Read Chapter One.
Read Chapter Two.
Read Chapter Three.
Read Chapter Four.
Read Chapter Five.
Read Chapter Six.
Chapter Seven - July
Ted Rivers
Mara had never been to
Kentucky. She never had a reason to until now. She turned off the highway onto
a winding country road. The beautiful countryside distracted her. During the
five hours’ drive from Spartanburg, she obsessed over what she would say and
how she would say it.
She slowed to marvel at the
beauty God created in Bluegrass Country. On rolling hillsides, sprawling horse
farms, dotted with massive red stables sat flanked by miles of fences. An
occasional cupola, perched proudly above its structure, seemed to announce that
something special resided within. Horses grazed on dry grass. Others sought
refuge from the hot July sun under clusters of shade trees, their tails swaying
in the breeze.
Mara smiled. Ha! No wonder
they called Lexington the horse capital of the world. It was love at first
sight. In college, Ted talked about his dream of owning a horse ranch. He
appeared to be living it now. Mara made fun of him for it. She didn’t
understand then, but she’d never imagined this tranquil setting. She was glad
now that she’d brought clothes for the weekend. She’d find a cheap motel and
explore the area before returning home to look for another job.
Up ahead, on the right, Mara
spotted the flagstone façade arch with a sign, Rivers Rescue and Stables. She pulled onto the gravel drive, her
tires crushing the stone. What would Ted think when he saw her? No warning and
she was showing up on his doorstep.
Mara stopped her car at a
metal gate with a wooden shack that looked like a kid’s bus stop. A man walked
to the driver’s side. Mara lowered the window.
“Can I help you, ma’am?”
“I’m here to see Ted
Rivers.”
“He’s on the oval with the
horses. Can I tell him who’s here to see him?”
Mara considered only for a
second. “You know what? I’d rather not say. Can I just surprise him?”
“Just a moment, ma’am.”
The man returned to the
guard house. His boots flung stones with each step. He grabbed a walkie-talkie.
“Sir, there’s a lady here to see ya. But she doesn’t wanta give her name. Sir,
she’s a beaut. If I were you, I’d let ’er come in.” The talkie crackled. The
man opened the gate and motioned her through. He tipped his cowboy hat and
winked as she drove past.
Mara opened the mirror on
her visor. A long drive was not good for the looks. Mara smoothed her wavy,
dark curls and pushed the stray tendrils behind her ears. Oh, well. What’s the
point? She was only there to make things right, not to impress him. Mara cocked
an eyebrow; well, she kinda was.
She parked her car, the only
car, along a fencerow of trucks. Fords of every color, super duty, double cab,
evidently a rancher’s vehicle. Not a sight she’d see in New York’s fashion
world. She chuckled. What a world apart.
Mara walked toward the candy
apple red barn trimmed in white. Was there a horse club somewhere that required
all farms paint their fixtures the same color? What a dull world if she had to
design with the same color fabrics. Yet, she had to admit there was a certain
charm to it.
The clop clop of a horse’s hooves gained her attention. Ted rode toward
her, lean and tan in his t-shirt and gray cowboy hat. Why didn’t she think
cowboys were cute in college? He climbed down and smiled. “Mara? What are you
doing here? You’re the last person I expected to see. How long has it been?”
His comforting smile and
greeting were a good start. At least he didn’t take a rope off his saddle and
hog-tie her. Or worse, put her in the starting gate and make her run at full
speed. “I hope you don’t mind too much that I appeared out of nowhere.”
Hands on hips, resting on
his belt, he shifted his weight. Brown boots covered in dust matched the color
of his hat. “No, of course not. But I am curious. The last time we saw each
other wasn’t exactly pleasant, and you made it clear you didn’t want to see me
again.”
“Well, I need to talk to you
about something. It’s a little awkward, and I don’t want to interrupt what
you’re doing. Can we schedule time for coffee or something like that?”
“No way. You’ve got me in
suspense. We’ll talk now. Hold on a sec.”
Ted looked at his wrist
watch and then plucked his cell from his front pocket and made a call. His
steel-blue gaze scanned the area beyond her. The streak of premature gray along
his temples didn’t make him look older, just wise and dignified. “Hey, Beth, I’m
gonna step in my office for a few. Have Troy cool down Brownie Rose. Then bring
’er in and clean ’er up.”
