Home to Hope Mountain (Harlequin Superromance) (19 page)

“Do you have any symptoms?”

Summer turned redder and shook her head.

“Well, it’s not likely you caught anything. Did you ask Steve if he had any STDs?”

“God, no.” Summer looked horrified at the thought.

“Did you see a doctor?”

More shakes of the head. “I’m on my dad’s Medicare card. He would see the bill and ask what it was about.”

“Couldn’t you have talked to your mom?”

“She had no time for me,” Summer said bitterly. “She was too busy fooling around with—” The girl broke off, wincing.

There was an awkward silence. “It’s okay,” Hayley said. “I know.”

“My mom shouldn’t have done that.” Summer looked mortified. “I’m so, so sorry.”

“I’m sorry, too.” She wiped at the sudden moisture in her eyes. Then laughed ruefully. “We’re a sorry pair, aren’t we?”

Summer sniffed and then smiled a little. “Yeah, we are.”

Hayley hugged her again and left her arm around Summer’s waist. “I’m sure there’s nothing wrong with you. But for your own peace of mind, I can take you to a clinic where no questions will be asked. How does that sound?”

“Good.” Summer wiped her arm across her eyes. “Thanks.”

“Okay, now how would you like to work with Asha today?”

“Oh, yes, but I thought she was too hard to handle.”

“I’d like you to try her in the lunge ring. You got Major’s confidence the last time—you can do this. You’ll need to work even harder, dig deeper, to be calm enough to be a leader to Asha. It will hopefully speed up your therapy.”

“That sounds good.”

Hayley banged on the fence with the oat bucket and the horses lifted their heads from grazing. Asha trotted over, neck arched and silver mane flowing.

“Hello, you greedy thing.” Hayley stroked the dapple-gray face plunged into the bucket and snapped the lead to the ring on her halter. She spread the rest of the oats on the ground for the other horses and led the spirited mare out of the paddock and across to the ring. There she turned her loose. Asha trotted off to the opposite side.

“Go on in,” Hayley said to Summer. “You know what to do.”

“Aren’t you coming in with me?”

“Not this time. I’ll be right outside the fence. I can get over in two seconds flat if you need me. But you won’t.”

Summer went into the ring. Asha immediately raised her head. She was a very different prospect from gentle old Major. The girl started slapping the leather reins against her thigh and slowly approached the skittish mare. Asha danced away, tail high, twisting her neck and blowing through her nose.

“Stay calm and centered,” Hayley called over the fence. “Don’t forget your shoulders. Don’t forget to breathe.” She climbed onto the middle rung in case she needed to vault over at a moment’s notice.

Maybe she
should
be in the ring, but Summer had gained in confidence since the last session, both in herself and in the horses. Hayley wanted to see how much she’d grown. She also wanted to see something else....

Asha ran away, snorting and kicking. Summer followed, steadily slapping the reins. Asha cantered along the outside of the ring, her hooves occasionally flicking the wooden boards of the fence.

Finally the time came.

“Turn around and drop your head,” Hayley said.

Summer did so. At this point when Hayley tried working with Asha, the horse always ran away, bucking and tossing her head. Today, she slowed to a trot, then a walk. Then she moved toward Summer’s slight figure with her head bowed.

So that was the way it was. Hayley had tears in her eyes, partly of joy for the girl, partly anguish for herself.

“Turn around, Summer.”

Summer gave a whoop, her face alight as Asha nudged her arm gently. She looked at Hayley, speechless with wonder. “She came to me.”

“She did indeed. You can put her back in the other paddock now, if you like.”

Summer led Asha away. Hayley sat on the fence, her world spinning around her. How many times had she heard her clients say, “I don’t have a problem but my horse does?” Never once had she thought it would apply to her. She’d had losses, but she’d worked through her problems. She was resilient and strong and she’d moved forward because that was what she did—she was a survivor.

Or so she’d thought. Now the truth was plain to see. Asha didn’t have a problem.
She
did.

“Everything okay?” Adam touched her elbow. “I saw you were finished so I thought I’d check on how Summer did.”

