Promise Canyon (Virgin River #13)(70)

"Fine," Clay said. "Pull down the road to the east pasture. I'll tell Nathaniel who's parked there. As for me, I won't be here tonight. I'll put Diamond in a stall and I'll be back early to tend to her."

"Clay..."

"No, Isabel," he said, shaking his head. "You must know that we can't continue. Not if either one of us is to have an authentic life."

"I thought it was pretty authentic!"

He shook his head. "I was a placeholder, that's all. But we both deserve something better than that."

Fourteen

Clay knew it was important to explain to Lilly about Isabel, but he couldn't bring himself to do it until their business with Diamond was finished. He also knew if he stayed in his quarters he would be faced with Isabel again, and there would be a very uncomfortable confrontation.

He explained to Nathaniel who was staying in the fancy horse trailer. "She could stay in the house with me and Annie," Nathaniel said. "I'd be happy to extend our--"

"It's complicated, Nathaniel. I think there's more to this visit than the horse. If it's okay, I'm not going to spend the night here tonight."

"Of course, that's fine," Nate said. "I've got your cell number."

He went to Lilly's little house; he was so comfortable there. He was content with the veggie-bean chili, rice and tortillas she made for them. They went to bed together and made love, but languidly, slowly, sweetly. He told her he was tired. He teased that she was wearing him out. And while he held her close as she slept, he prayed that he could be finished with the difficult part of his past and move ahead with Lilly, because she was all he had ever wanted.

In the morning he got up and dressed early.

"I can get up, too," she said sleepily. "I'll drive out to the stable and have a short ride before work."

"Sleep, sweetheart. We'll ride later. I have so much on my schedule today and I want to be free of it so I can concentrate on you."

She smiled and snuggled in the sheets. "I like the sound of that," she murmured.

That morning Clay was surprised by two things. There was a problem with the horse--one that explained the occasional limp or hitch in her gait. The mare's MRI showed a very slight bowed tendon, often seen in race-horses and sometimes caused by overtraining.

Clay wondered if his replacement at the stables was trying to prove himself, and in so doing was pushing the horses too hard.

The other thing that surprised him was that Isabel didn't show herself all morning. She was obviously there--the truck and trailer were still attached and parked on the road to the east pasture. But she didn't come to the clinic to confer with the doctor.

"Tell her the injury is minor," Nathaniel said, "but this horse can't train for at least three months. To be safe, longer. She needs more turnout time, less time in the stall. And that's all I've got for her." He handed Clay the large folder of MRI films.

"What's the charge?" Clay asked.

"Come on. It's your ex, man--it's on the house."

Clay sincerely wanted to argue that Isabel had more money than God and could certainly pay, if only for the inconvenience. But he kept quiet because the most important thing was to pack her and Diamond up and get them on the road home.

Throughout the morning he wanted to go bang on that trailer door and tell Isabel it was time to get the show on the road, but he resisted, sensing that's what she was hoping for.

It was just after noon when Nathaniel got a call about a nearby rancher's horse. "Sounds like colic," he explained to Clay. "Can you give me a hand?"

Clay looked at his watch.

"Got an appointment?" Nate asked.

"Sorry. I should have dealt with Isabel, but I've been putting her off. I'd like that to be behind me before Lilly comes by with her delivery later."

"I just might want a hand with the injection and mineral oil. We'll go in two trucks and after we get the gelding dosed, I'll have the owner walking and watching him. Shouldn't take too long, then you can come back here and take care of business."

"Thanks," he said. "I'm sorry for the inconvenience, Nathaniel. It's just that..."

"I've never had an ex-wife. I'm sure it's complicated."

"You have no idea," Clay said. "Let's go."

Because the weather was exceptional, Lilly rushed through her deliveries. She hoped to get to the last one at the clinic a little on the early side today; a ride sounded like a perfect plan, whether Clay was available to join her or not.

When she pulled into the clinic parking area and found an amazingly beautiful late-model truck and horse trailer, it made her briefly happy--it would be good for Nate's practice if his clientele included wealthy horse people. It wasn't until she noticed the woman pacing along the length of it that she realized both Clay's and Nate's trucks were missing from the front of the barn. Lilly was instantly taken with the woman's beauty, but not surprised. Wealthy women who owned expensive horses tended to be richly dressed and gorgeous.

She backed in and went about her duties, dropping the tailgate, opening the barn doors, hefting the bales and feed, putting them away in the feed room. Since there was no one there to sign off on the delivery, she folded the paper in half and slid it under the office door--she could pick up the signed copy when she was there next. To do that, she walked past the woman. On her way back to her delivery truck, she paused. "I guess the vet isn't here, but did you try the house? His fiancee might be home, might be able to tell you when to expect him back."