“Oh,” Jillian said, not pointing out that Mari was also shy with new people.
“But she liked playing with me,” Mari said. “And we’re going to play again tomorrow.”
“That’s great,” Jillian said. “What did you play?”
“Horses,” Mari said, shrugging as she dug through her bag. “We were a herd.”
A herd of two. The idea made her smile.
For all her worry, Jillian was starting to think that things were going to be just fine after all.
7
TRIPP
At dawn the next morning, Tripp left the milking barn and headed up the path to the house.
Most mornings he would be dragging by now, and ready for a second cup of coffee. But today it felt like his veins were filled with lightning.
He knew it was because he was eager to help out at Coach’s house, and a lot more eager than he should be to see Jillian.
But he was nervous too.
The only reason he hadn’t poked around the house already to see what needed fixing was that Coach didn’t want him doing it, so he worried that the older man still wouldn’t really approve.
And Jillian seemed to be letting her guard down, which only made him afraid he would mess things up all over again. The possibility was extra difficult for Tripp to avoid, since he still wasn’t entirely sure why she ever got so mad at him in the first place.
It was one thing for her to turn him down, but it was another to be so angry that she never spoke to him again.
It seemed to be his curse that no one would ever really take him seriously.
The farmhouse appeared at the top of the little hill, a light glowing comfortingly in the kitchen window. At least one of his parents was up now, and that knowledge brought him a little peace.
He came in the back way. It was too early for any shouting about it, but he left his boots in the mudroom without being prompted.
“Good morning,” Mom said from her favorite spot at the table as he walked in.
Dad sat beside her. They each had a steaming mug of coffee and the kind of twinkly eyed smiles that told Tripp that Dad had been entertaining Mom with something funny.
“Morning,” Tripp said.
“Coffee’s hot,” Dad told him. “Do you have time for a quick story?”
“I do, but I should probably shower first,” Tripp told him. “I’m heading over to Coach’s place in an hour.”
“Go on then,” Mom said. “We’ll be here when you’re done.”
He hurried upstairs, where he cleaned up and got dressed again. He felt a lot more like himself once he’d had a hot shower and pulled on a clean pair of jeans and a fresh flannel.
He’d toyed with the idea of wearing something nicer, but figured it would be too obvious that he was just tryingto impress Jillian. Besides, he was hoping that he could actually get started on some work over there today.
He did indulge in his favorite blue and gray flannel, which Allie said brought out his eyes, whatever that meant.
As he jogged back down the stairs, his pulse quickened again.
“So Kris told him,Fine, you can be my new elf,” Dad was saying as Tripp came into the kitchen.
“And what did he say?” Mom asked, her eyes sparkling with laughter.
