All My Tomorrows (9 page)

When Maggie was finally out of sight, Jordan entered the house and called the saddler who said he didn’t have the saddle.

Jordan hung up the phone then went into the kitchen for a glass of water before continuing the repairs on the front porch. As she was filling her glass, she looked out the window above the kitchen sink and caught a glimpse of a figure covertly exiting the barn on foot. Suspicious, Jordan decided to investigate.

So as to not call any unusual attention to herself, Jordan sauntered toward the barn as she had done countless times before. Once inside, she allowed her eyes to become accustomed to the darker environment before looking around. She searched the horse stalls, but found nothing unusual. She even spent a short amount of time petting Maggie's horse, Shawny. Strangely, upon exiting Shawny's stall, she immediately noticed that Maggie's saddle was hanging on the rail, right where Maggie said she always put it.

Maggie, was this saddle really not here earlier today, or are you losing your marbles, girlfriend?

The saddle was hanging over the rail with the right side facing the rider. Jordan quickly inspected the saddle, then turned to walk away, but stopped short when something caught her eye. She turned back to the saddle and grasped it with both hands. In one quick movement, she lifted the saddle, spun it around and placed it back on the rail so that the left side of the saddle was facing outward.

Jordan lifted the stirrup and threw it over the top of the saddle, then reached down to grasp the belly strap.

"What the hell? How did this get here?" Jordan reached under the saddle and quickly released the buckle holding the belly strap. With the strap in hand, she proceeded to cross the barnyard toward the bunk house. She stopped before the bunkhouse door and banged loudly. "Open this goddamned door."

The door flew open and Jordan came face to face with Jan. Jordan thrust the belly strap toward her. "Care to explain this?"

CHAPTER 8

Jan looked at the belly strap Jordan held in her hand. "It's a belly strap. Surely you know that," Jan said sarcastically.

Jordan turned the strap over in her hand. "No, I mean this."

On the underside of the strap was a metal burr, embedded deep into the leather.

Jan took the strap from Jordan and looked at it closely. "It looks like a burr to me."

Jordan placed her hands on her hips. "That's exactly what it is. Care to tell me how it got there?"

"How the hell am I supposed to know that?" Jan replied angrily.

Jordan grabbed the strap from Jan and folded it in half. "This strap came off Maggie's saddle, which, by the way, went missing this morning and then miraculously reappeared just after I saw you sneak out of the barn. If she had ridden Shawny with this burr in the belly strap, he would have thrown her. She could have been seriously hurt, or worse."

Jan crossed her arms and cocked her head to one side. "So? Why are you telling me this?"

Jordan leaned in close. "Because if anything happens to Maggie, I will hold you personally responsible," she answered vehemently.

"Now, why would I want to harm Maggie?" Jan asked defensively.

"That's the part I haven't figured out yet. I would have half expected me to be your target, not her," Jordan replied.

Jan stepped in defiantly close. "Then I guess maybe you're the one who should watch her back."

"What's going on here?"

Jordan turned quickly to see Maggie standing on the bunkhouse porch behind her. After acknowledging her presence, she turned back to Jan and stared directly into her face while addressing Maggie's question. "Nothing. Everything's fine. Jan and I were just making sure we're on the same page."

Jordan looked down at the strap in her hand then shoved it inside her jacket before she turned to face Maggie once more. "Are you ready for brunch?"

Maggie smiled broadly. "You bet I am. I'm famished." She looked over Jordan's shoulder. "Would you like to join us, Jan?" she asked.

"No, thanks," Jan replied. "I've had breakfast already."

Maggie linked her arm into the crook of Jordan's elbow. "All right then, let's eat."

* * *

"Hmm, this is wonderful, Jordan. Where did you learn to cook so well?" Maggie asked as she chewed a forkful of French toast.

Jordan chuckled. "Actually, I'm a lousy cook. This just happens to be one of the few things I can make without poisoning myself. My friend Kale taught me how to make it."

"Kale? That's an unusual name. Male, right?"

"Definitely male," Jordan replied. "He's my best friend in the world, and my surrogate little brother. He's such a sweet guy. He's kind and considerate. We actually shared a house together for a couple of years. For the longest time he was convinced he was in love with me, that is, until Andi came along."

"Andi? Pretty androgynous name. Male or female?"

"Andi is all girl. A very beautiful one at that, and smart too. She's a physicist. Andi, Kale and I all worked together at the lab." Jordan smiled wistfully as she thought about her friends.

