Chapter 4
Bella still thought about Jake. It was one of those things that each time she closed her eyes, she thought of him and her body ached a little inside. It was the first time in a long time that she had thought about going home for a visit. Usually she just made quarterly visits to pick up horses and to bring the trained ones back for the customers. She called it the three month miracle. The un-trainable went with her to her ranch in the south. But she wanted to make an earlier trip, see if the new trainer was still around.
She couldn’t though. She knew that and Bella tried to forget about him. It was hard, but it was easier to just chalk it up as a hot one night stand. It wasn’t the first one that she’d had, but it was the one that seemed to stick with her the most. Why was he on her mind so much? It just didn’t make sense. Bella was musing, her eyes on the corral in front of her when her phone rang in her pocket. She almost didn’t answer it, but it was her mother Betsy and she needed to see what she wanted.
“Hey mom.”
“Hey hon. Are you busy?”
Bella shrugged to no one. “Just here with Thunder.”
“How is he doing?”
“Better. I really think that something happened to him. That is why he
is so spook-easy.”
“I don’t know. He was a rescue from another horse ranch that wasn’t feeding him. There really is no telling, but the blood lines…”
“Yea I know. He will sell for a lot, but I kind of want to keep him.”
“Have you become attached?” Her voice sounded surprised and that irked Bella in a way.
“No, but I am not sure I can be sure of him, that he won’t throw somebody off of him in the wrong situation. That is not only a liability, but also puts our customers in danger.”
Betsy sighed. “Well keep him down there if you want. That is the second one this year.”
“I turned 6 around from your rescues, but some aren’t meant to do much else then roam around. Thunder will never be able to race. I don’t care where he comes from.”
“Okay. So how is everything else going?”
“Fine. Same old thing around here.”
“Are you getting out?”
“Sometimes.”
“Which means no. You need to…”
“Was there anything else?”
Betsy heard the change in her tone and knew that the conversation was quickly coming to an end. “Yes, I was wondering if you could take one more in.”
“I am full.”
“You just said you wouldn’t be training Thunder.”
“Fine, but I wasn’t planning to come up that way.”
“That’s okay. I was going to send one of the trainers down with him. Show him around if you don’t mind.”
“Why?”
“I think he is going to be around a while and I wanted him to get used to all aspects of the business.”
“Okay ma, well listen just call me before you send him down.”
“He’s on his way now. Should be there in an hour or so.”
She groaned into the phone, uncaring how it sounded. It was rude at best. “Thanks for the warning. What if I would have said no?”
“You never do.”
“Love you, gotta go.”
She hung up and stared at the phone. It was just like her mom to overpower her will with a smile on her face. It wouldn’t be so bad if she was there, but on the phone it was even harder to say no. Bella went back towards her house and sighed to herself. It was true that she was another part of the business, but she didn’t like the idea of random trainers being sent to her. The way Betsy was talking, there seemed to be more to it than what originally met the eye. Her mother had something up her sleeve.
***
That something turned out to be Jake. She thought she recognized him when he got out of an old beat up pickup, but she couldn’t believe it. He looked good to her senses and her body remembered him quite well. It was still early morning, so he would have had to drive all night to get there. He didn’t look tired though, he looked, arousing. His dark hair was a little longer and blowing in the wind. Jake had a trimmed beard now and she really liked it, fighting the urge to touch it with her hands as he came closer.
“You are a sight for sore eyes.”
She smiled, not quite sure what to say and trying not to seem too eager to see him, even though her heart fluttered as he stopped in front of her. “Can’t believe Betsy sent you down here.”
“Why?”
Bella shrugged. “You’re just new is all. No big deal, I will help you get the horse off the trailer. It’s just the one, right?”
He nodded. “You never know with Betsy.”
“Your mother is nice.”
“Everyone says that if she cooks for them.”
“She is a damn good cook.”
Bella had heard it before. It was one major thing she missed when she moved out, but she enjoyed her peace more. “So which one is it?”
“Glory.”
“I don’t think I remember him. Is he new?”
“Yea, they picked him up last week.”
“Who tried training him?”
“No one that I know of.”
It was strange because Bella usually got them as a last resort. Her mother was up to something and she wished she knew what it was or why he was there. For the last year, it had always gone as before. Pick up and drop off every third month. She liked to keep things orderly and scheduled. Peeking her head through the slots, Bella could see that the horse was anxious.
“Well, let’s get him out and fed so you can get out of here. I know it is a long ride back.”
Jake’s face fell. “I thought I was supposed to stay for a couple of weeks. Betsy said she wanted me to get comfortable down her because I might be here full time.”
“What?”
Her plan was becoming clear and Bella wondered if her mother knew what would happen between them. She doubted it, Jake not looking like the sort of man that would boast. Sighing, she held open the back of the trailer. He was in the process of telling her to be careful when she jumped in the back. Touching the horses head, she talked to him in a breathless tone that drove the man wild and the animal docile. He had personally been bit twice and he couldn’t believe the difference.
“Your mom said you had the magic touch. I have to agree with her.”
“Yes I have been always been able to tame wild beasts.”