Ted’s nice, clean office was
tucked inside a stable. He pulled a chair out and asked her to sit and then
settled into a leather chair behind his desk. “So, Mara, what’s on your mind?”
He rested his elbows on the desk with his hands folded. Like he was closing a
sale.
Mara fidgeted, unable to get
comfortable. She sighed. “Well, you know how I—well, we dated for a while. Then
I—” Mara put her hands over her face and rubbed her forehead.
Ted remained silent. He
leaned forward, studying her.
“Okay, here’s the thing.
I’ll get straight to the point. I treated you horribly, in ways you didn’t
deserve. You were so kind to me, and—”
He remained stoic while she
bared her soul.
“Um, I’m just really sorry
about it. The truth is, a man just treated me how I treated you, and the whole
thing stinks. He made me feel about this small.” Mara raised her thumb and
index finger together to demonstrate. “And I’m just sorry that I made you feel
that way, too.”
Ted’s phone rang,
“Hold that thought.”
Mara nodded. She just wanted
to blurt it all out and be done with it. She preferred ripping off the Band-Aid
quickly. She found it less painful.
“Ok, I’ll be a few more
minutes.”
Only a few more minutes?
Well, what did she expect? He was a busy man and wasn’t going to waste any more
of his time after her apology.
“So, what were you saying?”
Really? She was groveling,
and he needed to be reminded?
“Ted, the night I broke up
with you, the date you planned was so sweet. What I did was unforgiveable. I
mean, you invited me to church and to dinner with your parents to meet them for
the first time. And what I said at dinner—at the restaurant—and in front of
your parents.” Mara lowered her head. “It turns my stomach to even think about
it. You were a complete gentleman the entire time we dated.”
Ted sat back, hands folded
in his lap. “It’s water under the bridge. I forgave you already, even before
you asked. I admit I struggled. It hurt, and you were good at playing games. But,
I knew I needed to let it go.”
Wow. If Ted forgave this
easily, maybe Jenny was right. The hardest part for Mara would be forgiving
herself. She knew about the roller coaster ride of forgiveness. On some days,
she’d realize God had wiped her slate clean and she’d live it. Other days, she
struggled to forgive herself.
“So, tell me Mara, what have
you been up to for the past few years?”
Mara blinked and shook her
head. Was this guy for real? She pried an apology from the depths of her soul,
ripping her flesh along the way, and he wanted to chitchat. Well, she supposed
this could have gone worse.
“I’ve had a rough time. Lost
my job, uh, several jobs, which means I have no money, and I’m trying to get
back on my feet. I’m also trying to apologize for some wrongs. But I won’t take
any more of your time. Thank you for being so gracious about the whole thing,
Ted.” She stood.
“Hold on there. Why the
rush?” Ted stood and reached for Mara’s arm. “Look, you said you’re broke,
right? Well, it’s not much, and it’s not pretty, but I could use a hand around
here. I even have a small cabin on the property you can use.”
“Ted, really, you don’t have
to do that.” Mara shook off the gesture. She wasn’t prepared to stay. This had
been a weekend trip.
“I’m always looking for farm
help, and you need some money, so it sounds like a win-win to me.”
“Farm help?”
“What’s the matter,
princess? Can’t handle this horse and pony show?”
Pride made her straighten to
meet his challenge. “Princess? Nah. I’m not the same girl I used to be five
years ago.”
“We’ll see about that.” He
winked and squeezed a click sound from his cheek, like he was giving a horse a
giddy-up.
Someone knocked. A woman
peeked inside the office. “Teddy, excuse me.” The woman acknowledged Mara with
a nod and a smile, then turned to Ted. “The horses are back in their stalls.”
“Thanks, Beth. I want you to
meet our newest hired hand. This is Mara, a friend from college. Mara this is
Beth, the trainer for the stable.”
Mara shook the gorgeous
blonde’s hand. Beth was tall and fit. Perfect for the runway. Mara designed a
clothing line for Beth in her mind within a split second of their hand shake.
****
“Mara, let me give you a
tour of the place.” Ted stopped outside a stall. “I want you to meet Brownie
Rose. You met my mom once, remember?”
