A Brand New Ending (Page 45)

But he was here now, fighting to show her he’d changed.

If Kyle could eventually communicate with his father, knowing how he’d changed, could she also give Kyle that type of chance? To start believing they could have a future together and heal all those scars of the past?

The questions whirled in her mind for a very long time.

Chapter Seventeen

Kyle stroked the horse’s head and murmured nonsense in a low, soothing voice. Little Foot—another one of Harper’s rescues—had a playful personality and liked to butt him off center, then pull back his lips in a snicker. Kyle had chosen him immediately, knowing the horse would be fun to ride. He’d picked out Flower, the pretty gray filly who had spunk, for Ophelia. He’d already brushed and saddled them up, but Ophelia was running late.

He wondered if she’d even show.

“Doing some riding today?”

He turned to see Harper enter the barn. She was dressed in her usual jeans and boots, a black knit cap pulled over her head. Her red jacket was the only flash of color. The horses immediately began to fidget to fight for her attention and her affectionate smile. As she went down the line saying hello to each, he was reminded of how special Ophelia’s sister was.

“Yeah, we both need some fresh air. Occupational hazard.”

She nodded, stroking Little Foot’s nose and patting Flower on the rear. “Did you do any riding in California?”

“Not that much. Most of my friends in the business weren’t the horse type.”

“You must’ve missed it. You grew up taking care of them. You saved Lucy single-handedly. She was finally able to walk again because you believed in her.”

His throat tightened at the memory of his beloved horse—and his father’s cruel actions. “I hated leaving her, but I know you and your mom took good care of her.”

“We did. She was family because you were.” She tilted her chin, her gaze direct. “Ophelia told me the truth. About your marriage. The big breakup. That you’re not divorced.”

Shock barreled through him. He prepped himself for accusations and a billion questions, but Harper just kept her silence, as if waiting for him to take the lead.

“Wow, I didn’t expect her to tell you. She’s been so determined to keep it a secret, but I’m glad you know. I wish I could just tell Ethan and deal with the fallout.”

“Yeah, Ethan’s a bit on the protective side. Testosterone, I guess, plus the best-friend’s-little-sister thing. You still love her?”

Kyle rubbed his head and laughed. God, Harp was a piece of work. Never afraid to ask whatever was on her mind, and she refused to apologize for anything.

But he didn’t even think of denying her the truth. “Yeah, I still love her.”

She nodded. “I could tell last night. It was like an explosion of chemistry, the way you looked at her.”

“That obvious, huh?”

“What are you going to do about it?”

He blinked. “I’m going to convince her to give us a second chance.”

She didn’t look too impressed. “What’s changed from before? You still going to leave at the end of winter? Head back to Tinseltown to make big-time movies? I get it—it’s your job—but you know that’s not the type of life Ophelia can live.”

He shifted his weight. “Yes, but I’m coming back. And maybe she can come out to California for a little while and hire an assistant for the inn. If we want to be together, we can make it work. Look at Mia and Ethan.”

“They made some hard compromises.” She nodded, then tilted her head and studied him. “Why is Ophelia so wary of trusting you again?”

His temper flared.

Harper certainly didn’t seem like she believed that the power of true love could conquer all.

He dug deep and tried to be brutally honest. “I wasn’t there for her. Got too wrapped up in my career. Too focused on her being a successful singer to see it wasn’t making her happy. It’s my job to make sure she knows I’ve changed.” He paused, considering her guarded expression. “Why? You don’t think we’re good together?”

She surprised him by smiling. “I think you were meant to be soul mates. All these years, it was as if she was just waiting for you to come back. But I don’t want to see my sister get hurt again.”

“She won’t.”

She narrowed her gaze thoughtfully. “She changed, you know. When she got home. It was as if a light had gone out in her. She stopped singing. Became quieter, more Zenlike.”

Pain tore through him. He hated the idea of how much he’d hurt her.

“After some time, she seemed happy again. Different, but happy. Then I saw you two together at the family dinner, and I realized her light was back—the old Ophelia, who was always so full of life. You bring that out in her. But if you mess it up again, I’m worried she won’t recover.” She studied him with a probing gaze. “Make sure you listen to her. It’s the only way to figure out what you both need and how to make her happy.”

The words both puzzled and intrigued him as they floated in the spaces of his mind between memory and the story he was penning.

He’d been wrong about how badly Ophelia had wanted a singing career. What else had he misjudged about her?

Harper was right. This time, he needed to listen and make sure he gave Ophelia what she needed.

On cue, she rushed into the barn, her face pleasantly flushed. “Sorry, I got sidelined,” she said. “Hi, Harp. You riding with us?”

Her sister shook her head and spun on her bootheel. “No, you guys enjoy the ride. I’ve got a bunch of stuff to do in the barns.”

“Okay. But you’re still coming to dinner tonight, right?”

“Of course,” she called out. “Especially if Kyle is helping you cook again. See ya later.”

Ophelia shook her head and laughed. “Guess you’ll be helping me again in the kitchen.”

He dropped his voice to an intimate pitch. “Good. We make a great team.”

Her cheeks reddened, and she focused on the horses. “All saddled up?”

“Yep, all set.” His gaze took in her snug jeans, flannel shirt, short puffy blue jacket, and high riding boots. She’d pulled a knit hat low over her ears, allowing some wild curls to escape. A pair of tortoiseshell sunglasses perched on her pert nose.

She looked adorable.

“Oh good, Little Foot is getting fat. Harper wanted him to get more exercise.”

At the sound of his name, the brown horse bumped Kyle again, then gave a snort. Kyle grinned. “Yeah, this one’s a comedian. I was dying to try out Phoenix, but Ethan said he wasn’t ready for strangers to ride him yet.”

“Phoenix has come a long way, but I think he was really abused. Poor thing. Ethan and Harper have done amazing things with him. He’s got a resilient spirit.”

A cloud of worry passed over her face. She chewed on her lower lip, as if in deep thought. He wanted to ask what was on her mind but decided not to press. They’d have plenty of time to talk on their walk.

“Let’s go.”

They mounted the horses, grabbed the bridles, and headed toward the side path through the woods. It was mostly flat and relatively clear—like the valley trails the tourists preferred for the spectacular views.

The squeak of the saddles and clump of hooves drifted to his ears. The air was cold but clear, with no wind to steal his breath. His hips rocked gently back and forth, and he stretched his legs in the stirrups, relaxing into position as he had since he was young. He took the lead, guiding Little Foot toward the left on the widening path so Ophelia could flank him.