Eric Camden sat in his office. He's had a lot of bad days, but this
one had to be close to the top. Usually when he was this depressed he
would call Lucy and invite her over to dinner. But that wasn't possible
just now, was it? Ohio. Was she there or was that only a stop along the
way? Why didn't she tell Jeremy?
Lucy was safe. That's what he wanted to believe. She sounded calm. She was 20 years old, not a child. Definitely not the vulnerable child she had been when... His stomach twisted. When would the reaction to the awful memory end?
Or should he listen to this feeling? He had to find the right balance between protection and privacy. She assured him she was fine, so he would wait... for now.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The next morning Lucy awoke to the chirping of birds. After putting on jeans with a v-neck t-shirt, she went down to the dining room. Marta brought fruit wedges, coffee, sizzling sausage, and scrambled eggs. A family entered the room. The couple had 6 kids. A big family like mine she thought.
"I'm Cassie" the woman extended her soft, small hand.
"Lucy" she replied as the politely shook it.
"Are you up here alone?"
Lucy nodded. Would her business be discussed at every meal?
"I dream of getting away alone, but they wouldn't survive" she winked and pointed to her family. "So what are you doing while you're here?"
Does it matter Lucy thought. Thankfully Marta sat down and Kevin bowed his head.
"Happy the man who fears the Lord, who finds great delight in his commands. Bless this day and this food for our nourishment. Amen."
This was obviously a ritual he would repeat at every meal. Lucy sat quietly with her hands in her lap. She used to pray, but lost faith after the incident. Even though her father was a minister, he never forced anything on her.
She added sugar to her coffee and glanced at Kevin. His features were normal. Nothing like Ben's and not like... She shuddered away from that thought and forced her mind back to Kevin. He seemed controlled and determined. Things she wasn't. Cassie's family kept conversation going nonstop. Lucy was happy they were there; sitting alone with Kevin would have been uncomfortable.
When they were nearly done eating, Ben entered then collapsed into the closest chair with a groan. Cassie and her family took this as their cue to leave. Obviously Ben had an entertaining night at the Roaring Bear. Not wanting to be left alone, Lucy asked about the procedure for riding the horses.
Kevin and Lucy left to go to the office. She signed the waiver and he led her to the stable.
"Ridden a lot?" he asked
"I'm competition trained." He gave no indication he was impressed. She mounted the horse and he gave her a sideways smile.
"She won't respond that way. She's trained Western."
"Oh, its okay, I can handle it." Kevin showed her how to hold the reins so the horse would respond. After Kevin mounted, the left the stables. The pine needles crunched under the hooves and the serenity surrounded her.
They rode past the corral that held the horse she had seen yesterday. The horse tossed his head and ran. She wondered what it would be like to ride him and feel his freedom and strength. "Do you think that colt could carry me?"
"Destiny? Not a chance. I doubt you've ridden an unbroken colt."
"There's always a first time" she smiled, but it had no effect on him.
"Sorry."
After Kevin showed her the boundaries she asked, "Do I pass to ride alone?"
"As long as you stay in the boundaries and follow directions."
She straightened in her saddle. Follow directions. Oh yes sir, if there's one thing I know, it's how to follow directions she thought. She turned around and rode into the trees. The ones with the white bark were aspen and they were beautiful. She wished she had some art supplies. She remembered seeing a section of them in the general store. To capture the beauty, she would just need a pencil and some paper, paints would be even better. She looked for Kevin and he was no where in sight.
She road back to the house and snuck up to her room. She took another bill from her pouch. She rode down to Juniper Falls easily; the hardest part was crossing the highway. The same man sat behind the counter.
"I see you found a place to stay, but does Kevin know you've got his mare down here?"
She hesitantly shook her head. She hoped no one would notice. "I'll just be looking around" she said. She found a case that included watercolors, an easel, paper and brushes. She decided to add extra paper.
"Find what you need?"
"A good start, I guess."
"I can order special things from my supplier, if you would like."
"I'll certainly consider it. And if I promise to walk next time, could the mare be our little secret?"
"I won't say anything, but town people like to talk" he said as he picked up a cigarette from the tray.
This time she walked the horse across the highway and rode up to the ranch. She set her supplies on the table in the room. She certainly was enjoying her newfound freedom. Maybe too much.
