The Staying Kind (6 page)

The old helpless, hands-tied-behind-his-back feeling returned, and Travis had no idea how to rid himself of it. “I know what it did to her. I was here. Jessa cried for weeks. I know she still does on occasion. What’s done is done and it’s time to move on. How do we heal this?”

“Oh, Travis, you let it run its course. You let her find something to become involved in. She’s got so much energy, it needs to be placed on something positive. It’ll take plenty of work, won’t happen overnight. I’ll do what I can, count on that. You have to let Jessa work through this. Be there for her. Listen to her. Don’t judge her too harshly.”

“I’ve got my work cut out for me. Damn Laura for this.”

“Bygones, Travis. Bygones. Let it go. You can’t expect your daughter to clear out her bitterness until you let go of your own.”

Travis nodded. He hadn’t realized how much resentment he still harbored. He’d kept it buried for so long under everything else. Now it bubbled up and there wasn’t anything else he could toss over it.

“Now, I have some news.” Sadie’s voice lifted and she patted Travis’s shoulder. “Well, it’s a bit premature, so send some good thoughts this way, it’ll happen. I asked Rio to stay on at least through the winter. My doctor told me my riding days are over. It kills me knowing I’ll never sit in the saddle again. I’ll be damned if I have to sell Dante, so I asked her to ride him for me.”

Travis struggled to keep from telling her no. Ever the idealist and savior of strays, Sadie couldn’t stop herself, and he certainly couldn’t put his foot down on her decisions. She was a grownup. His aunt, not his kid. Didn’t mean he had to be pleased about it, or stop trying to convince her to think on it. He had too many suspicions about Rio to feel comfortable with her being here indefinitely.

“What did she say?”

“She’ll think about it, though she said she should be leaving soon.”

“Aunt Sadie, what do you know about this woman? Her background? Where she’s been?”

“I know she’s a hard worker and has a good heart. What more do I need to know?”

Frustration balled in his stomach. “A lot more. I love you, but sometimes you’re too trusting. I’d feel better knowing more about her.”

“I’m a fine judge of character. She’s had a hard life. I can see it written all over her. She’s come from tragedy of some kind. She won’t talk about it and I haven’t asked. Personally I’d like to see her settle down, start growing some roots. I have the feeling she doesn’t know what that’s like.”

“I hope your instincts are right on this one.”

“Besides, if she was going to do something she would’ve done it by now. She’s been here for months and there hasn’t been one incident of, well, anything. Not so much as a single spoon missing from my kitchen.”

Of course not, because she’s squatting in my cabin.
He didn’t say it directly. “Where is she staying anyway?”

“Over at the Three Maple Cabins.”

He doubted it, but again remained silent. Maybe Sadie needed to hear it straight from Rio. Then again, Sadie probably wouldn’t care. She was fond of this woman and it’d be no easy task to change her mind, unless some serious problem arose, something that would happen because of Rio. He didn’t, however, wish any misfortune on his aunt.

For some reason he wanted Rio to be as trustworthy as Sadie believed her to be. And because of that, Travis planned to do as much digging as possible into Rio’s past.

Chapter 5

No doubt, Travis Lithgow was a man on a mission.

I’m his mission.
The certainty shook Rio.

Given time, he’d no doubt dig up information on her. Yesterday, when she’d first met him, she hadn’t worried too much. Today he wore a policeman’s uniform. Uniforms made her extra jumpy.

The whole combination of his intense gaze, the questions, the suggestions of something untoward in her past, and the uniform made her desire to run for the hills even stronger. Instead, she stood her ground and saddled up Dante.

At breakfast this morning she agreed to ride the big horse. She hadn’t been on him yet, but had exercised the other horses. Dante’s size didn’t intimidate her; she had knew him pretty well and had come to find he was a sweet puppy dog in big horse clothing.

She’d enjoyed riding the other horses and felt comfortable on them, despite the fact she’d hadn’t ridden before coming to Cobble Creek.

Rio frowned. She was afraid she’d like this too much, overriding her desire to leave.

Travis returned to the barn, headed straight to his daughter, and spoke to her in a low voice. Rio observed them together and took note of this other side of him. He lifted her chin when she refused to look at him. Though she resisted, she didn’t pull away. Still, he didn’t push her.

Rio fought the urge to tell the girl to smarten up. She had a dad who obviously loved her, and not every kid could be so lucky. Rio’s own mom sure didn’t care too much. Didn’t worry about how her kids felt, how they were doing. If they were happy. Travis obviously cared a lot about his daughter.

She gave her attention to the horse. Their relationship didn’t concern her. She didn’t know this kid’s situation. She was probably stewing in a normal teenage kind of mood. Somehow Rio doubted it. Jessa was heading down some path of rebellion. Her father had a hard road ahead of him. Maybe her mother would have better luck.

As Travis walked by, Rio tried not to pay any attention to him, yet she couldn’t help it. The uniform made her heart pound, maybe because he
knew
she’d been down at the cabin as surely as she suspected he’d been lying in wait for her.

This man was dangerous in a different way than her mother’s boyfriends. The kind of danger emanating from Travis gave a different kind of rush, one she hated to admit excited her.

