Due North by Katie Mettner

Author:Katie Mettner
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Katie Mettner
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Twelve

The silence in the Jeep as we drove home from Duluth was pervasive and uncomfortable. It had been three days since they’d rushed me to the hospital barely breathing, and today they released me with the caveat that I had to go to the Wellspring Clinic twice a week for infusions of immunoglobin. Fine, whatever. I didn’t have a choice, but I didn’t have to like it. This morning, Cece had left Poppy with Amity and arrived bright and early to pick me up. I kind of wished she’d brought the baby. At least her smiling face would have distracted me for a few minutes. Instead, I was stuck in this car with a beautiful woman, and I had barely said a word. In fairness to Cece, it had nothing to do with her. What was going on inside my head and my heart kept me quiet.

“I was thinking that Dolly is about the perfect size for Poppy to start learning to ride,” she said to break the silence. “What do you think?”

What? Was she kidding me? Poppy on a horse? No.

“Poppy? No, she’s too little to ride alone.”

“Not alone, obviously,” she said, nodding along as we turned onto the road toward the ranches.

Soon we’d cross the old wooden bridge over the creek, and then the beauty of Bison Ridge would be before us. My heart always held its beat, waiting for that moment the ridges spread out before me and took my breath away. When it happened the first time I arrived here, that’s how I knew I was home. It had happened every time since, but part of me hoped today it wouldn’t. That would make it easier to walk away from the land and the people who lived on it.

“Beau said he could make a special extension to the saddle so she can ride with you. The physical therapist said it would be good for her core strength.”

“No. She’s not riding Dolly. I’m not riding Dolly. No one is riding her.”

Cece lifted a brow as if to say, so that’s how it’s going to be, huh?

“What about the pony then? Maybe we could start her on the pony and work her up to Dolly.”

“Ha!” I exclaimed loudly and with great sarcasm. “It takes years to teach a pony how to be ridden. Do you think Beaker will let anyone ride around on his back? That pony is ridiculous.”

“Maybe not right now, but you could train him,” Cece said on a shrug. “You’re great at getting the horses to bow to your every whim.”

My eyes rolled, and I was sure she could see it from the corner of her eye, but I didn’t care. My breath held as we approached the old wooden bridge. I wasn’t worried about getting across it. I was worried about what happened once we were over it.

Cece navigated it with expertise and bounced the Jeep over the gravel road toward Heavenly Lane. A puff of air escaped my lips when my gaze picked out the swaying bison heads in the pastures.

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