melt into his embrace, but now was not the time and this certainly not the place. She’d be patient. For now, she had to contain the joy she felt. Joy and pure contentment, with a hint—a slight shadow—of how this could all vanish in a heartbeat and she could be back on the road, drifting from one place to another, not knowing what it was like to be a part of a loving family.

No, she refused to let the fear overwhelm the happiness.

“I hope I don’t cry,” she confessed, trying to hold on to a sliver of levity as Travis pulled out a chair for her. “Nothing seems real here.”

Before the others came in from the kitchen, Travis pressed another kiss on the top of her head. “It couldn’t be more real, sweetheart,” he said softly.

Their moment ended when Sadie came through a swinging door carrying an enormous bowl of spaghetti sauce, followed by Jessa with the pasta. They quickly set their dishes down and disappeared into the kitchen, returning immediately with a basketful of fragrant garlic bread and a bottle of wine.

After the food had been served, the conversation revolved around horses. Rio seized the opportunity to find out what to expect in the spring at their first show.

“Prepare for an enormous crowd. Top riders on the east coast will be there. You’ll have the best kids in the business all the way up to Olympians.”

“Whoa!” Rio held up her hands. Sadie’s words left her flustered. All the confidence she’d built over the last few weeks slid away. “I thought you said this was a small show.”

Sadie shrugged. “Well, maybe I under-exaggerated a bit. This is small, compared to the shows down on the Florida circuit. Oh, don’t worry yourself. You’ll be fine. You’re not competing against those Olympians. Yet. We’ll start you off slow and work on up. You’re a quick study. Someday you and Dante will make those other horses and riders quake in their boots.”

“In the meantime I’ll be quaking in mine,” Rio muttered. She smiled anyway. She loved a challenge, had faced a lifetime of them, and this was one she relished.

She glanced at Jessa, who studied her plate, lost in thought. Rio wondered how she felt about this showing business. Besides her initial reaction earlier in the day, Jessa hadn’t said two words about it. Maybe she figured there was no use arguing over it. Or maybe it secretly excited her. There was no telling with Jessa.

“Nonsense. By the time May rolls around you’ll be so comfortable on a horse, nothing will faze you.”

“You’ll have to have the confidence for both of us, then.”

Sadie turned her attention to Jessa. “And you, my dear, we’ll have to work on that Maclay medal. You were so close a few years ago. I’d like to see you go on to the Nationals next year.”

“Right,” Jessa replied quietly.

“Nationals next year and maybe some time down in Florida.”

Finally, a spark of interest flickered in Jessa’s eyes. She glanced up at her great-aunt. “Really?”

“You work hard at it and there’s a chance. I won’t stand for this goofing around, though. I’ll put conditions on this, like keeping your grades up and your nose clean.”

Everyone studied Jessa. She tried to ignore it, kept her gaze on her plate. Rio could tell the girl was listening and considering.

“You’ll be riding Barnaby for now, while Rio gets her feet wet with Fleur. As soon as she’s used to the way things go, she’ll ride Dante exclusively and I’ll put you on Fleur. That work out for you?”

Jessa nodded.

With those plans settled, the conversation turned to more mundane things like the snow outside and the price of horse feed. It allowed Rio to plan in her mind how she’d set up her new little home.

First she had to tell Travis she planned to move out. A part of her regretted it. The nights she’d spent with him were bliss, unexpected and decadent. Being under the same roof as him the last few weeks had been wholly frustrating. She would be tempted nightly to sneak into his room and that couldn’t happen.

She had already taken a huge step toward permanency here by renting out the apartment; she wasn’t quite ready for the next one.

Sadie stood. “Jessa, why don’t you help me clear the table—no, Rio, you stay put—and we’ll start on the next course. Coffee, Rio? Travis?”

“Please,” Travis replied. Rio nodded. As soon as Sadie and Jessa brought the first handful of dishes into the kitchen, Rio touched Travis’s arm. “I have to tell you something.” She kept her voice low. “I rented out the apartment over the barn here.”

For a long moment Travis didn’t speak. His brows furrowed as he studied her.

Jessa returned for more dishes and as soon as she disappeared into the kitchen again, Rio continued, “It’s for the best right now, with everything going on with your ex-mother-in-law. And I think you can trust me now. Right?”

Though he didn’t look one bit happy, he nodded. “I can trust you. And you’re right. I had forgotten all about the apartment. It actually sounds like a great idea.”

Rio relaxed. “I wanted to start moving things today. Of course I wasn’t expecting all this.”

“Tell you what, I’ll help you out after work tomorrow. Give your stuff a ride over and if you need to go into town to pick up any supplies, we can have another driving lesson. Maybe it’s time to seriously think about you getting a license, before winter hits.”

They didn’t have a chance to discuss anything more because Sadie was coming through the door with a birthday cake, lit with about two dozen candles, singing as loud as she could.

Travis joined in the “Happy Birthday” song as well. Listening to his surprisingly decent tenor voice, Rio had a hard time switching off her desire to gaze at only him.

“You guys are too much,” she exclaimed with a laugh.

“Hush now,” Sadie commanded. “Close your eyes, make a wish, and blow out those candles.”

Rio did as she was told. She closed her eyes and drew in a breath and held it. A wish? How could she improve on this new life?

She made her wish for Storm, that he was okay, then blew out the candles in one breath.

He hated not having her there.

In such a short amount of time Rio had become a fixture in his home. Travis missed seeing her sleepy smile in the morning over her first cup of coffee; her rumpled dark hair and hooded eyes, and her quick grin. He missed having her at the dinner table with them in the evening, discussing her day. She had become a part of their home, and now she was gone.

True, she was just next door, settling into her new apartment, but it wasn’t the same, and Travis wasn’t sure how concerned he should be about how much he missed her.

Still, as they had both agreed, this was for the best. Daphne wasn’t giving up.

As if to prove it, later in the evening Laura called, a new tactic more disturbing to Travis than anything Daphne had tried previously.

Travis nearly hung up on his ex-wife. Anger writhed inside his belly and filled his head to near capacity. Biting back on his displeasure, he stayed on the line.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” he asked in a tight voice.

“I have a right to talk to her. It’s in our agreement,” Laura replied in a cool, nearly emotionless tone.