Chapter 18

Life Lessons According to Camryn:

There’s a lot of frogs to kiss before you realize they’re all frogs.

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Troy stared at the red-planked stables on a crested hill in front of them, then heavenward. Camryn might get her wish from the other night. The sky threatened rain. The forecast called for an inch of downfall with storms through all afternoon and evening. It had held off thus far.

She’d wished for rain. He shook his head, disappointed. He’d hoped she had let go the other night with him, been a little loose, even just for a moment. For or because of him. But, no.

She'd also said their kiss had been nothing. Right after she'd insulted him by assuming he couldn’t go a week without sex. This is a long time for you to go without someone. Did she actually think the reason he'd kissed her was because of withdrawal? That he had needed a release so badly he’d gone after her? He could still feel her plastered against his back from their movie. That wasn’t nothing. And neither was the kiss the night before last. What he’d been feeling about her, for her, wasn’t in the realm of nothing, not that he had a clue what to do about it.

Her reaction? Nada. Zilch. As if there wasn’t an epic shift brewing. Well, except during said kissing. Then, only then, did she soften. Melt. Become putty in his hands and act like she was as lost as him.

A wind blew from the east, causing the long wild grass beside the stables to crackle. It smelled like three-day old manure and hay. Behind the barn, the flatiron base of the Rockies peaked in the distance, slightly shrouded in fog as gray as the sky. Surrounding the wide open plain and faded pasture fences were dense woods teeming with pine, oak, gum, and maples.

It sure was beautiful. He vaguely wondered where they’d go riding. On Justin’s insistence, the Covic siblings had shown up at his friend’s farm a couple minutes ago, but no one had emerged since they’d pulled in. Troy didn’t see any trails either.

Just as he was questioning the idea, a woman came out of the stables—long, lean, and naturally beautiful. Blonde hair cascaded down her back in waves. Full breasts demanded release from a blue-patterned flannel. Jeans hugged her thighs, the hems brushing scarred hiking boots. She wore a pure, charming smile as she pocketed a pair of riding gloves and opened her arms for Justin.

“Hey, girl! There you are.” Justin hugged her, then faced them. “This is Jessie. We grew up together.”

She looked like a Jessie. And, for once, Troy didn’t feel a stirring in his gut. A week ago, he would have shifted to full magnetism mode to see where flirting got him. He had no interest at the moment, a testament to the craziness Cam created. Not good.

The others shook her hand, offering pleasantries.

At Troy’s turn, Jessie’s gaze took him in from head to toe like she wanted to eat her way through his clothes.

Awkward. “I’m Troy, and this is my girlfriend…”

Jessie’s tongue darted across her lips. There and gone, meant to moisten and tease, distracting him with her clear invitation.

Any basic male reaction he may or may not have had to the woman fled. He'd said “girlfriend” while trying to introduce Cam, and she'd all but made a move. With the family standing around uncomfortably. She'd lost all her attractiveness in the blink of her green eyes. Eyes that were no match for Cam’s.

“Camryn,” Cam said, finishing his sentence while holding out her hand. “Thanks for letting us ride today.” If she was irritated by his distraction or fumble, she didn’t look it.

“Sure,” Jessie said, waving a hand to follow her.

As they headed toward the barn, Fisher eyed Troy. “Smooth, man.”

He used to be.

As they got near the entrance, another couple exited the stables with their daughter. The girl, who appeared to be maybe eight or nine years old, squealed and flapped her hands, distractedly glancing around everywhere at once. She bounced excitedly and approached Emily, brunette strands flying, never getting closer than a few feet or looking her in the eye.

“Hailey, remember to say hello first.” The woman tucked her shoulder-length wavy brown hair behind her ear and smiled at Emily, kneeling beside the girls. “What’s your name, honey?”

“Emily. I’m three and a half years old. I live in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and my phone number is—”

Anna laughed and stepped forward. “She’s not a police officer and you’re not lost, Em.” She held out her hand. “I’m Anna and this is my husband, Fisher. Sorry, we have Emily memorize things just in case.”

“No worries. That’s smart. Hailey is autistic, so she wears an ID bracelet.”

Emily frowned. “So she likes to draw pictures? I like to color.”

“Not artistic, but autistic.” The woman’s calm, reassuring tone held no hint of irritation as she politely explained. “It means she learns a little differently than other kids. She doesn’t talk or play the same, but she’s very smart and has feelings just like you. In fact, she’s very sensitive.”

Hailey squealed again, flapping her hands and grinning. After a beat, she waved.

