“I don’t normally raise my voice. I don’t want you to have questions about my temperament. I know I gave reason for you to think otherwise, but I assure you it’s not a problem for me.”
When she glanced at him, her expression softened. “You’d be a lousy trainer if it were—and your glowing references tell me that’s not the case.”
A weight lifted from his shoulders, the feeling so freeing he realized only then how much staying here actually meant. His eyes were still locked on hers when something passed between them, making him forget how to breathe for a few seconds. Was there more to his reasons for wanting to stay? The chemistry was there—had been from day one—but he’d put that on lockdown.
Hadn’t he?
He cleared his throat. “Thank you. I appreciate your understanding.”
She placed the empty pan in the sink and met his gaze. “Honestly, I could really use that trail ride. Why don’t you head back to the barn and saddle up Rogue? I was thinking he might be a nice fit for you.”
“He’s a beauty and very well-behaved.”
“The other horses will follow his lead. I’ll be out in a minute to saddle up Stella.”
“Sounds good.”
Ten
Emerson wolfed down her lunch and left. The tension between her and Charlotte was unbearable. But it was Charlotte’s own fault. She shouldn’t have kept such an important discovery from her sister.
By the time Charlotte reached the barn, Gunner had both horses saddled. In no time at all they were heading toward the trail behind the new build. Gavin and Wes glanced up from their work and gave a wave, and Charlotte waved back.
As they approached the woods, she slowed Stella. “We’ll have to go single file on the trail. Why don’t you go first so Rogue gets used to leading the way.”
“Sounds good.” Gunner urged Rogue on and soon they entered the coolness of the woods.
Charlotte took a few deep breaths, letting her problems melt away as she listened to the sounds of nature. The quiet clopping of the horses’ hooves. A breeze rustling the treetops. Something small scuttling through the underbrush. The earthy smell of the forest soothed her too.
Even so, her mind flashed back to the moment Gunner burstinto the house. She’d been too caught up in her argument with Emerson to notice the smell of smoke. She’d seen a flash of relief in his eyes upon sight of her, but that hadn’t stopped his race to the kitchen. Or hers.
She barely knew him, but she’d never seen him rattled before. His intensity in the moment surprised her. Otherwise, he seemed so laid-back, so calm and controlled.
She hoped she hadn’t missed something. She peered at him, sitting tall and effortlessly in the saddle. She didn’t think so. The horses had already begun to respond to him, and they weren’t fooled. He’d perceived danger and reacted—a little intensely, sure, but hopefully not a red flag.
“Who keeps the trails cut back?” Gunner asked over his shoulder.
“I do. But they shouldn’t take much upkeep with horses coming through on the regular. It was originally a deer path my family used for walks in the woods. The trail is a loop and it’ll take about an hour by horseback. It leads to Wildflower Falls and Stillwater Creek, then through the pasture and back to the barn. Eventually I’d like to add a lunch option to the trail ride, but we’ll put that on hold until I can afford more help.”
“Tourists would like that. Especially if it’s a barbecue.”
“I was thinking the same thing. Eventually I’d like to put in a firepit for guests to gather around.”
“Are you a good cook?”
“I’m adequate but I’m no caterer. I’d been thinking it was something Emerson could do, but she’s been kind of resistant to the expansion.”
He tossed a smile over his shoulder. “Isn’t she the one who just charred a loaf of bread?”
Charlotte snorted. “Good point.” But truly, her sister was a great cook. She could take a handful of random ingredients and turn them into a meal that would make your mouth water.
Rogue led them up an incline that would eventually take them to a great view of the falls. “I assume you’ve got some experience matching guests to horses?” she asked.
“I do. I did trail rides at Cedar Creek in Tennessee for almost a year. You’ve only got two ponies, though, so we’re limited where kids are concerned.”
“I’ll keep that in mind when booking rides. Anyway, with only one trail boss, two kids are probably plenty. So at Cedar Creek, did you do much talking on the trail?”
He shifted in his saddle. “We were encouraged to tell the history of the area and also engage with the guests about where they were from and what they did for a living. I’m comfortable with whatever you’d like me to do.”
