Chapter Seven

They made it to the stables and Kevin was pleased to see some horses inside.

“Wanna go for a ride later?” he asked Christy.

“Oh, I don’t know about that. I haven’t been on a horse in a long time.”

“I’ll help you,” Kevin promised. “Hey, I’m gonna quick fix the bridge, and then we can cross it and go eat lunch by the lake, how does that sound?”

The kids cheered.

“Do you need any help?” Christy asked, taking the picnic basket from him.

“Nah, you stay here with the kids. Get aquainted with the horses. I’ll be back in twenty minutes.”

She nodded. She watched him go to the shed and disappear inside. He came out a moment later with a bunch of tools and a couple of wooden boards. He waved at them as he walked to the start of the bridge.

The swinging bridge was a favorite spot for campers. It hung some ten feet from the ground, over a wide dip that had a tiny trickle of a stream going through it. She remembered the many times she, Kevin, and his friend Trey and gone running across it, making it swing and bounce, trying to scare each other.

Christy couldn’t help but stare as he took a few steps out onto the bridge and then carefully sat down. Then he began taking out the loose board.

His muscles were taut against his short sleeved t-shirt and a stern look of concentration was on his face. Christy’s mouth went dry. When had he become so incredibly sexy? Suddenly she felt someone tugging on the hem of her shirt. She looked down at Madison.

“Come and see the horses, Christy. Chad found a pretty one named Rainbow!”

“Okay, let’s go!”

Christy followed Madison inside to where Chad was standing on a fence, stroking the mane of a beautiful horse.

“Mom, this one is great! I wanna ride it!” he exclaimed. “Can Kevin show me how to ride?”

“Of course he can, hun. He’s an expert when it comes to horses.”

The three walked through the stables, admiring the horses. Christy looked at her watch. At least twenty minutes had gone by, and Kevin wasn’t back yet. He’d said it was going to be a quick job.

“Maybe we should go see how Kevin’s doing,” she suggested.

She turned the kids around towards the door. It was then they heard Kevin call out for help!

Christy dropped the kids’ hands and went racing outside, just in time to see Kevin fall off the bridge. She screamed his name and ran towards the side of the embankment.

“Stay there!” she ordered the frightened children. “I’m going after him!”

She slid down the hill, not caring about the dirt or the twigs that were tearing at her jeans. All she cared about was Kevin. He was lying on his back, partway in the stream, not moving. She made it to the bottom and dashed to his side.

“Kevin, Kevin, are you okay?” she asked frantically. She ran her hands over his face, his neck, his chest, searching for injuries.

He coughed and opened his eyes, instantly seeing the fear in Christy’s face.

“Kevin!” she cried, grabbing him around the neck and hugging him.

“Whoa, Chris, ack, can’t breathe!”

She let him go. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. Oh, are you okay? Are you hurt?”

He shook his head, smiling. “No, I’m fine. I just got the wind knocked out of me.” He looked up. “I guess I lost my balance. Ick, I landed in the stream.”

Christy hugged him again. “My God, you scared the crap out of me!”

Kevin liked the feel of her arms around him. “I’m fine, really. Just a little wet.”

“Is he okay?” Madison yelled.

“I’m fine, sweetheart!” Kevin called back. “We’ll be up soon!”

Christy helped him stand. “You are soaked!”

“Yeah, and no spare clothes.”

“We can go back to John’s office. He might have something.”

“Good idea.”

Slowly, they climbed back to the top of the hill. Madison flew into his arms.

“Don’t do that again!” she said firmly. “You scared us all!”

Kevin picked her up. “I won’t, and I’m very sorry.”

“You’re all wet.”

“And now you’re getting all wet too!”

Madison giggled. Kevin looked at Chad, who had been standing off to the side, quietly watching. His eyes were bright with unshed tears.

“Hey, Chad, sorry I gave you a scare,” Kevin said softly

Chad said nothing. Instead, he walked straight to Kevin and hugged him around the waist. Kevin looked to Christy, who’s mouth was hanging open at this sudden show of affection. She had never seen Chad hug Kyle, not once. Most of the time, he moved away when Kyle was near. But Kevin...Chad was hanging onto Kevin like he was a life preserver.

“It’s okay, Chad, really,” Kevin said in a soothing voice as he began walking back towards John’s office.

Christy followed, tears in her own eyes. Seeing Chad with Kevin made her suddenly doubt her relationship with Kyle. Kevin had only been around two days, and Chad already had a connection with him. She shook her head.

“What am I thinking?” she wondered. “Kevin doesn’t love me! We’re just friends!”

John was sitting outside when they got to his office. He saw them coming and frowned.

“What happened?”

Kevin chuckled. “I had a little accident with the bridge. I lost my balance and fell in the stream.”

“My God, boy! You’re lucky you weren’t hurt!”

“I know, very lucky. I don’t suppose you’d have an extra shirt I could borrow? Mine got a little wet,” he said, looking down at himself. Madison was balanced in his left arm, and Chad was holding his right hand.

“Sure, come on in,” John said, turning to the door.

The group went inside and Madison slid from Kevin’s hold to the floor.

“There’s a storage room in the back. I’ll go find you a shirt,” John said.

Kevin nodded and headed for the storage room. Christy nearly collapsed into a nearby chair. “Are you okay, Mom?” Chad asked.

“Hmmm? Oh, yeah, sure.”

“You care for him a lot, don’t you?”

Christy jumped. “Of course I do, he’s my friend, one of my best friends.”

Chad just nodded.

John came back with a white t-shirt just as the phone on his desk gave a loud, shrilly ring.

“I’ll take it to him,” Christy offered. “You can answer the phone.”

“Thanks.”

Christy walked to the storage room. The door was slightly open and she went inside, not thinking to knock.

Her mouth hit the floor at the sight before her. Kevin was naked from the waist up, wiping his chest with his already wet shirt. Christy could only stare at the well developed muscles...and his treasure trail. He looked up and saw her. The expression on her face was priceless.

“What, you’ve never seen a man’s chest before?” he teased, tossing his wet shirt at her.

She caught it, and instantly dropped it. “Yuck! It’s all gross!” She looked at him again and could feel the heat rising in her face. “Here,” she said, handing him the dry shirt. “Um...yeah....”

“Christy?” Kevin asked, taking a step towards her.

“Huh?”

“Are you okay?”

She jumped when he touched her arm. “Yeah, sure, I’m gonna go now.” She started to back out of the room - and hit the door on her way out. “Oooh, ow, damn!”