Still in a wondering daze, Hayley turned to him. “She got Asha to follow her. She’s beginning to open up.”

“That’s great. Did you learn anything you can tell me?”

Hayley picked at a splinter of wood on the paling, considering the balance between Summer’s needs and Adam’s. “She feels responsible for Bailey’s death. She needs to forgive herself, and she’s not able to do that while she fears you’ll be disappointed in her for what happened.”

Adam spread a hand. “Well, what did happen?”

Hayley regarded him unhappily. “That I can’t tell you. I’m sorry. This is awkward for me now that we’ve become...closer. Normally I’d be at arm’s length with a patient’s parents.”

“How can I reassure her when I’m in the dark?” Adam demanded, clearly frustrated.

“I encouraged her to talk to you about the source of her trauma. All I can suggest is that you continue building trust with her and hope that someday she’ll open up.”

“With so little explanation it’s impossible not to think the worst. Has she been assaulted? Is she suicidal?”

“No,” Hayley assured him, squeezing his shoulder. “I’d tell you if she was in danger.”

He blew out a sigh. “Well, that’s a relief. Where is she now?”

Hayley glanced over at the paddock. Asha was grazing with the other horses, but Summer wasn’t in sight. “She must’ve gone into the barn.” She turned back to Adam. “She questioned me about that kiss. I couldn’t deny it.”

Adam grimaced. “I handled that badly. Sorry. She caught me off guard.”

“She’s okay with us dating.”

“Really? That’s great.” His face brightened. “I was worried about how she’d react. She’s been through so much this past year, and I don’t want anything interfering with her treatment. But since the issue has come up, it’s nice to know there’s one hurdle out of the way of us being together.”

“Only one.” Hayley glanced away. “I’m not sure I’m ready for a serious relationship.”

Adam put a hand on her chin, turning her face to him. “Hayley, did something else happen during your session?”

“I discovered I still have problems of my own.” All the anger toward Leif she thought she’d dealt with had only been buried. The prospect of falling in love with Adam had caused those old issues to well up. Maybe that was why she hadn’t been able to make love with him. “I have to deal with them.”

“Is there anything I can do to help?”

There was nothing in his face but an open, good-natured desire to make her life better.

She swung her legs over the top rail so she faced him. “Taking me to the dance will be a good start. I want to let go of the past. But you need to be patient with me....”

Adam lifted her off the fence, letting her slide down his body before giving her a hug and setting her away from him. “Honey,
patience
is my middle name.”

* * *

“T
HEY
’
RE
HERE
.” A
DAM
WAS
filling the water jug at the kitchen sink when Lorraine and Graham’s sleek black Lexus pulled up at the back of the house.

Hayley finished arranging the appetizers on a plate and wiped her hands on a towel. “Do I look okay?”

Her simple black cocktail dress from the secondhand shop was years out of date, but Hayley had transformed it into grace and beauty. Her hair flowed in long, loose waves down her back, and even plain black pumps couldn’t detract from her shapely calves and slim ankles.

Adam touched her cheek, smiling into her eyes. “You look stunning.”

Outside, car doors shut. Adam went to open the door. “Lorraine, Graham. Welcome to Timbertop.”

His boss was wearing designer jeans, a sparkly Western-style blouse and high heels with red soles. Her blond hair was shaped into a smooth chin-length bob. She reached a hand out to Hayley. “You must be the horse whisperer.”

Adam watched the exchange anxiously. Lorraine was never anything but gracious, but she could be intimidating.

Hayley gave her a warm smile. “It’s lovely to meet you.”

Lorraine leaned in to kiss her cheek, then pulled back to look at her. “You do amazing things for that dress. All that horseback riding must keep you incredibly fit.”

“I wish I’d worn jeans, too, although you’d never get me in four-inch heels,” Hayley admitted easily. “Those Louboutins look awesome on you, though.”

“I don’t know why I bother. They hurt my back.”

Hayley’s eyes twinkled. “I’ve got sheepskin slippers you can borrow.” She turned to Lorraine’s husband, hand outstretched. “You must be Graham. Welcome to Hope Mountain.”

