It would be nice to ride with someone, and she did need to come up with some kind of story about being gone. “I haven’t been down the creek trail in a while.”
“You’ve got to come. Just an hour or two. It’ll be fun,” Dawn said.
Kelly looked to Sara, who was practically pushing her out the door. “That sounds good.” It would give her a chance to reconnect with Dawn. She needed to spend more time with friends.
“Let’s meet where the creek splits off. We’ll take it around to the old barn and then we’ll go from there. We can make the short loop. In about an hour?” Dawn glanced at her watch. “Actually, make it an hour and a half. That’ll give me time to get my stuff together.”
“Yeah. That should be plenty of time. See you there.”
Dawn left just as Kelly’s mom came in the side door. “Was that Dawn I just saw leaving?”
“It was. We’re going horseback riding.”
“I’m so glad. You two used to be so close. It’s good to see you finally taking time for yourself.”
“I’m going to try to start doing a lot more of that,” she said, hoping the change in scenery would grease her fictional rails to come up with an excuse for going out of town that her folks would believe.
Chapter Fifteen
Andrew went out on the deck and stretched out on a lawn chair to enjoy the free time. It was chilly, but the air seemed to clear his head. A squirrel scrambled up the big oak tree, and birds chirped at the commotion. He should be thinking about desserts right now, but the only thing sweet on his mind was Kelly McIntyre. He was lucky she hadn’t slapped him for being too familiar when they’d been baking together. It had been seven years, after all, and the way he’d left, or rather had never come back, hadn’t exactly been a warm departure…but doggone if it didn’t seem like no time had passed since they’d been together.
Of course, Kelly wasn’t feeling what he was. He’d left her behind to chase his own dreams and never looked back. Could I have been more selfish? He could have handled things so much better. Then again, seven years of maturity made that much easier to see now.
Initially he hadn’t even really wanted to go to that pastry school, but it had been too good to pass up, especially if it might help him and Kelly meet their lofty goals quicker. Even Kelly had said so.
He’d had every intention of coming back when he’d left Bailey’s Fork for Paris. Somewhere in that six-month period of pastry school, he’d started believing that he couldn’t reach those goals without the skills he could only get in Paris under those experts’ tutelage. He’d never know if that was true or not. It was done now, and there was no changing it.
Leaving her this time would be harder, because he’d have to face her to do it. He wouldn’t be 4000 miles away over a telephone. For a fleeting moment he pictured himself going to say goodbye to Kelly, and her asking him to stay. A warm rush flowed through him at the thought. Would it matter if I stayed? She had his whole heart and mind in a state of confusion.
He took his phone out of his pocket and scrolled through the contacts. He still had her in the list, although he hadn’t dialed that number in seven years. He brought up her number. Maybe he could call to thank her again for last night.
But as he stood there with his finger over the CALL button, he just couldn’t do it. It was selfish when in just a couple of days he’d be gone again.
His phone rang and buzzed in his hand. He nearly dropped it trying to answer it. “Hey, sis.”
Dawn’s chipper voice came over the line. “I’ll meet you down at the barn in about an hour?”
“Text me when you’re on your way. You’re never on time.”
“I’ll be on time. Trust me.” She disconnected the call.
He shoved his phone into his pocket and walked back inside into the kitchen. Mom looked up from the table where she was drinking a cup of coffee and reading a magazine.
“I didn’t hear you get back,” he said.
“I figured you were still in bed asleep.”
“No. I made Dawn breakfast this morning, and she’s going to come back over and we’re taking the horses out.”
“That’s a great idea.” The color rose in her cheeks.
Seeing her so happy made him feel the same way. “You should come with us.”
“Not today. I’ve got some errands to run.”
“I’d say you’d have time to do them later, but you know Dawn. No telling when she’ll actually show up.”
“Dawn-time,” Mom said. “That’s one thing that’ll never change.”
“Do you mind if I rummage through the cabinets and freezer? I thought I’d make lunch to take with us.”
“Have at it. There are some of those flash frozen chicken tenders in the freezer, and ingredients for a decent potato salad. Fried chicken and potato salad would make for a good picnic that would fit nicely in the saddlebags. It won’t hurt my feelings if you want to leave me a plate,” she said with a wink.
“Deal.” He got right to work.
While he fried the chicken, Mom made herself comfortable at the island. “It’s so nice to watch you cook again.”
“Feels good to cook for myself instead of for customers.” He never cooked at home. “It’ll be nice to get on Doc again. I hope I remember what I’m doing.” He rinsed the chicken tenders and dredged them in flour he’d doctored up with the spices Mom had on hand.
“Let me know when you’re ready to go down to the barn, and I’ll help you get saddled up.” She’d been a competitive barrel racer when she’d met Dad. The barn was still her favorite way to spend time.
“That would be
