High Hurdles (37 page)

“What do you think of it?” Robert shut off the ignition and turned to Lindy.

“It’s a nice house, I guess.” Lindy looked up at him. “Pretty yard.”

“Let’s go see the inside.”

The boys threw off their seat belts and exploded out the door. At a shake of their father’s head, they ran in place until they could grab DJ’s hands and pull her toward the front door. A fan-shaped window over the door caught her eye.

Instead of knocking, Robert unlocked the door. Strange. One didn’t go unlocking someone else’s house. They obviously weren’t coming here to visit someone.

They entered an empty living room with vaulted ceilings—a fireplace ran clear to the ceiling on one wall, and an abundance of windows let in the outdoors.

“What do you think?” Robert had his arm around Lindy’s shoulders.

“It’s beautiful.” Lindy stood very still, her eyes trained on the wide stair that curved up to the second floor.

“I thought so, too—that’s why I bought it. The place has five acres and a barn with horse stalls. Though the house isn’t large enough now, it will be by the time my men get finished with it. I figure we could move in by March . . . that is, if you think a February wedding would be about right?”

“Robert, I . . .”

“Let me show you the rest of the place.” He took Lindy’s arm and led her through an arch to another room.

DJ felt as though she’d been kicked in the head by a one-ton draft horse. Robert had bought them a house!
He
certainly was convinced they could become a family. But her mother hadn’t said yes yet—had she?

DJ could ignore the dynamos tugging at her arms no longer. She let them pull her up the stairs, down the stairs, out to the kitchen, and to the backyard, but she needed no encouragement to visit the barn. Four stalls, a board-fenced paddock, and a field for grazing. She turned and looked at the house. Robert wanted to make it
bigger
?

“Daddy said we could have two ponies, and Major can live here, too.” The boys ran from stall to stall, opening each half door and chasing each other inside and out again.

DJ tried to tune them out so she could think clearly. Had her mother agreed to this? She shook her head. No, Lindy had been as surprised as her daughter, DJ realized, remembering the shocked look on her mother’s face.

“Come on, guys, let’s go see what’s happening at the house.” She turned and headed out of the barn, sure they would follow.

“Daddy said we could have a dog here, too. Two dogs, even. You want one? I want a pony now.” The two overlapped comments as usual. “When we gonna move, DJ? You’re the best sister in the whole world!”

DJ sensed the icy chill the moment she stepped through the sliding-glass door into the breakfast area. Uh-oh, her mother was not happy. DJ put a finger to her lips to shush the boys before they charged into the house.

“But, Robert, I didn’t say I’d marry you.”

“But you’ve said that you love me. This just doesn’t make sense.”

“I know, but marriage is a big step. It’s a lot to think about, and it’s not fair to pressure me by buying this house.”

“Lindy, honey, this isn’t pressure. I’d have bought this house even if it were just for the boys and me. It’s near Dad and Gran, the boys can have a dog and ponies, and I’m building more houses out in this area now. I can move my office out of the city and not have to commute.”

DJ put her hands over the twin mouths about to erupt beside her. She shook her head and whispered, “Be quiet, okay?” The boys nodded, so she removed her hands and took theirs. Together, they tiptoed back outside and sat down on the redwood steps.

So many things to think about. She stared out at the barn. She could have Major right at home with her. She wouldn’t have to work at the Academy all the time to pay for his board and keep. She’d ride over there for lessons. There was room in the field for jumps. The boys could ride in the paddock until they got good enough to ride up in the hills.

And DJ would have a father—and two brothers. She watched the boys kneeling on the ground, studying something in the grass.

“DJ, come here.” One of them waved to her.

“DJ, boys, come on. Let’s go eat.” Robert stopped in the doorway.

DJ got to her feet. Robert sure did have a knack for surprises. When DJ found her mother in the living room, traces of tears still glistened in her mother’s slightly red eyes.

What had her answer been?

Chapter
•
12

“What do you think, DJ?”

“What do you mean, what do I think? About what?” DJ stalled for time. She knew her mother was talking about Robert.
It’s not fair. Don’t ask me. I’m just a kid, remember—that’s what you’re always telling me
.

Lindy sat curled up in Gran’s wing chair, one hand propping up her head. The lamplight glinted on the auburn tints in her hair and made it shine blood bay.

The phone rang, and DJ leaped to her feet. “I’ll get it.”

