A Fair to Remember (15 page)

In the horsebarn, she walked down the center aisle until she reached Magic’s stall. The horse poked a velvety nose out to greet her. He was clean now, free of the muck of his past, and seemed like a different horse. She pulled a carrot from her pocket and gave it to him, then scratched the blaze running down his face. “No more Demon Sword names for you, Magic. Now you have a name to be proud of. What do you think of it?”

He chewed his carrot and snorted.

She studied him for a long time before coming to a decision. It wasn’t because of the gossip, exactly, that she wanted to prove everyone wrong about her needing saving, but it wasn’t
not
because of it either. The woman’s unkindness had only put into words what she, herself, had fought for the last few years—the idea that the only way to save herself was by disappearing.

Like Deke.

She clipped a lead rope to Magic’s halter, opened the door and led him out to the indoor ring. She gathered up a bridle and some tack. It was time to test the waters for them both.

He took the bridle well, so she felt fairly confident he’d been a riding horse before he’d fallen into hell. That was a start.

She worked slowly, rubbing him with the saddle blanket before attempting the saddle. But, again, he took it fairly well. Better than her, actually, since her heart was slamming against the wall of her chest at each progressive step.

Now, he stood, twitchy and waiting. Glancing nervously at her as if to say, “This might not be a good idea.”

Olivia felt sweat gather between her breasts and she took deep, slow breaths.
You can do this
. She felt nauseous, like Lucy had. She braced her hands on the pommel and cantle of the saddle, leaned her forehead there and closed her eyes.

“Need a leg up?”

Olivia jumped at the sound of Ken’s voice and she turned to find him standing near the gate, watching her. A Montana cowboy, born and raised, Ken would look out of place anywhere but with horses and that beat up old hat of his. Tonight, however, he was all dressed up and ready to go to dinner with the family. Years ago, her stepfather had built him his own little bunkhouse on the property, where he lived, but he took meals with the Canady’s and generally never missed a whiff of anything happening hereabouts.

He had his arms folded on the rail, looking all Zen, as he always did, chewing on a toothpick. Nothing ever rattled the man.

“How long have you been standing there?” she asked.

“A little while.”

“Okay, so you caught me.”

“Yup.”

“I’m just thinking about it, is all.”

“Uh-huh.”

She pressed her forehead against the saddle leather again. “Okay, maybe a leg up.”

He ducked through the corral and sauntered toward her. Ken, more than anyone, understood what it meant that she’d given up riding. That he was keeping his counsel now didn’t surprise her. She knew he had a lot to say on the subject, but generally, he didn’t.

And then, before she was ready, she was in mid-air, swinging onto the saddle, feeling like her heart might just come to a full stop. She felt ridiculous and silly to be so scared. Fear of snakes or heights or airplanes, now those things she understood. But this?

Ken had hold of Magic’s reins and held him still, but Olivia was folded over the horse’s neck, trying to catch her breath.

“You got this,” Ken said, soothing a hand down Magic’s shoulder and pulling the reins over his head for her to hold. She fisted them along with a clump of mane. “I’m gonna let ‘im go now.”

‘Wait—”

But he didn’t. He let him go and Magic shied sideways and stumbled toward the edge of the ring with her unfamiliar weight on him. Instinct urged him to knock or brush her off on the nearest object which, tonight, happened to be the rail. “Easy, Magic—whoa, boy—”

He fought her and headed directly for the rail, crashing into it a fraction of a second after she lifted her leg out of the way and flung herself off in the other direction.

She sprawled with a hard
whoof
in the soft dirt and heard Ken come running toward Magic to gather up his reins and keep him from running her over.

Breathless, she clawed her fingers in the dirt, grabbing fistfuls in disgust.

Stupid, stupid
! She’d panicked. She could have stayed on, but she’d panicked. Like a seven-year-old novice. Actually, seven-year-olds were braver than her.

“You okay?” Ken asked, offering her a hand up.

