The sound of laughter caught her ear and she turned to see a petite woman with wild dark curls hurtling toward her in a pony cart. A little boy of about five giggled as they made the turn his hand locked onto his mother’s arm, while a little girl of possibly three clapped with glee from her mother’s lap.
“Michelle,” Angie grinned turning to wave her forward. “I see you’re as reckless as always,” Angie laughed. She knew that though Michelle Ballard often drove the pony at a fast trot she was never out of control, and it was as plain as the nose on one's face that the petite graphic artist would never do anything to endanger her children.
“Kade said you were here,” Michelle laughed. “I couldn’t disappoint my first pony cart partner now could I?”
Angie’s laugh trickled into the cool day, and she pushed herself toward the tan pony who stood quietly in harness. “Hello, Dandy.” Angie ran a hand down the pony’s face pushing the gray and white mane from his forehead and giving him a scratch. “He looks good.”
“Do you want to use the cart sometime this week?” Michelle asked. She had known that the last time Angie had visited the Broken J she didn’t feel confident enough to ride a horse.
“No, I think this time I’m either going to ride a real horse or give it up for a bad job. It’s why I came here again.”
“Good for you,” Michelle said, slapping her knee with a free hand. “Now come over here and meet my children.
A few minutes later Angie was rolling toward her cabin once more. She had met a serious-looking Kadence and the sweetest little Olivia. Michelle had even confided that she was expecting the third Ballard Baby later that fall, and made her promise to sit with her at dinner that night. Overall it had been like meeting up with an old friend once more.
At least for a little while, she felt confident and content again. It had been fun seeing Dandy again. The pony had never intimidated her the way a full-sized horse did. She wished she could pin down exactly what it was about a horse that scared her so much. If she could figure that out, perhaps, she would be able to take that next big step and ride.
If she couldn’t overcome her fear of riding a horse or if she couldn’t find the way to prove that she was strong enough, how was she ever going to be certain she would have the strength and ability to help others overcome their fears?
Chapter 6
Jace walked old Ben from his stall tossing the buckskin’s reins over a rail of the corral. The cowboy had brought the old horse with him to the Broken J, just like he had so many jobs before. The animal was solid, steady, and trustworthy, one of his constant companions.
Tossing a saddle on his horse’s back, he wondered what the afternoon would bring. There was a fake cattle drive and chuckwagon dinner scheduled for later that afternoon, but for now, he had some time to himself. Not for the first time that day, he wondered if the young woman in the wheelchair would come back and try again to overcome her fear of sitting astride a horse.
The Broken J had been well outfitted with saddles that ranged from antique high cantled rigs to the most modern in handicap adaptive gear. If Angie would just get on a horse, she would see that she was safe and that she wouldn’t fall.
Absently, Jace ran a brush through Ben’s black mane and wondered about the young woman. She seemed bright, intelligent, and determined, and he wanted her to accomplish all of the things she set her mind to. He knew all too well the feeling of being at loose ends. His family had worked the family ranch while he was growing up, but he’d moved on restlessly as a young adult. Even though he loved wrangling or working cows, nothing seemed to be quite the right fit. At nearly twenty-five, he still didn’t know his place in the world. He could turn his hand to nearly any job but nothing seemed to inspire him.
“You’re gonna brush that horse’s mane right off,” a deep voice rumbled as Red Dixon sauntered toward him.
“I guess I was lost in thought,” Jace agreed with a shake of his head.
Red slapped the younger man on the back and grinned. “We’ve all been there before,” he said. “Some days the most routine aspects of life are the best for helping us work through our thoughts. What’s on your mind, Jace?”
Jace ran the brush down Ben’s chest and over the animal’s black stockings. “Life I guess.”
“That deep hey?” The old man rubbed his gray-streaked red whiskers, his dark eyes twinkling merrily.
“I was just thinking on how I still don’t seem to know what I’m doing with my life. I’m here now, but I’ve wandered from job to job for years with no real direction. I feel like there’s something out there just out of reach, but I can’t find it.”
“Well it could be worse,” Red said, scratching at his chin. “You could be certain you know exactly what to do with your life, and it turns out you got the wrong end of the stick.”
Jace peered out from under his hat brim studying the older man. “You mean like gettin’ on the wrong track?”
“Yep.”
“Is Nan joining you for the roundup tonight?” Jace said not wanting to meet Red’s gaze. He knew that they were headed into the serious conversation zone and not knowing his mind made him feel like he was about to fall down a rabbit hole.
“You bet. She and Florence are coming in for dessert.