Maggie touched Jordan's hand. "You haven't seen them in a while, I take it?"

Jordan pushed her food around on the plate as she shook her head. "I didn't realize until now how much I would miss them."

"Well, maybe we can invite them to visit, do you think?"

Jordan looked at Maggie and smiled. "Maybe," she replied.

Maggie took a bite of sausage. "Oh, when I came back from the north pasture, I noticed you found my saddle. Where was it?"

"Actually, Mags, I didn't find it. It was right where you always put it."

"No way! I swear to you, Jordan, it was not there when I went to saddle Shawny this morning."

"Well, for what's it worth, I believe you," Jordan replied.

"So who would have taken it? And who brought it back?" Maggie asked.

"I'm guessing it was Jan," Jordan said. "John is on vacation until after the holidays and she's the only other one around beside you and me."

"What would she want with my saddle?"

"That's just what I was trying to find out when you interrupted us a while ago."

"Jordan, what I interrupted was some type of confrontation. I'm not blind, you know. I could have sworn Jan was dealing okay with the breakup. Wanna tell me what you were discussing?"

Jordan sat back in her chair. "Nothing, really. I was just making sure she and I understood one another."

Maggie narrowed her eyes at Jordan. "Why don't I believe you?"

Jordan stood and collected their dishes, then placed an inviting kiss on Maggie's lips. "Trust me, sweetheart. I'm just looking out for things, especially for you."

"I don't need looking out for, Jordan. I'm a big girl and I can take care of myself."

Jordan carried the coffee pot back to the table and refilled their cups. "I'm sure you can, sweetie, but it never hurts to have help." Jordan returned the coffee pot to the hot plate. "Tell me about your ride this morning. How are the horses?"

"Oh, I stopped at the new barn to check on the foals. They are doing really well…"

Jordan sat down and enjoyed her coffee as Maggie talked excitedly about the foals, the farm and life in general. For Maggie's benefit, she maintained the smile on her face, but inside, she was seething.

Jan, I won't let you screw this up. That is a promise, she thought fervently.

* * *

Maggie sat at the kitchen table studying several official-looking documents. As she read, she jotted notes on a pad of paper nearby. Her attention was suddenly drawn to the sound of stamping feet on the porch just outside the kitchen door.

Jordan pushed the kitchen door open and stepped inside. "Damn, it's colder than a witch's tit out there," she cussed as she bent over to remove her boots.

Maggie chuckled. "And just how cold is a witch's tit, my love?" she asked coyly.

"Cold enough to produce milkshakes." Jordan grinned. "Sometimes I think your parents have the right idea. Florida in January sounds like a wonderful thing."

Jordan hung her coat on one of the hooks by the door then rubbed her hands together as she approached Maggie. She stood behind her and looked over her shoulder.

"What are you reading?" she asked.

Maggie glanced up at Jordan. "I'm just reviewing the Planning Commission guidelines before I draft the proposal for the riding school," she explained, returning her attention to the documents.

"I can imagine there will be a lot of rules and regulations we'll have to follow and safety upgrades to make the farm safe and suitable for the kids," Jordan predicted.

"I'm afraid you're right. The problem I'm having, though, is trying to put limits on the definition of handicapped, one that doesn't exclude too many of the more disabled children. I really don't want to limit any child with a disability from taking lessons, but I guess it will be unavoidable if we can't make it totally safe for them."

Jordan leaned over Maggie as she read and nuzzled her cold nose into Maggie's neck.

"Yeeow!" Maggie screamed as she squirmed away. "Your nose is cold."

Jordan laughed evilly as she shoved her cold hands into the neckline of Maggie's shirt.

Maggie jumped up from the table. "Jordan Lewis," she shouted. "Stop that."

Jordan adopted an apologetic look on her face as she opened her arms for Maggie. "I'm sorry love. Come here and I'll make it up to you."

Maggie cautiously stepped into the circle of Jordan's arms and allowed herself to be embraced lovingly. After a few moments, she relaxed and returned the hug.

Without warning, Jordan pulled Maggie's shirt up and planted her cold hands on the middle of the redhead's back.

"Ah," Maggie protested as she wiggled out of Jordan's embrace. "Why you little shit," she yelled.

Jordan grinned. "Uh, oh. Time for a hasty retreat."

