Hill Country Reunion

Diana unlatched the trailer door, and Seth gave her a hand lowering the ramp. Sidling into the trailer, Diana clipped a lead rope to Mona’s halter and prepared to back her down the ramp. Apparently, the drive over had only heightened the mare’s excitement. “Easy, girl.”

“She’s lookin’ kind of feisty.” Seth laid a steadying hand on Mona’s rump.

“No kidding.” Diana barely got her toe out of the way in time to keep from getting stomped on. “Maybe I’ll take her over to the round pen and see if I can settle her down some.”

Seth returned to his campers while Diana walked Mona to the round pen. Standing in the center of the fifty-foot-diameter pen, Diana used a lunge whip to send her horse into a trot around the perimeter. When Mona began to settle down after a few circuits, Diana wasn’t quite so concerned about getting tossed on her keister somewhere out on the trail.

At the horse trailer, she buckled on Mona’s saddle and bridle and mounted up as Seth started her way leading his trail riders. Immediately behind him were Joseph on Spot and Eva riding her new palomino pony.

One hand gripping the reins and saddle horn, the little girl grinned and waved. “Hey, Miss Diana! You came!”

“Sure did, hon. Is this Candy? She’s adorable!”

Eva beamed. “You can ride next to me, okay?”

“Love to.” Diana prepared to fall in step.

Then, as she glanced back toward the other riders in the lineup, a familiar pair of crystal-blue eyes locked gazes with her—Tripp.

She froze, her jaw going slack, while Tripp Willoughby drew closer and closer.

“Miss Diana,” Eva called, “hurry and catch up.”

She snapped her mouth shut. Nudging Mona with her boot heels, she reined the horse around and trotted up next to Eva. When she could find her voice, she said, “Hey, Seth, what’s with the, um, new volunteer?”

Straining to look past her over his shoulder, Seth grinned. “Oh, you mean Doc Ingram’s new partner? He’s just along for the ride. We’re renting him one of the staff cabins.”

“So he’s...he’s living here?” Her voice climbed an octave. “On your ranch?”

“Yep. Sorry I didn’t get a chance to introduce you. Remind me when we get back later.”

Diana grimaced. “That’s okay. We’ve already met.”

* * *

Diana was riding with them? Great. And Tripp assumed living out at Serenity Hills would mean fewer unexpected encounters with the woman he’d never gotten out of his heart.

Could this move to Juniper Bluff get any more complicated?

Maybe if he made sure to stay at the rear of the line, he could spare them both more discomfort.

And yet...man, she looked good on the back of a horse! He’d seen Diana in boots and jeans plenty of times, even gone riding with her when they used to spend weekends now and then at his grandparents’ place outside Austin. The passage of time had only made her more beautiful, and though he did miss the long hair, her shorter, perkier ponytail poking out beneath a tan felt Stetson added a certain amount of sass.

Not that she didn’t have plenty already. The look she’d shot him a few moments ago was one hundred percent sass. Although in that split second of recognition, Tripp had definitely glimpsed something else in her expression, and it looked a whole lot like panic. Considering he’d had the same reaction to their third unplanned meeting in less than two days, he ought to know.

Noticing his poky old cow horse was falling behind, he gave the beast a gentle kick. “Git up, Tex. No backing out now. Might as well see this through.”

The trail meandered past a small lake and picnic area, then up a rocky slope shaded by cedars and live oaks. The hills should have been teeming with birds and animals, but with the campers laughing and howling like wild animals themselves, any expectations Tripp had about observing wildlife soon vanished.

He was too busy watching Diana anyway. And making sure to keep a nice, safe distance between them. Once or twice on the way up the hillside, she scrunched up her shoulders as if she could feel his eyes on her, but she never looked back.

Soon the trail opened into a meadow tufted with brown grass. Up ahead, Seth angled right, leading the riders in a wide circle as they changed directions for the return to the barn. In another few strides, Diana would be riding directly toward Tripp. His pulse ratcheted up a good twenty beats per minute. Would she say anything? Would she even look at him?

“Hi, Tripp.” She spoke. Even smiled. At least he thought so. With her face shaded by the hat and a pair of sporty sunglasses, it was hard to be sure. “Enjoying the ride?”

He had about three seconds before their paths would diverge. “Yeah, can’t beat this weather.”

“Mmm-hmm.” The quirk of her mouth told him exactly how lame his reply had sounded.

When she rode on by and he was once again bringing up the rear, he let out a frustrated sigh. Brooke was right—eventually he needed to be honest with Diana about why he’d broken things off. Maybe if she knew the truth, she’d forgive him.

If only he could count on forgiveness being her only response. The whole point of not telling her in the first place was so she wouldn’t stick by him out of pity or obligation. If they did have any chance of starting over—if Diana would even give him the time of day after how he’d hurt her—he wasn’t about to risk a “sympathy relationship” by playing the Crohn’s card.

Up ahead, a flicker of motion caught Tripp’s eye—a startled deer bounding into the woods. In the same instant, Diana’s horse shied and skittered sideways. Tripp swallowed a gasp as Diana landed hard in a clump of dry grass.

“Hold up, everyone,” Seth shouted as he wheeled his horse around. He instructed those nearest Diana to move their horses a safe distance away.

Tripp wasn’t waiting. He urged Tex forward, swinging out of the saddle the moment he drew even with Diana. He knelt beside her, resisting the impulse to physically check her for broken bones. “You okay?”

“Stupid horse. I knew she was way too full of herself.” Diana sat up and rubbed her hip, then groaned as she snatched up her mangled sunglasses. “There goes fifty bucks down the drain.”

Tripp couldn’t care less about the glasses. “Take it slow. You might be hurt worse than you think.”

“Stop looking at me like I’m one of your patients.” Diana’s hat lay an arm’s reach away. She slapped it onto her head, then cautiously pushed to her feet. Brushing dead grass off her jeans, she scowled at Tripp. “I’m fine, I promise. The worst damage is to my ego.”

Seth rode over, leading Diana’s horse. “Here you go.” He snickered as he handed her the reins. “Guess y’all should have taken a little longer in the round pen.”

“Guess you should keep your opinions to yourself, cowboy.” Diana’s sharp tone didn’t match the teasing twinkle in her eye, which reassured Tripp she really was unhurt.

Her horse still looked a little skittish, so Tripp kept a firm grip on the mare’s bridle while Diana climbed into the saddle. Once she’d settled, he looked around for his own mount. Tex hadn’t wandered far, seeming content to munch on grass and ignore the commotion. Back in the saddle, Tripp decided he’d risk Diana’s scorn and ride next to her in case her horse acted up again.

By then, the other riders had continued on, leaving Tripp and Diana at the back of the line. Exhaling loudly, she glanced over. “Thanks for coming to my rescue.”

He cocked his head and grinned. “Yeah, it brought back memories.”

“Oh, please. Don’t you dare bring up the time at your grandparents’ when my horse threw me into the water trough.”

At least she was smiling—a good sign. “That had to be a softer landing than today.”

“No kidding. My hip’s going to be a zillion shades of purple by this time tomorrow.” Diana sat straighter and cleared her throat. “We should catch up with the others. I still need to go visit my aunt this afternoon.”

“Aunt Jennie’s in town?”

She looked surprised he’d remembered the great-aunt she’d always been so fond of. “Yes, as of yesterday.” Briefly, Diana told him about moving Aunt Jennie into the assisted-living center. “I’m just sorry she had to give up her dog. Juniper Bluff really needs a therapy pets program.”

“If you need help starting one—”

“Got it covered.” Diana clucked to her horse. “Let’s go, Mona. We’re getting left behind.”