With the greetings done, Lorraine asked, “Tell me, Hayley, how did you bewitch Adam into leaving the city for the country?”

“Come out to the deck and see the view.” Linking arms with Lorraine, she winked at Adam over her shoulder. “I’ll tell you all.”

Adam blinked. Once again, he’d underestimated Hayley. Why had he expected her to act like a hick just because she didn’t live in the city and work in an office? She was self-possessed enough to match the most sophisticated of folk.

“Hayley seems nice,” Graham said to Adam in a bland understatement as they watched the two women settle into the deck chairs. “I was expecting Annie Oakley.”

“She’s amazing.” He was also surprised at how quickly Lorraine had taken to Hayley. Again he had to readjust his thinking. Why should he imagine his boss would look down her nose? She was married to Graham, after all, an aging hippie who wrote grant requests for charities. These days Graham dressed the corporate part, but he still wore his graying brown hair in a ponytail.

“What will you and Lorraine have to drink?” Adam asked. “The usual?” While he poured wine for the ladies and got whiskies for himself and Graham, he told Graham about Hayley’s Horses for Hope program and the work she was doing with Summer.

“Does she work solely with teens?” Graham asked.

“Not exclusively. Although, from what I’ve witnessed she’s great at connecting with young people.” Adam related how her government funding had been cut. “She needs a stable source of money. Do you know of any companies that might be prepared to make a sizable donation on an ongoing basis?”

“I can think of one or two possibilities. Once I have a chat with Hayley, I’d be happy to see what I can do.” Graham lifted his tumbler. “Cheers.”

“I’d appreciate that. The Horses for Hope program is really important to her. And to the community.” Adam sipped smooth twelve-year-old scotch. Was he a fool? By helping Hayley get back into horse therapy, he was ensuring she planted herself ever more firmly on the mountain. And where did that leave him? He’d hoped she might consider spending time in the city so they could explore what they had together. On the other hand, how could he drag her away from the home she loved so much? It would be like planting a wildflower in a hot house. She would wither and die.

“And is Hayley important to you?” Graham gave him a shrewd, amused look.

“She’s special,” Adam admitted. “But we both know our friendship might only be short-term. Our lives are on very different paths.”

“Just like Lorraine’s and my lives were on different paths when we met.” Graham chuckled. “Next month we celebrate our twentieth wedding anniversary.”

“Dad, Dad! Hayley, come quick!” Summer burst through the back door. “Where’s Hayley?”

“On the deck. We’re having a dinner party, sweetheart,” Adam said. “Say hello to Graham. And you should take those boots off in the house.”

Summer ignored every word except the first three and ran across the cream-colored carpet to the sliding glass doors, calling for Hayley.

Hayley had heard the commotion and was already on her feet. “What is it?”

“Blaze is having her foal. Come quick!” Summer said. “She’s grunting and turning around in circles.”

“Excuse me, Lorraine.” Hayley hurried after Summer. At the back door she kicked off her shoes and slipped on a pair of gumboots beneath her cocktail dress. “Don’t delay dinner for us,” she said to Adam. “This could take a while. Go ahead and eat.”

“Are you kidding?” Graham picked up the bottle of scotch. “I’ve never seen a horse give birth. Coming, Lorraine?”

Lorraine followed them out, teetering in her high heels. “I wouldn’t miss this for the world.”

Adam shrugged and tucked the wine bottle under his arm. Neither would he.

CHAPTER TWELVE

H
AYLEY
ENTERED
THE
box stall, her boots rustling the thick straw. Blaze was blowing hard through her nostrils, her sides heaving and straining.

“Easy, girl, easy.” She spoke softly, running a hand down the mare’s neck, over her taut belly and up her flank. “There’s a good girl.”

Blaze’s tail was raised above a bulging perineum. Her belly tightened with a contraction and a soft white forehoof poked through, encased in a silvery membrane. Thank goodness the foal was coming out the right way around. Another tiny hoof peeked out, then the legs retracted.

“Why is it going back inside?” Summer asked, leaning over the side of the stall. “Are you going to call the vet?”

