Blue Haven (Sunshine & Shadow Book 1) (3 page)

Lex reached up
slowly and stroked Triumph’s nose. He spoke so quietly his voice was almost
lost in the gentle wind. “Hey there, boy. I didn’t mean to scare you. Yeah,
there’s a good boy. But you forgive me, don’t ya?” Triumph snorted and sprayed
green slime all over Lex’s hand. Lex laughed. “I’ll take that as a yes. Good
boy.”

April gathered
Triumph’s reins and said, “Careful.” She pulled herself into the saddle with a
grace accomplished through years and years of experience. Taking a deep breath
and squeezing her calves gently she made a clicking sound with her tongue and
Triumph walked on, around the pen.

Lex watched her
move the horse from a walk, to a trot, to a lope and back down to a trot. He
watched her do figure 8 patterns in the small pen to crossover leg yields from
one side to the other.

“Can you move the
panels, please,” April asked him.

Lex snorted. “Yeah
right. Those things? They’re filthy. Don’t you have Caleb and Kip for that?”

“I didn’t ask
Caleb or Kip. I asked you.” April bit her tongue. This man was so pampered. For
a second, April had seen hope for him on the ranch because of the way he had
spoken to Triumph. But perhaps he was a lost cause.

Lex went to move
the panels. April focused on the horse, maneuvering him this way and that,
using her legs and doing small circles with a touch of her hand. When the last
panel was against the fence she asked the horse to stop.

“Thank you. Now
please open the gate so I can put the horse away and give him a hose off.”

Lex didn’t scowl
this time and did what April asked. He went inside the lodge after closing the
gate behind her.

“We’ll get you all
cooled off, eh boy? Give you a nice big bucket of grain for being so good,
too.” April spoke to Triumph as she removed his saddle and sopping-wet blanket.
She swung it up on the fence to dry and the horse snorted and jumped. April
sighed. The incident seemed to have set him back at least a couple of months.
He had been doing so well.

April grabbed a
dandy brush from the tack room and ran it over Triumph’s shiny, red coat. His
chest and neck were still sticky with sweat and she grabbed the hose. She
rubbed the cold water into his coat and let her hands run down each of his
legs.

Her hand came away
crimson.

Blood. And not
just a little.

April hurried to
shut off the water and grabbed a towel from the tack room. Triumph had cut the
inside of his leg somehow in his panic in the arena. She hadn’t noticed it. The
area around the wound was hot and swelling fast.

“Everything okay?”
Caleb asked, coming out of the barn.

April shook her
head and showed him her red hand. “He’s hurt. Can you help me?”

Caleb leaned the
pitchfork he was carrying against the barn and hurried to April’s side. “Bad?”

“Bad enough.”

“How’d he do it?
The inside of his leg, I mean.” He untied the horse.

April stood up and
looked into the arena behind them. As she scanned her eyes fell on a broken
board at the far end. She pointed. “There. He must have put his foot through
the board and cut himself pulling it out. Everyone was too busy with Lex to
notice.” She snarled the name and gritted her teeth.

“He’ll need a cold
hose to bring that swelling down before we wrap it. At least twenty minutes,”
Caleb said.

“I’ll do it.”
April reached for the rope.

Caleb shook his
head. “No, I’ll do it. Or Hailey will do it. Not you. Go inside; you’re
exhausted.”

Once Caleb pointed
it out, the fatigue started to hit April. Her legs felt like jelly and her eyes
were heavy. She nodded. “Thanks,” she said.

Wandering inside,
she slipped her boots off and was met at the door by Kip. He reached out and
pulled her into a hug.

She laughed.
“What’s with you today? You’ve seen me work with horses more dangerous than
Triumph.”

“Not for a while,”
Kip said. “But that’s not why I’m hugging you.” He squeezed her tighter and put
his lips next to her ear. “Lex is telling everyone that he knew right away the
horse wasn’t dangerous and that you were simply making a big deal out of the
situation.”

