Serenity Falls (2 page)

The
last of my bags are loaded in the back of the black, Jeep Wrangler Rubicon that
used to belong to my mother. I sigh, knowing how much I’m going to miss campus
life. I realize it’s only for the summer, but I’ve come to love San Antonio. As
I climb into the Jeep, I stare back at what has been my home for the past year.
Tucked between large oak and cedar trees that adorn the University of Texas,
San Antonio campus, white stucco buildings with red roof tiles give the dorms
that old Mexico feel. With my sunglasses shielding my eyes from the bright sun,
I start the Jeep, push in the clutch, and shift to reverse. Cameron, Texas,
here I come.

About
an hour later, Garth Brooks’
Rodeo
blares through the speakers as I pull
onto an old gravel road. For eight miles, my Jeep hits pothole after pothole,
tossing me around like a rag doll. With the top down and the doors off, the
warm, summer air funnels in all around me. My long, brown hair whips me in the
face, sticking to the corners of my mouth. Slowing down, I pull up to an
arched, black, wrought iron sign reading
Serenity Falls.
I punch in the
code to open the gates. As they swing wide, I inch my Jeep through. Large,
rolling hills covered in green grass surround me on either side. These thirty
acres of land in the middle of the Texas hill country have become a second home
to me—my little piece of Heaven. I came here last summer as a volunteer to help
disabled children. I watched as they bonded with the horses and learned how to
ride. The impact it had on me was life altering, and that’s why I’m back.

The
owners, Mr. and Mrs. Adams, are great. They started a not-for-profit
organization that helps children with disabilities ranging from muscular
dystrophy to depression. What I love the most are the smiles I get to see and
the relationships I form with the children.

Shortly
after my parents died, I slipped into a deep depression. Everybody at school
treated me as if I were made out of glass. I no longer participated in sports.
I quit talking to my friends. Hell, I pretty much stopped talking all together.
That’s when my Aunt Brenda found this horse ranch in Conroe and asked if I
wanted to take lessons. Well, actually, I didn’t have much of a choice, since
she dragged me out there anyway. And honestly, it was the best thing she
could’ve ever done for me. She saved me in more ways than I can count. I found
myself again.

Pulling
up in front of a red, weathered, wooden barn, I park and jump out of the Jeep.
Vines with bright, white flowers crawl up the front panels, sprawl out, and
cover the front of the wooden structure. When I take a deep breath, the smell
of honeysuckle drifts through the wind and brings a smile to my face.

I
enter the breezeway of the barn in search for the one thing I’ve been waiting
to see since last summer.
Autumn!
Her brown and white spots are vibrant,
and her long, white mane looks like silk. She’s still the most beautiful
Appaloosa that I have ever seen.

Clicking
my tongue, I call her over to me. “Autumn, come here, girl.” A brown satchel
filled with apples hangs from a hook outside her stall. The old, worn leather
rustles against the wooden beam as I reach in to retrieve the delicious, red
fruit. Autumn’s head whips in my direction as I click my tongue again, wave the
apple at her, and coax her over to me.

Grabbing
hold of the bridle, I hold her to me, caressing her muzzle as I feed her the
apple. “I’ve missed you so much. Are you ready to have another exciting
summer?” I ask in a singsong voice. Caught up in the moment of the reunion with
my favorite horse, I’m startled when I hear a man speak.

“She
won’t be riding around here much this summer. She’s pregnant.”

The
voice to my right brings a wide smile to my face. Standing beside me, in his worn,
Wrangler jeans, dark, blue, long-sleeved, button-down shirt, cowboy boots, and
his salt-and-pepper hair is Mr. Adams. “Mr. Adams. Hey. How have you been?” I
ask, excited to see him.

“I’ve
been good, Miss Briggs. How about yourself?”

I
smile at him before turning my attention back to the horse. “You know to call
me Kenleigh. But I’ve been good. I just finished my freshman year of college at
UTSA.”

“And
Kenleigh,
you know to call me Will. After last summer, you’re like
family around here.”

I
nod, unable to tear my eyes away from the majestic horse. “Thanks. So, Autumn
is pregnant, huh?”

“Yep,
she is. Due sometime this summer, but don’t worry. I have two new Appaloosas
down at the other end of the barn. Maybe you could help me get them broken in.
My son’s coming home for the summer and said he’d help too. Walk with me,” he
says, nodding toward the end of the barn once I turn my attention to him.

After
handing Autumn one more apple, I reluctantly let go of her bridle and stroll
down to see Will’s two new pride and joys. I pass by eight other stalls, which
house two Paints with their own distinctive markings, two Palominos, one, cream
colored and the other, brown, and three Pintos all with their own unique color
patterns. “So, how’s Mrs. Adams?”

“She’s
good. As soon as she saw you pull up and jump out of the Jeep, she called me to
say that you were here. That woman knew you’d come in here lookin’ for Autumn.
I told her I’d come getcha. She’s been dying to see you. Don’t tell her that I
showed you these horses first, though. I’d never hear the end of it,” he says
with a smile. The faint lines around his eyes wouldn’t give away the fact that
he works from sun up to sun down.

“Yes,
sir.”