When he glanced at her, his scrutiny sent prickles of ice crawling through her skin. Rio held her breath until he passed, and let it go in a rush when he walked out of the barn into the sunlight. She didn’t stop watching him until he climbed into his police SUV.

Luckily Sadie came into the barn and drew her thoughts from Travis.

“Okay, bring Dante to the ring and mount up. Walk him out and I’ll be there after I get Jessa started. Oh, by the way, have you two met?”

Travis’s daughter didn’t smile as she studied Rio. In fact, the suspicion in the girl’s stare mirrored Travis’s, with maybe less intensity or curiosity. Jessa merely studied her with bored disinterest.

“No, we haven’t.” Rio managed a smile.

“Rio, this is my grand-niece, Jessa Lithgow. Jessa, meet Rio Presley. You’ll be helping her out. While she’s exercising Dante, you can start filling the water buckets. We’ll bring in the kids in a bit so we have to prep their dinner.” She faced Rio. “You go on ahead, and I’ll be out in a few minutes.”

So, Rio wondered, what did Jessa do to end up with this duty? Plainly she didn’t want to be there. Could’ve been the hair, which obviously wasn’t Jessa’s natural color. Or some other infraction warranted her being put to work.
Not your business.
She had too much on her plate right now to worry about a sullen teenager.

She glanced at Dante. “You ready, big guy? Because I’m not.”

Rio led him out of the barn into the cool late afternoon air. Spots of sunlight filtered through thick gray clouds over Cobble Creek Farm. They walked side by side into the riding ring.

Facing the horse seemed daunting. God, he was tall, a lot bigger now she stood next to him, preparing to mount him. Luckily, Sadie had the sense to have a mounting block in the center of the ring.

Rio positioned the horse next to it, climbed the two steps and gathered the reins. She slipped a foot into the stirrup and swung her leg over the saddle. As she organized the reins, she couldn’t help but notice how far away the ground seemed.

This is no different than riding Fleur or Barnaby.
Except for the fact that Dante possessed an enormous amount of energy. She felt it through the thin leather reins in her hands as she moved him to the rail.

It only took a few minutes to understand that riding Dante was nothing like riding either of the other two horses. She’d never been the type who went crazy over horses, so it was surprising how, at the ripe old age of twenty-seven, she finally experienced the starry-eyed little girl wonderment of being on a horse.

No, being on
this
horse. Dante was the one, like Sadie had promised.

“I’ll be damned,” she mumbled and concentrated on the movement of the animal beneath her. And this was just a walk. She’d seen Sadie working Dante and had been impressed with the horse’s fluid gait. Now she looked forward to putting him through his paces.

She’d have to wait for Sadie’s okay before she could try it. For now, she’d take her time getting to know him. She kept him at a walk at the rail, becoming used to the feel of his mouth on the bit, his gentle tugging on the reins and the way he stepped out energetically.

“All right, my dear, let’s get down to business,” Sadie declared as she entered the ring and pulled the gate shut behind her. “You’ve had enough time with him, so tell me, do you love him?”

Rio glanced at Sadie with a grin. “So far so good. Of course I feel like I’m a mile away from the ground. You sure I’m not too small for him?”

“You may be small, but you’re tough. And strong enough for this powerhouse, and even better, you have a gentle touch when you need it. Dante knows that. Ready to work?”

That I am.
It surprised her how much she enjoyed the hour-long session with both Dante and her boss. They started off slowly. For all intents and purposes she was a beginner and she had a lot to learn. Luckily both horse and instructor were patient with her. Although they were taking baby steps, Rio still felt a great sense of accomplishment when the hour ended and she’d mastered the posting trot. Well, in her own mind she did. She wouldn’t declare victory yet.

Only one problem hit her as she dismounted. Before her toes tapped the dirt, Rio realized she was now hooked on this riding thing. She’d finally discovered something she’d been searching for, long and hard.

In an attempt to put things in perspective, she argued with herself and her uncertainty. It’s
your first real riding lesson, not the missing puzzle piece in your life.
She had to cut out the dramatics. This was it. She might have suspected it before, with the other two horses, but with Dante she
knew
.

“Damn.” She only whispered the word. Inside her head, the word reverberated like an enormous gong. Now what? How could she walk away from such an opportunity? This horse Sadie offered on a silver platter?

“Walk him out,” Sadie called, breaking into Rio’s musings. “Then bring him inside for a brush down. I want to see how Jessa is doing. Then you and she can start feeding.”

“Okay.” Rio led Dante around the ring until he was relaxed and the few perspiration-damp areas on his coat had dried. Then she brought him into the barn.

Jessa pushed a wheelbarrow down the aisle, stopping at every stall to deliver two flakes of hay to each hayrack. She worked in silence, her face void of expression.

Once again the girl reminded Rio of herself, and despite the fact instinct told her to leave Jessa alone, to stay out of her troubles, a sense of fellowship steered her into wanting to help. Knowing Jessa’s father, however, kept her from taking any action.