Suddenly April
wasn’t tired anymore. She pulled away from Kip. “He’s saying what?”

She shoved past
Kip and rushed into the lodge. Lex sat surrounded by his entourage and Hailey.

“Honestly, a child
could ride that horse. Next time, I’d like something with a little bit more
...” Lex searched for the word. “Pep.”

Hearing this,
April felt almost blinded by anger. How dare this man come into her home and
tell everyone that she overreacted when he almost ruined a horse that she had
spent months trying to fix. If someone didn’t hold her back, she was going to
hit him.

“You want a horse
with more pep?” April stopped in her stride and glared at Lex, daring him to
continue.

Lex jumped to his
feet and Cash immediately placed himself between his brother and April.

“Darlin’, there’s
really no problem here.” Cash’s voice was as sweet as sugar. “If it doesn’t
work out, then no harm done.”

“No harm done? You
have no idea!” April yelled at Cash. “Your lie about how experienced Lex was
has set me back
months
with a horse I have
just
been able to get
through to! Now I have to spend even more time on Triumph, trying to fix what
you
just caused!”

“Look, sweetheart,
we get that you care about that animal, but your time shouldn’t really be an
issue here. We are happy to pay you for your time.”

April was fuming.
“
That animal?
It took me two months before
that animal
would even
let me touch him! Another two months before I could ride him and now because of
you
it’ll probably take another two months before he will actually trust
someone again.”

“April, calm
down,” Hailey said.

“Listen to your
friend, sweetie. Calm down.”

April turned her
hate-filled eyes back to Cash and her fist twitched. “You lied to us. You put
Hailey in danger. You put your own brother in danger. And on top of all that,
you’ve injured my horse. How can you stand there and tell me to calm down?”

Lex grabbed his
brother’s arm and pulled him out of the way. He looked down at April.

“What happened? He
was fine before.”

April was suddenly
more exhausted than she’d been in a long time. She felt defeated. “He put his
back leg through one of the boards in the arena. Because of you.”

Lex shook his
head. If April hadn’t known better, she might have said he looked genuinely
concerned. “We’ll pay. We’ll pay for the vet bills.”

Anger flared again
but quickly resided. “Pay? You think I want your money? That’s all it ever is
with you people. Money. It’s not about the money. It’s never about the money.”

Lex looked
helpless. “What can I do?”

“Nothing,” April
said. “You’ve done enough.” She turned on her heel and passed her father in the
doorway.

“What’s going on?”
he asked.

She glared over
her shoulder, fighting back tears. “Why don’t you ask them?”

April shoved past
him and rushed up into her room where she collapsed on the bed in tears. It had
been an exhausting, overwhelming day. She was thankful that Caleb had taken
care of Triumph; she didn’t think her legs could hold her up any longer. Part
of her knew she should be with Triumph, in case he freaked out about anything,
but she was just too tired to get up. She scrubbed her eyes and sniffled. She
hated crying. She felt like such a child when she let her emotions get out of
control.

A knock on her
door made her jump.

It was Kip. “Can I
come in, April?”

He poked his head
around the door frame and hurried to her when he saw that she was crying. He
slid onto the bed beside her and pulled her into his arms. April let her head fall
against Kip’s chest and heaved a great sigh, feeling a fresh wave of sobs about
to erupt in her throat.

“Caleb told me
about Triumph. Do you think he’ll be okay?”

April sniffed. “I
think so, but it’s the training he’s going to need that is getting to me. I
have no time as it is. And they don’t even care.”

“I thought you got
through to him just now? I thought you fixed it.”

April shook her
head. “I managed to catch him and calm him down, but I didn’t fix anything. You
should have seen him, Kip.”

Kip kissed April’s
forehead. “We’ll get through it.”

“I’m just so
angry. I don’t think I’ve been this mad before. How could anyone be so
inconsiderate and heartless?”

