BrokenHearted Read online

  Mr. James used to help on location, but he hasn’t been able to in quite a while. And Mrs. James couldn’t see them in harm’s way. She helped tend to them by riding and doing other things that were just as important.

  Normally, I meet Jackie at her house, and we drive together to the James’ Stables, but today, she’s getting me. She is coming my direction, and far be it for me to question her. Been there, done that.

  On the ride to her stables, I ask her for details about Trevor. Of course, my aunt is one of those people who does not give out extra information.

  “What do you know about the James’?’’”

  “The James’ or the young doctor?”

  “Does it matter?”

  “I have been friends with Margaret, Trevor’s mom, for years. Her husband too. They have owned the James’ Stables for as long as I can remember. His parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents all owned it before him.”

  “So it’s a family business. Do you know why Trevor didn’t want to do what they had always done?”

  “Yeah, he wanted to be a doctor. Then he wasn’t around much. That was kind of a stupid question, Ry.”

  “Is that the only reason? Nothing else that you know of? I mean why would he stay gone?” I ask waiting for her to answer me.

  “Only reason I know of is he got into trouble with some little gal when he was in high school. Word had it that was he had knocked her up.”

  I sit in silence waiting for her to finish.

  “And?”

  “And nothing.”

  “So what happened?”

  “I think that is something for another person to tell. I don’t gossip, Ryann, and you should be ashamed of yourself for prying. You know I don’t take a part in that.”

  I roll my eyes. “Please! You gossip. I hear you and Mother going on like a couple of hens in a hen house.”

  She grins but doesn’t make another comment. She leaves me to my thoughts. Trevor possibly has a child? And what happened to that girl?

  I stick my arm out the window, feeling the breeze while enjoying the warm weather that hadn’t yet reached its peak.

  *****

  Minutes later, we are standing in the stables, and I am taking orders from Jackie like I always do. She knows what needs to be done and has run over the duties with Mr. James. Jackie said that he wasn’t doing well at all, and sadly, she didn’t think he would ever recover. She seemed to be fond of Mr. and Mrs. James, enough to offer to help with the chores left over from the other stable hand. A lot of it was that Mr. James trusted Jackie and knew everything she did would be from her heart and not because she was out to make a buck. They had the same interest at heart.

  “Every horse on the right-hand side needs to be ridden today, Ryann. They all need baths, hooves cleaned, and brushed. Not to mention the anti-fly treatment.”

  “All right,” I answer. I know when I help her, it will be a lot of hard work, but I love it. It brings clarity to me.

  I start with my least favorite horse. Let’s just say he was more like Jackie than he was similar to me. Today, though, I have some frustration to work out, and if he is acting out of sorts, he will be messing with the wrong lady. Usually, Henry is the master at cowarding me into a corner due to his size, intimidating me along with refusing to do as I ask, but today, that it not going to happen. He was going to listen to me today and do as I ask him. Or I will damn well die trying.

  I retrieve his reins, bit, and bridle from the tack house and start to prepare him for our ride. He was already getting pissed and letting me know he wasn’t going to go easy on me.

  He is hesitant to the gear I am putting on; bending back his ears, he’s signaling to me that he is going to give me a run for my money.

  I hear a laugh and a grunt and turn around to see Trevor standing there watching me.

  “You need some help with that?”

  “With what?”

  “With that horse.”

  “No, I sure as hell don’t. Thank you, though.”

  I throw my leg over, securing myself in the saddle, and look back at him to smirk. I hate anyone to doubt me, and Henry was making me look like a fool. Well … not really. I was. Jackie had looked over a few times and smirked at me too. She always said I didn’t take control and the horses could tell.

  Jackie came walking around stomping with a rein in each hand.

  “Trevor, you want to do a lot more helping and a lot less talking?”

  “Ma’am?” He looked at her shocked.

  I click my heels against Henry’s sides, and he takes off in a slow but steady walk, resisting me but humoring me.

