Free Like Lightning by Charlene Sands

Then ever so slowly, he approached the fencewhere Maddie stood. “Are you glad to see me again?” she asked softly. “Well, I’m sure glad to see you.”
    He came right up to the fence and Maddie stepped upon the bottom rung in order to reach him. “Hey, boy,” she whispered into the still night and reached her hand out to stroke his ink black mane. Then bravely, and only because she sensed he was ready, she ran her hand smoothly down his snout.
    The horse lifted his head in a quick movement, but he didn’t back away. Maddie stroked him once more, continuing to speak to him in a soft soothing tone.
    When Maddie heard Trey’s truck in the distance, she jumped down from the fence and said farewell to Storm. “See you tomorrow night.” Unable to make her escape into the house without seeming obvious, she stood by the front porch as the truck came to a stop a short distance away. To her surprise, a pretty young woman who was at least six months pregnant exited the driver’s seat. Trey got out of the passenger’s side, and the woman strolled over to him and reached for his hand. They stood there speaking quietly for a few minutes.
    Maddie’s heart took an elevator ride down to her toes. Her gut clenched involuntarily and feelings she thought she had under control emerged with raw clarity. Seeing Trey with another woman, one he might have an involvement with, knocked her for a giant-size loop. All sorts of images popped into her head, and none of the scenarios she came up with helped to ease her mind. She didn’t know who this woman was and she decided she couldn’t bear to know. Not tonight. Not with the realization that Trey hadn’t come home for dinner in the past four nights.
    Maddie made a move to enter the house, but the woman caught sight of her and called out, “Hi there.”
    Maddie turned to find the woman heading her way, with Trey beside her. “Hello.”
    The woman was even prettier up close, a young Texas lady through and through, with deep blue eyes and long blond hair. “I’ve been meaning to get out here to say hello. Sorry to hear about your office burning down. My name is Brittany Fuller. I’m a friend of Trey’s.”
    â€œNice to meet you, Brittany. I’m Maddie Brooks.”
    â€œI know. Trey’s always talking about you. He says you’re a real good veterinarian.”
    Maddie glanced at Trey who appeared darn uncomfortable, his tanned face taking on color. She shrugged. “I love working with animals.”
    â€œI had to drive Trey home,” the pregnant woman offered, smiling at him. “No offense, Trey. But you’re one stubborn man.” Then she explained to Maddie, “He hurt his hand working on my baby’s new room. A beam of wood fell down and when Trey tried to catch it he got splintered up.”
    For the first time since he’d walked up, Maddie took a really good look at Trey. And suddenly she understood the expression on his face. Pain. She peered down at his right hand. “Oh! That doesn’t look good at all.”
    Gently she reached for his hand to get a better look. Holding his hand in her palm, she noted where five or six long splinters had been hastily removed, the hand puffy, swollen and red.
    â€œPaul and I wouldn’t let Trey drive home. Though he did argue some.”
    Maddie glanced up. “Paul?”
    â€œMy husband. He’ll be here in a minute. Paul and Trey have been friends just about forever, I guess. Andwhen Paul hurt his back a few days ago, Trey came over first thing to help finish up the room.” She patted her rounded belly. “Our baby will be here before you know it.”
    â€œOh,” Maddie said, dumbfounded. This was almost too much information to digest all at once. All of her initial suspicions about Trey and this woman were unfounded. She’d let jealousy rule out over reason. This woman and her husband were