Free Kentucky Heat by Fern Michaels Page B

like I’m going to collapse. I’m trying to do the right thing here. Maybe it’s too late. Maybe I should have done it sooner but . . . I just couldn’t make myself do it. The circumstances were just right this time, so I had no excuses. My mind tells me they’re going to be fine. They’re both hard workers, not a lazy bone in their bodies. They care about the animals and people. They’re financially secure. My heart just feels bruised and battered right now. I made a mess of it, didn’t I, Maud?” Nealy looked around, then cast her gaze upward as though looking for a sign. When none was forthcoming, she sighed.
    â€œI guess that means I have to do the best I can under the circumstances. What will be, will be.” She whistled softly for Flyby, who trotted over to her. “Did you have a nice visit, big boy?” Flyby gently nosed her shoulder until she stroked his big head. “I hope I can handle all of this. It’s going to be strange around here for a while without Nick and Emmie. I don’t know if I’ll ever get used to it. You know what, Flyby, I’m going to sit here on this bench for a few minutes. I need to do some hard thinking.” Her legs stretched out in front of her, Nealy leaned back on the iron bench.
    â€œ It’s too cold out here, Nealy. You’re going to fall asleep. Go up to the house and take a nap. Nothing’s going to happen. ”
    â€œHunt. Gee, I haven’t heard from you in years. You’re angry with me, aren’t you?”
    â€œ No. I admire you for what you just did. It took guts. You always had a bushelful of those. I’m glad you finally let them go. I’m real proud of you. ”
    â€œReally, Hunt. You sound different. Are you finally happy? We got married for all the wrong reasons. I’m sorry about a lot of things. How about you?”
    â€œ The past is prologue, Nealy. Only the present counts for you. You’ll be okay. I just wanted to thank you for letting him go. I know it was hard. ”
    â€œI wish you were here, Hunt. I really do. I learned so much since you . . . you went away. If I only knew then what I know now.”
    â€œ Don’t do that to yourself, Nealy. Life will go on. Life, Nealy. Live your life. Be happy. All I ever wanted for you was to be happy. I wanted the same thing for Nick. It seemed there was never enough time to be happy. All our time was spent with the horses until there was nothing left for anyone else. It’s getting colder, Nealy, and the wind is whipping up. Take Flyby back to his stall. By the way, that foal is a beauty. I’m going to keep my eye on him. ”
    Nealy opened her eyes and smiled as Flyby nudged her shoulder. “Yeah, I know it’s cold. I was just resting my eyes a little. I think I’ll walk you back and let the wind whip me along. I had a dream. Actually, it was kind of nice. I haven’t dreamed of Hunt in years. I wonder if it means something.”
    Nealy turned for a last look at the cemetery. For one tiny second she thought she saw a vision of Maud pointing to Hunt’s gravestone. She blinked, and the vision was gone. A trick of light? The wind? She was on overload, and her mind was playing tricks on her. Maybe she should go up to the house and take a nap. Better yet, she’d make a bed for herself in the barn and sleep there and let Ruby go up to the house and get some rest.
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    Dover Wilkie rubbed at his stubble of beard as he stared at Nealy, who was sound asleep in the stall next to Misty Blue’s. He hated to wake her, but she’d told him she was expecting an important phone call, and he had no way of knowing if the call that had just come through was the important one or not. “Nealy, wake up, you have a phone call. No one else is here to take it. Ruby is up at the house. Do you want me to tell them to call back or tell them to hold on?”
    â€œNo, that’s okay, Dover.