“Very funny.” Mara rolled
her eyes.
“Well, I named this filly
after her. I loved her brownies and putting the two together just had a nice
ring to it. Sounds cheesy, doesn’t it?
“No, that’s sweet.”
Ted was close to his mother.
That’s one reason why she’d had that soft spot for him.
“But what’s the matter? She
doesn’t make you brownies anymore?” Mara teased.
“As a matter of fact, no,
she doesn’t. She died of breast cancer two years ago.”
“Oh, Ted, I’m so sorry. I
feel so stupid for joking around.” Mara sucked air and hung her head. She had a
habit of sticking her foot in her mouth.
“Don’t feel bad about it.
There’s no way you could have known.” Ted stroked Brownie Rose’s nose. “This
sleek beauty has promise, and with Beth’s training, Brownie Rose is gonna take
us to the winner’s circle. The best of the best only win twenty percent of the
time, so the odds are against me. But I have a good feeling about Brownie Rose.”
Ted leaned against the
stall. “We have a pretty strict regimen around here. We get up early, work
late, and in-between those hours, there’s no smoking, drinking, or cussing.”
Mara followed Ted down the
center aisle of the long horse barn with stalls on both sides.
“You’ll muck out stalls,
give fresh bedding, and feed and water. You’ll learn how to saddle and bridle
horses. You’ll brush ’em and hose ’em down and fill the hay feeders. And
whatever else that needs doing. I’ll give you seven bucks an hour plus staff
meals and your cabin.”
Mara nodded. It wasn’t New
York, nor fashion week, but beggars couldn’t be choosers. They shook on it.
“It’s a deal.”
“See you bright and
early—5:00 a.m. Have a good night’s sleep.” He tipped his hat, waved his
good-bye to Mara and called out to Beth. “Beth, can you take Mara to the cabins
and get her settled in? She’ll need some work clothes and boots for tomorrow.”
He turned back to Mara.
“It’s only a mile. You can walk back in the morning.”
Mara stared after him.
Either he was the most easy-going fella around, or he wasn’t done with her yet.
She didn’t know how to read the mixed vibes. But she had a job, and a free
place to sleep. If she lasted a few days, she’d ask Mom to overnight her some
clothes.
They climbed into Beth’s
white pickup. Beth handed over a bundle of clothes and brown work boots.
“Probably not what you’re used to …”
“I’m not used to working in
a horse barn either so …” Mara shrugged. “Can I ask you a question? I noticed
you call Ted, Teddy. Why is that?”
“Ted’s middle initial is E.
So, Ted E. became Teddy. He has a reputation as a lady’s man—in a good way.
Women like Teddy, his gentle nature, and his respect toward women. He’s quite
the catch if any woman could.”
Mara assumed Beth might have
tried. She was beautiful, and they worked together. Why not? Mara hoped to find
out as they got to know each other better.
****
Every morning for a week, the
sun peeked above the horizon, but Mara was up before it even lit the sky. Her
muscles were beginning to get used to Ted’s grunt work. And she enjoyed working
with the horses that greeted her with stomping and tails tossing.
“Get the horses on the hot
walker and ready for their exercise then clean the stalls.” Ted rushed Mara.
Mara was getting accustomed
to the early morning rush, but today she sensed higher stress and an even
faster pace.
Beth breezed past. “I have a
potential client on the way. Their colt is a Triple Crown hopeful. They’re an
established power couple, and their business could mean a lot for me and this
ranch. So, let’s make sure everything is perfect.”
Mara worked well into the
morning. She hauled hay and lugged buckets of water. She scooped wheelbarrows
full of manure and lost count of the number of trips to the manure pile and
back. Her hands ached, her arms were fatigued, and her back hurt.
Other hands snickered as she
walked past. She dumped the manure and stopped, wiping her shirtsleeve across
her sweaty brow. Loneliness came to roost as the other hands joked and laughed.
She sat with them through every meal in the dining hall but felt as if she ate
alone. She worked non-stop, sunup to sundown, drenched and dehydrated in the
Southern heat of summer, and collapsed into bed each night.
