First and Again by Jana Richards Read Free Book Online

daughter had Down syndrome? Maybe because she’d always steered their infrequent telephone conversations away from Jack.
    Jack’s mother extended her hand. “Bridget, I don’t know if you remember me. I’m Jane Davison, Jack and Gavin’s mom. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you.”
    “It’s nice to see you again, Mrs. Davison.” She didn’t know Jane Davison well, but she knew Celia had always liked her mother-in-law. She was a tall, slim woman in her sixties with iron-gray hair cut in an attractive bob. She wondered briefly if Celia cut her hair. She couldn’t stop the pang of regret that hit when she thought of her sister.
    “Please, call me Jane. Everybody does.” She turned her attention to Rebecca. “So you’re the young lady who wants to ride. What kind of riding did you do in San Francisco?”
    “Mostly Western but we rode on English saddles sometimes.”
    Jack got to his feet and extended his hand to Rebecca. “Hi, I’m Jack, your Uncle Gavin’s brother. How about if Leslie and I introduce you to Candy? She’s the mare we’ve picked out for you to ride.”
    A wide grin split Rebecca’s face. It was so good to see her excited and happy about something again.
    “Yeah, I’d love to meet her,” Rebecca said.
    “Can I feed Candy, Daddy?”
    Jack smiled into his daughter’s round face, into eyes that were slightly crossed. He lifted a hand to pat her back and there was no mistaking the love in his touch.
    “I’ve got the carrots in my pocket. You can give one to Candy, and Rebecca can give her one too.”
    Leslie giggled and clapped her hands as she rose awkwardly to her feet. She came around the table and held out her hand to Rebecca.
    “Come. Let’s see Candy.”
    A look of surprise crossed Rebecca’s face and Bridget held her breath. But after an initial moment of hesitation, Rebecca smiled and clasped Leslie’s hand in hers. Together they walked down the steps of the deck to the gravel path that led to the barn.
    “Does Candy like carrots?” she heard Rebecca ask. She couldn’t hear Leslie’s reply, but she saw her gesture with her free hand, her movements illustrating her excitement.
    Jack moved next to her, a smile on his face as he watched the two girls amble toward the barn. “Rebecca seems like a real nice girl, Bridget. You’ve done a good job with her.”
    His compliment took her by surprise. “Thank you.”
    “You’re welcome.”
    He gave her a smile that transformed his face. For a moment he looked nineteen again, and so handsome she had to clasp her hands together to keep from touching him. She forced her gaze away. The last thing she needed was to feel this pull, this attraction toward him. She already had too many complications in her life.
    “I promise I’ll take good care of her,” he said.
    With that, Jack and his mother followed the girls. She stared after them for a minute, wondering if he judged everyone by the way they reacted to Leslie. Would he have refused to give Rebecca lessons if she’d failed the test?
    Gladys gathered the empty glasses from the patio table. “Why don’t we go inside and have a glass of lemonade and I’ll show you around the kitchen?”
    “Sure.”
    She followed Gladys back into the house. On closer inspection, Jack’s kitchen was not only efficient and sparkling clean, but beautiful as well. Handsome cherry cabinetry covered two entire walls of the kitchen, with a large island set in the middle of the room. Restaurant quality stainless steel appliances gleamed in the afternoon sun.
    “What were you thinking about for a menu?” Gladys asked.
    The question took her by surprise. She assumed Jack would have a set menu that he wanted her to prepare. She hadn’t expected any input.
    “I don’t have anything in mind yet,” she said cautiously. In her days as a professional caterer she would never have gone to a meeting with a client without several different menu plans in various prices ranges to show them. How stupid