“If it’s Robert, tell him I’m not home.”

“Sure, she’s right here.” DJ leaned around the corner. “It’s for you.”

“Who is it?” Lindy mouthed. DJ shook her head and shrugged.

DJ left her mother talking and headed for her room. How could she give her mother an answer when she had no idea what she thought? And asking her daughter to lie for her? Of course, it had been Gran who had always insisted on telling the truth. Lindy had never been home.

DJ got out her sketch book and pencil box, taking time to sharpen each tip to perfection. After building her nest on the bed, she soon lost herself in a world of lines and shading. The foal she and Gran had been working with slowly appeared on the paper. Trying to get the ears just right, she erased one and started again.

A loud knock at the door finally got her attention. “Yeah?”

“May I come in?”

“Sure.” DJ heaved a sigh. Why couldn’t she be left alone to draw? Life was so much easier when all she had to think about was sketching and shading. Draw and approve or erase. No major decisions.

“That was my boss. I’ll be leaving tomorrow morning for a three-day trip to Los Angeles. Mom said it was okay for you to stay there.”

“Great.”

Lindy paused, as if waiting for DJ to say something else. “Fine, then. I better get packed. Good night.”

“Night, Mom. Have a good trip.” When the door closed again, DJ thumped her fist on the pillow. “Yes!” Three days with Gran and Joe—and without her mother.

Tuesday morning Robert called before DJ left for school. She answered the phone with a questioning look at Gran, who shrugged in return. What could Robert be calling
her
for?

“You want to take
me
out to dinner? Why?”

“I’d like to get to know you better. We never get time to talk when all the others are around.”

DJ tipped her head to the side. “Well, I guess.”

“Good, I’ll pick you up at seven, if that’s all right.”

DJ hung up the phone and turned to Joe and Gran, who were sitting at the breakfast table. “What’ll we talk about?”

Joe laughed. “I think you’ll find Robert is an entertaining companion, if you give him a chance.”

“There’s a message there, darlin’.” Gran took another sip of her coffee.

DJ picked up her backpack and slung it over one shoulder. “We gotta go, GJ, or I’ll be late.”

Monday was the day she got to spend the most time with Major, but since his leg prevented them from jumping yet, they worked on the flat instead. DJ posted till she felt her legs turn to cooked spaghetti. She concentrated on each of her aids—hands, legs, and feet—but especially on how she held her head. She’d never realized how often she looked down or off to the side. Keeping Major going straight was one problem, but the more crucial one was her concentration.

They crossed the cavalletti so many times she felt pole happy. Major seemed to enjoy every minute of it, striding with ears forward, neck arched, and snorting every once in a while.

After walking him out, DJ checked the leg to make sure there was no swelling. “You’re a trooper, you are.” She stroked the horse’s neck and rubbed his ears. “We’ll probably be able to jump on Wednesday. What do you think?”

Major snorted and bobbed his head. She checked his hay net and the water bucket, then got his grain. “I’d much rather stay here with you than go to dinner with Robert. Why doesn’t he just come to Gran’s for dinner?”

Joe appeared at the stall opening. “Because he wants time with you, not us. You ready to go?”

“Where would you like to eat?” Robert asked once they were in his car heading for the road. “What kind of food do you like?”

“Chinese, Italian, Mexican—pretty much anything but Thai, it’s too spicy.” DJ looked over at the man driving. “I’m not particular. What do you like?”

“All of the above. How about we go somewhere you don’t go often?”

That won’t be hard,
DJ thought.
We never go out except for hamburgers or pizza.
“Italian then?”

“Fine. How about Giannini’s?”

When they were seated in a booth with a white tablecloth and their hostess had lighted the low candle, DJ looked around. Robert had good taste in restaurants—now if only the food lived up to the decor.

“I know the ravioli is delicious, and the pastas are superb. They make their own.” Robert smiled at the waiter, who wore a black tie and spoke with a heavy Italian accent. “What do you want to drink, DJ? I’m having iced tea.”

“That’ll be fine.” DJ looked up when the waiter lifted the crown-shaped napkin from her plate, shook it, and laid it across her lap. “Ah, thank you.” She glanced over to catch a smile on Robert’s face. She raised her eyebrows and smiled back.

By the time they’d ordered, she couldn’t begin to explain why she’d been uptight about dinner with Robert. He made her laugh and got her to tell him all about her early days at the Academy—and the disastrous times she and Amy had tried to earn money.

