“Ashley Showalter, you get back into that bed.”
She didn’t look up at her mom until she’d finished pulling on her right boot—not easy to do one-handed. “I can’t stand to stay down another minute. Two days of rest is enough. There’s nothing seriously wrong with me.”
“Your arm has a bad sprain, and you hit your head and needed stitches. I wouldn’t call that nothing serious.”
“Mom.” She reached for her other boot and began tugging it on. “I’m fine. I appreciate all you’ve done for me, but I’m going to go crazy if I don’t go to work.”
“Ben told me you don’t have to go in until you’re completely healed.”
“They’re having another training session for volunteers tomorrow. I want to make sure everything is ready with the horses. Plus I need to see to my new rescues.”
“You know Ben’s taken care of everything.”
Ashley stood. “Yes, I know. But I need to see to the horses myself.” She walked to where her mom stood in the doorway, stopping long enough to kiss her cheek. “I love you, and I love that you’ve spoiled me rotten since I left the ER. But it’s time for you to go home and sleep in your own bed. I’m perfectly able to get along now.”
Her mom opened her mouth as if to argue further. Then, after releasing a sigh, she closed it again. Her eyes said she knew when she’d lost the battle.
Ashley smiled as she leaned in to kiss her mom’s cheek a second time. “Thank you. For everything. Not just your help since the accident. For everything.”
“Be sure you tell Ben this wasn’t my idea.”
“I will. I promise.”
An hour later, breakfast eaten and her chores finished, Ashley got into the rental car that had been delivered the day before. It was harder than expected to fasten her seat belt with only one hand, but she managed it—unlike on the day of the accident. She also felt a little too close to the ground in the midsize vehicle. It would be good to get her truck back, despite having to come up with the high deductible. The insurance company hadn’t considered the truck totaled. She wasn’t sure if that was good or bad and decided to worry about it later.
“Hold on, guys,” she told the dogs in the back seat before pulling out of the driveway.
She arrived at the farm as Ben was walking toward the house. When he saw her, he changed directions. His smile caused her pulse to quicken, her heart to beat erratically. She’d seen him only once since the day of the accident. He’d come to her home, bringing a large bouquet of flowers for her and a box of chocolates for her mom. But saying anything personal had been difficult with her mom hovering in the background. So they’d talked about the damage to the truck and the miracle of the trailer not flipping onto its side and who had towed the horses to the farm and how the horses were getting along now.
There were things about the accident, both before and after it happened, that she still couldn’t make sense of. But one thing she did remember. She remembered when he’d said, “I love you, Ashley.” She remembered those words and the feel of his arms as he’d cradled her, but she couldn’t hardly believe either of them.
Ben opened the car door. “I wasn’t expecting you today.”
“I don’t do well stuck in bed.”
“Bad patient, huh?”
“Very bad. Just ask my mom.”
He opened the back door to let Jack and Speed out. Then he offered his hand to help Ashley from behind the wheel. She wasn’t sure she needed the help, but she did want to hold his hand. She took it and allowed him to draw her up and out. Her pulse quickened even more as the seconds passed and he didn’t let go.
“Ashley.”
“Hmm?”
“Did I happen to tell you how scared I was when you didn’t show up when you were supposed to?”
“I don’t think so.”
A gust of wind hit her back and pushed her closer to him. She found herself staring at his throat.
“Well, I’m telling you now.”
She tilted her head back.
“There’s a whole lot more I want to tell you about how I feel.” There was no sign of a smile on his lips now.
Her heart thrummed in response. “And there’s a whole lot more I’d like to hear.”
At last the corners of his mouth curved into a slow smile, and the look warmed her better than a blazing fire.
* * *
Ben had been patient long enough. Weeks of patience. He gently drew Ashley tight against him and claimed her lips with his own. If a picture was worth a thousand words, he hoped his kiss was worth a million. Yet there were a few words that still needed to be spoken aloud, now when he was certain she could hear him, and when the kiss ended, he said them. “I love you, Ms. Showalter.”
“I love you, too, Mr. Henning.” She smiled and her eyes glittered with unshed tears.
“Let’s get you inside out of the cold.”
“Is it cold?”
“Yes.” Although, truth be told, he didn’t feel it either. He swept her up into his arms and started carrying her toward the house.
“Now what?” she asked as he stepped onto the porch.
“Now we start planning a life together.”
“You’re a man who loves to make plans, aren’t you?”
He chuckled as he opened the door. “Some more than others, Ashley. Some more than others.”