The City Streets, Country Roads Reader's Collection by Meg Gray

Author:Meg Gray
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Gray Digital Ink LLC
Published: 2015-12-04T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eight

Blake stepped off the back porch and breathed in the fresh air, ripe with the scents of the encroaching night. Invigorating, he thought. Despite the raw open sores on his hands and the utter fatigue drilling into his every muscle, he felt invigorated out here on this ramshackle of a farm. He started again for the hill above the house.

The view of the river up there was breathtaking, a great way to top off the day, and he hoped he might be able to snag some service up there. Give his mom a call, quelling any anxiety he was sure she was keeping under wraps. He was doing fine out here. Just fine.

He passed through the field that he'd finished chopping thistles out of this morning. Progress. Small progress, but to him a real triumph. Reg had left him to his work today, only standing vigilant at the fence line for an hour and then disappearing. Blake wondered if Reg got around to inspecting his completed task.

He assumed as much when between forkfuls of a divine beef enchilada at dinner, Reg gave him the order for the next day's work. "Tomor', do the yard," he muttered.

That must have meant his work in the field was done. On some level he was being given a passing grade and promotion onto the next job. The yard. That was going to be a chore. But he pushed the thought aside as he climbed the hill along the fence line, passing through weeds that reached above his knees.

It was so quiet here. So peaceful. He reached the top of the rise, about to glimpse the magnificent view of the Columbia waters underscoring the Washington hills when...sniff.

Blake whirled his head in the direction of the sound. He spied the profile of a horse with its rider doubled over, arms wrapped around the gallant steed's neck. Crying. Blake advanced, wondering if the rider was injured, but stopped as the horse swung its head in his direction and a black and white dog circled around the horse. Instantly realizing who the rider was, he stepped back silently, trying to conceal himself behind the last row of overgrown vines.

He froze, steps away from the deep cover as she sat up, bringing a gloved hand to her cheek and heaving a deep, ragged sigh. "That was a rough one today, boys," she said, unaware of where the animals' attention had been drawn. "Four more safe tonight. Watch over them, Stef." She heaved another sigh and Blake wondered who she was talking to. Stef? Was there someone else out here with her?

His feet ached to move toward her. To offer comfort to someone obviously in distress, but he also realized he could add to it if he crossed that invisible fence. She'd likely turn and bolt away from him again.

He moved back, trying to stay undetected. Trying to give her some privacy. His boot caught. He fell, hitting the ground a billion and a half times louder than he'd been trying to move.

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