Second Chance Ranch

He definitely remembered Sophie Powell. The weekend Beth brought Sophie home he’d been thunderstruck by the coltish girl. She wasn’t model-beautiful, but there’d been a beauty about her. It had been her eyes, piercing blue. And her smile set him back on his heels. She had a crooked nose with freckles scattered across it and her cheeks. But that only added to her beauty. “I remember,” he muttered. Only too well, he silently added.

Beth leaned close and whispered, “I think she had a crush on you.”

“What?” Zach’s head jerked around and his gaze clashed with Beth’s. Her grin told him she was teasing him. Yet, there was a twinkle in her eye that made him wonder if maybe it was true.

“And she’s ex-army, too.”

This had the smell of a setup.

They walked down through the walkway between the stable and the office. Children’s voices filled the air with laughter and excitement.

When they emerged, he could see the two practice rings. In the far ring a horse with its rider and two spotters moved around the enclosure. On the far side of the rings stood bleachers where three people sat, watching. In front of the closest ring, a woman knelt before a horse. A young boy, maybe six or seven, stood beside her.

“Will he bite?” the boy asked, eyeing the reddish-brown horse.

“No, she won’t. You should give it a try. Samantha, or as we call her, Sam, is very gentle.”

Zach remembered that low, rich voice. Sophie’s. He often wondered what had become of his sister’s college roommate and had wanted to ask, but that would’ve given his sis ideas.

Sophie held an apple in her hand. “Put your hand out,” she instructed, “and I’ll give you the apple.”

The boy frowned at Sophie, then at the apple.

“You sure? I saw the b-i-g teeth.” The boy kept his hand clenched in a fist.

Zach felt a smile bubble up, but he knew Sophie wouldn’t appreciate his reaction.

She nodded. “I’m sure. Sam’s my friend. She can be your friend, too.”

The boy glanced around and saw Zach and Beth.

Without thinking, Zach walked over to the pair and took the apple from Sophie’s hand. Her startled gaze locked with his. The connection was instantaneous and well remembered. Silently, he asked her permission.

Her nod was almost imperceptible.

Zach hooked his cane over his left forearm and put the apple into his right hand.

“You need to make sure your hand is flat. It makes it easier for the horse to get the apple if your fingers are not in the way,” he explained. “I’m sure Sam wouldn’t want to bite your fingers, so you have to make it easy for her.”

The boy’s eyes widened.

Zach showed the boy how to hold the apple, then offered it to the horse. Sam opened her mouth and took the apple.

“Wow. Can I try?”

“Sure.” He looked at Sophie.

She stood and walked over to the barrel by one of the wooden porch columns, opened it and pulled out another apple. She gave it to Zach.

“Open your hand,” Zach instructed the boy. When he looked up, doubt colored the youngster’s eyes.

“Would you like for me to help?”

He nodded his head. “’Kay.”

Zach moved behind the boy. Zach wished he could’ve squatted, but the prosthesis wouldn’t allow it. Instead he put the apple in the boy’s outstretched hand. “Now, be sure your fingers are out straight.”

Zach slipped his big hand under the boy’s and they moved their hands to the horse’s mouth. Sam’s lips and teeth picked up the apple.

The boy giggled. “That tickles.”

Sam chewed happily. Zach grinned.

Sophie’s eyes twinkled. The lady’s impact on him hadn’t diminished over the years.

She stepped to their side. “Would you like to ride Sam?” she asked the boy.

“Okay.” He turned to Zach. “My name is Andy. I come here to ride. Mom says riding’s goin’ to help me. Is that so? What if I fall off the horse?”

He was way over his head here. Zach glanced at Sophie, hoping for some sort of direction.

“You don’t have to worry about falling, Andy. You see all the other people around here walking beside the riders? That’s to make sure no one falls.”

Andy looked around. “Oh.” He turned to Zach. “Are you here to help me? Will you walk beside me?”

The question took Zach by surprise.

“This is Zach’s first time here,” Sophie explained. She stood on the other side of Andy. “He doesn’t know how to be a sidewalker.”

A mulish frown settled on Andy’s face, and he crossed his arms over his chest. He looked at Zach. “Would you ride with me?”

Zach swallowed. “Well, Andy, I haven’t been riding in a few years. Besides, my leg doesn’t work as well as it used to.”

Andy looked at Zach’s legs, then at the cane hanging over Zach’s arm. “Why?”

Suddenly the air filled with tension. He glanced at his sister, then Sophie. Did they think he’d go off on the kid? Zach leaned close and whispered, “I have a fake foot and calf.”

“Calf?” Andy frowned.

Nodding, Zach pulled up his pant leg and showed the prosthesis on his right leg to Andy.

“That’s cool. Can I touch it?”

“Maybe—” Sophie started.

“Sure.”

The boy squatted and touched the artificial leg. His eyes widened. “Wow. How’d that happen?”