“I will,” she said before hunkering down in the back seat and slamming the door.
It almost sounded like a mumbled “thanks” followed, but Carli wasn’t sure she heard that.
“This is a first. A daughter without a deep scowl on her face,” Emily said. “Thank you.” Tears bubbled in her eyes and she looked at Carli as if to say more, but she bit her lip instead and got into the driver’s seat.
Carli waved as they drove away and couldn’t help but notice the carefree, smiling girl on the horse had suddenly transformed into the dark, morose teenager again. It was a start, but was it something Carli wanted to pursue? The kids in this area were not polished and moneyed like some of her clients in Atlanta. She hoped the Texas youth would be more down-to-earth and excited about coming to her ranch. Would she be able to teach them anything?
“God, put me on the right path. Will a riding school help anybody?” Carli whispered as she watched the taillights of the Brown family’s car slow with a bump-de-bump over the cattle guard and then turn to disappear into a thicket of mesquite.
Chapter Seven
By the time Carli unsaddled Beau after her ride with Lexi and checked the horses’ water, she felt energized. Just the short time with Lexi reminded her how much she missed working with young people. She still had some self-doubt about opening a riding school, about everything she did, actually, but the feeling in her gut was that it was what she truly wanted. Sharing her love of horses with others gave her so much joy.
While she was in the barn breaking off a flake of hay, Lank walked up behind her. Despite the early spring chill, he wore only a Tee-shirt. She tried not to notice his muscled arms, the glisten of sweat at the base of his throat, and black hair that had grown longer, just past his shirt collar. And then she made the mistake of lifting her gaze to stare into his smoky-gray eyes. Her heart fluttered. She forced herself to look away.
“Who was that?” he asked.
“A young girl I met at the B&R Beanery. She used to have a horse and I invited her out to ride.” Carli’s first instinct was to tell him everything. Her fears about unlocking whatever was going on inside Lexi. Riding lessons and working with kids again. Worries about finding clients. What if she put out the information and nobody came? So many things to talk about, yet she held back. Would it be appropriate? She didn’t need any complications. He was her hired ranch hand. But she felt drawn to him. She couldn’t deny that.
“What was with all the black? Somebody die?” He leaned against the pipe fence, draping one arm across the top rail, and rested a dusty boot on the bottom rail.
Carli stared again and he met her stare back. Annoyed by his arrogant confidence, never afraid to say just what was on his mind. She sighed. And then her pulse raced, and she knew at that moment she was in a heap of trouble and would not survive the fallout. Stop it, you idiot girl. Best keep this on a professional level.
“I think Lexi, that’s her name, is having an identity crisis. But nothing a good horse ride can’t fix.” Carli laughed.
“Not sure if horses can fix teenagers, but I agree it’s worth a try.”
“Horses fixed me, and I had more troubles than you could ever imagine,” Carli confessed. She noted the look of surprise on his face.
“So, you were an at-risk kid, were you?” Lank stepped closer, genuine concern emanating from those eyes of his.
“At-risk kid? What does that mean?” Carli ignored the look on his handsome face and didn’t offer any more specifics about her own situation.
“My mom used to volunteer at a facility in Amarillo. It’s for kids who come from horrible family situations. Maybe abandoned by their parents because of drugs, or whatever. The point is to help them before they end up in jail or become a druggie.”
“At-risk,” Carli repeated. She wanted to help those kinds of kids and she could do it right here at the Wild Cow. She wanted to ask Lank more about it but instead her tongue was tied as she looked at him, and then she took a step closer before she could stop her body from moving.
“Something on your mind?” he asked.
Carli needed a friend. She needed someone to listen. Someone who could be a sounding board for all of the ideas that were running through her head. Nathan was a great listener, but then there was Lank, too. He knew the ranch. Knew the horses. He wasn’t Nathan. She took another step closer.
“I’ve been thinking a lot about Lexi and other kids like her. Maybe they need a place to come. Maybe horses would be something they could channel their energy into.”
“That would be great. I’ve loved horses since I could walk and thank goodness my parents allowed me to join the high school rodeo team.”
“You rodeoed?”
“Bare-back broncs. But then an injury shortened my career. Bad concussion and, for my mom’s sake, I promised not to ride again. I was on my way to the National Finals, or so everybody told me.” A sullen frown crossed his face and he suddenly stopped talking.
“Now that your mom is gone, are you going to rodeo again?”
“Naw, I’m too old now. This body has been through a lot of wrecks.” He laughed.
“I’d like to hear about them sometime.” Carli clamped her lips together and silently cursed herself. Why that came out of her mouth, she’d never know. She had to keep it professional between them. Boss and ranch hand. She had to keep reminding herself.
Lank didn’t reply but clenched his jaw and looked at her with a sadness in his eyes that made her heart ache.
Carli wondered
