Cowboy Kisses (4 page)

The Lucky R Ranch, owned and operated by Hank Rudloff, provides a unique and beneficial therapy for students from the Valley Handicapped Association. At the Luc
ky R, traditional physical ther
apy has been replaced by a horse and specially trained riding instructors.

While these riding sessions exercise unused muscles and improve balance and strength, equally important is the psychological growth gained by the riders.

“
On
e of the main purposes of thera
peutic riding,
”
Rudloff states,
“
is to give the disabled confidence in themselves and their capabilities.
”

Steve
Calvert, one of Rudloff’s top instructors, adds, “
Our students do as much as possible for themselves. Every accomplishment, no matter how small, helps de
velop confidence and build self-
esteem.
”

Kenzie glanced at the photos placed throughout the article. Under one picture, the caption read:
“
Neil Taylor, 9, gets help with his riding skills from his Lucky R instructor, Steve Calvert.
”
Despite the graininess of the black and-white image, Steve looked relaxed and handsome. He was even smiling.

Imagine that!
Kenzie thought.
There is a pleasant side to Deputy Ramrod!

Another photograph showed a teenage girl leading three saddled, riderless horses from the ba
rn
.
“
The program uses calm animals that will be patient with riders who might not have complete balance or dexterity control,
”
the caption said.
“
Some horses are rejected be
cause they are too
lively for handicapped riders.”

The other p
hotos were close-ups of the stu
dents, all smiling and clearly pleased with themselves.
“
‘
Each student wears a helmet and
uses a modified English saddle,’”
Kenzie read aloud,
“
‘rather than a Western saddle,
whose pommel and horn can get in the way off exercises.’
”

The rest of the article told about the Valley
Handicapped Association’s fund-raising
efforts
to keep the riding program going.

With a final look at Steve’s picture, Kenzie carefully tore out the article and put it into the drawer of her
nightstand. She’d reread it sev
eral times over the weekend so that everything would be fresh in her mind when she went to
work Monday morning.

Adam’s loud knock sounded on Kenzie’s door and he walked uninvited into her room. He tossed a sheet of paper at her.
“
Our cooking schedule, courtesy of Dad.
”

Kenzie looked at the calendar printed on her father’s computer.
“
I can’t cook on Monday!
”
she complained.
“
That’s my first day at work. I’ll be too tired.
”

“
Tough.
”
Adam wasn’t the least bit sympathetic.
“
All
of us work, remember? Besides,
I
have to drive you to and from your dumb job at that stable, which is miles out of my way.
”

Kenzie
tossed back his earlier comment. “
Tough!
”

Adam scowled.
“
Better believe it,
”
he mut
tered. Then he turned back.
“
By the way, I almost forgot—you have a phone call.
”
Unfortunately, the pillow Kenzie threw at him
missed.

She dashed to the family room and grabbed the phone.
“
Hello?
”

“
Kenzie? It’s Paul. What took you so long?
”

“
A genetic problem in the form of a brother.
”
Kenzie sighed.
“
Thanks for waiting.
”

“
You’re worth it,
”
Paul said.
“
Anyway, I called about our double date tomorrow night with Brad and Jeanette.
I
forgot that it’s my mom’s birthday. We’re having a big family party and I can’t escape. I’m really sorry, Kenz.
”

Though Kenzie was disappointed, she said,
“
That’s okay. I’ll tell Jeanette when I see her at the club tomorrow. I don’t think she and Brad will mind if we don’t tag along.
”

Paul chuckled.
“
You’re right about that! I’ll see you on Saturday. Don’t forget we’re going for pizza after Ali gets settled in.
”

“
I need the phone, sister dear,
”
Adam said loudly from behind her.

Kenzie slapped his hand as he reached for the receiver.
“
Sorry, Paul—I have to go,
”
she said.
“
See you Saturday.
”

But before Adam could make his call, M
r.
Sullivan walked into the room.
“
Have you two
worked ou
t your commuting schedule for next
week?
”
he asked.

If she heard the word
schedule
one mor
e
time
tonight, Kenzie thought she’d sc
re
am.
“
Adam’s not too happy about driving m
e
around,
”
she
replied.
That
was the understate
ment of the year!

