“And he’s never let me forget it. But it’s not a pickup line, of course. It’s a tremendous gift, if you’re brave enough to accept it.”
“How so?”
“Think about it.” Her voice softened, her tone almost reverent. “You’ll never have to doubt his love for you. You’ll never wonder if you made a mistake. Whatever challenges you face, you’ll face them together.”
Hope looked around the room. The walls were covered with framed family photos. Mark, Tammy, Ian, and Taylor outside a building she recognized as the woodworking shed. Tammy with her arm slung around the neck of a bay horse with a white blaze on his face. Taylor and Ian in the middle of a group of young kids, all of them looking sweaty, a little dirty, and incredibly happy.
The room was filled with love, just as the whole house was. Sometimes it showed itself in photos. Sometimes it was a child’s artwork pinned to the cork message board in the kitchen. It was the boisterous noise when they gathered at dinner, the teasing and the bickering, and the willingness to open their home to a woman they didn’t know.
Hope found tears gathering in her eyes; she quickly brushed them away. “Was it that obvious I needed a pep talk?”
“Who wouldn’t, in your situation?” Tammy stood and came over to where Hope was sitting. Reaching down, she took Hope’s hand in hers. “Look, I can’t tell you if you and Josh will be happy together. But I hope you’ll give it a chance, at least.”
“I’m doing my best,” Hope said. “I hope it works out.”
“Glad to hear it.” She released Hope’s hand and moved back to her desk chair.
“I should let you get back to studying,” Hope said as she stood.
“Feel free to drop in any time you need someone to talk to.”
Hope returned to her room, feeling a little better, but still not able to face the rest of the family. She grabbed one of the well-worn novels from the bookshelf, changed into her nightgown, and climbed under the covers. She read until her eyelids were drooping with heaviness and the book slipped out of her hands, but it didn’t stop her from imagining ways that her first introduction to the family might have turned out better.
In the morning, she awoke to the sound of hoofbeats thundering past her window.
Chapter Six
Josh woke early, as usual, and lay in bed for a moment, as usual, until he was fully awake and remembered that yesterday had been very unusual. Introducing Hope to his family had not gone well, and he had the feeling he was partly to blame. Hope had been tired and nervous, and certain members of his family tended toward the stubborn. Maybe he should have told her she could skip dinner.
Nothing that they couldn’t overcome, he thought. He just wanted his family all to love her as soon as they met her, just like he had.
He hadn’t had the chance to go out last night, and after the visit to Hope and the plane rides, he wanted nothing more than to shift and run as fast as he could. And maybe roll in the dirt a little. He pulled on his clothes quickly and headed to the back door.
Almost as soon as his feet touched the ground, Josh shifted. He took a deep breath, scenting the cattle on the wind, with a faint trace of the sheep. He could almost taste the pollen from flowering plants and trees. It smelled like spring was kicking into gear.
A lanky young colt trotted by, and he recognized Ian by the bay coat and white socks. Ian pranced in front of Josh for a moment, then kicked up his heels playfully. Josh stretched out his neck and pretended to nip at Ian’s flank. Ian squealed, which Josh knew would embarrass him if he ever mentioned it, and took off at a run away from the house.
He trotted after Ian towards the north pasture, passing other horses basking in the early morning sun, some grooming each other’s coats. When he reached the fence line, he jumped over it and increased his speed to a full gallop, letting the wind rush past him and feeling the grassy ground give slightly beneath his hooves. The cows ignored him and kept grazing, long since used to the sight of horses appearing and disappearing in their pasture.
When Josh reached the northwest corner, he slowed a bit and started looking for the perfect place to roll around. He knew from watching others that it looked ridiculous, the big barrel of the horse’s body flailing around, the spindly legs waving in the air, the snorts you couldn’t help letting out. But it felt too good worry about looking silly.
After a having a nice long roll and shaking off the dust from his coat, he headed back to the house at a slower pace, roaming a little and keeping his eyes out for problems. The fence line looked fine, the cows were calm, and he didn’t scent anyone except his family.
Judging by the sun when he reached the house, it was after ten. Unable to resist, he cantered up to Hope’s bedroom window and let out a ringing neigh. The curtains parted, the sash raised, and she leaned out the window.
“Oh, my God,” she whispered. “Look at you.”
Josh paced up to the window and blew softly into her outstretched hand. She cupped her hand under his chin and scratched gently. He stood there and enjoyed feel of the sunshine warming his chestnut coat and the simple pleasure of her touch.
“I’ll come out and meet you, okay?”
He bobbed his head in a nod and backed up, letting her retreat inside and close the window. By the time he reached the front with his slow walk, she was waiting on the porch. Giving in to impulse, he sidled up to the side of the porch and turned, presenting his flank to her.
“Are you...going to change?” Hope asked. “I can’t really talk to you when you can’t talk.”
He tossed his head and then craned his neck around, trying to gesture to his back.
“I don’t really know what you’re trying to say. God, I feel stupid.”