Page 17 of There I Find Rest

Chapter 7

This was not how Kimplanned to spend the evening.

She’d arrived sad and depressed, just wanting to be alone.

She could hardly believe how the Lord had worked things out. Davis in her home, his offer to live above the stable, her parents coming with housewarming gifts that warmed her heart, and now? She was going out to eat with the father of her baby.

Life sure took crazy turns sometimes.

Thank you, Lord. You definitely got my mind off of myself and onto other things. Maybe that’s what I needed, when I thought what I needed was to sit at the cottage and pity myself. You saw that I needed more.

She supposed she shouldn’t be surprised that God knew exactly what she needed and sent it to her, but she kind of was.

She didn’t exactly feel happy, but there was definitely joy poking out of her soul. Maybe if she fanned the flames, that joy would turn into a full-fledged joy down in her heart.

A joy that oozed out of every pore and made her smile over nothing.

That was the kind of person she used to be. Back before her husband had cheated and her daughter had gone astray and her mom had cancer and her aunt had taken the home that she was supposed to inherit right out from underneath her.

Her step felt lighter, her breath easier, as she stopped as they stepped out of the stable, and she lifted her head toward the lake. She breathed deeply, good, fresh, clean air, air that smelled like pure water, with just a nip of cold in it. Just enough to make her feel clean and rejuvenated.

It wasn’t the stagnant, still, stench-filled air of water in a warmer climate. But bracing and wild and perfect.

“It’s getting a hold of you too, isn’t it?” Davis said from beside her, and she startled a bit, because she honestly had completely forgotten about him. Which was hard to believe, since his presence commanded her every nerve.

“I think it is.”

“Imagine how that would feel from horseback.”

“It’s like a dream come true. Do you really think we could make a go of that kind of business?”

He nodded. “Folks from Blueberry Beach would travel the whole way up here to rent horses. I’m sure of it, because there is a family just up the beach who has a small stable as well.”

That made her heart sink, instead of making her happy. “Maybe they don’t need a second one?”

“I’ve actually talked to Matt Landry, his family owns the riding stable up the beach.” Davis looked confident, and that eased Kim’s heart somewhat. “They have about ten horses, and throughout the summer, all ten of them are completely booked. He gives them at least one day off a week where they have no rides booked, but he said they often are booked for a ride in the morning and one in the afternoon. He recommended that’s what we start with, which sounded good to me. I... I don’t mean to tell you what to do.”

“No. You’re not. And I respect your business sense.” Her voice trailed off a little, although she didn’t mean for it to. But she was thinking about him being in business with her husband. There was no doubt that their business had been successful.

“I don’t want you to think that because I was in business with your husband, I’m like him.” He spoke like he could read her mind, and maybe that’s because her thoughts were reflected on her face, but he sounded concerned and sincere.

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