Love Begins with Fate (16 page)

“When I am finished out here I’ll be in
, I bring a lunch out. It’s nice seeing you again. I hope I get that chance to take you out to dinner before you head back.” Mark called.

Kelsey blushed ducked her head and hurried away. She really liked
Mark, he was a good friend, but only that. A friend.

Kelsey made her way to the house. After lunch she had went to finish off her homework which she would later email to her teachers. Ryder had convinced them she had an emergency back home and to accept her homework as emails.

When she finished she picked up her cell. There had been three missed calls all from Hannah. First she set to calling her brother. After a few rings Ryder answered with a yawn.

“Hey,” Kelsey said. “How is everything going?”

“Everything’s just peachy.” Ryder answered. “Did you send in your homework…?” He asked.

“Yes, dad
” Kelsey groaned. Her brother acted as if she was a child so often it annoyed her.

“Good. Well I got to get going…” He told her. “You know
dinner with the guys tonight.”

“Hey
Ry… how is he doing?” She asked.

“Who?”
Ryder questioned trying to pretend that he had no idea what his sister was talking about.

“Ha, very funny.
How is
Parker
? I didn’t get to spend much time with him before I left. You know to apologize for the other night…” She drawled.

“Oh he’s great. Anyway I’m running late.
Gotta go.” Ryder told her quickly.

Kelsey sighed. She knew he was leaving something out.
“Fine. Talk to you later.” Kelsey muttered and hung up.

Their conversation was quick and evaded everything Kelsey needed to talk about. She groaned and quickly dialed her friend. Maybe she could ease her heart even if it was slightly.

“Oh goodness finally!” Hannah answered on the first ring. “I have been trying to call you forever!”

“Well you got me now. I’m sorry I was busy.” Kelsey admitted. “So how was school?”

“OMG!” Hannah squealed. “Your brother and I are spending time apart…” Hannah skimmed over “any who…
Parker
and Ryder got into a fight on the field.”

“What! Wait… why are you and Ryder not getting along and what about a fight?” Kelsey asked confused.

Hannah explained how Ryder had been pissed off at
Parker
and punched him, how she had gotten too close, and how her and Ryder are now spending time apart. They had talked for hours until Hannah finally had to mention it. “He’s been trying to get your number…”

“I don’t know
, I got to get going Han… I’ll talk to you later.”

Kelsey wanted to get to know
Parker
. He was nice enough and good looking enough too but she hadn’t had good experiences with the last guy. She also was quite busy around the ranch.

Chapter
24

Kelsey had her day full. She had got up with the crowing roosters and set to getting a shower before she had made her way to the breakfast table. Annie had already begun her big morning breakfast routine by the time Kelsey had made it to the kitchen. “Well,
ain’t you a pretty sight. No wonder all the guys in town are after you.” Annie chortled.

Kelsey had her hair hanging in loose messy curls from her shower. She had pulled on a pair of her old holey work jeans and
pink tank top. Over that she had pulled on a button up long sleeve pink flannel, her chaps, and a comfortable pair of cowboy boots. To top it all off with a black cowboy hat but that currently hung from her hand as she strode in.

Kelsey blushed. “Thanks
, no I’m not.” She mumbled. She looked around at the guys at the table who were now whooping and whistling and shook her head. “So what’s on the agenda today?”

“We’ve got animals to feed, fences to check on and mend, the interviewees are coming today after lunch, and then the guys are going to be cutting the
hay today.” Nick informed her.

Kelsey finished her breakfast, helped Annie clean up the kitchen then went out to greet her horses. Kelsey walked into the horse barn and petted each individual horse. “Good morning, Sweetie.” She greeted petting the plump pregnant mare. “You
gonna give me a good and pretty baby soon?”

The horse whinnied. Sweetie was a brown quarter horse which Kelsey had bred with one of the many studs on the farm. Sweetie’s baby was already reserved for the sheriff. If it was a filly he was going to give it to his daughter and if it was a colt it was going to go to his son. They were seven and eight years old. Both ready for their first horse of their own. Nick had made a deal with the sheriff to raise the baby at the Lodge ranch until it was weaned then it would move to the sheriff’s house until it was ready to be fully trained.

The sheriff was welcome to bring his children by every week, every day if interested and allow them to play with the foal. They would bring the baby back as often as once a week for one on one training sessions.

“Am I correct in saying she might drop it soon?” Nick asked coming up beside Kelsey. Kelsey may have been young and Nick may have been one of the best horse trainers in the county but Kelsey had more experience helping Julio and her mother bringing foals and calves into the world.

Kelsey felt her way down the horse’s body and nodded. “I would say within the next week or two. According to the records she’s due in ten days. I want you to make sure her stall is cleaned out, lined with fresh sawdust and straw, fresh water and fresh oats. I want you to keep an eye on how she’s acting. Make sure she’s still moving around. If she starts circling or laying down and whinnying; I want to know about it.” Kelsey told him as she walked out of the stall and made her way down the center of the stalls patting each horse that came to stick its head out. “I think I am going to go for an early morning ride, check on the fences of the home range and then make may way out to the north range. I have my cell if you need me…” She drawled as she stopped to look at her favorite trail horse. He was her favorite with barrels as well. The same horse that Kelsey had won scholarships and trophies with, Thunder.

“Yes, ma’am.”
Nick nodded “Would you like me to get Thunder saddled?” Nick asked.

“Nah… you’re busy. I will do it. I haven’t forgotten.” She smiled.