“You have to
realize that they don’t know any different. They don’t understand. They’ve
lived their entire lives thinking that money can fix everything. Maybe they’ll
learn something while they are here. Maybe you can show them the amazing
relationships we can build with a horse if we try.”

April knew Kip was
right. She shouldn’t blame them. But the anger inside her was still strong.
Even if Kip was right, she hated all of them.

April fell asleep
that night in Kip’s arms. She was still exhausted when she woke up wrapped
around him under the duvet. She shifted and felt him wake.

This wasn’t the
first time Kip had spent the night in April’s bed, or vice versa. April found
comfort in Kip’s arms. It was almost like he was a human dream catcher; he kept
the nightmares away. Their relationship had been purely platonic, but they were
both continuously hassled by Hailey and Caleb about how perfect they were for
each other. Sometimes April saw it, too.

“Morning,” she
grumbled, attempting to smooth her knotty hair and wishing she had remembered
to take her makeup off before falling asleep. Her mascara was probably all over
her cheeks.

“Morning. Heading
out today, I guess, eh?”

April groaned.
“This is gonna be a disaster. What horse do we put Lex on? He’s a complete
beginner, Kip. And I’m assuming Cash and Gretchen are too.”

“I can help. It’s
what I’m here for. We’ll figure it out.”

After an awkward
and quiet breakfast, April hurried to the barn while everyone else packed the
wagon. Her dad drove the team of Belgian pulling horses along with the ride to
carry all the tents and supplies so as not to weigh the other horses down. Camp
life was a simple life, as the Coopers tried to be as authentic as possible for
the city-folk that usually attended, but everyone got three square meals a day
and a pillow to rest their head on at night.

The barn was filled
with the usual, comfortable quiet that made April relax all the way down to her
toes. She made her way to Chinook’s stall, admiring the way Caleb had swept the
floor to make it look like it hadn’t been swept at all. Chinook was, as usual,
happy to see her. The gelding’s small brown and white head turned towards her
as she approached and he welcomed her with a soft nicker.

“How’s my handsome
boy?” April cooed as she unbolted the door and stepped inside. She clipped the
lead rope to Chinook’s halter and led him slowly from the stall. As she groomed
him in the aisle she spoke to him about the day ahead. She always spoke to her
horse when no-one else was around. She didn’t think he minded. In fact, often
when she stopped speaking he would lift his head and snort as if in complaint.

April threw her
saddle over Chinook’s muscular back, did up her cinch and fastened her breast
collar. She hooked her bridle on her saddle horn and led the horse from the
barn.

Caleb and Kip had
already begun tacking up the other horses when April tied Chinook to the
hitching rail. A tap on her shoulder startled her.

Lex stood behind
her, a hesitant smile playing on his lips. “Hi,” he said, quietly.

April turned back
to her horse. “What do you need?”

“Nothing, I...um,
well I wanted to apologize. You know, for yesterday.”

April nodded and
didn’t say anything. She kept her back to him.

Lex stepped around
Chinook. “Seriously, I am sorry.”

April bent down
and picked the dirt from her horse’s hooves.

“Why aren’t you
saying anything?”

“I guess I don’t
really know what you’re apologizing for, Lex.” April turned around. “For
causing the injury? Oh no, maybe for telling everyone that I overreacted? How
about possibly ruining one of my horses just so you wouldn’t have to admit you
didn’t know how to ride? Or
maybe
you’re apologizing for lying to us all
in the first place!” She turned her back on him and stomped into the tack room.
She felt like a child—but didn’t care.

Why on earth was
she so furious? She’d had guests lie about their experience levels before.
Maybe it was because it had affected Triumph. Maybe because Lex had seemed so
callous. There was something about this spoiled, uncaring, unappreciative...

“April, don’t just
walk away!”

“I’m done talking
to you. If you need help with something, go ask Caleb.”