“Well,
here we are. Whatcha think? This is Lucy,” he says, pointing to the first
horse. He nods at the second horse. “And that one there’s Jane.” Lucy’s entire
dark, brown coat is speckled with white spots while her rich, brown mane hangs
effortlessly down her long, muscular neck. Jane is mostly white with her
backend splattered in light, brown markings. What makes her different is her
golden brown mane.

“You’re
right, they are beautiful. Have they been ridden at all since they arrived at
the ranch?”

He
shakes his head. “A little, but not enough to put any of the kids on ‘em.
They’re still kind of skittish around people. I’m hoping that you and Wes will
help ease them out of their shells.”

“Wes?”
My furrowed eyebrows show my confusion, until I realize whom he’s talking
about. “Y’all’s son?” It’s as if a light bulb just switched on, and I
remembered how Mrs. Adams showed me pictures of him last summer from when he
was younger.

“Yep.
Y’all will get along real well.”

“Oh,
okay. It was good to see you, but I better go and see Mrs. Adams before you get
into trouble.” I head out of the back of the barn.

Just
as I turn the corner out of sight, I hear Will yell, “Sandy. You know that
woman will tan your hide if you call her Mrs. Adams.”

Chuckling,
I head toward the main house about a hundred yards from the stables. A white
wraparound porch comes into view with picturesque flowers lined up in front of
the house. White, pink, red, and yellow blooms trace a border in front of the
porch on either side of the steps.

Taking
the stairs two at a time, I skid to a halt right before the screen door smacks
me in the face. “Kenleigh! I’m so happy you’re here!” Sandy screeches in my ear
as she pulls me in for a hug.

I
can’t help but laugh at her energetic attitude, and hug her back just as hard.
“You know, you almost hit me with the door, but it’s good to see you, too.”

She
pulls back, rubbing her hands up and down my arms. “Sorry about the door, but I
know that husband of mine showed you Jane and Lucy. When I saw you pull up, I
called and told him to send you straight over, after you had seen Autumn first,
of course.” Her head shakes, as a grin tugs at the corners of her lips. “I
don’t know what I’m going to do about him. Come on,” she says, opening the door
for me. “Let’s get some sweet tea and catch up.”

For
a woman in her early forties, she doesn’t look a day over thirty. Her olive
colored skin and shoulder length, blond hair set off her almond-shaped,
sapphire-blue eyes. The only sign of gentle aging is the smile lines that
showcase her high cheekbones. Her short frame doesn’t deter her from mounting a
horse with ease, though. I know I’ve seen it firsthand. Dressed casually in a
pair of white capri pants, a gunmetal, green T-shirt, and brown flip-flops, she
looks at ease.

When
I enter the kitchen, I take in the light, oak cabinets and smooth, dark brown,
granite countertops. The entire kitchen’s decorated in Americana. Pulling out a
chair at the kitchen table, I take a seat at the window that overlooks the
horse corral. “So, what have you been up to this past year?” Sandy asks,
pulling the tea pitcher out of the fridge.

“Just
school, mainly. I finished my first year at UTSA. It was grueling, but I ended
it all right.”

Sandy
takes a seat, handing me a glass of tea. “Thanks.”

I
stop to take a drink.
Oh my gosh, this woman makes the best sweet tea I’ve
ever had.

“Sounds
like you’ve had a busy year. What are you studying again?”

“I’m
still undecided, but I think I’m leaning toward nursing.”

“That’s
great. At least no matter where you go, you’d always have a job,” she says. The
springs on the screen door creak and moan as someone comes in the house.

When
he rounds the corner, I jump out of my chair, throw my arms around my favorite
ranch hand, and give him a big hug. “Brantley. How are you doin’?”

With
his arms firmly wrapped around my middle, returning the gesture, he says, “I’ve
been good, but now that you’re here, I’m sure it’s gonna get better. How about
you?”

“She
just finished her freshman year at UTSA. This one here is going places,
Brantley,” Sandy answers for me.

I
blush at Mrs. Adams compliments. Releasing Brantley, I look over my shoulder to
Sandy and say, “Maybe. But right now I’m here with good people and can’t wait
to start the summer.”

After
one more squeeze, Brantley steps back and lets his eyes travel up and down my
body. “Still looking good I see.”

I
shake my head, ignoring his comment as I walk back to my chair. “Do you know
when Autumn is supposed to have her baby?”

Rummaging
through the cupboards, he looks at me, pulling a cup out of the cabinet.
“Should be before the summer ends. It’s hard to say, but I know that Mr. Adams
wants me to install cameras in her stall so we can monitor her.”

“Do
you mind letting me know when she goes into labor? I wanna be there when she
delivers.”

He
sets the cup down and his hands go to his hips as he turns to me. Brantley
stands at least a foot taller than me, which isn’t hard to do since I’m only
five foot four. Only two years older than me, his face is fuller rather than
defined, but still quite attractive. Wearing a pair of jeans, cowboy boots, and
a red T-shirt, his broad shoulders stretch it, fitting perfectly, and his dark
brown hair offsets his gray eyes. His eyebrow arches as he asks, “You wanna be
there when Autumn has her baby?”

“Yes,
I do. Is that so hard for you to believe?” I ask, matching his disbelieving
look.

“Now
Brantley, you know Kenleigh and Autumn have a special bond. Hell, we all saw it
last summer. If it hadn’t been for this lady right here, we would have never
been able to get her broken in.” Sandy comes to my defense and pats my hand.