“There isn’t time, but it’s normal for the baby to take a few tries to come out.” Hayley moved to get out of Blaze’s way as the mare lumbered around the stall. The horse twisted her neck and nipped at her own belly.

Summer chewed on her thumbnail, her brow furrowed. “Is this her first foal?”

“No, her second. Don’t worry. She knows what she’s doing.” Hayley covered her concern. Things could sometimes go wrong. Last time Blaze had delivered a stillborn foal. Tony, the vet, had attended that birth and there’d been nothing he could do. It had been heartbreaking. She’d hate for Summer to witness anything like that.

Adam, Lorraine and Graham entered the barn, laughing and talking. Graham topped up drinks to the sound of clinking ice.

“Quiet, please,” Hayley said. “Don’t disturb Blaze.”

“We saw the hooves come out and then go back in,” Summer whispered as the others approached more softly.

The mare’s legs bent and she lowered herself heavily to the floor of the stall and rolled onto her side. Her flanks heaved with the force of another contraction. The foal’s forelegs emerged again and this time Hayley glimpsed a nose.

“The baby’s got a white mark on its nose like Blaze, only smaller.” Hayley crouched next to Blaze.
Please come out alive, little one
.

“What’s happening?” Lorraine whispered. “She’s so still and quiet. Is something wrong?”

“No, this is how horses do it,” Hayley said.

“They don’t yell the hospital down like some women I know,” Graham said with a smile in his voice.

“Shh, you.” Lorraine swatted at his arm.

“I’m going to take a photo.” Summer got out her phone.

“You can use it for show-and-tell at school,” Adam suggested.

“What century are you in?” Summer said. “I’m tweeting it.” She clicked the shutter, then texted madly. “Right...now.”

Hayley glanced at Adam and shared a smile.
Teenagers.

“Oh, it’s coming,” Summer said. “I see the head!”

Hayley turned her attention back to Blaze and checked her watch. Ten minutes. So far so good. The foal’s ears were flattened and its eyes closed, the dark coat wet and matted. Blaze rested a moment, then continued to push. First the body was delivered, then the hind legs. The coal-black foal lay on the straw, motionless.

Hayley dropped to her knees in the straw and ran a hand over the foal’s neck, searching for the carotid artery. Blaze, still lying on her side, reached around with her nose to nudge at her baby.

“It’s going to be okay, girl,” Hayley said, praying it was the truth.

“The foal is bigger than our full-grown black Lab,” Lorraine said, oblivious to the potential crisis. “I can’t believe all that fit into the horse’s belly.”

“You thought delivering a nine-pound baby was tough,” Graham murmured as he put his arm around Lorraine.

“Why isn’t it moving?” Adam said quietly.

Hayley pressed her fingers into the foal’s neck below the jaw while she ran her other hand down its chest with hard, rhythmic strokes. Then she felt a pulse beat beneath her fingertips.
Oh, thank God.
With a flutter, the foal’s lungs inflated, lifting the rib cage.

Hayley closed her eyes and released her breath and a prayer of thanksgiving. The tiny life had hung in the balance for only a minute, but it had been one of the longest of her life. Lorraine and Graham huddled together, understanding belatedly that the outcome had been in doubt. Adam had his arm firmly around Summer’s shoulders.

“She’s alive.” Hayley glanced up, her eyes blurring. “A beautiful little filly.”

Blaze scrambled to her feet. She nosed Hayley’s hand away and started licking her baby all over.

“Why’s she doing that?” Lorraine asked.

“To help the blood circulation and to encourage the foal to stand up.”

“You didn’t do that for Ben or Ashley,” Graham pointed out to Lorraine.

“Oh, stop it.” Lorraine’s face was wet with happy tears.

“She’s getting up,” Summer said excitedly.

Hayley stepped back to allow the foal space. Blaze whickered encouragement, still licking. Tiny ears flickered. Forelegs splayed, the little black filly pushed herself up halfway before her knees buckled. She tried again. This time she made it to a standing position, her spindly legs trembling with the effort of balance and strength. Then she whinnied, a tiny bleating sound, as if to say,
I’m here!