When she caught her breath, she took his hand, slowly, getting to her feet, feeling sore and embarrassed.

Her eyes filled. “No.”

“You hurt yourself?”

She brushed dirt off her jeans and shirt, sending clouds up in the air. “I don’t know. If you see my dignity anywhere, you can ask.”

Ken wasn’t above a chuckle. “Maybe you shouldn’t be startin’ off with the likes of Magic. Untested horse like that. Miss Gracie over there, now, she’s easy as pie.”

She didn’t want to talk about it. If she couldn’t get on a horse who needed her as much as she needed him, then what was she doing here? She might as well be hanging wallpaper.

She blinked back tears and brushed a hand at Ken’s dinner clothes. “I got your suit all dirty.”

“Not like I ain’t used to a little dirt.” He reached out and brushed the smear of it from her cheek with his fingers. “But that’s gonna leave a bruise.” Holding Magic’s reins out to her he asked, “You want another go?”

She swallowed hard and took hold of the horse’s bridle. She should, absolutely
should
get back on that horse. If she didn’t, she was a fool.

Which apparently she was, because she said, “Not tonight. Look at me. I have to change for dinner.”

“There’s still a little time.” It was out of character for Ken to push her, but he was pushing.

“I-I don’t think Magic’s ready. I think I need to do some more ground work with him.” She turned to leave, leading Magic behind her.

“Whatever you say. You just remember, Olivia, you got up on that horse. And you will do it again.”

She nodded back at him. But she wasn’t sure about that. She wasn’t sure at all.

*

Beck’s Place was
an up and comer on the Marietta restaurant scene, though it wasn’t technically in Marietta, but a few miles out of town, perched on the edge of a pretty lake. It was Jake’s first time here, though he’d heard about it from Ben, who he’d dragged along, against his will.

“
They don’t even know me
,” he’d argued. “
It’s a private party.”

But Jake wouldn’t take no for an answer. He knew that Liv’s stepsisters, Kate and Eve, would be part of this celebration and he suspected Ben, who was a little shy and in danger of becoming another Deke by living out at Jake’s parents’ place all alone, when he wasn’t devoting his life to the hospital and his patients.

They’d known each other since they were kids but after high school—Ben was two years older than Jake—they’d gone off in two different directions. Jake to the army, Ben to Stanford and medical school. Now an orthopedic surgeon, Ben had dreamed of practicing in the area but his family had long since moved to Northern California. So, Jake had offered to let him live in his parents’ house, rent-free, in exchange for watching over the place. The trade was more than fair.

Ben had flown directly to Walter Reed Hospital, two years ago, to consult on Jake’s leg injury, when he’d arrived from overseas. But he’d really shown up because that was who he was. He wanted to make sure things were done right—something Jake would always be grateful for.

Beck’s Place was a white table cloth kind of restaurant with a lodge-like feel that was strictly upscale, with a cool bar and a piano at the center of the restaurant. A young man was playing something jazzy and soulful as they followed the blonde hostess across the dining room to the torch-lit outdoor patio that overlooked the river.

They were at a long table under strung up lights and Jake could hear Olivia’s stepdad, Reed, telling one of his fishing stories, with Ken embellishing, when Olivia turned and saw him coming. She shot to her feet, drawing Reed’s glance and everyone else’s at the table.

A goofy smile he couldn’t stop spread across Jake’s face. She was breathtaking with her dark hair curling softly around the bare shoulders of her mocha-colored, summer dress, a little gauzy thing that hugged her in all the right places and set off the green of her eyes like it was made for her. She looked happy to see him.

“Everyone,” she said, “you remember Jake Lassen and his friend, Dr. Ben Tyler. Ben’s an orthopedic surgeon now,” she added for the benefit of her sisters who were already checking him out.

Reed, Jaycee, and the rest got to their feet and came to greet them.

“It’s been a long time, Jake,” Reed said, hugging him with real affection. “I hear you made quite a name for yourself over there. Well done, my boy.”

