The Family Plan. Cathy McDavid

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СКАЧАТЬ was the local veterinarian, the only one in a thirty-five-mile radius. He and Jolyn had been friends since before they could remember. Despite only sporadic contact in recent years, she was certain he’d come if she asked him—in the middle of dinner or not.

      “The horse’ll be fine until morning,” her father said, dismissing her concerns. “You can head over to the feed store first thing after breakfast and pick up some medicine.”

      “I will if Chase isn’t available.”

      She flipped open her cell phone and began to press buttons, assuming the number hadn’t changed. Chase had taken over his parents’ house when they semiretired and moved to Mesa a few years earlier and lived there with his eight-year-old daughter, Mandy.

      Jolyn’s father stayed her hand. “Maybe that’s not such a good idea.”

      “Why?” She gave him a curious stare.

      “Your mother and he are…well, let’s just say they’re having a difference of opinion.”

      “About Mandy?” Jolyn asked.

      “Yeah.”

      “Oh, no.” Jolyn’s heart sank. “I thought Mom agreed to let that go.”

      “She’s recently changed her mind.”

      “Why didn’t you tell me?”

      Her father heaved a tired sigh. “I didn’t want to upset you before your trip. Figured you had enough to deal with.”

      Jolyn groaned. “What brought this on?”

      “I’m not sure. Mandy started taking lessons…oh, sometime last fall I guess it was. But your mother didn’t get pushy with Chase again until recently.”

      Dottie Sutherland operated a small dance studio out of the community center, offering classes three afternoons a week and Saturday mornings. Most of the girls in town, and even the occasional boy, studied under her at one point or another while growing up. As a child, Jolyn endured two years of lessons before permanently trading her tap shoes for cowboy boots.

      “Can’t you stop her?” Jolyn asked.

      Her father raised one eyebrow and gave a short laugh. “You’re joking, of course.”

      She hadn’t been but didn’t contradict him.

      “This isn’t just about Mom. There are other people’s feelings to consider, including Mandy’s. She still doesn’t know, does she?”

      “I don’t think so.”

      “I can’t support Mom in this if it means hurting Mandy.” Or going against Chase, she added silently.

      Her father scowled. “I don’t know what’s with your mother lately. She’s been acting funny.”

      “Funny how?”

      “Just not her usual self.” He exhaled. “I’ve asked her again and again what’s wrong but she keeps insisting nothing’s the matter.”

      “Maybe I can get her to open up.”

      “It’s worth a shot, I guess.” His tone implied she’d get no further with her mother than he had.

      Sinbad, evidently tired of standing in one place, began pawing the ground. The movement caused his injury to gape and seep fresh blood.

      Jolyn made a decision. As much as she wanted to see her mother and get to the bottom of whatever was bothering her, Sinbad’s injury needed attending. Turning him around, she walked toward the trailer. “I’m going to drive over to Chase’s.” She hated loading the horse back into the trailer after a grueling four-day road trip but saw no other choice.

      Her father followed her. “What about supper? Your mother won’t be happy after all the work she’s put into it.”

      “This won’t take long.”

      “You baby that horse too much considering what he did to you.”

      “Not now, Dad. Please.” She’d just returned home after a long absence and wasn’t in the mood to dredge up old arguments. To ease the tension, she gave him another kiss on the cheek. “I won’t be long, I promise.”

      Chase lived half a mile away. She’d phone him on the drive over there. If he happened to be away, she’d wait for him and cleanse Sinbad’s wound using a garden hose.

      And what if he doesn’t want to see you?

      Of course he does, Jolyn told herself. Chase might be angry with her mother but he’d never refuse to treat a sick or injured animal.

      He’d looked good the last time she’d seen him—two Christmases ago, was it?—though tired. His dark brown eyes had lacked their usual warmth, and his killer smile struck her as forced. The divorce and grueling custody battle had obviously taken a toll on him. Had he changed since then? And what would he think about the changes in her? Both the good and bad ones? Would he even notice?

      It occurred to Jolyn that her need to rush Sinbad over to Chase’s house might be motivated by her desire to see him, especially now that he was single again.

      Before loading Sinbad she inspected the inside of the trailer. Finding no sharp edge on the gate that might have caused the cut, she erred on the side of caution and chose to put him on the left side of the gate this time. The big paint initially balked at going back into the trailer but finally complied after much coaxing. Jolyn shut the door behind him and dropped the latch in place.

      Her father rested a hand on her shoulder. “This isn’t all your mother’s fault. You can’t blame her entirely.”

      “No, it’s not all her fault.”

      It was her brother Steven’s fault when, nine years ago, he’d decided to have an affair with SherryAnne, Jolyn’s one-time best friend and Chase’s wife of three months. To this day, no one knew for certain who Mandy’s biological father was. Not even SherryAnne, at least as far as she was telling.

      CHASE WALKED OUT of the house, the screen door banging shut behind him. He spotted Jolyn’s truck pulling into his driveway, and a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. She’d returned to Blue Ridge. Hopefully, to stay. He hadn’t realized until now how much he missed her.

      When she approached, he motioned her on, signaling she should park near the barn, next to his truck. She gave him a wave as she rolled past. Chase followed, hurrying his steps. He rounded the back end of the trailer at the same moment she hopped out of the truck cab.

      “Hey there.” She came toward him, grinning from ear to ear.

      He avoided staring at her pronounced limp and kept his eyes focused on her face. It wasn’t exactly a hardship. Jolyn had always been a cute girl. She’d grown up into a very attractive woman. Hell, she’d just plain grown up. Chase didn’t recall her filling out a T-shirt quite that nicely.

      “Hey there, yourself.” He scooped her up in an impulsive hug and swung her around in a circle. She felt nice in his arms. СКАЧАТЬ