  It isn’t but a minute later when Trevor comes riding up behind me on a beautiful mare, Sunshine. She is my personal favorite, and I am jealous that he’s riding her.

  “Sure, you get the easy horse.” I smirk.

  “They are all easy if you know how to ride ‘em.”

  I halt Henry and look over at him. “Excuse me?”

  “You heard me.”

  “I have been riding horses all my life, Trevor.”

  “And so have I.”

  “Ha! From what I know, you couldn’t handle the stable life, so you took off to become a ‘college man.’” I quote with one hand while keeping my other hand on the reins.

  “You know nothing about me, Ryann. Check your facts before you start assuming I’m unaccustomed to this life. I have lived it my entire life.”

  “Sure, pretty hands.” I smirk and mean what I said. I notice things about men, and hands aside from teeth always stand out to me.

  I knew that would piss him off, and that was my goal. He took off on Sunshine as if he was racing for his life. Or running from me.

  I followed suit and caught up fairly quick. Henry seemed to love the speed. I just hoped that he would be kind enough not to throw me. I would have to break my arm again. At seventeen hands, he was larger than most horses I have ridden.

  Trevor tried to keep ahead of me enough so that he wouldn’t have to make conversation.

  When making it to the tank, he halts Sunshine, and I hesitatingly pull up beside him.

  “Sorry for my rude comment,” I apologize. I wasn’t sure why I was sorry, but I don’t like to intentionally hurt people, and my comment clearly upset him.

  “You didn’t say anything that everyone else hasn’t already said or commented who knew where I came from.”

  “Well … I’m not everybody, and I really just popped it off to get a rise out of you.”

  “It worked.” He smiles. And I return one of my own.

  “So she’s your favorite?” he asks.

  “Yes, she is.” I smile at her as if I was a mama proud of her baby. Sunshine had a hard life. She was abused, treated horribly, and then abandoned by her owner. Jackie helped bring her here and always checked on her even when Mr. James assured she was fine.

  “Mom said that she was in the worst condition she had ever seen when she was brought here,” Trevor said.

  “Yeah, that is what I heard too.”

  He was rubbing her mane, and Sunshine was closing her eyes enjoying it.

  “Do you like horses?” I asked.

  “Well … when I was younger, I didn’t. I thought my dad spent more time with them than with me … then I understood he was healing them… and a part of me became a doctor because of that. Healing someone is a gift. Of course, I didn’t realize that until much later.”

  “Yes, it sure is. Jackie bleeds horses. Her life has been horses.”

  “My parents have known her for as long as I can remember. But fortunately, they didn’t have to ask for help until Dad started to get sick.”

  “I only started to come out here a couple of months ago to help out.”

  “I should have been back here to help, but I couldn’t—”

  And he stares off into the distance lost in his thoughts.

  I take the chance to lighten the mood and head back toward the house, hoping he would consider my playfulne
ss and chase me.

  I heard nothing but the hooves of my horse and the wind in my ears as we raced back to the house. I loved every second of it, and I felt like Henry and I bonded for the first time. That damn horse. He seemed to be playing along.

  I stop outside the stables and tie him to the water and food trough to let him have a break before I wash him. Trevor gets off Sunshine and does the same for her.

  “Do you need any more help?”

  “Help? Or do you want me to show you how to do it properly?” I smartass back.

  He held out his hands for a minute, and I looked at him wondering what he was doing.

  “Touch them,” he demands.

  “I am not touching your hands, Trevor.”

  “That’s what I thought. You are a total shit talker.”

  “I already told you I was just kidding. Can’t you take a joke? Partly anyway. I’ve always heard that doctor’s hands are soft.” I start setting up everything to prepare for the washing.

  Trevor walks up to me and then places his hand on my arm, and I freeze.

