Free My Dearest Cal by Sherryl Woods Page B

on.”
    She looked down at the shorts and knit top. “For heaven’s sakes, people wear less than this at the beach.”
    “If you were at the beach, you’d fit right in. Around here the only females wearing fewer clothes are the fillies and, believe me, they’re not much competition.”
    She supposed he had a point, though she doubted any of the men in that barn were likely to be stirred to passion by one look at her in this outfit. “Sorry,” she apologized anyway. “I didn’t think.”
    His eyes met hers. She noticed he was careful to keep his glance from dropping below her chin. “Next time you will,” he said, handing her the gardening equipment. “Don’t stay out in that sun too long. It’s overcast today. It’ll fool you.”
    She nodded as he vanished. While she worked in the garden she was aware that Cal paused to stare at her every time he returned to the barn, but he never waved or acknowledged her presence in any way. Infact, for all the attention he paid to her, she might have been invisible.
    It took her two days to get the garden into shape. The work was far harder than she’d anticipated, but when she was done, when the ground had been turned and watered and the plants were in nice, even rows, she felt a rare sense of accomplishment. There had been something soothing about the task. When it was over, though, she immediately began looking around for something new to try. The Thoroughbreds were the obvious choice.
    The next morning, dressed in jeans, a T-shirt and tennis shoes, she presented herself to Chaney. “I want to learn about horses,” she announced.
    He shoved his hat back on his head and regarded her skeptically. “There’s books in the house.”
    “The horses are here. I figure I’ll learn a lot more by doing than I will by reading, don’t you?”
    “You know anything at all?”
    “Nope.”
    At his disgusted expression, she added, “Just think of me as fresh clay. You get to mold me. I’ll do whatever you say.”
    “I ain’t so sure the boss is gonna like this. He hired you to keep house.”
    “You have any complaints about the food?”
    “No.”
    “When you do, I’ll give this up. Come on, Chaney. I really want to learn, and Cal says you’re the best.”
    She could practically see his chest swell with pride. “He’s got a point.” He stared thoughtfully across thepaddock, watching the way Lady Mary was bobbing her head when she caught sight of them. The horse’s ears pricked up and she trotted across to them, nuzzling against Chaney’s jacket, apparently looking for the sugar cubes Marilou suspected he hid there for all the horses.
    Finally, after he’d given Lady Mary the sugar, he turned back to Marilou. “I suppose if you’ve got your head set on this, you might’s well learn things right. I’ll start you out at the bottom, though. No favoritism.”
    “Absolutely. So, what should I do?”
    “You can start by mucking out stalls.”
    “What’s that?”
    “It ain’t anything like baking pies, I can tell you that,” he said with a gleeful expression. “Roddy, come on over here and meet Marilou. She wants to learn about horses.”
    Roddy, who looked to be no more than eighteen or nineteen, gazed at her shyly. He rubbed his hands on his jeans, then held one out to her. “Morning, ma’am,” he said in a whisper as she shook his callused hand.
    “You let her help you this morning, son. I don’t mean watchin’, either. Put her to work.”
    Roddy’s cheeks burned and his eyes widened in dismay. “But, Chaney, that ain’t no work for a lady.”
    “No,” Marilou said quickly, judging from his reaction that Chaney truly was starting her at the bottom. “It’s okay, Roddy. You just show me. I’m not afraid of a little hard work.”
    He still looked uncertain, but apparently sensed her determination. He nodded at last. “Okay, ma’am. If you say so.”
    Although she’d begun to figure out just what she’d gotten herself into even before they