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Chapter 33: Riding
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2022-10-20 14:18:05Related chapters
Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 34: Shopping List
Chapter 34: Shopping ListOver the next week, Jenny loved the time she spent in the ring with Dahlia. Cole proved a patient teacher, not that she was surprised. His gentle manner and easy smile chased away any anxiety she might have felt. He also invited her into his office off the den where he showed her how to use his computer to pull up the live feed from the barn any time she liked. She could even zoom in on the kittens to see how they were getting along, which pleased her beyond measure. She adored helping Cole with his work, too. Anything to help her feel less like a burden and more like she was pulling her own weight. In the back of her mind, she hoped that she'd be able to repay Cole for the things he'd bought for her.She abandoned the cot and returned to her own room, falling into bed at the end of each day with a satisfying weariness borne out of the physical activity required to keep a ranch operating smoothly. Her dreams were of the riding skills Cole was teachin
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Chapter 35: A Dangerous IdeaAfter Cole left for town, Jenny wandered around the house making sure everything was neat and tidy. In the kitchen, she retrieved a few items from the cupboards and laid them out on the counter. The rest of what she needed, Cole would be bringing back from town. The idea of participating in the Everybody Rides event was terrifying. She couldn't imagine being around so many strangers. At the same time, she was excited about the opportunity to contribute to the cause, and to bring to life something she'd done in her imagination so many times.She peered out the window toward the barn and the pasture. Several of the horses grazed peacefully not far from the gate. She considered heading over to say hello to Dahlia and to check on the kittens. Instead, she made her way to Cole's office where she sank into the black leather desk chair and fired up his computer.Following the steps he'd shown her, she pulled up the security feed from the barn. One camera
Last Updated : 2022-10-20Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 36: Like the Easter Bunny Threw Up
Chapter 36: Like the Easter Bunny Threw UpGazing down at the kitchen table strewn with Easter detritus, Cole laughed out loud. "It looks like the Easter Bunny threw up in here."At the kitchen counter, Jenny snickered. She opened the oven and peered in at the cupcakes baking inside. Shaking her head slightly, she closed the oven door and tapped in two more minutes on the timer before she returned to her seat across from Cole.Together, they'd been filling plastic eggs with green iridescent artificial grass and with candies of various kinds. At the store, Cole had avoided chocolate, knowing the eggs would undoubtedly sit out in the sun for some time before the kids gathered them. Besides, there were allergies to consider.Across the table, Jenny smiled at him as she added another filled plastic egg to the large basket they'd use to carry the treats out to the riding ring in the morning. But Cole couldn't shake the notion that something was a little off. Maybe it was in the way s
Last Updated : 2022-10-20Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 37: Jennifer Stone
Chapter 37: Jennifer StoneShortly afterward, Jenny headed off to bed. Cole settled in the den to watch the late news, then went to his office to check the barn on the security cameras.When he fired up the computer, he was surprised to find the video feed already up but figured Jenny had peeked in on the kittens while he'd been gone. She'd seemed happy he'd shown her how to view the security feed, and Cole wondered if she'd watch tomorrow's festivities from the quiet of his office.The horses, and yes, the kittens, he checked, seemed fine. He was about to shut down the computer when he remembered about some medication he'd been meaning to order. He'd looked at a hoof treatment the other day and now he mentally chided himself for not having placed the order then. Minnie had a rough spot developing and the sooner he treated it the better.Clicking on history, he started to scan for the website when he noticed a handful of unfamiliar searches. For no reason he could fathom, a cold
Last Updated : 2022-10-20Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 38: Helping
Chapter 38: HelpingEarly morning sunlight streamed through the windows of Cole's bedroom. On the cot, Jenny yawned and stretched, leaning up on an elbow to peek over the edge of Cole's bed. It was empty, his covers hastily pulled up.When she'd come tiptoeing into his room in the middle of the night, the cot was ready and waiting. She wondered if he always kept it that way, or if somehow, he'd known that the dreams would return that night. After her digital stroll down memory lane, she was grateful that it had only been bad dreams and not one of the nightmares that she had trouble waking up from. But she usually noticed those coming on, felt the walls closing in on her, saw the circle of black growing around her field of vision. There was usually some kind of trigger, a noise or a smell that brought on that kind of hell. Quickly she folded up the cot and made Cole's bed before hurrying to her own room to dress for the day. Downstairs, the farmhouse was quiet and a peek out t
Last Updated : 2022-10-20Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 39: Discovered
Chapter 39: DiscoveredIn the quiet of Cole's office, Jenny leaned back in his leather desk chair and sipped her Dr. Pepper. After returning to the house, she'd seen car after car arriving. One family arrived in a truck pulling a horse trailer, and two more horses joined the ones Cole had parked in the ring.While the adults set up tables with snacks and drinks, the children wandered about, some scampering while others lurched along in an awkward gait. A few of the children ferried themselves around in motorized wheelchairs. Everyone seemed to be having a good time. When the first group finished their riding session and the horses were given a chance to get a drink of water before the second group started. At the same time, adults scurried to hide another bunch of Easter eggs around the riding ring.On the computer screen, Jenny watched as Cole made silly faces at a group of children, reducing them to helpless giggles. She couldn't help but smile. He really was a wonderful ma
Last Updated : 2022-10-20Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 40: Jenny's Kind of Quiet
Chapter 40: Jenny's Kind of QuietMouth open, Jenny stared at the girl. Her jet-black hair hung in pigtails just over her ears, and she had dark brown eyes that flashed with intelligence. Judging by the way her upper body and arms wavered constantly, Jenny guessed that Brithania had cerebral palsy. Her speech was a bit difficult to understand, but Jenny made out her name."Well, I see two of my favorite people in the world have just met."Jenny looked up to see Cole grinning at her."I wondered where you'd gone off to," he said to the little girl, tugging her hair playfully. "Your group is up next."Cole stepped toward Jenny. "Brithania, I'd like you to meet my friend Jenny. Jenny, this is Brithania."The little girl motored closer. "Hi, Jenny."Heart pounding, Jenny fluttered her fingers in a wave.Cole frowned slightly at Brithania. "Jenny's kind of quiet."Coming even closer, the little girl reached up and took Jenny's hand. "That's okay. You don't have to talk if you don'
Last Updated : 2022-10-20Redheads & Ranchers Chapter 41: No Secrets
Chapter 41: No SecretsBy three o'clock that afternoon, Caldwell Ranch had been restored to normal. Jenny helped Cole untack the horses and put everything away in the barn. The canopies and coolers were returned to their proper places as well. As they worked together, Cole was uncomfortably aware of the conversation he needed to have with Jenny. He wondered if he could put it off. It had already been a huge day for her. She'd faced her fear of being seen and he was proud of her, so proud. But this was one of those conversations best had sooner rather than later. He cleared his throat. "You know, I feel kind of sorry for Apollo and Dahlia. Everybody else got a nice workout today. They must be feeling a little left out." Jenny chuckled, hooking a thumb at Jade."Well, Jade, too. But I've been working her hard, so she probably appreciated the day off." He stepped toward Jenny. "Maybe we could take Apollo and Dahlia for a trail ride. There's a ridge toward the back of t
Last Updated : 2022-10-20
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