  “Maybe, one day I can show …”

  And I stare at him as if I have just seen a ghost, not sure of my next move. He was flirting with me, and I was enjoying every minute of it. I wanted to close my eyes and scream yes, please, show me how your hands are soft. Instead, I am rendered speechless. He seems to be fighting with himself over his words, wanting to say them but resisting for some reason.

  “When you get done lollygagging, stuff needs to be done.” I hear Jackie, making sure I was aware of her presence.

  Trevor smiles and walks toward the house. I watch until he makes it to the porch.

  “Not interested, ah?” Jackie smirks, raising her eyebrow.

  “Can we just get to work?”

  “I have been working,” she announces before spraying me with the hose.

  “Looked like you needed some cooling off.” I look down at my shirt, drenched by the hose, and grin.

  Well played, Jackie.

  *****

  Trevor

  This morning, I didn’t have to be at St. Luke’s as early as I had been since living here, so I took advantage of it. I actually got a full night’s sleep, and it felt good. I even made time to check out the gym. Since moving back here, I had a pent-up anger that needed releasing.

  I walk into the gym with one thing on my mind. To run and hopefully, get the extra stress burned. Or try. After a workout, I always felt like I could think clearer, and I certainly needed that. I woke up this morning dreaming of one person. I tried to steer my brain in another direction but to no avail. Ryann.

  For the first night in as long as I could remember, I didn’t have a dream about Leah. I debated whether Ryann was going to mean something to me, or was she strategically placed in my life, yet it was hard to imagine why. Oh, ye of little faith.

  Only three people occupy the gym; each person in a different corner, two women and myself. One woman was running her heart out at a stride that I wasn’t even sure I could keep up with. She had her hair up, but that was about all I could see of her. That and her ass. And the thong that seemed to fit perfectly. I may not want relationships or, for that matter, friendships with women, but I still enjoyed their bodies.

  The other woman was dark headed and was walking concentrating on whatever talk show was playing.

  I pull my leg back one at a time to stretch before jumping on a treadmill and setting a goal for myself to meet without fail today. I needed it for my sanity. At least, then I know I would have tried everything.

  I push in my ear buds and started Metallica, feeling the drumbeat accelerating my heart beat. I took off in a slow jog and then ran for the next fifty minutes, not caring about anything. I ran longer than I had in a long time, clearing my mind. There wasn’t anything but music in my brain. Sweat dripped down my body and through my shirt, by the time I slowed it to cool down. Yeah, I felt good.

  I get off and walk to the pull-up bar to get some arm work in before my abs.

  I jump up to the bar and begin pulling myself up when I notice the only other person in the gym now was the blonde. But now I got a good look at her face. And she did mine as well.

  Ryann.

  I watched as she walked up just as sweaty as I was, but amazingly, she looked just as good as she did when she wasn’t.

  “Hey, Trevor.”

  “Hey.” I continued to do my breathing and my pull-ups. She watched as my body went up and then down.

  “Do you stay here?” she asks, and I stop at the ground to finish our conversation. Clearly, it wasn’t something I could do and talk at the same time.

  “Yeah, for now anyway until I find a condo. St. Luke’s booked it for me.”

  “My mom works here … she has for years.”

  “That’s cool,” I respond.

  “Well, it was good to see you.” She waves like she is going to take a running leap to get away from me.

  “Ryann?” I ask and walk after her.

  “Yeah …” She turns.

  “I wanted to thank you again for the dessert. I really enjoyed it … Hence why I am here …” I smile and pat my stomach.

  She snorts. “Hardly, Trevor.”

  I follow her eyes down to my stomach and then back up biting her lip just a bit. She seemed to like what she saw, but she wasn’t going to let me know that with words.

  “I’m the one that needs to work out more.” She frowns.

  I move a little closer. “I disagree, I think you look … beautiful.”

  And I lift my eyebrows so that she gets the message loud and clear. And I meant it. My flirting has come out in full force, and the playfulness she brings out in me actually turns me on.