“You had a really good workout.” Sadie came into the barn leading two Shetland Ponies, Amos and Andy. “You up for more of the same tomorrow?”

Rio pulled a comb through Dante’s short black mane. “I actually would like another go.”

Sadie beamed. “Oh, you don’t know how pleased I am. You and Dante will be spectacular together. You wait and see.”

According to Sadie it was a done deal. Rio still had too much to worry about. Like her living arrangements, if she decided to stay. She hadn’t yet hiked down to the cabin to find her things.

Another night in the barn. Another day wearing the same old clothes. Not exactly an ideal situation. She had no choice. She’d have to sneak down to the cabin at night. Grab her stuff and keep it at the barn until she could figure out a solution.

With that in mind, she led Dante into his stall and headed to the feed room to start preparing the horses’ dinners while Jessa and Sadie brought the rest of the animals in from their paddocks.

“Going to rain,” Sadie called.

Rio stared out the barn door. Tree branches swayed in the wind. She could hear the leaves shiver as the air brushed through them. Already the sky had darkened, a leaden gray, made murkier by the heavy clouds that had gathered all afternoon.

Rio pressed her lips together in frustration and hurried to finish up. She couldn’t escape until her work was done and Sadie had gone into the house. The sooner she left, the better.

As she pushed the door to the feed room closed, Travis pulled up outside the barn. Fat, cold raindrops had begun to fall in a heavy cascade. Rio doubted the sky would clear up anytime soon.

“Wonderful,” she muttered under her breath.

Travis jogged into the barn, sending a look her way before acknowledging Jessa. “You all set?”

The girl’s head barely moved in acknowledgment. She trudged to the truck outside the barn and climbed into the back seat.

“How did she do?”

“She’s a hard worker,” Sadie replied. “Won’t say two words to me, though. She’ll warm up, I’m sure. I’ll see her Wednesday?”

“Yes you will. And thanks.”

“Can you do me a favor and give Rio a ride to her hotel? I don’t want her walking in this rain.”

Travis gave Rio a sharp stare and Rio froze under his scrutiny.

“No, really, it’s okay, I can make it there myself. I’ve walked through worse.” Rio cursed herself for sounding so panicked. What the heck must this guy think? Now she felt guiltier than ever about the damned situation she’d gotten herself into.

“No you won’t. It’s biting cold out here and you’ll catch your death if you walk. Travis can spare a few minutes, right?”

Travis continued to eyeball her, his jaw tight, his intense gaze locked on hers. “Of course I can.” His voice sounded amiable despite the fire glowing in his stare.

She couldn’t protest anymore. If she did she might as well admit to everything she’d been doing since arriving in town. Perhaps she could still deceive the man. He could drop her off at the cabins and leave before she pretended to go inside one of the small buildings. It was her only hope.

“Fine,” she murmured, and quickly finished up so she could get this over with.

Silently, Rio climbed into the passenger seat of Travis’s truck, wishing she could sit in back with the equally despondent Jessa. The girl slouched against the door, looking as miserable as Rio felt.

Thick splatters of rain on the truck broke the utter silence hanging heavily in the small space. As soon as Travis opened the door and climbed into the driver’s seat, the air bristled with an energy that was inescapable, no matter how far Rio pressed herself against her door.

Travis didn’t speak until he steered the truck down the driveway. He glanced into the rearview mirror. “I’ll drop you off first. Start your homework and I’ll bring a pizza home.”

Jessa didn’t respond. Rio swore silently. She’d be alone with him. This was it. The time had come for him to put her in her place, make sure she understood he didn’t trust her.

He pulled into a driveway less than a quarter mile down the road from Cobble Creek, leading to another farm. Unlike Sadie’s place, however, this one didn’t appear to be a working farm. The beautiful old house sprawled out over a green, leaf-scattered lawn. A wraparound porch surrounded the home, along with deep green bushes that would no doubt be rich with flowers in the spring. Even in the sullen rain, the place was lovely and welcoming.

Before he had a chance to put the truck in park, Jessa shoved the door open and climbed out, running through the rain toward the front porch. Travis waited until his daughter closed the door behind her before he swung around and they headed toward the center of town, and the cabins she was supposedly staying in.

Rio didn’t dare look at him. She kept her attention pinned to the rain-washed road, as her mind worked quickly to find a way out of this predicament.

She’d tell him to drop her off at the store a few doors down from the cabins. The weight lifted slightly from her heart. Then he wouldn’t know or be able to prove anything. She’d make her escape. Hike to the cabin in the woods. He had his hands full at home, surely he wouldn’t bother to follow her tonight.

Unfortunately, when he pulled into the parking lot at Two Maples, he pinned her with a single glance. “Which one is yours?”

“Over there,” she replied, vaguely pointing in the direction that could’ve indicated three different buildings. “I need to run to the store so you can drop me here. Thanks for the ride.”

“I’ll drive you to the store,” he replied.

Rio fidgeted. She hadn’t expected this. She supposed she should’ve, but for a brief moment she’d been secure in her newly hatched plan.

His eyes seemed to penetrate right into her brain. He didn’t smile, but he didn’t appear angry either. Just questioning. Waiting.