Sticks & Stones by Santana Blair

Author:Santana Blair [Blair, Santana]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-10-15T05:00:00+00:00

“You’re up early.”

Darcie looked up from her perusal of the refrigerator to offer her mother a small smile. With her head full of Elijah she gave up the idea of resting the moment the sun began to peak through her windows. She’d attempted to do some work for class, hoping it would be enough to distract her thoughts but after reading the same sentence again and again, she’d closed the book and shoved it to the corner of her desk.

She stepped out from behind the door of the fridge and struck a lazy pose showing off her tan jodhpurs and black long sleeve compression top.

“I want to go over to the stables and check on Dakota. It’s supposed to rain so hopefully I’ll get some riding time and practice the jump course a few times.”

There was only one remedy for the state she was in, and it was waiting for her at the stables. Her sister might have been her favorite person in the world, but Dakota was her favorite everything else. Most young girls dreamed of owning their own pony, but for Darcie, the instant she stepped foot in the stables she realized her connection went far deeper. While her classmates had been eager to plan their sweet sixteen parties and hoping for fancy cars, Darcie had begged to forego both for her beautiful light sandy brown horse with his beautiful blond mane, Dakota. Though she did get the party and the car for her seventeenth birthday, she would trade it all for Dakota.

She found solace and contentment in the hours she spent with him. Knowing his always listening ears were never judging, made the connection even more special. Even the time she spent mucking stalls and grooming him filled her soul with a purpose she had yet to find elsewhere.

There was a looming sense of dread she had knowing college would separate them.

“Meeting up with Charleigh?”

“No. I want to be alone with Dakota today.”

Her mother paused thoughtfully and then smiled softly. “Make sure you bring your fleece. It’s a bit chilly this morning.”

Darcie nodded as she retrieved a yogurt and closed the door. Her mother handed her a spoon as she slid onto one of the kitchen stools.

“Want me to make you some French toast before you go?”

Stressing over things made it hard to hold on to a hearty appetite and Darcie thought about saying no, but the eager look in her mother’s eyes called to her inner little girl. Before Andrew and Georgie, it had only been the two of them. Back then they’d spend their mornings and evenings in the kitchen, being silly and chatting about their day.

With the quiet, early morning and the others still sleep, Darcie’s heavy heart yearned for one of those moments.

“Sure. That’d be nice, Mom.”

Her mother’s smile grew three times as big as she tightened her robe and move toward the breadbox. Darcie watched quietly as her mother began to work around the kitchen, collecting eggs and cinnamon while preparing the griddle.

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