“She’s definitely got the patience. I’d hate to see her become dead-sided from being kicked by kids just learning to ride, though. Right now, she’s really responsive. Doesn’t take more than just a little pressure to get her moving. With the right rider, I think she’d be great.”
“I think Trinity’s girl might be a good fit. That Mia loves horses and has a lot of respect for them. She doesn’t strike me as the type of kid that would be anything but absolutely gentle.Sure, she’s only five, but that young lady has had to grow up quite a bit in the last year.”
Now that Spencer thought on it, it was surprising to think that Mia was just a kindergartener. She did seem more mature than that, despite her defiance with her mother the night before. But he agreed with his nana; Mia would be nothing but caring and kind with the mare. In his mind, they would make the perfect pair.
“I actually just sent Trinity a text about that,” he confessed. He pulled his phone out of his pocket, dismayed to see that she hadn’t replied.
“Yeah? I didn’t realize you and Trinity were like that.”
“Like what?” He gave his grandmother a look.
“On texting terms.”
“She’s a friend,” he explained with a shrug. “That’s all.”
Josephine cocked her head. “You have a lot of female friends back in the valley?”
“Other than cows and heifers, not really.” He chuckled because it was the honest to goodness truth.
“Hmm. Thought so.”
“I’m not trying anything here, Nana.”
“I know you’re not. What I’m saying is that you probably should.”
Spencer’s gut spasmed, a shock from his grandmother’s words. “What do you mean by that?” He wished she would just say what she meant outright rather than talking in these confusing circles.
“It’s no secret I think Trinity is a lovely lady,” Nana Jo said, tipping her chin toward her grandson. “And you know I think the world of you. What I’m hinting at is that I think the two of you would make a great couple. That’s all.”
There it was, finally out with the truth. But now that the words had been spoken, Spencer wasn’t so certain he wantedto hear them. “I’m not sure Trinity is in the place for a relationship,” was all he could think to say.
“It’s been almost a year, not that there is any real timeline for those sorts of things. Love’s timing is something only the Big Man upstairs can make any real sense of. It’s just that I see the way you are with her kiddos, the way you are with her. It’s different.”
“And how’s that?” He was genuinely curious.
“Protective. Caring. Genuine. Every good quality that’s in you comes out when you’re around them.”
He didn’t know how much of that was the truth and how much was his grandmother seeing what she wanted to see, but he appreciated the compliment. Nana Jo always had been his biggest fan.
“Let’s just say this,” he started. “I’m not opposed to something happening between us if that’s what’s meant to happen. But I’m not going to force it and I’m not going to rush it. What will be will be.”
He knew it would never satisfy her, but that was where he was going to leave things.
“Fair enough,” Nana Jo conceded, giving Spencer that tenacious grin that he would forever associate with his beloved grandmother. She sure was a spitfire. “You all done out here? Because I could use your help getting down a couple of old boxes from the attic. Clara will be here in the morning to pick them up.”
Wait…his twin sister was coming to town? This was news to him. “Really? Since when? She hadn’t said anything to me.”
“Oh, grandson of mine, you don’t know everything that goes on around here,” Nana Jo replied with a knowing chuckle and wink of her crystal blue eye.
Spencer was beginning to think he was in the dark about more than he ever cared to know.
CHAPTER 8
Trinity owed Spencer a text, but she wasn’t sure how to reply. The mare might be ready for lessons, but was Mia? In so many ways, she still seemed so tiny, so fragile. But Trinity knew better. Her daughter was fierce, with a personality ten times bigger than her physical size. And after all she’d been through in her short life…she deserved a win.
“I think it’s a good idea,” Jennifer, Trinity’s mother had said that afternoon when she came by the house to check in on everything. “You know, I saw a video not too long ago online that talked about all of the benefits of equine therapy. How the connection between a horse and its companion is something almost spiritual. I think it would be good for Mia to have a bond like that, don’t you?”
Trinity couldn’t argue with that. She loved the connection her daughter had with the animals. Her mom was right; it was deep and profound. It was just the thought of her sitting on top of a creature with a mind of its own that scared the living daylights out of Trinity. She remembered hearing a statistic somewhere that there were more yearly traumatic brain injuries resulting from horse riding accidents than motorcycles. That was terrifying.