April grabbed her
saddle bag and filled it with the hoof pick, a first aid kit, gloves, a spare
cinch and a bottle of water. Her phone was attached to her belt and her jacket
was already tied to the back of her saddle.

Lex stood in her
way as she tried to go back out to the hitching rail.

“Get out of my
way, Lex!”

He didn’t move. “I
know you think I’m a horrible guy and that I don’t care about the horse, but
that’s not it, okay? I’m sorry about the horse. I’m sorry for saying you overreacted.
I’m sorry for whatever Cash told you guys about my riding experience but if you
think you have me all figured out then you are wrong!”

“I don’t think I
have you all figured out, Lex; I
know
I have you all figured out. I know
exactly who you are. I’ve met a lot of people like you, who expect to get
everything without having to lift a finger. You’re spoiled and unappreciative,
and you don’t care about anyone but your...”

Lex planted his
lips on April’s and cut off her rant.

April sucked in
her breath and bit down on Lex’s bottom lip as hard as she could. She
immediately tasted blood and her vindictive side smiled.

She pushed Lex off
her and watched a bead of blood run down his mouth. He touched his lip and
winced. April clenched her fists and spat words in his face.

“What the hell was
that?”

He shrugged, still
holding his finger to the cut on his bottom lip.

“You wouldn’t shut
up,” he said.

Anger danced in April’s
mind. “Oh, you are such a...a...” She struggled for words. His kiss really had
rendered her almost speechless and he was laughing about it! The nerve!

She didn’t know
what to say to him. She couldn’t find the right words in her mind. His eyes
locked with hers. Sudden desire sparked inside her and she flung herself into
his arms.

Their lips found
each other again. She closed her eyes and the kiss made her head spin. He
smelled like peppermint, with a hint of spice, like cinnamon. His mouth was
soft but pressed firmly against hers. Their lips moved effortlessly together,
like they were made to fit, lock and key. She didn’t dare move. She almost
didn’t want the moment to end, though she knew it had to.

She didn’t know
what it was about Lex. From the first moment she saw him, there was something
different about his eyes. They were deep, mysterious, yet open. Like a cave. If
you were willing to take the risk and explore, there was so much to discover.

April was still
angry, though. She felt herself leaning away from him but Lex grabbed her waist
tighter, pulled her in against his tall, solid body and her anger melted.

“Shh ...” he
murmured against her cheek. She couldn’t breathe, let alone move or speak.
Slowly, as if his every move was being carefully monitored, he reached up. His
fingertips touched her cheek, as gentle as a rose petal, as if he thought she
was fragile and would break. He traced a soft line from her temple to her jaw
and tucked a strand of flyaway hair behind her ear.

April swallowed
and found her voice. She began to speak again, and he entwined his fingers in
her hair and made a fist, forcing her to catch her breath.

“I said, shh.” He
kissed her again.

This time all
softness was gone. Passion overflowed and he released her hair to grip her
waist. She wound her fingers in his hair and tried to pull him closer. Their
lips moved in synchronicity, fast and furious
. His lips were
strong and solid; there was no tenderness left. Like fire, their lips danced
together, making April’s heart flutter and chills ran up and down her spine.

She could feel
Lex, she could taste him. Even though they hadn’t kissed before, he knew what
to do. He knew where to touch and what to say. He pulled her closer, held her
tighter, as if this were the first and last time they would ever touch. April
fought for control, her mind branding the memory into her soul.

The kiss turned
tender and gentle. It was magic, the way their lips connected. It felt right to
April, and somehow, among all of the dizziness, something inside her changed,
never to be reversed. This new feeling could be dwelled upon later. For now,
she was content to feel his breath come and go with hers.

A door slammed and
the two jumped apart. April’s cheeks flamed. What was she doing? She didn’t
even know this man. And what she did know, she definitely didn’t like. She
ignored the burning desire in her stomach and turned from the tack room,
avoiding Lex’s eyes and rushing past him before he could reach out and stop
her. She felt her eyes fill with tears at her own stupidity as she grabbed
Chinook from the hitching rail and hurried from the corral before Lex had even
come outside.

