“Payback is coming,” Andrew yelled as he dodged another splash. Then he spurred Doc and blew past her, leaving her in a wake of icy-cold water.
She shrieked. “Okay. We’re even.”
They pulled the horses up onto the bank.
“You got me good,” she said, still laughing.
“I’m not as out of practice as you thought,” he teased.
The echo of horse hooves clopping through the creek rose from up the way. “Think that’s Mom?”
Dawn shook her head. “No. Wrong direction. She’d be coming from that way.”
They waited, not wanting to spook the horse or splash a neighbor.
Andrew twisted around in his saddle, pulling a bottle of water from his saddle bag, when he heard his sister say, “Look who’s here.” Only her tone seemed a tinge too surprised to be authentic.
When he looked up and saw Kelly riding toward them on a black-and-white paint, he was even more suspicious of his sister’s innocence. Then again, if Dawn had arranged for Kelly to show up, he wasn’t mad about it. He hadn’t had the guts to make the call himself.
“Hey again,” he said to Kelly.
He wanted to believe that her pulling back before had been because she was feeling those same old feelings too, but was that disappointment on her face now?
“Hi?” It came out more like a question, and from the way Kelly was looking at Dawn, he’d lay good money that his dear sister was behind this little run-in.
“Andrew made lunch,” Dawn said. “Perfect timing.”
Kelly looked confused. “Okay.”
Dawn turned Gabby and took the lead down the creek trail. Kelly fell in right behind her, and Andrew took up the rear.
As Kelly rode along, her ponytail bouncing from the hole in the back of her ball cap, it was as if time had turned back ten years with that first step into the creek.
He couldn’t hear what Dawn was saying to her, but when Kelly laughed, he caught his breath at the familiar sound. Her shoulders lifted, like they always had when she was amused, and he didn’t have to see her to picture her smile.
They rode along quietly for about forty-five minutes, and then Dawn turned up the trail toward the old barn.
He dismounted and tied Doc while Dawn and Kelly chatted next to the barn. He unpacked lunch from his saddlebags. Here behind the barn there was just enough wind block to make it feel like a spring day.
“Oh!” Dawn grabbed for her phone. “That vibration always scares me. Let me take this.” She held up a finger and turned her back from them, walking away as she spoke into her phone.
“Great ride,” Kelly said.
He nodded. “Been a long time since I’ve ridden.”
“You looked comfortable enough.”
They’d just sat down under the tree when Dawn came back over. “You’re not going to believe this. The plumber is at my house. I totally forgot he was coming today. I need to zip back over there and meet him.”
Andrew could read right through that lame excuse. He was sure Kelly could too.
“I’m so sorry.” Dawn was already getting back toward Gabby.
“You’d better run. They charge by the hour,” Kelly said.
“Sorry again.” Dawn made the fastest exit he’d ever seen.
They watched her lope off.
“I have a feeling we’ve been duped.” He offered Kelly some potato salad.
“Thanks.” She scooped some on her plate. “Your sister isn’t that good of an actress.”
“Tell me about it. She’s good at fooling me into things, though.”
“Apparently, she fooled me too,” Kelly said.
She took a bite of the potato salad. “This is good. Very different.”
“Thanks.” He set his plate aside. “Do you remember the day I carved our initials in that tree?”
“Of course I do. You broke the tip off the pocket knife I’d given you that Christmas.”
He’d forgotten that part. “It was after a ride along the creek like this morning.”
“I remember. Only it was cold as the dickens. We wore our winter coats.” She pulled her feet up under her. “The whole town was so mad about you defacing that tree.”
“Because no one can keep a secret around here.”
“You shouldn’t have told all your buddies.”
“They were blabber mouths.”
“It turned out to be front-page news,” Kelly said.
“Yeah, but in all fairness, even when Mrs. Jones made her husband sleep in the shed it was front-page news.”
“True. Besides, how were two teenagers supposed to know that tree was a registered landmark?” Kelly laughed. “There wasn’t even a sign next to it back then.”
“I kind of knew it was a big deal. That’s why it seemed like the perfect way to profess my love.”
She plucked a piece of grass and toyed with it.
“I did community service that whole summer because of that, and had to work for Dad part-time for six months to pay back the fine.” It had been worth it. “Man, that feels like a hundred years ago.”
“Feels like just yesterday to me,” she said quietly. “Lunch was really good. Not that I’m surprised. You always could whip up an amazing meal.” Kelly put her plate in the trash bag and tilted her chin to the sun. “I love winter days like this.”
“Me too. I’m sorry Dawn tricked you, but I’m glad we got to spend more time together.” He turned over on his side, watching her sitting there with her eyes closed.
“It’s been a nice break. I had some help last night, so I had some free time.”
He tossed a pebble into her lap. “Must’ve been a pretty awesome helper.”
The rock startled her. She looked at him, amused. “You could say that.” She flipped the pebble back toward him.
“I think I will.”
“You’re too much. Thanks for the lunch.”
“You’re welcome. It’s the least I could do after I ate half of your pot of chili.” He reached for her hand, and this time she didn’t pull back.
“I’ve got to head back.”
Andrew let his thumb graze the top of her hand. “Can’t you stay a little longer? It’s a gorgeous day.”
“I can’t.” She took in a deep breath, then withdrew her hand. “Do you remember the way back to
