Blue Haven (Sunshine & Shadow Book 1) Read online

  Sunshine & Shadow

  Blue Haven

  Novella by Alie Williamson

  Copyright @ 2015 Alie Williamson

  All Rights reserved

  Published by POWWOW Books, Canada

  Cover photography: Monika Paterson

  Models: Katie Giroux and Tyler Bergeron

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 1

  April Cooper sat on the front porch of the large, three-storey lodge. It was one of those perfect June days. She watched the wind lift a dried leaf from last year’s autumn into a slow waltz through the air and listened to the horses behind the barn, snorting and digging their hooves into the dirt, looking for fresh shoots of sweet grass.

  The ranch was a haven for horses. Twenty-seven in total called Blue Haven Cattle Co their home. Every year, when they were brought in off the range, they would gallop and play, careening from fence to fence and bucking in the air, just happy to be home. April loved every one of them.

  Through the open window behind her she could hear her parents making plans for the upcoming Out-trek season—arguing, as usual.

  Blue Haven Cattle Co was a working cattle ranch with over 800 head of Red/Black Angus Cattle. Its pastures stretched over great expanses of the British Columbian wilderness. Even with four full-time ranch hands, the Coopers had a hard time keeping control of their herd when moving them from grazing land to grazing land, so they decided to open their ranch to the public.

  Since then, Blue Haven had become the number one destination in Canada for cattle drive vacations.

  April enjoyed the company of the guests. Most of them just wanted to ride and experience what British Columbia had to offer. The ones who didn’t have that attitude were easy enough to ignore.

  Kip, one of the ranch hands, came out of the lodge door.

  “Hey! I wondered where you’d disappeared to.” He sat down beside her, sliding an arm over her shoulder.

  April liked Kip. He was a kind person, and he was gentle with the horses. Standing at six foot four, he was the tallest of all the ranch hands and towered over her. Kip’s dark hair was long and usually hung in his face. His blue eyes were always partially hidden.

  “I just needed some fresh air,” April said. She snuggled closer into Kip’s shoulder and let out a sigh.

  Kip looked into the kitchen window. “I’m sure they’ll shut up soon. Do you want to spend the night in my cabin if they don’t? We can have a movie night.” He grabbed April’s waist and tickled her. He got up.

  “I’ll be in the office if you need me for anything.

  April shook her head and watched him disappear. Their relationship was like a rollercoaster. They were too much alike. At times it seemed perfect; he could read her mind when she couldn’t get her words out, or know just how to fix things when she was upset. But other times, they would be at each other’s throats, fighting over something completely trivial that neither would remember in the morning.

  Out of all the ranch hands, Kip was her closest friend. But three boys and one girl made it difficult for Hailey, the other girl, and April not to bond.

  Hailey was a huge flirt; she had made her way into each of the ranch hands’ beds, including Kip’s. Somehow no feelings were hurt. That’s how good Hailey was at influencing men around her. She was smart, witty and charming, not to mention beautiful, with long, black hair and eyelashes so dark she didn’t even need to wear mascara. She was tall, nearing six feet and was also gentle and calm around the horses. She and Kip were the ones April gave the young horses to—the colts and fillies that needed kind but firm training.

  On nights like these, April usually sat outside on the porch and Hailey often joined her. They would discuss training tactics and famous techniques that they liked and hated. But tonight, April was surprised by Caleb slamming down on the bench beside her.

  “Hey sweetie,” he said, stretching out his long legs and cracking open the beer in his hand.

  “Hey, Caleb.”

  “What are you doing out here?”

  April nodded at the open window.

  “They’ll stop eventually.” Caleb said. “They’re just stressed about tomorrow. It’s the smallest group we’ve had in a while; I don’t know why they’re freaking out.”

  “How many?”

  “Three.”

  “Three!?”

  Caleb nodded and took a long drink of Miller. “Like I said, it doesn’t seem like a big deal.”

  The next morning dawned bright and early. From her bedroom window April could see Caleb and Hailey feeding the horses with the other ranch hand, Adam. Adam was the youngest, the newest addition to the Blue Haven team. He was still learning.

  She pulled on her jeans and rushed downstairs. They had to be quick; the guests were arriving at 8:00 am.

  April’s mom and dad sat at the large, mahogany dining table, drinking coffee. They seemed to have recovered from their argument and were smiling again. April grabbed a mug, filled it with coffee and rushed outside to get the stalls cleaned and the grain scooped before breakfast.

  Inside the barn she was immediately greeted by morning nickers and whinnies. She loved the sound and smell of the horses. Inhaling, she went about her chores. Once every horse was turned out and every stall was cleaned, April rounded up the others and headed back to the dining room.

