Free Dreams for Stones by Ann Warner

books.”
    “Oh. How nice.” Kathy’s face felt stiff as
she smiled at Grace. But after all, it wasn’t Grace’s fault she was
being foisted on Kathy.
    Alan and Delia started for the barn, Delia
leading the pony and Alan one of the two horses. He spoke over his
shoulder. “We’ll just get the horses unsaddled while you two
chat.”
    To Kathy, it sounded more like an order than
a suggestion, and that sundered the tentative truce he’d achieved
with his apology.
    She turned toward Grace, wondering what the
other woman’s relationship was with Alan, then decided they had to
be dating. After all, Grace was wearing more makeup for a horseback
ride than Kathy would wear to the opera.
    Although on Grace it did look good,
enhancing her already vivid eyes and lips. The truth was, Grace
made Kathy feel drab.
    “You and Alan.” Grace glanced at her. “Do
you know each other well?” An echo of what Kathy had been
thinking.
    “Not exactly.”
    “ Mira . You should work on that.”
    “Excuse me.” Kathy examined Grace, trying to
make sense of what she’d said. Maybe there was something in the
Spanish sprinkled among Grace’s words that Kathy wasn’t getting.
What she did get was that Grace seemed determined to drag Alan into
the conversation while Kathy was equally determined to ban him.
    There was only one way to move the subject
to safer ground, and Kathy took it. “So, what kind of children’s
books do you write?”
    She’d tried to make her tone interested, but
Grace tensed, and her face took on a defensive look. “Short chapter
books for middle readers. I’ve been told they’re good stories, but
they rhyme, and they mix English and Spanish together. And
everybody who knows anything about publishing tells me nobody is
going to take a chance on a book like that.”
    “It’s an interesting concept.” Kathy’s
comment was sincere. Grace’s book might well fit into Calico Cat’s
new bilingual book line. “I’d be happy to take a look and tell you
what I think.”
    Grace gave her a searching look before
beginning to smile.
    “I’ll get you my card,” Kathy said. “I have
one in the car.”
    As Kathy turned to hand the card to Grace,
she found the other woman watching Alan and Delia lead the last
horse into the barn together.
    “ Ay bendito . Those two. Son
amigos . It’s a good thing I’m crazy about Frank or I would be
sorely tempted by that man.”
    Once again, Kathy found herself shuffling
through Grace’s words looking for the meaning. “Frank?”
    “My husband.”
    Husband? Grace was married? “You’re not
Professor. . . I mean Alan. . . his date?” And there was absolutely
no reason why that should make her feel like giggling.
    “ Ay Dios mío . Is that what you
thought?” Grace chuckled. “That’s why you looked so shocked when I
suggested you get to know him better.”
    “Maybe.” Kathy narrowed her eyes to stare at
Grace.
    Grace laughed again. Then her expression
turned serious. “You act like you don’t like him much, querida .”
    Kathy shrugged.
    Grace frowned. “I met Alan when our dog was
hit by a car.” Grace turned away, continuing to speak in a pensive
tone. “Blackie. He was hurt really bad. Alan helped me, while
everyone else, including the man who hit him, just stood around or
walked away.” Grace took a deep breath. “He’s a good man. But
lonely, I think.”
    Kathy could see no reason why she should be
concerned about Alan’s loneliness. “Yes. Well. I need to get going.
You send in your manuscript. I’ll take a look.”
    She was halfway back to Denver before she
realized she’d forgotten to pay for the lesson.

Chapter Eight
     
    When there wasn’t room for them to run, the horses learned to
dance . Kathy lifted her hands from the keyboard, frowning at
what she’d written. Clearly, she must still be under the spell of
yesterday’s trip to TapDancer Ranch.
    She closed her eyes, trying to summon
Amanda, but what came instead was a vision of Sonoro,