She was well aware that Ted
watched her. And every day, she worked hard, not wanting to do something to
make his humiliation of her easy. Beth couldn’t realize that shoveling manure
was a step up from her former life as a beauty queen and purveyor of similar
humiliation. Mara squared her shoulders. Humility,
Lord. I get it. Don’t like it, but I get it.
With the wheelbarrow filled
for what she hoped would be her last trip today, Mara gripped the handles and
whipped the wheelbarrow around a corner.
“Oh!” A woman’s horrified
cry rang out.
Mara righted the tipped
wheelbarrow and then stared at a well-dressed man and woman. She gasped. The
fashion designer in her recognized the woman’s Armani slacks covered with ripe
horse patties. “I’m so sorry. Let me help you.”
Stunned, the couple stood
motionless, trapped as if they were in quicksand.
Ted and Beth ran toward
them, both stopping short. Beth’s eyes narrowed. Ted’s eyes widened.
“I’m—I’m so sorry.” Mara
fought to maintain her dignity. “I should have been more careful.”
“You’ve got that right!”
Beth screeched.
The couple stared down at
their ruined finery and stepped out from the spilled manure. Ted ushered them
off, looking back at her, his face a brilliant red.
Humiliation complete. And
she had no one to blame but herself.
“Get your stuff. Ted will
have your paycheck. You’re outta here,” Beth screamed.
Ted returned and stepped
between Beth and Mara. “Now hold on Beth. This could have happened to anyone.”
“Are you defending her?”
Beth demanded. “You were the one who wanted to make it hard on her, and I went
along with it. We’ve probably lost a client. I don’t want to play this game.
It’s her or me, and I doubt she can get Brownie Rose ready for the show.” Beth
faced Mara. “It’s nothing personal. I like you. But, whatever’s going on
between you and Ted, I don’t want to be involved, especially when it
jeopardizes our business.”
Ted paused and rubbed his
stubble. “Mara, I hope you understand. I gotta let ya go.”
Mara glared at Ted. Her gut
had questioned his sincere forgiveness, now reality proved he was seeking
revenge. She stomped off.
“Wait a minute, Mara.” Ted
grasped her arm before she could make a clean break. “I don’t want you to leave
like this.”
“Why do you care? Let’s just
say that we both got what we needed to get out of my coming here.”
“I do care, Mara. Okay, it’s
true. I asked the staff to make it rough for you. I hadn’t thought about you in
years. Then you show up here, tell me you’re sorry. And it opened up a wound I
thought had healed.”
Mara rubbed her temples.
“What are you saying?”
“Since you’ve been here,
I’ve actually witnessed the inner beauty that I thought you always had but you
never showed. You were like a wild horse. Uncontrollable, full of spit and
spunk. You’ve changed. You’re still full of spit and spunk, but you have
something else. Grit. And character.”
She’d hurt him so long ago.
She couldn’t blame him for wanting at least a little vengeance.
She had to admit that the
last few days, she’d been tamed by this gentle horseman, despite the vengeance
he sought.
“Mara?” he whispered.
She started away but turned.
“That grit and character you see in me … that’s from the Lord. And I’m going to
allow Him to continue building it in me so that I can be a woman worthy of a good
man.”
Mara stared out over the
grounds. She was going to miss the place—the horses, Lexington—and Ted, too.
She wiped one last tear then drove away.
UPDATE:
VOTE FEBRUARY 5 THROUGH FEBRUARY 8 FOR YOUR FAVORITE HERO!
Voting opens at Noon (EST) on Feb 5.
Because we want YOU to choose the best hero for Mara, we're going to try to keep the author/creator of each chapter a secret until after the voting is over. If you know one of the authors, and pick out her chapter, please help us keep the secret. We want the hero chosen based on his personality and his chemistry with Mara, and not make it a contest between authors.
We're depending on you to help us spread the word!
Our authors are also offering some inside glimpses into the writing process, some interviews with authors, heroes, and even the publisher. And that Marji - she somehow got hold of Mara's journal, so you'll be able to read some of her thoughts as she goes through this experience. Fay snagged interviews with all the heroes too. Check out all the links below to stay on top of the latest.
Thanks for joining us in Mara's adventure - we hope you have a great time!
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1 comment:
Love Ted's commitment to the Lord.
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