“Hi, Tripp.” She spoke. Even smiled. At least he thought so. With her face shaded by the hat and a pair of sporty sunglasses, it was hard to be sure. “Enjoying the ride?”
He had about three seconds before their paths would diverge. “Yeah, can’t beat this weather.”
“Mmm-hmm.” The quirk of her mouth told him exactly how lame his reply had sounded.
When she rode on by and he was once again bringing up the rear, he let out a frustrated sigh. Brooke was right—eventually he needed to be honest with Diana about why he’d broken things off. Maybe if she knew the truth, she’d forgive him.
If only he could count on forgiveness being her only response. The whole point of not telling her in the first place was so she wouldn’t stick by him out of pity or obligation. If they did have any chance of starting over—if Diana would even give him the time of day after how he’d hurt her—he wasn’t about to risk a “sympathy relationship” by playing the Crohn’s card.
Up ahead, a flicker of motion caught Tripp’s eye—a startled deer bounding into the woods. In the same instant, Diana’s horse shied and skittered sideways. Tripp swallowed a gasp as Diana landed hard in a clump of dry grass.
“Hold up, everyone,” Seth shouted as he wheeled his horse around. He instructed those nearest Diana to move their horses a safe distance away.
Tripp wasn’t waiting. He urged Tex forward, swinging out of the saddle the moment he drew even with Diana. He knelt beside her, resisting the impulse to physically check her for broken bones. “You okay?”
“Stupid horse. I knew she was way too full of herself.” Diana sat up and rubbed her hip, then groaned as she snatched up her mangled sunglasses. “There goes fifty bucks down the drain.”
Tripp couldn’t care less about the glasses. “Take it slow. You might be hurt worse than you think.”
“Stop looking at me like I’m one of your patients.” Diana’s hat lay an arm’s reach away. She slapped it onto her head, then cautiously pushed to her feet. Brushing dead grass off her jeans, she scowled at Tripp. “I’m fine, I promise. The worst damage is to my ego.”
Seth rode over, leading Diana’s horse. “Here you go.” He snickered as he handed her the reins. “Guess y’all should have taken a little longer in the round pen.”
“Guess you should keep your opinions to yourself, cowboy.” Diana’s sharp tone didn’t match the teasing twinkle in her eye, which reassured Tripp she really was unhurt.
Her horse still looked a little skittish, so Tripp kept a firm grip on the mare’s bridle while Diana climbed into the saddle. Once she’d settled, he looked around for his own mount. Tex hadn’t wandered far, seeming content to munch on grass and ignore the commotion. Back in the saddle, Tripp decided he’d risk Diana’s scorn and ride next to her in case her horse acted up again.
By then, the other riders had continued on, leaving Tripp and Diana at the back of the line. Exhaling loudly, she glanced over. “Thanks for coming to my rescue.”
He cocked his head and grinned. “Yeah, it brought back memories.”
“Oh, please. Don’t you dare bring up the time at your grandparents’ when my horse threw me into the water trough.”
At least she was smiling—a good sign. “That had to be a softer landing than today.”
“No kidding. My hip’s going to be a zillion shades of purple by this time tomorrow.” Diana sat straighter and cleared her throat. “We should catch up with the others. I still need to go visit my aunt this afternoon.”
“Aunt Jennie’s in town?”
She looked surprised he’d remembered the great-aunt she’d always been so fond of. “Yes, as of yesterday.” Briefly, Diana told him about moving Aunt Jennie into the assisted-living center. “I’m just sorry she had to give up her dog. Juniper Bluff really needs a therapy pets program.”
“If you need help starting one—”
“Got it covered.” Diana clucked to her horse. “Let’s go, Mona. We’re getting left behind.”
Then Tripp was the one left behind, since the old trail horse was content to plod along at a snail’s pace. Just when he thought things were relaxing between him and Diana, she’d shut him down. Was there any hope at all they could come through this as friends?
Was he crazy to hope for more?
Returning to the barn after the ride, Tripp clipped Tex to the cross ties at the far end of the barn aisle and loosened the saddle cinch.
Seth moved down the line to check on the campers, then stopped next to Tripp. “So you and Diana know each other?”
“Small world, huh?” Tripp managed a quick laugh. “She and my sister were college roomies.” It was the truth. Just not all of it.
Hiking a brow, Seth tipped back his Stetson. “Yeah, that totally explains why you two are walking on eggshells around each other.”
“This goes in the tack room, right?” Tripp hefted the heavy saddle off Tex’s back.
“I’ll take care of it.” With a nod toward the barn door, Seth cast Tripp a knowing grin. “She’s limping a bit after that fall, so I’m sure she’d appreciate some help with her horse.”
Shoulders slumping, Tripp handed over the saddle. The sooner he and Diana could put this awkward phase behind them, the better. Squinting against the afternoon sun, he traipsed out of the barn, hauled in a deep breath and headed for Diana’s trailer.
She’d just gotten the horse loaded and grimaced as she stepped off the ramp, clearly favoring her bruised hip.
Tripp hurried over. “Here, let me give you a hand.”
“That’s okay, I’ve got it.” Turning, she bent to lift the ramp, then groaned beneath the weight.
“Sure you do.” Ignoring her refusal, Tripp donated his muscles to the cause. Together they hoisted the ramp into position and secured the latches.
Diana stepped back, dusting off her hands. “Thanks. Again.”
“My pleasure.” Tripp shifted his stance. “Look, Di—”
“I prefer Diana, if you don’t mind.”
“Sorry. Diana.” She wasn’t about to make this any easier. “It’s pretty clear my being here is making you uncomfortable, and I just wanted to say I’m sorry. If I’d known you were still in Juniper Bluff—”
“What? You’d have turned down Doc Ingram’s partnership?” Her withering stare made him flinch. “Yes, this is a small town, but it’s plenty big for both of us.”
He bristled. “I’m trying to apologize. We were having a nice conversation for a few minutes there on the trail, and I was hoping—”
“That we could be friends? Let bygones be bygones?” Diana brushed past him and marched around to the driver’s side of the pickup. “Sure, Tripp,” she called over her shoulder. “Don’t even think twice about it. It’s all in the past.”
Catching up, Tripp blocked her from opening the door. “First of all, quit finishing my sentences for me. Second, I get it. I hurt you, and I’ll regret it to my dying day. Third, yes, I would like it very much if we could start over as friends.” He let out a long, slow sigh and hoped his desperate half smile would win her over. “Please.”