A Journey by Chance (26 page)

What could he do to give them time together? To give himself another chance to win her heart? He had done it once, hadn't he? It had to be away from the Valley Oaks crowd and it couldn't wait until after the wedding. A sense of urgency enveloped him.

Make it right. Please.

He held the bottle to his face and inhaled deeply.

As Gina turned onto the drive of the Olafsson farm, she spotted Brady. He stood outside the nearest barn, leaning against the white fence, elbows propped on the top rail, one foot braced on the bottom, cell phone pressed against an ear. He wore his green cap, a white T-shirt, blue jeans, work boots, and an unmistakable frown.

She parked behind him and climbed out.

“Yeah,” he barked, “that's my final word on the subject.” He punched a button on the phone, raised the hand that held it, and stretched back his arm. With all the force of a major league center fielder, he hurled the cell phone across the grassy area almost to the highway.

Gina leaned against the car. It seemed a good time to wait quietly.

Brady gripped the fence rail with both hands, stomped a foot on the ground, and muttered indecipherable words. He yanked off his cap, raked long fingers through his hair, then slapped the hat back on. Finally he turned around, his face dark, unlike anything she'd observed in him before. He stuck his hands in his back pockets. “You came,” he stated.

“Bad timing, I think.”

“Nah.” He took a deep breath, exhaled, then took another.

“Want to talk about it?”

He blew out another breath and shook his head. “Community stuff. Zoning Board and I don't see eye to eye on my new neighbors.”

That would be her father's company.

“Come on. I'm almost done mucking out the stable.”

She marched double time to keep up with his long strides. “Is it zoned residential yet?”

Again he shook his head. “More than likely it'll pass, though. They don't want my vote. I'm chairman at the moment. Conflict of interest and all that. School board members are pressing the others to vote yes. My privacy is history.”

No wonder he was upset. “I'm sorry.”

“Not your fault.” He continued stomping around the corner of the large barn that housed the combine and other equipment she had climbed on the day of the open house.

“I can go talk to your mom,” she suggested. “Give you time to swing a pitch fork with no one in range.”

“She's not home.” He stopped and waited for her to catch up. When she reached his side, he flung an arm around her shoulders, and they continued walking at a slower pace. “I promise not to take it out on you.”

“Even though it involves my dad?”

He smiled down at her. “Nice hair.”

She rolled her eyes.
Nice change of subject.
Her hair hung in damp strands, still wet from its multiple washings. “You're in trouble for that one, Olafsson. Big trouble. I'd be afraid to go to sleep if I were you.”

They entered the medium-size horse barn. The familiar scent of sawdust from freshly scattered shavings welcomed her. Five stalls lined one wall, three the other. Doors on the far end were open. Bales of hay were piled in a corner to the left of the door they walked through. To the right were shelves and racks chock-full of saddles and tack. She eyed the area, hoping to spot a sidesaddle.

“Brady, do you—” The beating of hooves against a wall broke off her voice. It sounded like—

Brady rushed to the second stall and opened its gate. “Ruby! Hey, Gina, grab a lead rope there, would you? She's cast in the shavings.” He stepped inside.

Cast.
Gina felt her blood turn to ice as an image seared itself into her brain. Cast meant that the enormous animal would be on its back against the wall, legs flailing, unable to stand up.

“Gina!” Brady shouted. “Hurry up!”

She raced to the stall. Ruby blocked the entrance to the tiny ten-by-twelve enclosure. She must have twisted around in her terror. Long powerful legs thrashed as the panicked horse struggled against the inability to right herself.

“Gina!” Brady yelled above the loud crashing of horse's hooves thumping repeatedly against the wall boards.

She tore her eyes from Ruby. Brady was backed in a far corner, arms over his head. He peeked out from under one and locked eyes with her.

“Gina, get a rope!”

She couldn't respond.

“You can do this, honey.”

She shook her head.

“You can! Believe in yourself. You know what to do. We've got to get her hooves down.”

“I…I'll get help.”

“Nobody's home! Throw me a rope! Ahh—” He stepped sideways, out of the line of one swinging hoof.

Oh, dear God! Dear God!

“Gina! Now!”

I can't! I can't!

Brady's in danger!
She whirled around, blind eyes unable to see anything.

“By the first stall! On your left!”

She saw a rope hanging looped around a hook and ran the short distance to grab it.
Brady's in danger!
She raced
back. Keeping her distance from Ruby, she caught Brady's eye. “Here!” She flung the coiled rope.

It landed just the other side of the thrashing horse.

“Honey, you're gonna have to do better than that.”

Her heart pounded.

“Gina! You know animals! You
can
do this!”

She looked around, spotted another rope and retrieved it. She had to help Brady.
Help Brady.
She had to do this.

Back at the stall she inched closer to the horse twisting on her back. Ruby's front legs rose monstrously before Gina, close enough to loop the rope around—

I can't!

Ruby whinnied, an unnaturally pitched sound.

Gina caught sight of one of her large, brown eyes rimmed white in her intense terror. Her heart broke. “Oh, Ruby,” she whispered. “Poor baby.”

Her hands shook as she lifted the looped end of the rope. Her first toss missed its mark. As did the second. The third attempt settled the rope loosely around the right foreleg.

Gina took a deep breath and brushed at the hair in her eyes. There was almost enough space to squeeze inside the stall, pull the leg down…

Help, Lord.

She quickly tightened the loop, and with one swift motion slipped around the horse's head and pulled the leg down. In the split second after her hoof touched the floor, Ruby heaved herself up on all fours. After a fleeting glance around, she sneezed, shook the shavings from herself, and gracefully swished her tail. She nickered softly, as if pronouncing everything was under control.