“Thank you, sir. That means a lot coming from you.”

Ben was welcomed in, too, and immediately Jake knew it had been the right thing to bring him here. This family reminded him, in a big way, of his own and for a bittersweet moment, he wished they could be here, part of this. They would’ve loved it.

He took a seat next to Olivia, who leaned close to his ear. “Hi,” she said.

“Hi,” he said, and squeezed her hand under the table.

Her fingers curled around his. “I wasn’t sure you were going to make it.”

“There would have had to be blood to keep me away.”

The smile she sent him hit him right in the solar plexus. Ben took a seat, which Jake guessed had been strategically saved between Kate and Eve, who already had him laughing. A good sign. Jake relaxed a little and took a sip of water.

When the waiter had filled their glasses from the already open wine bottles on the table, Jaycee stood and raised her glass in a toast. “Now that we’re all here. I’d like to welcome our guests, Jake and Ben, and make a toast to my wonderful husband, Reed, who turns sixty today. For being my rock and my dearest friend, for always knowing better than to ask ‘what’s for dinner?’ and instead, making the best salads—”

“—and occasionally the best barbecued ribs—” Reed added modestly.

“—known to mankind. For being the father you are to our daughters and teaching them what a man is and should be. I adore you.” She looked at her oldest daughter. “And to our beautiful Olivia, whose thirtieth birthday we also celebrate here and whom we love more than we can say”—she started to tear up—“we’re so happy to have you back. Happy, happy birthday to you both!”

A round of seconds and glasses clinking echoed over the lake. Jake had been in Italy and the south of France during his time in the service, and he’d eaten at tables just like this one. But it was hard to beat this place tonight. Marietta felt perfect right now. Like home. It was almost too perfect—after all those years flying missions over a night-blackened desert—and this thing he’d envisioned, being here with Liv and her family, could have come to pass. With her hand in his, he felt incredibly lucky. Lucky to have survived the last twelve years and lucky to be right where he was.

Over the rim of her glass, Olivia’s clear, green eyes went dark, turning something closer to malachite, and filled with things she wouldn’t say to him. At least not here. Once he’d been able to read her every thought, but those days were far behind. Now, her eyes were full of nuance and worry and other things he didn’t understand.

He had the urge to kiss her, right here, full on the mouth. Kiss her worries right out of her. But he restrained himself. She wouldn’t want everyone to see it, yet.

She didn’t know it, but someday, he would kiss her when and where he wanted, and she’d like it. Someday, she’d even kiss him first.

The evening was full of laughter, good food and wine, and Ben had perked up with the sisters’ attention. Reed sat beside Jake and wanted to know all about piloting a helicopter, and Jake promised to take him and Jaycee up for a private tour of the area for Reed’s birthday. He deliberately avoided asking Jake about the war, for which he was grateful.

Olivia told him about her day, though she seemed troubled by something. If it was their relationship on her mind, he’d settle that with her later tonight. There was a lot to say and he didn’t have it all worked out. But he knew what he wanted. Right now, he just wanted to enjoy being near her, feeling part of her family and her life.

Eve was huddled with Ben, discussing innovations in stem-cell therapy and spinal injuries, a topic that had Kate pouring herself more wine.

An older woman he didn’t recognize approached the table with her husband. Not extravagantly dressed, she was wearing too many jewels for the locale and the pair of them smelled of money.

“Jaycee, darling! What a marvelous gathering of family you have here!” The woman air-kissed both of Jaycee’s cheeks. “When I saw you, I just had to come over and say hello. Reed, Jaycee? How are you? And, oh my goodness, this can’t be Olivia. Can it?”

Olivia got to her feet and offered her hand. “Hi, Mrs. Morgan.”

Mrs. Morgan’s gaze strayed rather pointedly to Jake then back to Olivia again as if she was waiting for an introduction, which Jaycee accomplished quickly.