The Bequest

I nod and turn to go. I'm a dozen paces away when I remember the internet. Steve has already picked something up a bridle maybe? He's tugging on some part of it. "One more thing." When he looks up and our eyes meet, I realize something I didn't even notice before, probably because of the image of him shirtless. He has brilliant blue eyes, and they're deep like the ocean. If I didn't know better, I'd have said they were also intelligent. "Yes?"

"I'm here this summer for my children. They need this time, but I'm trying very hard to keep my job while working remotely from here. When I arrived, I discovered that Uncle Jed doesn't have internet service to his place."

Steve laughs, and his entire face brightens. He rubs his hand across his five o'clock shadow, the bristles from his beard scritching loudly. "What were you hoping I might do about it?"

"I know this is a real imposition, but is there any chance you have broadband? If I could borrow your WiFi connection for a bit, I could review the files that are urgent. If I can't find internet somewhere, I'll be forced to boost off my cell phone signal. Kevin and Jeff have informed me that the only reliable place for that near Birch Creek Ranch is at the top of the hill overlooking the east meadow."

"Jed was an odd one." He points at the white house. "You're welcome to "

"I won't go inside," I say. "If you can just tell me the WiFi info."

"Network is the only one that shows up," he says. "And the password is bananassuck, run together, all lowercase."

"Bananas?" I ask. "Actually, never mind." It's not like we're going to be friends. "Thanks. A lot."

He grunts by way of reply, which seems about right.

Luckily, he has a swing on his front porch. I set my bag down and pull out my laptop. It's a little embarrassing, but having fast internet feels like coming up for air after a long swim. I answer a dozen emails, and then dive into the pile of discovery documents that have come in since yesterday. Mondays always suck, but when the opposing counsel is dumping batches of unnecessary paperwork to bury the stuff that matters? That always pisses me off.

I'm nearly done, but it's also been an hour and a half. I take a break to call Izzy. She doesn't answer, but by some stroke of luck, Ethan does.

"Mom?"

"I'm at the Horse Doc's house, and blessedly, he's letting me use his internet. I sent an email to Union Wireless offering to act as a surrogate mother for their demon child, if only they'll come do our internet in the next week. Hopefully they have a need for something like that."

"You're so weird, Mom."

"I'm taking that as a compliment."

"You're proving my point."

"Do you want to learn to ride a horse?"

"Sure."

"Wait, you do?"

"If I'm going to be living on a ranch, I ought to learn."

"In about half an hour, Mr. Archer will be coming over to teach us our first lesson."

"Oh, great."

"Make sure that's alright with Jeff and Kevin and ask Whitney and Izzy to be ready."

"Can he teach four of us at once?"

I didn't think about that. I suppose we'll find out soon enough. "Let's assume he can." A beep tells me someone's calling on the other line. I check-it's work. "Hon, I better take this. Can you get everyone ready?" "Sure. See you."

I click to the other line. "Hello?"

"You're alive," Robert says. "Thank goodness."

I groan. "It's good to hear your voice. I wish I could pull myself through the phone and back to reality."

"Is it that bad? I figured it might be kind of nice not to have internet."

"What kind of place doesn't have WiFi?" I ask. "It's insane. And apparently they come twice a year to install it out here. Twice a year, Robert."

"Certainly a little different than what you're used to."

"A little?" I start to gather my files. "It's like I'm in an episode of Survivor."

Robert chuckles. "Definitely do whatever it takes. Met anyone interesting?"

"Thankfully we have two ranch hands who can help. Speaking of, I've actually got to get going. This drunk cowboy's going to teach us all some basic horseback lessons so we don't fall off when we help drive the cattle out to the forest in two weeks."

"You're making that up," Robert says.

I laugh. "I wish I was."

"He's really a drunk?"

I drop my voice. "He was asleep on a stack of hay when I got here, and the barn was full of empty beer bottles. I could barely take a step without knocking them over." "Just come back home, Abby."

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"I can't. Ethan's so excited. I haven't seen him like this...well, not since his dad died."

"I miss you, and you've only been gone a day."

"Am I going to lose my job?" I close my eyes. "If I can't get internet for a month and it makes me late on things... I'm really worried."

"I'll do your work myself if I have to you won't lose your job just because you're a phenomenal mother."

"Thank you, Robert. I mean it. I owe you."

"You'll never owe me a thing."

"I better go. ""

"Call when you can."

"I will." I hang up and stand. Steve Archer's staring at me. I jump. "Oh. I didn't realize you were right there." Listening to every word I said. I wonder how long he's been there. "Sorry," he says.

It's not like I can be upset I have no expectation of privacy at his house. "It's the first place I've had decent cell reception in days and my boss had a lot of questions for me."

"You were talking to your boss?" He lifts one eyebrow.

Heat rises in my face. "Yes. Why?"

He shrugs. "Didn't sound like the way I'd talk to my boss."

"Isn't your boss a horse?"

He laughs. "Probably the horse's owner-that's who usually pays me."

I wrack my brain, trying to remember what I'd said. I get hung up on how I'd laughed at Steve, calling him a drunk. The guy who let me spend the last hour and forty-five minutes on his porch. The same man who's giving us last-minute, emergency horse lessons. "You're ready to go?" I can't bring myself to meet his eyes.

"Yep. You?"

"You won't mind if I camp out here on your porch for the next month, will you?"

His lips part, and his brows draw together.

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"I'm kidding." Sort of.

"Oh." Even his forced laugh is kind of charming.

What's wrong with me? "I'm a little worried about getting my work done, that's all."

"Doesn't sound like your boss is going to fire you, at least."

I really wish I knew what he'd heard. "Not yet, anyway." The whole drive back to Uncle Jed's ranch, I keep seeing Steve's face when he smiled. His face when he thought I really meant to live on his porch. His deep blue eyes. His dark hair, a little too long, his clean-shaven face.

Clean-shaven? When did he shave? I know he didn't go into his house. I was camped out in front of it.

Unless he has a back door, obviously. My brain's not working right today.

The girls are dressed in jeans and boots when we arrive, standing in front of the barn and waving wildly. At least they're excited. I'm doing this for them, I remind myself. A change of pace. A summer spent in a place their dad used to come. A chance for Ethan to imagine that changes of plan can be fresh and fun.

I just hope he'll realize that it's not always the right move to do something different.

"I see your kids over there?" Steve asks.

I point out which child goes with which name and tell him their riding experience.

"And you're coming too?" When Steve looks me up and down this time, he's not analyzing. He's looking. He notices that I noticed, and he shrugs and smiles, as if to say, I am a man.

My eyes dart to his left hand-clean of any rings-and a wave of guilt washes over me. Something about him has made me lose my mind. I'm acting like an insane person. "I better run and change my clothes."

"That's an awfully nice pantsuit to wear around horses," he agrees. "By the way is that navy blue minivan yours?" His expression is a mix of curious and... mischievous.

Oh, no. He must have noticed the blue minivan stopped in front of his house yesterday. While he was mowing. Did he see my face? I feel the heat rise in my cheeks. "It's a rental."

"I see." He shrugs and starts toward the barn. Hopefully that means he didn't realize I was staring at him. This is awkward enough without him thinking I'm attracted to him. Which I most definitely am not.

By the time I've changed into jeans and boots so new that the bottoms are still slick, Steve's standing outside the back of the barn. He's holding the reins to a horse which seems awfully fast. How long did it take me to change? Whitney and Izzy are both standing beside a horse.

Ethan's nowhere to be seen.