Free Learning to Ride by Erin Knightley Page A

and Order and Sex and the City for my NYC fix. Tell me everything. ”
    Barely stifling a giggle in time—she did not want to think about Ms. Letty watching a show like SATC —Madeline nodded and scooted forward in her chair. With the warm buzz of wine flowing through her veins and a friendly, eager listener at her disposal, she launched into a tour-guide-worthy conversation about her home city. The older woman asked questions, laughed at the appropriate times, and lit up with delight at several of Madeline’s descriptions. It was everything she hadn’t realized she needed.
    “Well, my goodness, what are you two chattering on about?” Laurie Beth stood smiling in the doorway, her hands full of foil-wrapped leftovers.
    Ms. Letty chuckled as she patted Madeline’s hand. “Ms. Harper here was just regaling me with stories from the city. I’m green with envy from this girl’s storytelling. Tickled pink, too!”
    Laurie Beth smiled and leaned down to brush a kiss on the older woman’s cheek before straightening. “That’s sweet. Well, I’m fixin’ to head out. Do you want to follow me, Ms. Harper?”
    “Oh, I probably should. I’ll get lost otherwise.”
    “Nonsense, dear,” Ms. Letty said, tightening her grip on Madeline’s fingers. “I’ve got directions printed up around here somewhere, so there’s no rush. Besides, I may have plied you with a bit too much of that wine for you to be rushing off just yet.”
    Madeline conceded the wisdom of that with a nod, even though she’d only had two glasses of wine over the past two and a half hours. She bade good-bye to Laurie Beth before turning back to her host.
    “I think I did all the talking tonight, I’m sorry to say. It was wonderful to talk with you, though. You should come visit me in the city when I go back.”
    Her penciled-in eyebrows rose. “You’re going back? But you just moved here!” She seemed genuinely dismayed.
    Madeline smiled gently. “And I’m happy to be here, but this is only a temporary move.”
    When the older woman chuckled, Madeline raised her brows in question. “I think I said the same thing forty years ago before I married my husband. I was from San Antonio and couldn’t imagine living in the wilderness like this.”
    “Oh?” Madeline said, surprised to learn she wasn’t a native of the town. “What changed your mind?”
    “I loved my man, and my man loved this land. I don’t know when it happened, but somewhere along the way I fell in love with the land, too.” Her pale-blue eyes were wistful as she seemed to look into the past. “Funny how things like that sneak up.”
    Nodding, Madeline smiled. “I’m glad it worked out for the best for you.” She stifled a yawn and glanced at the clock. It was almost nine thirty. Pushing away from the table, she rose and said, “Let me help you clean up a bit before I go.”
    Ms. Letty started to answer, but the sound of the back door opening had her hopping out of her chair. “Oh, good, that must be my grandson.”
    Madeline had done so much of the talking, she hadn’t even asked the woman about her family. She’d have to make an effort to meet up with her again so they could talk more about her life next time.
    Pasting a polite smile on her face, Madeline turned to greet the boy, but immediately froze when her eyes locked with the tall, broad, very familiar man who walked through the door.
    “Ah, Tanner,” the older woman exclaimed, delight brightening her voice. “Do I have someone to introduce to you.”

Chapter 11
    Tanner stood as rigid as a stone statue as, for the space of a few seconds, his brain galloped straight to the worst-case scenario. Lord help him—and her —if Madeline had aired their dirty laundry to his sharp-as-a-tack, old-fashioned grandmother.
    But his logic caught up to his racing thoughts a few heartbeats later. Based on Grandma Letty’s cheerful greeting, nothing had been said…yet.
    Thank God.
    He took a deep breath and forced a tight grin