Mr. Sullivan turned to Adam.
“
Unless yo
u
have another solution, Adam, you’re the chau
f
feur,
”
he said wearily. Adam didn’t say an
y
thing.
“
Then I suggest you two get a paper and pencil and start coordinating your transpo
rta
tion timetable.
”

Kenzie hated seeing her father look so
tired
and discouraged. She wanted to help, she
re
ally did. But she couldn’t pretend that this n
ew
life-style was
anything but a total disaster.

CHAPTER FOUR

On Saturday, Kenzie turned around and checked the horse trailer behind Brad’s Jeep for the tenth time in as many miles. All she could see of Ali was his ears and they looked fairly calm, though Kenzie’d had some trouble loading him at Silver Hills Stables. The gelding obviously didn’t want to leave his luxurious home. Kenzie only hoped he wouldn’t be too miserable at the Lucky R.

Kenzie’s worries came to an abrupt halt when Brad drove through the Lucky R gate and pulled up in front of the
barn
.

“
This place sure is in the middle of nowhere,
”
Brad said as they got out.

Jeanette jumped to the defensive.
“
I think
it’s a perfect location for a ranch.
”

Paul leaned casually against the side of the Jeep, his arms folded across his chest.
“
Especially one as run-down as this,
”
he remarked, nodding at the weathered outbuildings.

Kenzie wished with all her heart that her frien
ds
hadn’t insisted on helping with Ali. The soo
ner
they got out of here, the better.
“
Nothing a fe
w
nails and a little paint can’t fix,
”
she said lightly
.

Suddenly Paul nudged Brad in the side.
“
Is that who I think it is?
”

Four pairs of eyes stared at the girl in to
rn
jeans and a faded shirt who was leaving one of the far corrals. Recognizing the slump-shoulde
red
walk and the long brown hair drooping on each side of her face, Kenzie muttered in dismay.
“
Silent Sarah Whitman!
”
Given the nicknam
e
because she seldom spoke to anyone at school, Sarah Whitman was considered an eccentri
c
loner.

Paul shook his head dolefully.
“
If that’s what working in th
is dump does to a person, I think
we’d better take Kenzie home right now.
”

Brad laughed.
“
Look on the bright sid
e
Paul,
”
he said.
“
Maybe some of Silent will ru
b
off on Ken
zie and she won’t talk so much!”

“
Real funny, Brad,
”
Kenzie snorted.
“
If you aren’t nice
, I’ll
find out
who Sarah’s designer is and Jeanette and I will start dressing the
way she does.
”

“
No way!
”
Jeanette declared with a giggle.

Kenzie hurried to the rear of the trailer and was about to open the door when she saw Steve Calvert. How long had he been standing back there? Had he heard everything they’d
been saying?

Without a word, Steve climbed into the trailer and backed Ali down the ramp Kenzie hastily slid into place. He silently handed her Ali’s lead line
and picked up the Arabian’s sad
dle and bridle as Kenzie’s friends joined them.

Hoping she sounded normal, Kenzie quickly made introducti
ons, her face still hot with em
barrassment.

Steve shook hands with the guys and tipped his cowboy hat at Jeanette.
“
Nice meeting you,
”
he said, then turne
d away and headed toward the barn
.

Kenzie hurried after him, leading Ali. Turning back to her friends, she briefly rolled her eyes.

“
He’s gotta be Deputy Ramrod!
”
Paul said much too loudly.

Kenzie cringed. Had Steve heard? It w
as
hard to tell because his hat shaded most
of
his face, but in profile he didn’t look up
set.
Reluctantly she admitted that Steve had a ve
ry
nice profil
e. His straight nose, interrupted
slightly by a
bump in the middle, and long
dark ey
elashes made him look both rugged
and oddly gentle.

He made a d
etour into the tack room, plac
ing Ali’s saddle on a rack and hanging the b
ridl
e on a pe
g. Then he stroked Ali’s neck while
they walked to the stall he’d pointed out to
Kenzie on her first visit to the ranch.

“
What’s his name?
”
Steve asked.

“
Ali Ben,
”
Kenzie answered.
“
I call him Ali.”

Steve opened the stall door so Kenzie coul
d
lead the horse in.
“
How long have you had
him?
”

“
Five years,
”
Kenzie said, unfastening th
e
lead line from Ali’s halter. She decided to a
sk
him a question for a change.
“
Do you ha
ve
your own horse?
”

“
Sure.
”
Steve gestured with his thumb to
a
saddled Appaloosa gelding tied nearby.
“
That
’s
Cheyenne.
”

“
Cheyenne?
”
Kenzie repeated.