Angie drew in a breath as her eyes drifted over the plains taking in as much as she could see. Without realizing it, she reached for Jace’s hand and in a moment, it was clasped in his reassuring grip.
They sat there for several long minutes, silently soaking in the beauty of God’s creation and thinking of a future they didn’t truly understand.
“Jace,” Angie finally spoke her eyes still studying the far off hills.
“Yes,” the cowboy’s voice was husky and she could tell he was touched by the land as she was.
“Do you think someone like me could help others with injuries by using horses?” The thought had been at the back of her mind for so long that she barely realized how much her heart longed for it.
“I don’t see why not,” Jace’s words were firm, full of conviction. “Maybe you wouldn’t be able to do some of what I’ve done for you, but you could ride along with them and show them how it works. Just the other day, Red was telling me how Jackson works in the saddle to continue to improve his spinal strength. He’s a rodeo cowboy who got tromped by a big old bull a few years ago. If Jacks can be up walking and raising horses with Chase, why can’t you help others use horses as therapy?”
Angie felt the smile breaking over her face and sighed. This man knew horses, and he thought she could do the job she had her heart set on, she only hoped that the licensing boards would agree when the time came.
“Would you mind helping me learn more and ride better?”
“It’d be my pleasure,” Jace grinned.
“I wish you could be there with me,” Angie sighed absently as her mind traveled toward the ultimate end of her path. Having someone like Jace around to back her up and help her when her physical limitations got in the way would make such a big difference, but she knew this was her path not his and she would have to trust God to get her there.
“You ready to head back?” Jace asked after a few moments, making Angie start. She had been so lost in thought she had forgotten everything around her.
“Oh, sorry,” she blushed prettily. “I guess I got lost in thought there for a minute. This has been lovely though, and you have helped me so much. I haven’t been afraid even once.”
Jace nodded, turning his horse back toward the path then waiting for Ben to fall into step. He had been startled by Angie’s statement earlier. He could tell she had spoken without thinking, but still, the thought of being with her daily had a very real appeal. Perhaps he had only known her a few days, but he liked her and was proud to know a woman with such pluck and determination.
All too soon, they were back at the ranch and Jace was standing next to Ben reaching up for Angie. She slid easily out of the saddle her body sliding the length of his before he scooped her up and carried her to her waiting wheelchair. For a moment, she didn’t want to let go and as he leaned forward to settle her into the all too familiar conveyance, she had the mad thought of kissing him.
A hot blush raced up her face at the thought, but when his eyes met hers, her breath froze in her lungs. There was a questioning light reflected there, a hope, a promise, but it was gone in an instant, and once more, she was alone in her chair.
“I’d head over to the spa if I were you,” Jace said rubbing his neck with one rough hand. “You aren’t used to that kind of work, and you’ll probably be sore.”
Angie laughed lightly. “I’m not sure I did much of the work,” she said reaching out and patting Ben. “This old guy is the one carting my sorry hide around after all.”
Jace smiled slapping the buckskin on the shoulder. “I guess he deserves a cookie.” Angie and Jace both said the word at the same time and the old horse swung his muzzle toward Jace expectantly. Laughter rolled over them and the awkwardness of a moment ago evaporated on the wind.
Jace reached into his pocket and pulled out a crunchy biscuit-like disk placing it in Angie’s hand. “You give it to him,” he smiled. “After all he’s been carrying you around.” Jace winked and Angie beamed at him taking the cookie and offering it to Ben in her outstretched palm.
“He sure loves these things,” Angie said stroking the horse’s neck while he chomped contentedly. “What about your mount, doesn’t it get a treat too?”
“No, he’s one of the ranch horses and they get their regular feed. If we gave them something every time they got home, they’d be barn sour and turn tail and run for the barn with an inexperienced rider in tow. It could get ugly fast.”
“That sounds dangerous.” Angie’s eyes grew wide with concern. “Has it ever happened before?”
“No, mostly it’s the riders that do something they shouldn’t. Chase is careful about his mounts.”
“Why isn’t Ben barn sour then if he gets a ‘you know what’ every time he goes for a ride?”
“I guess it’s because he has been in too many different places over the years. We never seem to know where we’ll light next.”
Something turned over in Angie’s heart at the man’s words, and she felt a sorrow she didn’t understand. Perhaps she wasn’t’ sure if she would ever have the job and purpose she desired, but she knew she would always have a home. Even now living on the college
