A Little Bit of Charm (16 page)

“So how was work today at Twelve Elms?” he asked upon exhausting his topic.

She set down her third dessert. “It was wonderful. Jessie Brady and I took the customers on miles of trails. We rode into the wooded hills, through the pastures, and even along a river of sorts. Jessie said some of the property doesn't even belong to the Bradys, but their neighbors don't mind trail rides as long as we remember to close the gates. They appreciate an extra pair of eyes on their fences.” Rachel sipped the cooled chocolate. “We ate lunch with our feet dangling in a fast stream. Their land takes my breath away. It's so beautiful.”

Reuben cocked his head to one side. “Sounds like you were gone for hours. Are there many English gals who like to ride?” He downed his drink.

“No, only two girls. The rest were men.” Rachel stretched out her legs.

His smile faded. “Do you think it's wise to venture hours away from the stable in the company of strange English men?”

“It's perfectly safe. Jessie does it all summer long. Besides, most of the time we're galloping hard, not sitting around chitchatting. When we got back to the barn, my jeans were covered with dust.” Rachel realized her error the moment the words left her mouth.

“
Your jeans
? You wear blue jeans like an English man?”

“
Jah
,” she answered, drawing out the word. “Or like an English woman. I can't ride in this.” She pinched up some fabric of her long blue skirt, not hiding her irritation.

After an uncomfortable minute, Reuben leaned back in his chair. “No, I suppose not. I suppose it's not a problem since you're still on
rumschpringe
. That will all change once you're baptized and get married.” He splayed his palms across his knees. “Say, why don't I get us more hot chocolate? Something to warm us up.” He left the arbor without waiting for her yea or nay.

Rachel endured a miserable rest of the evening, including an interminable buggy ride home. She had been abandoned by Bonnie, Ruby, Josh, and his car. They had assumed she would happily ride home with Reuben, but she was anything but happy as he droned on about what life would be like in the Mullet household after he married.

Blessed relief finally arrived halfway home. She fell fast asleep and, according to Reuben, snored loudly. He didn't wake her up until they reached the Stoll side door. Rachel apologized profusely for her rudeness, but she could barely contain her giggles. Once inside Sarah's cozy kitchen, she buried her face in her hands and laughed until tears streamed down her face. At least he only bored her to sleep. She wondered if there was any truth to the term “bored to death.”

Whoever imagined that so many racetracks existed in the United States?

Jake rubbed the bridge of his nose, trying to stem the headache building behind his eyes. He'd checked out a stack of horse racing periodicals from the library in Somerset hoping to learn more about the industry he wished to compete in. Good thing he was young, because the more he read the more he realized he had much to learn.

“Is this seat taken or may I sit down?”

Jake looked up to find Rachel standing behind the opposite chair at his table. She wore one of the new long-sleeved T-shirts Jessie had ordered for everyone.

“I'm alone. Sit.” Jake rolled the discarded crusts from his sandwich into the plastic wrap.

Rachel pulled out the chair and opened her lunch cooler. “You're finished already? I brought enough to share.” She unwrapped
a sandwich on the waxed paper. “Chicken salad.” She waved it before his face to tantalize. “With grapes, walnuts, and celery.”

“Sounds delightful, but I already ate bologna on white bread. If only I had waited.”

She took a dainty bite and set the sandwich down. “I hope we're still friends, Jake. I don't have that many.” Her blue eyes looked utterly sincere.

The oxygen vanished from the break room. “Of course we are.” He took an apple from his brown bag for something to look at other than her pretty face. “I don't have many friends either. All work and no play has turned Jake into a dull boy.” He bit into the apple while she took another bite of her delicious-looking sandwich. He stared as though mesmerized. “Anyway, there's something I'm curious about.”

Rachel dabbed her mouth with a napkin. “Ask away. I keep no secrets from folks nice enough to loan me Calamity Jane.”

“Most of the Amish people around here use computers and the Internet, but you sounded unfamiliar with blogs and Facebook when I described the stable's new website.”

“That's because most of the folks here are Conservative Mennonite, not Amish. Many
Englischers
see Plain clothing and assume we're all Amish. The Mennonites here have electricity in their homes, and some districts use tractors, diesel harvesters, and even drive cars and trucks. But I'm Old Order Amish from Lancaster. We have to ask permission to install a phone line for a business, and most of our electricity is produced by diesel generators, so we use it sparingly.”

“Sorry,” he murmured, ashamed of his ignorance.

“No apology necessary. Some in our district may use the Internet to conduct business, but they're not supposed to socialize or surf the…web. I almost said ‘the ocean.'” She laughed with abandon.

The sound of her laughter filled him with longing he hadn't experienced since childhood. “You don't mind talking about this?”

“Not at all. It's not a deep, dark mystery.” She tore open a bag of chips, popped one in her mouth, and passed the bag to him.