A/N: Constructive criticism is for good for me/the story too; so if you have any suggestions let me know. Thanks for the reviews!
Lucy was safe. That's what he wanted to believe. She sounded calm. She was 20 years old, not a child. Definitely not the vulnerable child she had been when... His stomach twisted. When would the reaction to the awful memory end?
Or should he listen to this feeling? He had to find the right balance between protection and privacy. She assured him she was fine, so he would wait... for now.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The next morning Lucy awoke to the chirping of birds. After putting on jeans with a v-neck t-shirt, she went down to the dining room. Marta brought fruit wedges, coffee, sizzling sausage, and scrambled eggs. A family entered the room. The couple had 6 kids. A big family like mine she thought.
"I'm Cassie" the woman extended her soft, small hand.
"Lucy" she replied as the politely shook it.
"Are you up here alone?"
Lucy nodded. Would her business be discussed at every meal?
"I dream of getting away alone, but they wouldn't survive" she winked and pointed to her family. "So what are you doing while you're here?"
Does it matter Lucy thought. Thankfully Marta sat down and Kevin bowed his head.
"Happy the man who fears the Lord, who finds great delight in his commands. Bless this day and this food for our nourishment. Amen."
This was obviously a ritual he would repeat at every meal. Lucy sat quietly with her hands in her lap. She used to pray, but lost faith after the incident. Even though her father was a minister, he never forced anything on her.
She added sugar to her coffee and glanced at Kevin. His features were normal. Nothing like Ben's and not like... She shuddered away from that thought and forced her mind back to Kevin. He seemed controlled and determined. Things she wasn't. Cassie's family kept conversation going nonstop. Lucy was happy they were there; sitting alone with Kevin would have been uncomfortable.
When they were nearly done eating, Ben entered then collapsed into the closest chair with a groan. Cassie and her family took this as their cue to leave. Obviously Ben had an entertaining night at the Roaring Bear. Not wanting to be left alone, Lucy asked about the procedure for riding the horses.
Kevin and Lucy left to go to the office. She signed the waiver and he led her to the stable.
"Ridden a lot?" he asked
"I'm competition trained." He gave no indication he was impressed. She mounted the horse and he gave her a sideways smile.
"She won't respond that way. She's trained Western."
"Oh, its okay, I can handle it." Kevin showed her how to hold the reins so the horse would respond. After Kevin mounted, the left the stables. The pine needles crunched under the hooves and the serenity surrounded her.
They rode past the corral that held the horse she had seen yesterday. The horse tossed his head and ran. She wondered what it would be like to ride him and feel his freedom and strength. "Do you think that colt could carry me?"
"Destiny? Not a chance. I doubt you've ridden an unbroken colt."
"There's always a first time" she smiled, but it had no effect on him.
"Sorry."
After Kevin showed her the boundaries she asked, "Do I pass to ride alone?"
"As long as you stay in the boundaries and follow directions."
She straightened in her saddle. Follow directions. Oh yes sir, if there's one thing I know, it's how to follow directions she thought. She turned around and rode into the trees. The ones with the white bark were aspen and they were beautiful. She wished she had some art supplies. She remembered seeing a section of them in the general store. To capture the beauty, she would just need a pencil and some paper, paints would be even better. She looked for Kevin and he was no where in sight.
She road back to the house and snuck up to her room. She took another bill from her pouch. She rode down to Juniper Falls easily; the hardest part was crossing the highway. The same man sat behind the counter.
"I see you found a place to stay, but does Kevin know you've got his mare down here?"
She hesitantly shook her head. She hoped no one would notice. "I'll just be looking around" she said. She found a case that included watercolors, an easel, paper and brushes. She decided to add extra paper.
"Find what you need?"
"A good start, I guess."
"I can order special things from my supplier, if you would like."
"I'll certainly consider it. And if I promise to walk next time, could the mare be our little secret?"
"I won't say anything, but town people like to talk" he said as he picked up a cigarette from the tray.
This time she walked the horse across the highway and rode up to the ranch. She set her supplies on the table in the room. She certainly was enjoying her newfound freedom. Maybe too much.
A/N: Constructive criticism is for good for me/the story too; so if you have any suggestions let me know. Thanks for the reviews!