LITMIR.BIZ

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foreman, Ollie Morton, had planned to retire at the end of the month but he agreed to stay until Margaret could hire a replacement.

      Sophie let herself into the cabin. No welcoming aromas from a cooked dinner filled the air. The hum of the refrigerator cut off, leaving the house silent. Sophie loved being with the horses, but she needed a maid. Or someone to take care of the mundane things like fixing dinner and washing her clothes. In the army, she had three square meals a day and clean clothes.

      She pulled a frozen dinner out of the freezer compartment and popped it into the microwave. What had the women a hundred years ago done after a long day of working on the farm? The phone rang the same instant the microwave dinged. She picked up the wall phone. “Hello.”

      “You’re a miracle worker, Sophie,” Beth gushed.

      “I wish.”

      “You don’t know how hard I had to argue with Zach this morning. I had almost given up when I told him that his heart wanted to be back on a horse. And then I prayed under my breath.” She laughed. “I’m surprised I didn’t have a wreck on the way to the stable. Every time I stopped at a light, I closed my eyes and prayed.”

      “Well, your prayers were answered.”

      “Oh, Sophie, I thought it was all over when Zach tripped. I wanted to die.”

      “I’m glad you were strong, Beth. He had to face the truth that he needs to rebuild his strength.”

      “You’re right. I tell you the first time I saw him without his foot and on crutches, I wanted to break down and cry.”

      “He needs you to treat him as you always have—like a pain-in-the-neck big brother. He’s the same man.”

      Beth remained quiet.

      “He needs that consistency. He needs to know that the essence of the man Zach was is still there, and his family still sees the old Zach.”

      Sophie thought she’d gone too far, but she heard Beth sigh. “You’re right. And he’s coming tomorrow to ride.”

      Sophie heard the tears clogging Beth’s throat.

      “This afternoon when I walked into the tack room and saw him, I didn’t know what to think. I know some demons were defeated in that room today.”

      “Mom and Dad are excited and want to come and help.”

      News in the McClure family traveled fast. She wished it were the same in her family. Her mother hadn’t talked to her grandmother in over fifteen years, and they both lived in the same little town of twenty-four hundred people. “Let’s give him a few times before he has an audience, okay? I don’t know how things are going to go tomorrow, and I think if Zach doesn’t have an audience, it will be easier.”

      “I hadn’t thought about it. I’ll call them.”

      “I do have a bone to pick with you, friend.”

      “Oh?”

      “Why did you tell Zach I had a crush on him in college?” When he’d thrown that out at her, Sophie didn’t know how to answer. Sure she’d been attracted to the handsome cowboy. His loose-hipped walk and cocky grin appealed to anyone with two X chromosomes. And she fell into that category.

      “Hmm, I thought it would ease him into the situation. It certainly gave him something to think about besides his discomfort.”

      It had done that. “I think we have Andy to thank for our success. And your prayers.”

      “Will you let me know how the session goes tomorrow?” Beth asked.

      “You’re not coming with Zach?”

      “No. I’ll let Ethan do it instead of me. He’ll be more help than I could be.”

      “Okay. I’ll give you a call.”

      After hanging up, Sophie took her dinner out of the microwave. Settling at the kitchen table, she pulled her Bible toward her and opened it up to the book of Psalms. The twenty-third Psalm was her favorite. The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.

      In high school, her best friend’s family were shepherds. She’d had some wonderful insight as to how the author of the Psalm felt. Her friend explained how they were responsible to move the sheep from one pasture to the next where there was abundant grass. The sheep didn’t move until the shepherd led them to another place.

      “Okay, Lord, You’ve led me here. Help tomorrow to meet Zach’s needs.”

      At seven the next morning Sophie walked out to the stable, heading for the office.

      “Want some coffee?” she called out to Ollie who was inspecting all the horses’ tack.

      “Sure. Bring it black, none of that fancy stuff,” Ollie answered.

      “Fancy stuff?”

      “Cream and sugar.”

      “And do you eat your steak still mooing?” she retorted.

      “Is there any other way?”

      Sophie grinned. She walked into the office and poured two mugs of coffee. Ollie always started a pot of coffee when he arrived at the ranch. She opened the mini-fridge, pulled out her favorite French vanilla creamer and poured it in her mug. When she carried the mugs outside and gave Ollie his coffee, he glanced at the brown coffee in her mug and shook his head.

      “Sissy.”

      She shrugged her shoulder. Looking out over the rings, and hearing the morning sounds, Sophie knew this was where she belonged.

      “You’re going to miss this when you retire, Ollie.” She took a sip of her coffee.

      “Nope. I’m going to sleep in until seven and get up and spend hours reading the newspaper.”

      “Fibber.”

      He simply grinned.

      “Will you help me this morning with the rider who’s coming?”

      “Sure. Who’s comin’?”

      “Zach McClure.”

      “Ah, the guy with the fake foot.”

      She winced. Ollie didn’t pull any punches, but there was not a mean bone in his body. “He was a wonderful rider. Watching him ride…” She could still remember how awed she’d been watching him practice calf roping. “It’s like he was born on a horse.” She heard the wistfulness in her voice.

      Ollie’s mug stopped inches from his mouth.

      Sophie realized her feelings colored her comments. “Zach’s sister was my roommate in college,” she hurried to explain. “I went home with her several times. She was with him yesterday.”

      Ollie took a swallow of his coffee. “I saw him when he was a teenager. He had a talent.”

      “Really?”

      “Best I’d seen up ’til that time.”

      Then Ollie would understand. “He lost his foot when a roadside bomb caught his patrol in Baghdad.” She looked down into her coffee. “I think that talent awoke yesterday. He’s willing to work to get stronger.”

      Ollie nodded. “My son was in the First Gulf War. He needed help when he came home. I’ll do it.”

      Those were the most words that Ollie had spoken since she knew him. And she never knew he had a son. Maybe Zach’s rehab would touch more than Zach himself.

      She heard a car pull into the parking lot. It was seven-thirty.

      “Looks like your client is here,” he murmured, looking down at his watch. “And I think he’s eager.”

      She prayed Ollie was right.

      Chapter Three

      Ethan

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