“Hi.” Emily waved back, instant friends without a care for the differences between them or noticing the disability.

Troy nodded, thinking the world could learn a thing or two from these little girls.

The woman gestured to the tall athletic blond guy behind her. They sure were an attractive couple. “This is Cade and I’m Avery. We’re visiting from Redwood Ridge, Oregon.” She grinned at Emily. “So it looks like we’re both a long way from home.”

“We’re on our familymoon, actually.” Cade shook hands. “Nice to meet you.”

Emily set her hands on her hips. “What’s a familymoon?”

“It’s a honeymoon, but when the whole family goes, too.” Cade winked. “We just got married.”

As congrats went around, Emily remained undeterred.

“Auntie Heather and Uncle Justin are getting married. That’s why we had to get on a plane. It was small and made noises. They won’t let me go on their honeymoon, though.” She looked at Heather. “Why can’t you have a familymoon like them?”

Heather laughed, her tone dry. “Because the whole family getting together for the wedding is enough, that’s why.”

“I hear you,” Avery said. “Well, we just got done petting the horses and are off to find some lunch. You guys have fun. It was great meeting you.”

“You, too,” Anna assured and set her hand on Emily’s shoulder. “Ready?”

“Yeah!”

Emily had chatted the whole car trip over about riding a horse. She’d been so excited the carseat had barely restrained her. But once they entered the twelve-stall barn and she got a look at a real horse, she all but climbed up Anna’s leg in fear. Troy couldn’t blame her.

Jessie guided a white mare from the second stall. “You guys can pick whichever horse you want. They’re all saddled and ready to go. This one here is for whoever rides with Emily. She’s the most gentle of all.”

Troy looked from Emily, face buried in Anna’s neck, to the mare. “What’s the horse’s name?”

“Darby. She’s eight years old.”

Anna walked up to the mare and petted her nose. “Want to try, Emily?”

Emily shook her head, squirming against Anna’s hold.

Troy stuck his foot in the stirrup and mounted Darby. Once steady, he held his arms out for Emily.

Anna handed her over, causing Emily to go into full meltdown mode. She arched, screaming and flailing.

Troy held her firm, swinging her legs across his lap so that she was facing him.

“Put your face against my chest,” he said, guiding her. “There. You can’t see anything. Let’s try this for a minute, and if you don’t want to ride, we won’t.”

Emily stiffened, then peeked up from his chest. Slowly, Troy lifted the reins and directed the horse to step forward. Emily buried her face again, but didn’t scream.

“Her hooves sound just like a heartbeat, right?” Fisher said to Emily, walking beside the mare as she took a few more steps.

Emily looked at Troy, innocent eyes rounded.

Troy smiled. “Kinda smells like your dad, too.”

Emily laughed, much to the dismay of Fisher.

“What do you say? Want to try?”

She nodded, so everyone picked a horse, and Jessie led them out of the barn.

“I thought we’d head out to pasture and then maybe through the wooded trails,” she said, looking over her shoulder for a response.

“Sounds great,” Heather said. “It is so beautiful out here.”

It definitely was beautiful.

Troy kept Emily close to his chest with one hand on the reins and the other arm around her as the girl peered over his shoulder at Cam. She was riding a brown gelding named Sweet Tea. That had to be a good sign to the horse’s temperament.

They made their way over a short hill and to a flat meadow where red and yellow wildflowers colored the tall grass. Far in the distance, the foothills at the base of the Rockies could be spotted past a mostly white birch forest. A giant wall of jutted rock with snowcaps against a gray sky gave the impression of being closed in if not for the meadows. High altitude made inhalations a labor, but everything smelled fresh. Grass and pollen. Snow and ozone.

Jessie turned and entered a path through pine and maple trees just wide enough for two horses. Troy, being closest to her, pulled his mare next to hers. Anna and Cam followed.

Peat moss and soil heavily scented the air as the heat of the day lessened under the canopy cover. Not far from them, a woodpecker banged away. It was quite relaxing, actually. Troy would rather ride a Harley through downtown Milwaukee, but this wasn’t half bad.

“So, Heather,” Jessie said over her shoulder. “What color are the bridesmaids' dresses?”

“Lavender. I had Camryn in mind when I chose the color. It goes great with her skin tone.”

Before yesterday, if Troy had tried to picture Cam in anything but neutrals or white, he couldn’t. Even now, she had on khakis and a white tank top. But seeing that dress on her last night, the color against her skin…

Anna hummed in agreement. “It does look nice on her. What flowers are you having?”