Kelsey walked into the tack room and pulled out her western saddle, saddle pad, and bridle for Thunder then continued toward spot where Nick had brought Thunder to. He was hooked up to the indoor hitching post which was easier than trying to maneuver within the stall.

She swung the pad onto her horse’s back then hoisted the saddle upon the horse’s back. She hooked the bridle on a hanger while she synched the straps. “Come on boy.” She grunted as she elbowed the horse in the side. She loved Thunder but he had a habit off sucking in air when she wanted to ride.

With the saddle synched and the chest strap in place she walked over and grabbed the bridle. She held it up to Thunder and pushed the bridle against his teeth until he finally opened up. Nick had come to give her a set of saddle bags. “Don’t forget these.” He told her. Nick had always looked out for everyone here at the ranch; he didn’t want Kelsey forgetting something as important as the saddle bags. “I dropped in a few snacks, just in case.” He admitted.

“Thanks.” Kelsey told him as she unlatched the horse and began to walk toward back doors. Once outside, Kelsey hoisted herself up on the right side of the horse. She had known the whole right and left side opinions with horses but she wanted to prove people wrong. A good horse could be ridden mounted from any side. Kelsey settled her feet into the stirrups and waved goodbye as she clicked her teeth and took off at a trot. Two of her dogs took off running after her. Riding was exhilarating. This was living in Kelsey’s mind.

Chapter 25

“Hey,” Hannah said as she approached
Parker
. She had evaded Ryder for the last few classes trying to catch sight of
Parker
wandering around.

He looked like crap with b
ags under his tired eyes. “Hey.”
Parker
yawned. “What’s up?”
Parker
asked as he turned to look at Hannah. “Whoa! What happened?” He gasped as he stepped toward her, slowly extending his hand out to Hannah’s cheek.

She flinched back “Uh… I got caught between you and Ryder
the other day. You both just were so in the zone…” She shrugged.

“Really?
I am so sorry.”
Parker
said.

“Forget about it. Anyway, what I wanted was to know if you meant what you said when you were fighting with Ry.” Hannah asked.

“Oh uh yeah. Of course I did.”
Parker
rubbed his hand through his hair. “You can ask the guys about that kind of stuff. They’ve been trying to set me up…”

“I don’t want to ask the guys.” Hannah told him. “I am only going to talk to my friend about this if I believe you… not everyone else.”  Hannah had been trying to get her friend to go out on a date with a guy every time she came to visit. When she had visited Kelsey at the ranch she had talked with many of the people there as well. Everyone seemed to try and get Kelsey interested in someone. Nobody wanted her to end up alone.

“You would talk to Kelsey for me?”
Parker
lit up. It was the end of the day and they were walking out to the parking lot.

“I am going to talk to her about you… I am not fully sure about what I am going to say yet though
, because she’s kind of shy on the idea. Hey you got my number, call me later. I got to go.” Hannah jogged off toward the parking lot.

Ryder scowled
as she passed him, “What were you talking to him for?”

Hannah shook her head. “Come on
Ry, he’s your friend and my friend likes him…” Hannah sighed. “I’ve got my heart elsewhere.” She said as she gently touched his chest.

“I’m sorry.” Ryder told her looking down into her eyes. “Forgive me?” He asked.

“You need to apologize to your friend.” She told him as she slowly tiptoed up to kiss his cheek.

“Can I drive you?” Ryder asked with a slight blush on his cheeks.

The two drove home without much conversation. Ryder was still fuming about the fight the day before. Hannah kissed his cheek and made her way into her home. She would call him before bed but she had to spend the rest of the night with her family.

“Bye babe.” Ryder sighed. He wanted someone to talk to. Kelsey was gone, his father was at work, Hannah had to spend family time, and he had gotten into a fight with his best friend.

Chapter 26

Kelsey had located two pieces of fencing that needed repair and attached a bright red flag to the wire before moving on. It was almost lunch time and she had nearly a half hour ride back. Mounting her horse once again, Kelsey whistled calling the two dogs who were keeping her company to attention.

“Come on dogs!” She called as she clicked her teeth and nudged Thunder into a gallop. If she galloped Thunder
, she should arrive ten minutes earlier. The two dogs barked and nipped at each other as they too took off running after her. She knew they would come home eventually, that was one nice thing about having a large ranch, the dogs never really wandered onto other people’s property.

When Kelsey arrived back at the house there were two new trucks in the drive. She stopped the horse at the barn and handed Thunder off to one of the hands then made her
way out, “Make sure he’s gets a cool off walk and some water before he gets out in the pasture.” Kelsey demanded.

“Yes ma’am.” The hand nodded and said “come along Thunder.”

Kelsey made her way curiously toward the house. The trucks must have belonged to some of the interviewees, but they were early. Well at least they weren’t late, she thought to herself.

Kelsey pushed open the front door after dropping her boots on the porch. “Oh Kelsey, I was just about to call for you. I would like to introduce you to two of the people interviewing for the open hand positions. This is Dylan and Mika.” Nick said coming into the entry way. “Dylan, Mika this is Kelsey, she’s the owner of the Lodge ranch.”

Kelsey looked past Nick to the two people standing in the parlor. Dylan was a well built young man who looked like he had worked quite a bit out in the sun. Stepping forward Kelsey held out a hand to the man “Dylan.” Then she turned her gaze on the blond girl. She had been only in her mere teens, and scrawny as a stick.

Kelsey frowned,
“Mika.”

Mika smiled. “It’s nice to meet you Miss Lodge. Please don’t let my appearance fool you. I am thrilled to have an opportunity to interview with you.”