Counting on Love (Contemporary Cowboy Romance) (Carson Hill Ranch series: Book 3) by Amelia Rose Page B
Authors: Amelia Rose
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she demanded when she tired of the staring.
“You’re singing,” he answered in amazement. “It’s great! Keep singing!”
“Well, not if you’re gonna stare at me, I won’t!” she answered with a nervous laugh. “If you’re so love in with singing, then you sing! I’ll just stare at you for a while and see how you like it!” Soon, they both sang along loudly, laughing at the way they purposely sang off key.
Nearly thirty minutes of driving later, the dashboard GPS declared that they had reached their destination, but the outside of the large metal building was a disappointment. Its drab exterior belied what was inside, though, and Emma was counting on the inside to be exactly the boost to his spirits that Joseph needed.
“Okay, we’re walking in, but you have to close your eyes,” she declared with a hint of mischief in her voice as she parked in the handicapped spot next to the glass door. Joseph eyed her skeptically, but let go of a breath and did as he was told. She steered him forward, pushing on his elbows from behind him, purposely guiding him into walls and letting him bounce lightly off small objects in his path.
Once through the main doors inside the building, Joseph stood up taller, breathing in the familiar smell that he would have recognized anywhere. “Are you kidding me?” he whispered, a hopeful smile creeping across his face. “Are you serious?”
“Deadly serious,” Emma whispered in his ear, standing on tiptoe and kissing him lightly on the cheek. “But you haven’t figured out the best part yet. Open your eyes.”
Joseph blinked in the fluorescent overhead lights of the indoor arena, the pungent smell of horses having already assaulted his senses. But when he stepped forward open-mouthed to place his hand flat on Brandy’s side, he was speechless.
“How did you…how did you get my horse here?” Joseph asked, looking around frantically for his family. Emma laughed sweetly and handed over the apples she’d purposely put in their bag for the horse as Carey jumped down from the seats that encircled the arena.
“Hey there, little brother! If you can’t high-tail your butt home to ride this horse before she dies of loneliness, I figured I’d bring the horse to the city!” Carey hugged Joseph tenderly, avoiding his damaged shoulder out of habit. Joseph hugged him back more forcefully, eager to see both familiar faces from home. He turned and grabbed Emma in a tight embrace, kissing her right in front of Carey, earning himself an embarrassed cough from his older brother.
“Well, don’t just stand there making faces at the dumb animal, get up on her and ride for a while,” Carey urged as Emma looked on expectantly, clapping her hands lightly in her excitement. Joseph didn’t look as sure.
“I don’t know, guys. I haven’t been on any horse since the accident. What if I hurt her, or she throws me again? I’m not even sure I remember how to talk to her.” Joseph looked at Brandy for a long time, warring with himself over what he wanted to do versus what he thought he was no longer capable of.
“It’ll come back to you,” Carey replied. “It’s just like riding…a horse, I guess. Come on, I’ll help you up.”
Joseph looked longingly at his horse, and decided the only thing to do was to give it a shot. He placed his injured arm on the saddle and his good arm on his brother’s shoulders for support, not taking offense when his brother stooped down to give him a boost like he did when Joseph was little. As he swung his leg over the horse’s back and settled into the saddle for the first time since his accident, an unexpected feeling of contentment came over him. He looked at Emma and Carey’s proud faces, smiling sheepishly when Carey insisted on snapping a picture of him with his phone.
Joseph let the horse take the lead as she gently maneuvered in a slow walk around the arena. Not having been used to being ridden indoors, Brandy kept her flank close to
“You’re singing,” he answered in amazement. “It’s great! Keep singing!”
“Well, not if you’re gonna stare at me, I won’t!” she answered with a nervous laugh. “If you’re so love in with singing, then you sing! I’ll just stare at you for a while and see how you like it!” Soon, they both sang along loudly, laughing at the way they purposely sang off key.
Nearly thirty minutes of driving later, the dashboard GPS declared that they had reached their destination, but the outside of the large metal building was a disappointment. Its drab exterior belied what was inside, though, and Emma was counting on the inside to be exactly the boost to his spirits that Joseph needed.
“Okay, we’re walking in, but you have to close your eyes,” she declared with a hint of mischief in her voice as she parked in the handicapped spot next to the glass door. Joseph eyed her skeptically, but let go of a breath and did as he was told. She steered him forward, pushing on his elbows from behind him, purposely guiding him into walls and letting him bounce lightly off small objects in his path.
Once through the main doors inside the building, Joseph stood up taller, breathing in the familiar smell that he would have recognized anywhere. “Are you kidding me?” he whispered, a hopeful smile creeping across his face. “Are you serious?”
“Deadly serious,” Emma whispered in his ear, standing on tiptoe and kissing him lightly on the cheek. “But you haven’t figured out the best part yet. Open your eyes.”
Joseph blinked in the fluorescent overhead lights of the indoor arena, the pungent smell of horses having already assaulted his senses. But when he stepped forward open-mouthed to place his hand flat on Brandy’s side, he was speechless.
“How did you…how did you get my horse here?” Joseph asked, looking around frantically for his family. Emma laughed sweetly and handed over the apples she’d purposely put in their bag for the horse as Carey jumped down from the seats that encircled the arena.
“Hey there, little brother! If you can’t high-tail your butt home to ride this horse before she dies of loneliness, I figured I’d bring the horse to the city!” Carey hugged Joseph tenderly, avoiding his damaged shoulder out of habit. Joseph hugged him back more forcefully, eager to see both familiar faces from home. He turned and grabbed Emma in a tight embrace, kissing her right in front of Carey, earning himself an embarrassed cough from his older brother.
“Well, don’t just stand there making faces at the dumb animal, get up on her and ride for a while,” Carey urged as Emma looked on expectantly, clapping her hands lightly in her excitement. Joseph didn’t look as sure.
“I don’t know, guys. I haven’t been on any horse since the accident. What if I hurt her, or she throws me again? I’m not even sure I remember how to talk to her.” Joseph looked at Brandy for a long time, warring with himself over what he wanted to do versus what he thought he was no longer capable of.
“It’ll come back to you,” Carey replied. “It’s just like riding…a horse, I guess. Come on, I’ll help you up.”
Joseph looked longingly at his horse, and decided the only thing to do was to give it a shot. He placed his injured arm on the saddle and his good arm on his brother’s shoulders for support, not taking offense when his brother stooped down to give him a boost like he did when Joseph was little. As he swung his leg over the horse’s back and settled into the saddle for the first time since his accident, an unexpected feeling of contentment came over him. He looked at Emma and Carey’s proud faces, smiling sheepishly when Carey insisted on snapping a picture of him with his phone.
Joseph let the horse take the lead as she gently maneuvered in a slow walk around the arena. Not having been used to being ridden indoors, Brandy kept her flank close to
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