Gina patted her flank and glanced over at Brady. He stared at her, wiping sweat from his brow with a large red handkerchief, his chest heaving. She flashed him a brief, small smile, trying to catch her own breath. Her body began
to shake then, and she rested against Ruby for support. Things were not under control.

Brady's eyes never left her face. Slowly he moved toward her.

A corner of Gina's mind sensed she must be in a state of shock, but there were no lucid thoughts, only raw emotion exploding in her head, pounding in her chest. When Brady cupped the back of her head in his hand and wrapped his other arm around her waist, she knew there was only one expression of all the emotion that clamored for release.

Their kisses didn't slow for some time. They had somehow maneuvered their way out of the stall and locked Ruby in, Brady's arm enfolding Gina, his lips scarcely straying from hers in the process.

Now they were seated on the pile of hay just inside the big, open doors, side by side, reclining against the stacked bales. Adrenaline spent, their breathing slowed to normal. Brady studied the face just inches from his. Her emerald eyes studied him in return, her head nestled against his arm. Between them she clutched his other hand in both of hers in a vice-like grip. He felt another quiver roll through her. Like a ripple effect in a pond, it wasn't as intense as the first ones when she leaned against Ruby.

He was shaken himself, less so from the horse's hoof nearly beaning him than from the reality of Gina. At last he found his voice. “You okay?”

“Getting there.”

“This sounds woefully inadequate, but thank you for saving my life, Angelina.”

Her eyes widened. “Brady,” she whispered, “I think you just saved mine.”

He smiled. “It was really tough getting Ruby to cooperate like that. We've been practicing all week.”

A smile tugged at her mouth.

“Ready to take on an elephant?”

“No problem.” Her eyes glistened with unshed tears. “Thank you.”

He kissed her forehead, wishing this moment could last at least until…until his hair turned white? “You did it. I knew you could.”

“Why did you go in there anyway?”

“Told you, it was the way Ruby and I rehearsed it.” The arch in her right eyebrow fascinated him. “How do you do that? Raise just one brow?”

“You didn't answer my question.”

“It was stupid to get near her, I admit. Just my natural reaction to immediately scope out the situation. Usually there's a rope nearby to grab. Figured you were right behind me. Why did you come?”

“You yelled—”

“No, I mean today.” Time was slipping away. He could already feel the emptiness that would take over when she moved out of his arms. Didn't she belong here beside him?

“I needed the animals. They've always centered me somehow.” She shrugged a shoulder. “It's been too long since I connected with one.” She flashed him her dazzling smile. “I think I got more than I bargained for. Way more than I bargained for.”

Disappointment yanked at his insides. Her visit had nothing to do with him.

“Oh, Brady! I know I can do it again.” Her voice rose in excitement. “I've been so absolutely petrified at the thought of simply
standing
next to an elephant—or even a horse!
And now…” Abruptly she dropped his hand and sat up. “The biggest weight has been lifted. I mean, I can literally,
physically
feel it! All of a sudden it's as if there's color in the world and this morning it was still just plain old gray.”

He sat up and picked bits of hay from her mussed hair. Sunlight through the doorway caught the dry, top layer, surrounding her in a halo. “I think you've found your answer to that question.”

“What question?”

“
Where does your journey lead from here?
”

She blinked at him. “Well, in a way, I guess.”

“You've got your work back. All kinds of possibilities in that.”
Down roads unseen, midst stars flung wide?

“Yeah. No specifics yet though.”

I have but one request of you, dear.
“The specific job offers will come, and you'll be ready. Actually I have one specific request of you.”

The startled look on Gina's face was unmistakable. She recognized the song lyrics he paraphrased.

He hurried to complete his thought. “Will you spend the week with me?” He wouldn't say
spend life's journey with me
, not just yet. She might fly out the door.

“Brady, I hardly know you—”

“Get to know me.”

She lowered her head.

Hesitation is good,
he thought. He pressed ahead. “We can hang out with the animals here. Watch the wild ones at my place. Catch some more frogs. Help Aaron and Lauren move. Watch the sunset from my meadow. Dance at the reception.”

She met his eyes. “And then I'll leave.” She bit her lip.

“Gina, I don't want to spend the rest of my life regretting not telling you that I'm falling in love with you. I have to find out what that means. Who knows? Maybe it'll mean buying
an elephant for you, and I don't even know what color you like.”

“Color?”

He grinned. “Give me a week?”

She fiddled with the hay for a long moment, avoiding his eyes. “Remember what I said about an emotional trampoline?”

“I thought maybe you were up for the exercise now. I mean, after all, you did come today.”

She glanced at him. Her shoulders heaved as she took a deep breath and looked toward the open door. “Yes, I came. I'm sitting here trying to pretend there's nothing on my mind except the confidence to find a new job.” Her voice caught. “I'm trying to be cool and pretend you don't mean a thing to me, all the while my heart is racing like Ruby's was and I'm just as terrified,” the words tumbled on top of each other, “because I know the real reason I came today was to be with you.” She turned toward him. “And that makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.”

“Doesn't fit in your Day-Timer?”

“No way.” She scooted closer to him and laid her head against his shoulder, slipping an arm around his neck. “Did I answer your question?”

“A simple yes or no would have been sufficient.”

“Yes, I'll give you a week.” She reached up and kissed his cheek.

He closed his eyes briefly.
Thank You, Father.
With a finger under her chin, he tilted her face and lowered his mouth to that Miss America smile. He kissed her in a slow, gentle way.

“Hey,” she murmured, “what happened to your rations?”

“New system.” He brushed his lips across hers. “I plan to steal as many kisses as I can.”