Tears filled Hayley’s eyes as she laughed and hugged first Summer and then Adam. It had been so long since she’d had something to celebrate. Here was new life, fragile but strong. She felt a surge of hope for the future.

Adam’s arms slipped around her waist, and she felt him press a kiss to the top of her head. In the dim light of the stable she leaned into him. Would he be part of her future? She was starting to hope so. Together they watched the foal totter toward her mother, nuzzling along her belly, smelling the drops of milk and searching for the udders.

Soon the foal was sucking lustily. Blaze nuzzled the tiny rump and was batted by a damp whisking tail.

“The white mark on her nose isn’t as long as Blaze’s,” Hayley remarked. “More like a diamond.”

“Let’s call her Jewel,” Summer suggested.

“It’s Hayley’s horse. She should name her,” Adam reminded his daughter.

“Jewel is perfect,” Hayley said. Summer’s face glowed with pride before she turned her adoring gaze back to the filly. Healing came about in different ways, Hayley reflected. Maybe this little horse was just what Summer needed.

* * *

A
DAM
FLIPPED
A
fluffy pancake and turned the heat down on the sizzling bacon. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the kitchen. Summer came in through the back door, rubbing her eyes and yawning. He took in her crumpled clothes and mussed hair. “Did you sleep out in the barn?”

“Yup. I wanted to be near Blaze and Jewel.” Summer took a piece of bacon off the plate and ate it in two bites. “Jewel’s walking really well this morning. She licked my hand and nibbled on my hair. She’s so adorable, Dad. I just love her.”

“That’s great, kiddo. I’m glad it all went well.”

Summer grabbed another piece of bacon. “Hayley said she would let me halter-train Jewel. First she has to buy a lightweight leather halter. Nylon’s no good, Hayley says, because a foal’s neck will break before the nylon breaks.”

“Ouch.” He plated up the pancakes and poured another set onto the griddle. “Did Hayley stay out there all night, too?”

After dinner she and Summer had returned to the barn to clean out Blaze’s stall and put down fresh straw. He’d gone out to say good-night around midnight, stealing a brief kiss while Summer was busy with the foal. He, Lorraine and Graham had turned in for the night shortly after that. He’d lain awake for a while, listening for Hayley’s footsteps on the stairs, but he had fallen asleep.

“I think she went to bed around two o’clock. She promised to take Graham and me riding this morning so you and Lorraine could talk business.”

“That’s good of her.” Last night had been purely social. This morning he and Lorraine would get down to brass tacks negotiating the terms of his partnership. He’d been working toward this goal for years and suddenly it was within reach. It was a big moment.

He needed to factor in his responsibility for Summer. If she lived with him in Melbourne they could come back to Hope Mountain now and then to visit. She would miss Hayley and her friends and the horses, but her emotional and mental health already seemed stronger. She could even keep a horse on the outskirts of Melbourne. Once they got settled they could start looking for a well-trained three-or four-year-old.

Summer reached for more bacon but he pulled the plate away. “Go shower and change. You smell like a barn.”

“Okay.” With a cheeky grin Summer sneaked another piece and ran upstairs as Hayley was coming down. She stopped and gave Hayley a detailed account of the past six hours of the foal’s life before heading for the shower.

Adam looked up as Hayley came into the kitchen. She looked more like herself this morning in tan moleskin pants and a soft blue-and-green flannel shirt. “You’re up early considering your late night. How are you this morning?”

“Tired but good. I’m almost as excited as Summer. It was hard to sleep.” She took a piece of bacon off the plate and munched. “Can I do anything?”

“Don’t eat all the bacon, for a start,” he said with a smile.

“I wouldn’t do that.” Grinning, she nicked another piece.

“Taunt me, will you?” He lunged and she dodged, dissolving into giggles like a schoolgirl. Then he faked her out and caught her, circling his arms around her waist.

“I appreciated your support last night,” Hayley said, resting her hands on his chest.

“I didn’t do anything.” Adam picked up one hand and kissed her fingertips. “You were the one who helped that foal into the world. You’re amazing.”

Hayley nestled closer till their bodies were touching. “Your presence was strong and calming. It helped
me
be calm.”

