tall, Maddie walked slowly and determinedly toward the front door of Rose Cottage, staring straight ahead and refusing to even acknowledge the fact that Ross might be watching. She slammed the door and bolted it, giving in to her nerves for a moment by leaning back. From outside, she could hear music and Meg’s high-pitched laughter. What was the little girl laughing at? she wondered with a sudden tug of loneliness. Unable to resist the temptation, Maddie went across to peer through the window that looked out on the trailer. Ross was sitting cross-legged on the ground. Smoke curled up from some kind of barbecue, and he was playing a guitar—actually playing a guitar!—as if everything was okay, when he had disrupted her whole life.
Suddenly, as if aware of her gaze, he looked up, meeting her eyes from across the distance. Maddie froze, her heart hammering in her chest, and then she turned abruptly away. It was certainly going to be a long three months if this was what she was going to have to put up with every night.
Maddie made herself a cup of coffee and sat down, cradling the mug in her hands as she went over the day’s events, remembering how the talk had turned to horses. Finding out that Jake Munro’s mare, Carlotta, was in foal to Grand Design had brought her past tumbling back and reminded her sharply of Alex.
They’d nicknamed the colt Dennis, though his real name was Grand Design. He had been one of her three charges at Apple Tree Stud, and it was Alex who had persuaded his dad that she would be able to handle him. She’d struggled with Dennis at first and been bitten more than a few times, not to mention the episode when he dumped her on the gallops. But eventually her resilience had paid off. She and Dennis had reached an understanding, a companionship that had lasted until he’d been sold. She’d cried all night when he left, and the stable yard at Apple Tree had felt empty without him.
Suddenly realizing she was sitting in darkness, Maddie got up and headed for the switch, hesitating as she passed the window. She could see lights on in the trailer, and then the door opened, light silhouetting the man’s big frame. What was he doing here? Why was he all alone with his little girl, and was this really his cottage? He must have found out that she had every right to be here or else he’d have been over here to give her a hard time again. His demeanor had unnerved her at first, but she didn’t feel quite so threatened now. The way he was with Meg...and Red, who never seemed to leave his side, made her believe he couldn’t really be a bad person...could he?
The little girl had looked so much like him when she’d questioned Maddie about her taking their house, so fierce and angry. Perhaps tomorrow she should try to talk to her again. If they were going to be living next door for the next three months, then she didn’t like the idea that Meg thought she was mean.
She’d have an early night, she decided, to build up her strength for tomorrow. She was so relieved by how well she seemed to be getting along with everyone at Sky View. Then again, they were all so welcoming and easy to talk to...even Jake Munro, who she’d been a bit in awe of.
The memories of Grand Design, and consequently Alex, were harder to deal with. Mostly, nowadays, she was glad he hadn’t hung around to see her like this, but she couldn’t help but reminisce, back to those amazing days when they were a golden couple in the racing world.
Steeling her mind, she went into the kitchen, forcing herself to concentrate on the basic task of making something to eat. Those times were gone, and reflecting on them would just depress her. At least she had hope in her heart again. That just had to be enough...for now.
MADDIE WOKE EARLY, discovering immediately that she’d really overdone it the day before. She could hardly manage to climb out of bed, and her left leg refused to do as she told it. Knowing the cause, she fought off the panic attack that threatened, fixating on breathing deep and slow. It was ages until she needed to get ready for work, and experience had taught her that she just had to stay calm and be patient.
Sitting on the side of the bed, she began her exercises, wincing in pain but determined to be ready to leave for Sky View by eight. Slowly, her muscles eased and her coordination improved enough for her to get dressed and go down the steep, narrow staircase.
As she passed through the hallway, she heard a gentle tapping on the door.
“Hello?” she called as she slowly went to open it. Surely, her unwanted neighbor would have made a lot more noise, but who else would be knocking so early in the morning?
Meg stood outside. “No dog?” Maddie asked, smiling.
Meg shook her head. “He’s gone with Daddy.”
“What!” Maddie frowned. “He left you alone?”
Meg stepped across the threshold. “No, he’s just doing the chickens and letting Red go for a run... Do you have any milk?”
Maddie stifled a smile. “Have you run out?”
“Daddy forgot to buy some yesterday. He says it doesn’t matter, but he loves to have a cup of coffee with his breakfast. I thought you could let us have some, but don’t tell him or he’ll be cross.”
It obviously hadn’t occurred to her that her dad might wonder where the milk came from, but Maddie didn’t point that out. Hopefully, Ross would just let it lie.
“What’s your full name, Meg?” she asked.
“Megan Noble,” Meg said proudly, tossing back her long chestnut curls. “And my dad is called Ross Noble.”
“That’s a lovely name.” Maddie smiled. “I’ve got plenty of milk, you can have as much as you like.”
“And you won’t tell Dad?”
“I won’t tell your dad. Here, we’d better hurry if you want to get back before he does.”
As they walked into the kitchen, Maddie felt Meg’s hand curl around hers, and warmth trickled through her veins. “So we’re friends now, are we?”
She was rewarded by a wide, heartfelt smile. “If you want to be,” said Meg.
“I want to be,” Maddie repeated. “And I won’t tell your dad about the milk.”
By the time Maddie finally set off for Sky View, having taken her medication and eased her objecting limbs into submission, she felt much more ready for the day. Her previous preoccupation about the man in the trailer seemed less important, and she barely gave him a thought as she headed for her car. She wasn’t afraid of him anymore, and as far as she was concerned, his presence at Rose Cottage was just a nuisance she’d have to endure for a while. When he suddenly appeared beside her, however, her heart sped up, pounding in her throat.
“I’d rather you didn’t encourage my daughter if you don’t mind,” he said curtly. “I can’t have her disappearing all the time.”
Rankled, Maddie stopped in her tracks. “Then maybe you should keep a better eye on her. I haven’t ‘encouraged’ her and don’t intend to. If you don’t want her around me, then maybe you should go somewhere else and come back when I’ve moved out.”
“In three months, you mean,” Ross snapped, his dark eyes narrowing.
Maddie nodded, raising her eyebrows. “Ah, so you’ve spoken to the rental agency.”
“I may have...but I still intend to camp here until you leave.”
Maddie set off toward her car again, walking carefully. “Well, that’s your prerogative, but if you think you can frighten me off, I’m afraid you’re wasting your time. I’m a lot tougher than I look.”
Ross paused, and automatically she stopped, too, standing tall and holding his gaze in defiance. A sudden softness in his eyes took her by surprise, but then his mouth set into a grim line. “I don’t doubt it,” he said quietly.
Maddie turned away abruptly, more uncomfortable with the momentary flash of warmth and perhaps admiration than she was with his more familiar display of anger. “Now