Page 8 of Enticed
“Hey,” Jasmine greeted me with a subtle nod. “Celeste, it’s good to see you again,” she said, offering my ex-wife a polite smile.
“You too,” Celeste replied. “That’s a fine-looking horse you’ve got there. Is she the one you race?”
Jasmine’s brows lifted in surprise, but she quickly schooled her features. “Thank you. She is,” she confirmed. Turning herfocus on my daughter, a genuine smile tugged on the corners of her lips. “And who’s this pretty little lady?”
Rory preened under her attention. “My name is Aurora, but all my friends call me Rory.”
“Rory?” she asked in mock surprise. “You can’t be Rory. You’re way too tall and grown up to be the Rory I remember.” My daughter giggled and covered her mouth shyly.
“It’s true. I promise,” Rory said.
“I can’t believe it. Well, you weren’t knee high to a grasshopper the last time I saw you. How’d you grow up so fast?”
I wanted to ask Jasmine the same thing.
“I eat all my fruits and vegetables,” Rory replied proudly.
“That’s great. Every good cowgirl eats her fruits and veggies.”
“Do you think I could be a cowgirl like you?” Rory looked at Jasmine like she hung the moon and stars.
A twinge of guilt speared through my middle at the fact my little girl didn’t already feel like a cowgirl. Despite my profession, she hadn’t spent nearly enough time on the back of a horse, nor had she received regular riding lessons. I took her riding when I had time, but those were few and far between. I felt I’d done her a disservice and now was full of regret over my inadequacies. And now she was looking to someone else to teach her, when it had beenmyjob all along.
“You could be an evenbettercowgirl than me,” Jasmine declared.
“You think so?”
“I know so. You probably don’t remember this, but when you were just an itty-bitty thing, your mama and daddy let me give you a few riding lessons.” Rory’s eyes grew wide. I’d forgotten about the pony rides Jasmine had taken her on. I wouldn’t call them riding lessons exactly, but I appreciated what she was doing, making Rory feel like a big kid instead of the baby she accused us of treating her like.
“And I have to say, you were a natural,” Jasmine continued, wearing an impressed expression.
“Really?” Rory asked in amazement.
“Really,” Jasmine confirmed. “With a little practice, you’ll be a full-fledged cowgirl in no time,” she assured her. “And I bet you’d make one heck of a barrel racer.” Celeste shifted on her feet, and I looked up to catch her tense expression before forcing a smile. Jasmine caught it too. “That is, if it’s okay with your mom and dad,” she added, her nervous gaze flicking between Celeste and me.
I had no problem with it, but I wanted Celeste to feel comfortable with Rory taking on this new endeavor, so I waited for her to respond.
“Of course,” Celeste said, doing her best to hide her worry. It wasn’t like Rory hadn’t ridden at all in the years since being on that pony, but we never went faster than a trot. Jasmine would likely have her running barrels before the weekend was over and I had to take her back to her mom’s.
“Can we get started now?” Rory asked.
“Sure can. Let’s go find you a horse to ride. I’m sure I’ve got a saddle that’s just the right size for you.”
“Dad, will you watch Andy so I can go for a ride? Please.” Rory clasped her hands together in a pleading gesture. I folded like a cheap suit. Even though I still had work to do, I couldn’t deny my little girl anything.
“Alright, but only for thirty minutes. I’ve gotta finish up here before we can head home.”
“I promise,” she said, holding up her pinky for me to wrap mine around. I watched as she and Jasmine walked side by side toward the barn, Juniper trailing behind them. Rory talked animatedly with her hands, bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet. I turned to find Celeste watching them too. Equal parts longing and worry filled her eyes.
“This will be good for her,” I assured her, and she shifted her focus to me.
“You’re right. She’ll be happy here. She has so much of you in her.” She heaved a deep breath, her shoulders rising and falling. Still, the tension never eased from her face. “I just worry she’ll love it here so much, she won’t want to come home.”
I reached for her, planting my hands on her shoulders and giving them a comforting squeeze. She lifted her watery gaze to mine. “That’s not going to happen. You know how much she loves Nashville. There’s so much to do there, and she’s a social butterfly. Plus, she adores you. This way, she gets to split her time between here and the city. She gets the best of both worlds.”
“I hope you’re right.”
“Of course I am. When have you ever known me to be wrong?” I asked with a smug grin.
