The Three-Way Miracle by Karen Sandler

Author:Karen Sandler
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Silhouette
Published: 2006-12-15T00:00:00+00:00

Stepping from the truck, Sara greeted old Bob Sandinsky, then glanced back inside the cab. Keith sat stock-still, staring out at the acres of green pasture. If what she’d said had hurt or helped, she’d never know looking at his face. But she suspected she’d crossed over a line she never should have.

Putting aside the puzzle of Keith for the moment, she walked over toward the round pen with the old cowboy. “Tell me about her,” Sara said, gesturing toward the dozing mare.

“She’s twenty-eight years old,” Bob said. “A mustang from the northern Nevada range.” He turned toward the house and hollered, “Elizabeth!”

A twelve-year-old girl came running, slamming the door on her way out of the house. “Go fetch a saddle and bridle for Luna,” the cowboy told the girl.

Elizabeth cast a suspicious look Sara’s way, no doubt reluctant to let go of a favorite horse. Sara smiled at her, but the towhead just scowled.

She heard the truck door slam and watched Keith head toward the small shed where Elizabeth struggled under the weight of a heavy leather saddle. He spoke to her, gesturing once toward Sara. Sara didn’t know what he said, but the girl handed over the saddle and by the time she’d reached the round pen, she was smiling.

Elizabeth unlatched the round pen gate and walked toward the mare with the halter and lead rope. Keith set the saddle on the rail. “Hard to let go, I guess.”

Sara had let go of so many things in her life, it had become second nature. Learning how to hold on, that was the challenge.

Elizabeth led the mare over toward Sara. “Luna’s a great little pony. Just too worn-out to chase cows anymore.”

The girl tacked up the black mustang and climbed on, showing off a bit with spins, side passes and a rollback. When Sara took her turn in the saddle, the mare calmly did everything asked of her. Even when Sara yelled and clapped loudly as she trotted around the ring, Luna didn’t do anything more than twitch an ear.

Sara slid from the saddle and handed the reins over to Elizabeth. Stepping from the round pen, she gestured to Keith and he walked with her out of earshot of Bob and Elizabeth.

“What do you think?” Sara asked.

He shrugged. “Not my decision.”

“I realize that. But I’d like your opinion.”

He stared down at her. “You know she’s a damn good horse. You don’t need me to tell you.”

She didn’t. But she thought if she could get him talking about the horse, maybe it would smooth over the sharp edges that stood between them. Besides, now that she had to decide, she wasn’t the least bit sure anymore.

Sara glanced over at the round pen where Elizabeth had untacked Luna and stood with her arm draped over the black mare’s withers. “She’d be the first horse I’ve authorized for the program. The others were already at the ranch when I started.”

“Is she what you need?”

Somehow, coming from him, the question seemed provocative, as if he was asking about something entirely different.

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