“And the hamsters got loose in the garage?”

“Actually, some of them were in my bedroom. One even got into Mom’s.” DJ rolled her tongue in the side of her cheek. “She can yell pretty loudly when a creepy critter gets too close.”

Robert went from a chuckle to an outright laugh, a deep sound that made other people turn to see who was having such a good time.

“Did you catch them all?”

“Finally. I sold them to a friend whose brother had a six-foot boa constrictor. He was always looking for snake food.”

Their dinner was everything Robert had promised. DJ knew that from then on, she’d be partial to ravioli. The dessert tray looked like an artist had been painting dreams. She chose something called chocolate decadence and wished she could eat such creamy chocolate every night.

When Robert ordered coffee, she leaned back in her chair and gave serious thought to unbuttoning the waistband of her twill dress pants.

“Tell me about your dream of being on the Olympic team.”

“That’s what I’m trying for.” DJ leaned her elbows on the table.

“No, I mean, what will it take? I have no idea how a person ends up on the U.S. equestrian team.”

“Well, you need to qualify, just like for all the other sports. I’d have to be known for winning shows—the big shows where you earn points. Olympic riders have really top-notch horses—hot bloods like Thoroughbreds—and both the horse and rider undergo tremendous training.”

“Sounds expensive.”

“It is. It’s also one of the few events where age doesn’t count. In fact, rarely is someone under twenty-five admitted to the team.” DJ moved her spoon around. “I know I can do it, though. Gran says that if you want something bad enough and pray hard and work hard for it, you can do it. I’ve been working and praying as hard as I can, so I figure God will help me. At least, that’s what Gran says. She teaches me Bible verses so I know where to turn for encouragement.”

“Well, I’d like to be one of those who helps you, too. You have a big dream, DJ, and I admire people who are willing to work hard for their dreams.”

“Thank you.”

Once back in the car, Robert asked, “What did you think of my new house?”

“It’s nice.”

“Did Lindy tell you what I plan to do with it?”

DJ shook her head. “Mom and I haven’t talked a lot since then.”

“She’s upset, isn’t she?”

DJ shrugged. How was she supposed to answer that?

“Look, DJ, I know you weren’t exactly pleased at first with the idea of me marrying your mother. I’m hoping that’s changed, because I really want us all to be together. I love your mother, and I know she loves me. If we all work at it, we’ll make a wonderful family. And after I finish the remodeling, that house will be a great place for all of us. You can have what is now the master bedroom and bath for your own, and the boys will share the other. The new wing will have a master-bedroom suite, an office for me, and probably a playroom. I’m not sure yet.”

He looked over at DJ. “I’m trying to give you a sales job, aren’t I?”

“You didn’t mention the horse barn yet.” DJ grinned at him. “The boys already told me they were going to take riding lessons.”

“Yeah, ponies and dogs are all they think about.” He turned into Gran’s driveway. “Sometime I’d like to hear what you think about this wedding. Thanks for the date. I really enjoyed myself.”

“So did I.” DJ climbed out of the car. “Tell the boys hi for me. And thank you for the yummy dinner.”

“Did you have a good time?” Gran asked as DJ stepped in the door.

“Yeah, I did. He’s a really nice person.” DJ yawned. “I better get to bed. Gran, I’ve been thinking—if I could work Major mornings before school, I’d have more time in the afternoon and evening for all the other stuff I have to do. What do you think?”

Gran shook her head. “I think that’s asking too much of yourself.”

“Other Olympic contenders do it—why not me?”

“But why not?” DJ carefully kept any trace of a whine out of her voice. She had asked her mother to discuss the idea of early morning workouts again, and acting like a little kid wouldn’t help her cause. While her mother had said no several months before, maybe now would be different. DJ certainly hoped so.

“DJ, you have too much to do already.” Lindy paced the family room. “You’d have to ride up to the Academy in the dark, and I won’t permit that.”

“You could give me a ride on your way to work.”

“But you’d go to school smelling like a horse. No, that just won’t work.”

“Please, Mom. Just think about it, okay?”

“DJ, no. I haven’t changed my mind. I cannot give you permission to ride in the morning, and that’s that. You are only fourteen, and you need your rest. You’d have to be in bed by eight to keep going, and you know how you like to stay up late.”