“You know, I’m not sure.” Heather tilted her head. “Justin’s mom…”

Troy didn’t hear the rest because Emily leaned over to check out the horse’s legs. He tightened his hold on her. “Stay still, squirt. I don’t want you to fall.”

“What’s on the horsey’s feet?” she asked.

Jessie glanced at Emily. “Those are horseshoes. They protect their feet.”

“They don’t look like shoes.”

“They’re shoes.”

“They don’t look like shoes.”

Troy grinned. “Horses only need protection on the bottom of their feet. Unlike little girls.”

Satisfied, Emily nodded and looked away.

After about an hour of riding through thick dense foliage, spotting small creatures, a variety of mushrooms, and clusters of purple and blue flowers amidst the trees, his ass was killing him. He suggested a break when they arrived at a small grass circular clearing with yellow buttercups. Sunlight had fought the clouds for dominance and won as beams cut through the trees to warm the air.

Jessie dismounted and tied her reins on a nearby branch. She came up beside his mare and plastered a grin of pure sex on her face as she took his reins.

The annoying vixen.

Emily leaned over again and, before Troy could adjust his hold, she slipped.

“Troy, she’s going to fall!” Cam reached out from next to him for Emily.

In the panicked millisecond it took to unwind the reins from his other hand, Cam had leaned too far, hauling Emily to her chest as she fell off her horse and flat on her back in the tall grass.

Anna dismounted before Troy could, and picked up the crying child. “Oh my God, are you okay?” She knelt on the ground and ran her hands over Emily’s head. “Does anything hurt?”

Please, please, kid. Don’t be hurt.

Troy looked her over, lifting her arms and running his hands over her back, finding no scrapes or cuts. “I don’t see anything. She slipped right out of my hands. I’m so sorry.” He glanced from Anna to Emily again. “Are you hurt?”

Emily shook her head, tears abating.

Heather placed a comforting hand on his arm. “She’s okay, Troy.”

Fisher squatted next to them. “I think she’s just scared. She fell on Cam.”

Cam. From his knees, Troy turned and pushed Justin out of the way. She was flat on her back, arms sprawled at her sides. Her eyes were shut and her lips parted like she was asleep.

Oh no. Oh God, no. “Cam?”

Jessie knelt on the damp ground and held the sides of Cam’s head. “Justin, ride back and get help. Heather, tie up the horses.”

“Shouldn’t we use a cell and call?” Heather asked.

“No service out here. Justin knows how to ride. He’ll get help fast. Go!”

Justin mounted his horse and rode down the trail, kicking up mud in his wake as Heather jumped to do as instructed. Troy could hear her crying from across the clearing as she tied the reins to neighboring branches.

Air whooshed from Troy's lungs, leaving him unable to draw a breath back in. He couldn’t move, just stared at her, a thousand I’m sorry’s careening through his brain. He scrambled closer to her on his knees. “Cam?”

She opened her eyes. Winced. “Not so loud.”

Thank God. She was awake and talking.

When she tried to sit up, Jessie put a hand on her chest and eased her back down. “Lay still, just in case.”

“In case of what?”

Heather returned, her face wet with tears. “Are you all right?”

“I’m good. Just a headache.” Cam looked around at the faces above her and stopped at Fisher. “Is Emily hurt? I tried to grab her--”

“She’s okay,” Anna assured.

Camryn tried to sit again, only to be held firm by Jessie. One of Cam's infamous glares darted to the woman pinning her immobile, so Troy brushed Jessie aside and held Cam’s head instead.

“The side of her head,” Jessie ordered. “Above the ears. If she has a neck injury you could do more damage.”

He moved his hands from her jaw to where Jessie suggested.

“Let me up!” Camryn barked. Her face paled immediately afterward and her hazel eyes rolled, unfocused.

Troy’s gut knotted. “Don’t move, honey. Justin’s getting help.”

Honey?

Emily wanted to be by Cam, so Anna started walking around with her, bouncing the girl on her hip.

When he refocused Camryn, she looked mad as hell. Lips pursed. Forehead wrinkled. Flames in her eyes.

“I’ll let you go if you promise to lie still.”

“Fine. But there’s nothing wrong with me an aspirin won’t fix.”

Fisher knelt next to her and clasped her fingers as Troy pulled back and sat on his haunches. He looked down and froze, ice slithering up his spine to settle inside his skull.

Blood covered his left hand. Cam’s blood.

All that red.

Shit. No, no, no. “Fisher…she’s bleeding.”