Day one.

The group found
the cows and rounded them up, leisurely riding through the fields to get to the
property line. The cows were used to the routine. They knew where to go and the
task was easy and slightly boring for April and the other wranglers. But for
Lex and his entourage, it was exactly what they had been hoping for. April
couldn’t help but smile at their enjoyment.

She watched a deer
jump leisurely over a fence by the tree line and knew they were almost on crown
land. The day was bright, with a calm, cool breeze moving the dark trees. It
was warm enough for a light jacket, yet still cool enough to give the horses
energy. April loved days like this and always enjoyed the first trips of the
season.

An eagle soared
gracefully over the forest heights and called out to its mate. Stretching out
his long wings, he beat the air before finding another pocket and gliding in
the clouds, effortlessly. April watched him with admiration and a touch of
jealousy. There he was, up in the sky, alone except for the sounds of the wind
and the company of silent birds like hawks and whiskey jacks, and here she was,
riding in a group of city slickers, doing everything in her power to avoid Lex.

By the time the
group had reached the first night’s campsite, the sun was setting. They hadn’t
left the ranch as early as they usually did and hadn’t made as much progress as
her dad had hoped. He grumbled about it while taking the harness and wagon off
the two pulling horses. April kept her head down and helped untack the other
horses and turn them into the paddock that Kip and Caleb had built the previous
fall. She was doing everything in her power not to be alone with Lex, which
wasn’t difficult. Hailey did a brilliant job of keeping him entertained.

By nine o’clock,
April was able to slip off into her tent and go to bed. She snuggled into her
sleeping bag and listened to everyone else by the fire, laughing and singing
along to Lex on the guitar. He really did have an amazing voice, somehow even
better without the other instruments and electronic sounds.

Lulled to sleep by
the strumming of the old Gibson, April drifted into a restless slumber.

A sound woke her a
few hours later and she listened. She could hear the rustling of the wind in
the leaves. An owl howled nearby and in the distance, a lone coyote yipped to
the world. She smiled. Nights like these made her glad she had endured the
boring trek out here. It was a small price to pay, putting up with city-folk,
for the heaven of the wilderness.

A stick cracked
outside. April sat up in her sleeping bag. She doubted a wild animal would come
into camp but it had happened before and the tanned canvas tent covers wouldn’t
be much protection against a bear or a cougar looking for food.

The fire still
glowed in the fire pit and April could see the silhouette of a person
illuminated through the tent wall. She breathed a sigh and checked her watch;
3:12 am. Only three hours until morning.

April slipped
slowly from her sleeping bag and slid her boots onto her cold feet, stepping
outside. The moon shone bright and alone in the sky. April admired the strength
it held, breaking through the darkness and illuminating the world, all on its
own. The stars were weak tonight but the moon was strong and clear.

Kip sat by the
fire and turned around when April approached.

“Hey,” April said,
sitting down beside him and pulling her jacket tighter around her shoulders.
The wind had a nip to it.

“Hey.” Kip’s eyes
were hidden in the shadows of his black cowboy hat. His shoulders were tight.

“Couldn’t sleep?”

He shook his head.

April laid her
head against Kip’s arm and snuggled closer to him. Kip was one of the happiest
people she knew. But he was forever plagued with nightmares that reflected his
childhood fears. Kip had never known his father, and he’d had many step-fathers
over the years. His mother had been a drug addict and a terrible role model.
April hadn’t heard specifics of what had happened to Kip, but she knew what
state he had been in when he first started working at Blue Haven.

The fire in the
rock pit danced in front of them, after roaring back to life under Kip’s
poking. Each flame chased the one in front of it through the gaps in the wood,
burning holes and eating the blackness as it went. April watched the orange tango
and let her eyes drift shut, warmed by the heat of Kip’s body next to her. He
turned his face and kissed her forehead.