She turned and made a quick exit into the living room with Maggie hot on her tail. Once in the living room, she threw herself on the couch and put her arms up to protect herself as Maggie grabbed a throw pillow and pummeled her with it. In between hits, Jordan managed to work a pillow out from behind her to enter into the battle. Before long they were both on their feet and engaged in a full-fledged pillow fight. Many minutes later, laughing so hard their sides hurt, the two women dropped side-by-side onto the couch.

Jordan moved to the end of the couch and half-reclined. She beckoned to Maggie. "Come here, you."

Maggie eagerly dove into Jordan's arms. They lay there entwined with Maggie's cheek resting on Jordan's chest.

"Hmm, this feels good," Maggie cooed. "I love listening to your heart beat."

Jordan kissed the top of Maggie's head. "It beats only for you, love."

"How is it that you so easily walked into my life and stole my heart?" Maggie asked.

"Actually, I didn't walk into your life, I transported into it. You see, I'm really a scientist from the future and I traveled here via a time machine to intentionally invade your life," Jordan replied.

Maggie raised her head and looked directly into Jordan's eyes. She smiled widely. "You are such a kook sometimes," she exclaimed. She leaned in and kissed Jordan on the nose, then laid her head back onto Jordan's chest. "Don't ever change, sweetheart. I love you just the way you are."

* * *

Maggie and Jordan chose to spend a cold winter evening reading in bed. Maggie lowered the book she was reading into her lap and looked at Jordan sitting in bed beside her. "Jordan?"

Jordan looked away from her book. "Yeah?"

"Will you marry me?"

Jordan's head snapped back. She was clearly surprised by Maggie's unexpected question and was left speechless.

"Don't look so shocked."

"Ah… ah… ah… I'm sorry. Your question just took me by surprise," Jordan replied.

"I don't know why it should. I mean you've been here for five months now, right? I don't know about you, but I pretty much felt the attraction the minute I set eyes on you."

Jordan nodded. "I think I was in love with you before I met you," she said.

Maggie placed her hand on Jordan's arm and playfully pushed her away. "Get out of here," she exclaimed. "How could you possibly love me before you met me?"

"Let's just say an angel visited me in my sleep. She had wild curly red hair, and looked an awful lot like you. She told me everything about you. I couldn't help but fall in love the moment I saw you."

Maggie smiled. Try as she might, she could not take her eyes from Jordan. "Jordan, I love you so much. I have never felt this way about anyone before. I can't begin to tell you what your smile does to me. There are so many emotions that run through me when you look at me. It seems that you can see deep into my soul."

Jordan reached forward to cup Maggie's face between her hands. She placed a delicate kiss on her lips. "I am so glad you love me, Mags. I have wanted this for so long. You have no idea what I've been through to get here."

Maggie smiled and blinked rapidly to clear her vision that had become cloudy with unshed tears of joy. "I do love you, Jord. I love you beyond anything in my life's experience. I want so badly to be the object of your desire, your partner in heart and in soul. I dream of a life together in body, in spirit, and in name."

Jordan took Maggie's hand and raised it to her lips then kissed her open palm. She felt Maggie quiver as she looked into her eyes. "I want to share your life, my love. I want to laugh with you and cry with you. I want to help you achieve everything you ever wanted in life. I want to be by your side through all the good things, and the bad things too. I want to spend every day of the rest of my life looking into your beautiful green eyes, even when we're old and gray and rocking beside each other in our chairs on the front porch, even when we have just one tooth between us and you have to change my diapers. If that isn't love, I don't know what is."

Maggie wiped an errant tear from the corner of her eye as she laughed at the verbal picture Jordan had painted with her words. "You are such a goofball sometimes. So, as one member of the mutual admiration society to another, does that mean you'll marry me?"

Jordan grinned. "Yes, my love. I'll marry you."

Maggie squealed with delight as she threw her book on the bedside table and stood on the bed. She danced around joyously as Jordan laughed.

"Now who's the goofball?" Jordan exclaimed.

Maggie threw herself at Jordan and straddled her lap. She took Jordan's face between her hands and kissed her soundly. "I love you so much, Jordan. Thank you for loving me, too."

"That is so easy to do, Maggie. I was gone the first time you visited me in my dreams."

Maggie looked confused. "You are a complicated woman, Jordan. You talk in riddles sometimes. I realize there are things about you I don't know, but my heart is telling me to trust you anyway."

Jordan nodded. "Thank you, my love."

Maggie grinned. "I'll call the justice of the peace tomorrow and…"