LITMIR.BIZ

      I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you…

      —Ephesians 1:18

      To the men and women of the U.S. Military, all current and former members. Thank you for your service to this country.

      Acknowledgments

      I want to thank:

      Brenda Rozinsky and Ariane Mele at Equest Therapeutic Horsemanship Ranch for their help.

      Donald R. Cummings at Scottish Rite Hospital in Dallas for his generous time and explaining to me how prosthesis limbs work.

      Theresa Zumwalt and Jane Graves for your insight with horses.

      Contents

      Chapter One

      Chapter Two

      Chapter Three

      Chapter Four

      Chapter Five

      Chapter Six

      Chapter Seven

      Chapter Eight

      Chapter Nine

      Chapter Ten

      Chapter Eleven

      Chapter Twelve

      Chapter Thirteen

      Chapter Fourteen

      Epilogue

      Letter to Reader

      Questions for Discussion

      Chapter One

      Zachary McClure closed his eyes and breathed in the calming and familiar smells of the barn—horses, grains, leather and liniment. He hadn’t smelled anything that comforting in the past four years. Dust, diesel and fear had filled his days in Iraq. Disinfectant, moans and sickness had filled his last year in the hospital. The smell of horses took him back to pre-army days. That was before—

      He stopped the thought. He couldn’t change the past.

      “You all right?”

      Zach opened his eyes and looked into his sister’s concerned face. Beth had always looked up to him, but lately they argued a lot. He hadn’t wanted to come today, didn’t want to face the ghosts of his past and the limitations of today, but she kept badgering him with phone calls and coming by his apartment, telling him he needed to start riding again. He tried sending her home, but somehow she got him to agree to come once here to the New Hope Ranch.

      “I am.”

      “C’mon. My friend Sophie is waiting for us.” Beth linked her arm with his and started moving forward. “You remember her? She was my roommate in college.”

      He definitely remembered Sophie Powell. The weekend Beth brought Sophie home he’d been thunderstruck by the coltish girl. She wasn’t model-beautiful, but there’d been a beauty about her. It had been her eyes, piercing blue. And her smile set him back on his heels. She had a crooked nose with freckles scattered across it and her cheeks. But that only added to her beauty. “I remember,” he muttered. Only too well, he silently added.

      Beth leaned close and whispered, “I think she had a crush on you.”

      “What?” Zach’s head jerked around and his gaze clashed with Beth’s. Her grin told him she was teasing him. Yet, there was a twinkle in her eye that made him wonder if maybe it was true.

      “And she’s ex-army, too.”

      This had the smell of a setup.

      They walked down through the walkway between the stable and the office. Children’s voices filled the air with laughter and excitement.

      When they emerged, he could see the two practice rings. In the far ring a horse with its rider and two spotters moved around the enclosure. On the far side of the rings stood bleachers where three people sat, watching. In front of the closest ring, a woman knelt before a horse. A young boy, maybe six or seven, stood beside her.

      “Will he bite?” the boy asked, eyeing the reddish-brown horse.

      “No, she won’t. You should give it a try. Samantha, or as we call her, Sam, is very gentle.”

      Zach remembered that low, rich voice. Sophie’s. He often wondered what had become of his sister’s college roommate and had wanted to ask, but that would’ve given his sis ideas.

      Sophie held an apple in her hand. “Put your hand out,” she instructed, “and I’ll give you the apple.”

      The boy frowned at Sophie, then at the apple.

      “You sure? I saw the b-i-g teeth.” The boy kept his hand clenched in a fist.

      Zach felt a smile bubble up, but he knew Sophie wouldn’t appreciate his reaction.

      She nodded. “I’m sure. Sam’s my friend. She can be your friend, too.”

      The boy glanced around and saw Zach and Beth.

      Without thinking, Zach walked over to the pair and took the apple from Sophie’s hand. Her startled gaze locked with his. The connection was instantaneous and well remembered. Silently, he asked her permission.

      Her nod was almost imperceptible.

      Zach hooked his cane over his left forearm and put the apple into his right hand.

      “You need to make sure your hand is flat. It makes it easier for the horse to get the apple if

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