He took some despite being already full. “Jessie sent me an e-mail from Lexington. She said you did great last Saturday. Do you feel ready for this week's mounted tour?”

“As much as I ever will be, providing Keeley comes along and I have my walkie-talkie. I can always press the red button and scream for help.”

“You won't need it, but I'll jump on a white horse and ride to your rescue if need be.” Jake sipped his soda to keep from staring at her. Why was he talking as though they were in junior high?

“Last Saturday night I went to an Amish social. I accidentally let it slip that I wear English clothes at work. I might have shocked some of my new friends.” She nibbled another chip.

“Will working here cause problems for you?”

“I don't think so. I haven't officially joined the church, so I'm able to do as I please, within reason of course. If a man doesn't like it, he's free to ask out someone else.” She poured chip crumbs into her mouth as Keeley had taught her and then cleaned up her mess.

Her activity gave him a chance to tamp down his jealousy.
A man?
He'd assumed the shocked friends had been women. But she'd said she planned to date Amish, so he'd better start acting like a friend instead of a jerk. “Do you think you might…court this guy?”

Rachel dropped her trash in the can. “I thought so at first, but that looks unlikely now. Hey, when do I see this Eager to Please? Jessie can't stop talking about him.”

Jake waited until she had shoved her cooler bag in her locker and they had walked into the hallway. He didn't wish to set a time in front of other employees. “How about today after your last tour?”

“Perfect. I'm staying to exercise Calamity Jane anyway.”

“When you're finished with her, come to the lunge ring in the
main barn. You are in for a rare treat. I don't show this champion bloodline colt to just anybody.” He slipped on his Twelve Elms cap.

“Will there be an admission charge?” She offered a crooked grin—the one that never failed to stop his heart.

“Not this time. Maybe when he's a two-year-old.”

“Good, because I'm saving money for a matter we need to discuss later. See you after work.” Rachel smiled again before skipping out the door.

Her blond ponytail matched the gentle sway of her hips until she disappeared around the corner. Jake knew where she was heading. She always tied the draft horses on long leads in the shade so they could nibble grass in between tours. She always considered the comfort or feelings of both man and beast in everything she did—except for him. His heart broke each time they were together.

Because no matter what he said or did, she would never be his.

“Miss King, I'd like you to meet Eager to Please. He was sired by Man of His Word, and his dam is Pretty in Pink.” Jake held the yearling's halter, drawing him near the fence where Rachel stood. “Young man, be on your best behavior. Miss King is a valued employee.”

She stared, motionless. “I doubt he knows any other way to behave. He's gorgeous, Jake.” She stretched out a hand to scratch the white star between his eyes.

“You would be surprised what bad habits he's already picked up from the local ruffians, and we have no time for charm school.”

“He should need very little with those bloodlines.” She ran a palm down the side of his face. “I was about to say something stupid like ‘he's so thin' or ‘why are his legs so long,' but then I caught myself. I'm used to seeing Standardbred buggy horses and Belgians or Percherons.” She withdrew her hand slowly.

“Allowing a yearling to put on too much weight would be a big mistake. His proportions are just about perfect. At least, in my estimation. We've hired a professional trainer who'll know more than me. We'll see what he has to say.”

Her brows knitted together. “But aren't you a trainer?” She lifted one boot heel to the bottom rail.

“Yes, but mainly for show horses. We had Pretty in Pink bred to a champion because we have high hopes for a Kentucky Derby winner.” He felt his face flush. “I hope that doesn't sound arrogant, but this colt truly has potential.”

“Not arrogant at all. Racing is what Thoroughbreds have been bred for.” She pulled off her ball cap and wound her long ponytail into a coil. Without using a mirror, she pinned her hair into a bun and shoved her hat into her pocket. “I'm glad you're not planning to use him for children's pony rides.”

Jake stared while she fiddled with her hair. He had to shake his head to get his mind back on the conversation. “I assure you, we'll never have pony rides at Twelve Elms.”

“Never say never. Can I watch you work him on the lunge line?”

He hated to leave the fence, but he would do just about anything she asked. Jake led Eager to Please to the center of the ring and released the rope slowly. With a click of his tongue, the colt broke into a brisk trot. He allowed six or seven turns around the ring and then slowed him to a walk. “Because I worked him earlier, I don't want to tire him out.” Jake pulled out his cell phone to hit a speed-dial button.

“Of course not. Thanks for the display.”

“Bob, could you come rub down the colt?” he asked once the other end picked up. “We're finished for the day.”

Jake struggled with small talk until the groom led the horse away. Then he tapped Rachel on her arm. “What were you planning to ask me? You mentioned something about saving money.”

She laughed with the magical sound that would haunt him for
the rest of the day. “I would like to buy Calamity Jane from your family. I love that mare and hope you'll sell her. Name your price.” She arched up on tiptoes so they were almost the same height.