Riding Partner by Mary Winter

Author:Mary Winter [Winter, Mary]
Format: epub, pdf
Published: 2010-01-06T07:11:43+00:00

Derek wished he had words to tell Charles how comforting his presence was. Instead, he tried to think a way out of his money problems. No, he didn’t blame Charles for the fallen rail. In fact, he suspected that Charles blamed himself more than he did. Derek knew Dio’s limitations, had tried to work past them. If the blame rested anywhere, it rested with Derek.

He tried not to get down on himself, tried not to see Dio’s loss as another fuck-up in a string of very big fuck-ups. First his lack of communication with his father, then his bungling of the finances after his father passed away and now losing the farm. His home. He squared his shoulders, determined not to wallow in self-pity. He’d go back to the farm, take stock of the books and start calling real estate agents to put it on the market and find a smaller place, maybe with room for ten horses instead of forty or fifty, a place he could afford. Though he figured no bank would look at the tumultuous profit and loss sheet of a farm and want to finance it.

Tonight, he’d take things as they came. Charles had offered a loan. Right now, there was at least one person in the world who didn’t think he’d made a mess of things, and that meant a lot. Derek wondered where he’d find a decent buyer for his horse at the price he wanted. When it came to finding a new farm, Dio’s selling price might be the difference between homelessness and home.

The drive wore on him. With nothing to break the view but scenery he’d seen a thousand times, Derek cursed having too much time to think. The sun set, dipping behind the horizon, and headlights reflected off the pavement. Closing his eyes, Derek rested his head against the headrest. The miles passed, accompanied by the hum of the tires against the pavement.

“Did you fall asleep on me?” Charles’ voice broke the silence.

Derek glanced at the clock on the console and saw a few hours had passed. “No,” he replied. “Just thinking. Probably too much.” He stifled a yawn with the back of his hand.

Charles parked the truck by the barn and turned off the engine. The truck rumbled into silence, leaving them sitting there in the near-darkness, lit only by the dome light and a single bulb in front of the double doors of the barn. A yard lamp cast a tiny circle in the center and a security light illuminated the back door of the house. Shadows hugged every corner, insulating the farm.

Charles’ cell phone broke the silence.

“Hello,” he answered, then listened to the speaker on the other end. He nodded. “Yep, we just pulled in. No problem. I can go out early and exercise the horses.”

Through the cell phone, Derek heard an apologetic voice.

“I’m used to running on only a few hours’ sleep. I can take a nap in the afternoon or something. Don’t worry. I hope your daughter’s all right.

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