  “Good morning!” Kip was poking his head out of the kitchen door, adorned in a flattened chef’s hat that belonged in a Halloween costume bargain bin. April smiled and sat at one end of the long table.

  “So, how’d everyone sleep?” her dad asked.

  Hailey immediately began describing one of her dreams. April didn’t mind listening to Hailey’s stories. At least no-one was asking her to step into the spotlight and describe one of her dreams, even if it was a little boring to hear for the hundredth time Hailey’s detailed account of the high school dance that she missed, but wished she hadn’t missed, but felt like she was meant to miss.

  Soon though, the conversation turned to April and she was forced to snap back to reality.

  “So April, did you have a chance to look at the Master’s Degree brochures that I put on your desk?” her dad asked. The look on his face indicated he already knew what her answer would be.

  “No.”

  “Don’t you think you should?”

  “Dad, I’m busy.”

  “With the horses?”

  “Yes.”

  “The horses are not your future.”

  April grimaced.

  “You’ve only got your Bachelors’ Degree.”

  “There’s no rush, dad. I’m taking a gap year.”

  April’s dad slammed his fist onto the table hard enough to make the cutlery jump. “Dammit, April, we’ve talked about this. You’re going back to school in September and registration is a month away. You have to pick your classes.”

  “That’s enough, Jack.” April’s mom set a pile of paperwork on the table beside her husband, ultimately ending the argument and earning a glance of gratitude from April.

  Her dad sighed and began peering through the papers. His shoulders seemed to tighten slightly.

  At that moment, Kip brought out scrambled eggs, bacon, sausages and toast in big metal trays and set them on the table. Everybody dug in, glad to have a distraction from the obvious tension.

  April’s dad cleared his throat. “Right, well as you all know it’s the first day of the season and we’ve got guests arriving in about an hour.” He checked his watch. “Make that half an hour.”

  “Who are they?” Caleb asked with his mouth f
ull of egg.

  “Well, that’s the thing, Caleb. This week is going to go a little differently. One of the guests is um...different.”

  “Are we doing the Make-A-Wish Foundation thing again?” Hailey asked.

  April’s dad shook his head. “No...No, nothing like that.”

  “What’s going on, dad?” April asked.

  “Well, he’s...I mean he’s not...quite...” her dad struggled with his words.

  “He’s a celebrity,” her mom said.

  “A celebrity?” Hailey was immediately interested.

  April’s mom nodded. “We’ve known for a while, but we weren’t allowed to say anything.”

  Hailey and Adam were discussing the situation as Kip was finally sitting down.

  “What’s everyone so excited about?” he asked.

  “A celebrity’s coming today!” Hailey said. “To the ranch! Today!”

  “Who?” Kip said.

  Everyone turned to April’s dad. No-one had thought to ask that question in all their excitement.

  “Alexander Mitchell,” he answered after rifling through the papers again.

  “Lex Mitchell?” Kip said. “He’s the hottest country singer around right now. What’s he coming here for?”

  “I heard he’s supposed to be on tour,” Adam said.

  “Never heard of ‘im,” Caleb mumbled, still shoving spoonful after spoonful of breakfast into his mouth.

  “He’s coming for riding experience. He got a part in a movie that starts shooting in a couple of months and he needs to brush up on his western riding. His manager said he used to ride a lot, but it’s been a few years. April, can you pick him a horse?”

  “What horse?”

  “Well, his manager said he’s experienced. But needs a reminder.”

  April nodded. “Are we still heading out tomorrow?”

  Her dad shook his head. “Since we’re supposed to be helping him get back into riding, we’re going to spend tomorrow here at the ranch and leave for the Trek the following day.”

  By 8:00 am, the dining room was back to its clean self, and April was in the arena with Kip. They were schooling the young horses. At least, that’s what they called chasing each other around with lassos. Caleb and Hailey were in the barn somewhere and April’s mom was sweeping the porch.

  A large, black SUV rolled slowly up the driveway.

  “Hailey! Caleb! Jack! He’s here!” Her mom practically threw the broom into the lodge.

  April and Kip wandered their horses slowly over to the fence to wait for the guests to get out of the vehicle.

  Kip smiled. “I have a feeling this week is going to be interesting.”

  April laughed. “Interesting? More like awful.”

  A man stepped out of the driver’s side of the SUV and opened the backseat door. A woman got out next. She wore a dark grey skirt suit and had a cell phone at her ear. She was frowning. April smiled to herself; she wouldn’t find much cell reception in these parts.

