Page 27 of Mistletoe Cowboy

“In between flying F-22s?” he teased.

She laughed. “In between that. I could go in the Air Force and go to college, couldn’t I?”

“You could.”

“Then I’ll study real hard, so that I can get in.”

“That’s not a bad idea.”

She fingered the reins gingerly. “Do you like my mom?”

He hesitated.

She glanced at him and saw his discomfort. “Sorry. I just meant she likes you. I hoped maybe you liked her, too.”

“I do like her,” he said. He sighed. “But you guys are getting over a big loss, a really big loss.”

“She misses Daddy,” she agreed. “But he wasn’t the sort of person who’d want her to grieve forever or spend the rest of her life alone. He was always doing things for other people. Always.”

“I wish I could have known him, Teddie,” he said solemnly.

“Me, too.”

“You’re doing very well at riding, you know,” he said after a minute.

“I am?”

He smiled at her enthusiasm. “Very well, indeed.” He grimaced. “But you may not think so when we get back.”

She didn’t understand why, until they were at the stable and he reached up to lift her down. She stood on her feet and made a terrible face.

“You need to soak in a hot tub,” he told her. “It will help the soreness.”

“Mom never said it was going to hurt so much,” she groaned.

“It only hurts when you haven’t done it for a while,” he explained. “Riding takes practice. You’re using muscles you don’t normally use, so they get stretched and they protest.”

“I see.”

“It will get better,” he promised.

She drew in a breath. “Okay. If you’re sure.”

“I’m sure. Go on in. I’ll unsaddle Bartholomew for you and rub him down, okay?”

“Thanks!”

“No problem.”

She walked like an old woman all the way to the house. Katy was waiting on the porch and she made a face.

“I’m sorry, honey,” she said. “I should have told you.”

“It wouldn’t have mattered. Honest. I’d have gone anyway. Parker said I’m doing great! I didn’t fall off or spook Bart even one time!”

She laughed. “Good for you.”

“He said I should soak in a hot tub, so I’m going to.”

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