He pressed a kiss to either side of her lips, then ran his tongue along her mouth until she opened for him. She tasted sweet and salty—totally delicious.

Hayley sighed with pleasure, and dropped small kisses along his jawline. “Lorraine and Graham are moving around upstairs. They’ll be down soon. It’s nice that your boss came all the way to Hope Mountain. You must be important to her.”

He hadn’t told Hayley about Lorraine’s offer, because he was conflicted over what it would mean to them. He couldn’t keep it from her any longer. “She’s offered me a partnership. It’s a pretty big deal to me.” To put it mildly.

“A partnership.” Hayley eased back. She pasted on a smile but it barely curved her mouth and definitely didn’t reach her eyes. “Congratulations. I’m thrilled for you.”

He searched her sober face. “You don’t look thrilled.”

“Sorry, I’m not feeling very bubbly. I’m tired, is all. Really, it’s great. You deserve it, I’m sure.” She paused. “What about Summer?”

“I haven’t told her yet, but we’ll work it out. I’m not going to let it affect my relationship with her.” He let a beat go by. “Or you.”

Hayley gave him a troubled smile. “I don’t know much about your business, but I imagine partners put in even more hours than employees further down the pecking order.”

“I mean it, Hayley,” he said urgently. “This doesn’t have to be the end of us. I can still come out on weekends. Lots of people manage long-distance relationships.”

“Adam, I really like you, but we’ve known each other only a short time,” Hayley said in her straightforward way he admired so much but which could be so devastating. “You’re not going to change your life on my account, and I wouldn’t dream of asking.” Her mouth twisted and her eyes were sad. “One thing I’ve learned this past year is that the future might not turn out anything like you planned or imagined.”

He guessed he couldn’t blame her for being cautious. She’d still been grieving when she’d discovered her husband had cheated on her. But he also knew that Hayley was special, and if he missed this opportunity to keep her in his life, the chance would never come again. He didn’t want to regret that for the rest of his life.

He pulled her into his arms. “All I’m suggesting is that we remain open to possibilities. Can we do that?”

Her gaze searched his face. “You’re the one leaving town.”

“Long distance isn’t insurmountable if both parties are willing to work something out. Melbourne isn’t that far away.” He squeezed her hands. “Please?”

“Okay.” Finally she smiled. “I’m open to possibilities.”

Adam leaned in to kiss her again. Just as his lips touched hers, footsteps sounded on the stairs.

Hayley drew back, smiling, her palms sliding over his as she pulled her hands away. “Later, alligator.”

Lorraine and Graham came around the corner from the living room into the kitchen. “Mmm, bacon.” Lorraine took a piece from the ever-diminishing pile.

“Grab a mug and help yourself to coffee,” Adam said. “Breakfast will be ready shortly.” Graham, too, picked at the plate of bacon. With a smile and a shake of his head, Adam went to the fridge for another package of the tasty meat.

Summer came back downstairs in fresh clothes and helped Hayley set the table. Conversation over breakfast revolved around Hayley and Summer’s excited plans for breaking the foal.

Adam kept silent but his concern grew. How long did halter-breaking a foal take? Would Summer be around to complete the training? Would she then want to go on to break the horse to bridle and saddle? From what he recalled of his grandfather’s farm, horses weren’t ridden until they were two years old.

His gaze shifted to Hayley. The morning sun lit her face, casting a glow over her smooth skin and bringing a gleam into her blue eyes. She would be worth making the journey to Hope Mountain every weekend—and more than enough motivation to negotiate with Lorraine so that he had sufficient time off. Would it be presumptuous of him to find a corner somewhere in the plans of Hayley’s house for a drafting table exposed to good light?

Hayley’s attention was mostly taken up by Summer and horse talk. But every now and then her eyes strayed to his, quietly assessing. She might enjoy the amenities of the city. There was so much he’d like to show her and do with her—concerts, plays and fine restaurants. Hope Mountain didn’t even have a movie theater. He hoped that now they’d broached the subject of the future she would be pondering these things, too. They would need to compromise, no question.