  She smiles like my compliment made a difference but is making her slightly uncomfortable. “Thank you even if I don’t believe you. Maybe you can come into Smith’s one day this weekend if you aren’t too busy.”

  “Maybe.” I smile but decided to play hardball. Why? Because it felt good to see someone eyeing me, interested, who thinks I’m beautiful.

  I watch her walk out with a smile on her face, a smile that made me aware of my unhappiness and thinking about wanting something more.

  I wanted to know everything about her. And then more. Or maybe not. Really, it wouldn’t hurt to be friends, though, right?

  * * *

  Ryann

  The shift at Smith’s tonight was dragging out, thanks to one difficult customer after another. Everyone seemed to be agitated, including me. I heard Trevor’s dad was not doing well at all from my mom who had spoken with Jackie. She was worried and even made him some soup and fresh bread to deliver. I dropped it off for Mom but had to leave it on the porch since no one answered the door. I was worried about him, Margaret, and Trevor—more for his parents than for Trevor. Losing a loved one, especially when you have been so distant and holding a grudge against them can only make things worse.

  Lou was a chatterbox. His loneliness was becoming more and more apparent. Tonight, he was telling me about the love of his life who he lost due to being a big chicken shit.

  “Shocked to hear an ole geezer like me had a love, ain’t it?”

  “Not at all, Lewis.”

  “Well, I did. She was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. She lives here in Austin, and I see her every once in a while. We are decent to each other, but she will never forgive me for what I did, and I can’t blame her. Hell, I can’t even forgive myself. I guess that is why my old bag of bones comes here most nights. Can’t stand to be in my own company. At least, here I can pretend.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that, Lou. You are a good guy. Maybe one day she will forgive you. Time heals… and maybe she just needed some time.”

  “Almost thirty years? I’m not holding out much hope.” He took another sip of his beer. “Look at the time … Time got away from me tonight,” Lewis commented.

  He got up and sucked down the rest of his drink. “See ya tomorrow, sugar.”
/>   “Hey, Lewis?”

  “Ma’am?”

  “What did she not forgive you for? If you don’t mind me asking.”

  “Another time, sugar. Another time.”

  “Night,” I responded.

  Just as Lewis walked out, Sadie came in. It was a little after midnight, and she was supposed to have gone on a date with Maxwell. It never did, though, and she was furious. He stood her up, and to Sadie, there was no good reason for that.

  “You know, Sadie, the world doesn’t revolve around you. I know he should have called you, but God forbid … life does happen. Maybe he is with Trevor? I know his dad has been really bad off.”

  “I hope it is a good excuse because I would hate to have to tell him to go to hell.”

  “Being there for a friend is a pretty good excuse.” I smirked in irritation.

  “Well, I am pissed and have never been stood up.”

  “There is a first time for everything.”

  I rolled my eyes with a grunt. I get her a glass of dry red wine. Sadie was the only one who could stomach the woodsy taste.

  “You aren’t drinking with me?” she asks.

  “No … I am sticking with water tonight. I was out in the sun a lot today, plus I worked out at the gym. I feel dehydrated.”

  “At Regency or at Gold’s?”

  “Regency. And I happened to run into Trevor.”

  “What?! Why are you just now telling me this?”

  “It wasn’t that big of a deal.”

  “My ass,” she snarls.

  “He was at Regency when I was, and we were on different treadmills. I noticed him in the mirror as soon as he walked into the room.”

  “And …” she prompted.

  “And I acted like I didn’t until he saw me. He looked A-m-a-z-i-n-g in shorts and a tank. Holy hell. I mean fabulous. I finished my run, and he did too and then I eyed him on the pull-up bars. I about drooled right in front of him. He must take really good care of his body!”

  “Duh, he is a doctor. Of course, he is going to take care of his body. Did y’all talk?”

  “Yes … and he complimented me saying he thought I was beautiful,” I laughed a second. “I saw him eyeing me too. Total turn-on.”

  “See! I knew he liked you …”