Mountain Moonlight - By Jane Toombs Page 0,11

Mom said?" Davis asked. "I mean when you were teenagers." He sounded dubious about the possibility of either of them ever having been that young.

Bram grinned at him "Yup. In fact, I can even remember way, way back when I was nine, like you are now. I was a really rotten kid. But I grew up and learned how to behave--when I work at it. Speaking of work, time to pack up and hit the trail."

Vala and Davis pitched in to help, although her painful muscles slowed her considerably. All too soon it was time to climb aboard Susie Q once more, whether she wanted to or not. Bram had already saddled the mare--she supposed that would be the next thing she'd have to learn--so all she had to do right now was remember how to get on.

The first thing she forgot was which was the mounting side and she approached from the wrong one, earning an astounded look from Susie Q.

"Mom!" Davis yelled. "Get on her other side!"

As Vala switched, she thanked her lucky stars for the mare's patience and placidity. If she had to ride, at least she had an unflappable horse that forgave her mistakes. She got up onto Susie Q with no difficulty despite her aches, but as soon as they started off single file, she groaned.

How she was going to endure one more day of this, much less four or more, heaven only knew.

Up ahead of her she heard Davis whistling, something he hadn't done in months, and she resigned herself. If he was happy, what were a few aches and pains?

"All right back there in the rear?" Bram called.

"Yo!" Davis answered.

A lot of the problem was in her rear, Vala thought ruefully, her affirmation a lot less enthusiastic than her son's.

But as they rode on, she felt herself loosening up and settling into Susie Q's rhythm without consciously willing it. As she'd predicted, the rising sun's heat began to warm the crisp air and little chirping birds--cactus wrens, maybe?--flitted back and forth. Vala had always enjoyed the outdoors. She couldn't deny the day was beautiful and her companions cheerful company, Bram now whistling in counterpoint to Davis.

Bram was so good with her son. She could wish he'd donate a few dabs of his considerateness to her, but she didn't expect it. Although, come to think of it, massaging her sore muscles with that liniment last night was thoughtful. She didn't think he'd realized how his hands on her body had done more than ease muscle aches. If he had, she'd rather not be aware of it.

There'd always been something about Bram that had turned her on--not that she ever planned to let him know it. He was every bit as good-looking as he'd been as a teenager, with the added attraction maturity brings. Easy does it, she warned herself.

When they stopped to rest the horses, she was pleasantly surprised to find she was able to dismount without help and without falling on her face.

Looked like they'd be going on, Bram thought, watching Vala covertly. She was smiling today, even though he could tell by the way she moved that she still hurt. Definitely not the droopy, sorry-for-herself type he couldn't bear. But then she never had been. Kind of a loner in high school, as he remembered. Though she'd had friends, she hadn't been a part of any of the in crowds.

"I might just turn into a real horsewoman and surprise everyone." Vala was speaking to her son but he knew she wanted him to hear.

"Might," he said. "Might not."

"You don't faze me," she told him. "Susie Q's as smart as they come. You'd be amazed at what she's taught me already."

"I'm not a bad teacher myself--depending on what you want to learn," he said with a grin.

He could see she wasn't sure she wanted to reply to that one. Davis saved her the trouble of deciding by saying, "Yeah, Mom, he knows a lot of neat stuff."

"I'll bet," she muttered.

"How much?" Bram asked her.

"How much what?"

"Do you want to bet?"

"I'm not entirely sure what we're supposed to be betting on."

"My mom doesn't ever bet money," Davis put in.

Bram raised an eyebrow.

"He's talking about the state lotteries," she said.

"I don't do them."

"I wasn't thinking about money," Bram told her.

She shot him what was meant to be a quelling glance, but he had no intention of dropping this. "What I meant was," he drawled, "I'm willing to bet I can teach you to do something