  The last guest to emerge was the man everyone had been waiting for. Lex Mitchell was the epitome of tall, dark and handsome. He carried himself with a grace that could only have been perfected by being in the public eye.

  April could tell he knew exactly how good looking he was. He wore dark sunglasses, and when he removed them, April could see piercing green eyes. His skin was tanned from the California sun, which made them appear even brighter.

  Striding onto the deck, Lex shook hands with April’s dad. He then took her mom’s hand and kissed it, locking eyes with her and obviously enjoying the fact that she didn’t seem to be able to look away. This man knew how to charm, and it was immediately unnerving to April.

  Kip and April watched as Caleb helped the driver unload enough bags to last all of them a month. The bags were pristine and Kip laughed out loud as Caleb lost his grip on one. It fell into the dirt.

  “Careful with that,” Lex said with raised eyebrows. “It’s Louis Vuitton.”

  As he turned around, Caleb shot Kip and April a look that described what the week was going to feel like for all of them. Hailey hurried after the celebrity, rambling on about how much she loved his music and how talented he was.

  Kip said, “As if he doesn’t know that already. Look at him. How the hell is he gonna survive out here?”

  April shrugged. “That’s not my problem.” She reached down and gave her horse a scratch on the withers. “You’re my problem, right Charger?” Charger bobbed his large, black head and April laughed.

  Lex’s entourage didn’t seem to be able to part with him for a second. Every time he moved, they moved, like magnets. Lex’s assistant, Gretchen, was constantly looking for things to fuss over. She seemed like a younger, more animated version of April’s mom without wine to calm her down.

  April had been keeping her head down throughout the day, working with as many horses as possible. She had managed to ride five colts and even had an hour to spend with her own horse, Chinook.

  Hailey had been showing Lex Mitchell around the barn when April was tacking up Chinook. She couldn’t help but be a little star struck. The celebrity had an air about him. He certainly was charismatic, or knew how to pretend to be. She could tell he enjoyed the attention he was getting from Hailey.

  “So Mr. Mitchell, what’s it like living the glamorous life of a musician?” April’s dad asked when they all assembled around the dinner table later that day.

  “You know, a lot of travel, a lot of work, but for as hard as I work, I play even harder,” Lex said. Everyone laughed. “And please, call me Lex.”

  “And you call me Jack.”

  “Lex is being modest,” Gretchen said. “The life of a celebrity nowadays isn’t all fun and glory. It’s a lot of hard work.”

  The driver of the SUV nodded. “A lot of late nights, long days. Lex is actually working on his new album right now, which means a lot of time spent in the studio.”

  “Alright, Cash, they get it.” Lex rolled his eyes.

  Cash punched Lex jokingly in the shoulder and said, “I’m just proud of you, little bro!”

  “Bro?” Hailey said.

  “When I got signed Cash became my manager.”

  Cash slapped his brother on the back. “We wanted to keep some control. I have two more clients other than Lex. Another country singer and an actress. Both great! But no-one can compare to my baby brother here! First album reaches number one four days after release; how often does that happen!?”

  Lex looked slightly annoyed. “Yeah, they get it, Cash.” He turned his back on his brother. “So Jack, tell me about your ranch. When did you start taking guests?”

  The topic got changed. April’s mind spun over the exchange between the two brothers.

  Chapter 2

  The next morning, Hailey took Lex out to introduce him to the horse he would be riding. April headed upstairs to look over the Master’s Degree brochures, although she didn’t see much point in it. There was no way she was going to spend money and time getting a degree she had no interest in at all. She knew it would make her parents happy if she continued her education, so to placate her father, even for a short while, she looked over the brochures.

  Suddenly April heard a commotion from her bedroom window. She looked out to see Lex on his back in the dirt and Triumph, the horse she had chosen for him, bolting around the arena. Hailey kept Lex lying down and yelled for help. Cash, Gretchen and April’s dad had already reached the arena when April rushed past her mom and out of the front door.

  “What happened?” she shouted as she hopped the fence.

  Lex tried to get up again.

  Cash shoved his impatient brother back into the sand. “Just lay there for five minutes. We need to make sure you didn’t break anything.”

  “I didn’t. I’m fine!” Lex got up on his feet.

  When April saw that he wasn’t hurt, she turned her attention to Triumph.

  The horse was terrified, running around the outside of the arena like he had been shock
ed by a cattle prod. Hailey was trying to block him and leapt for his reins numerous times.

  Gretchen turned to Lex. “You need to get back on. Isn’t that what they say? When you fall off, get right back on?”

  “Oh shut up, Gretchen, and do what I pay you to do. Which is apparently nothing!” Lex snapped, brushing dust off his jeans. “There is no way I’m going near that horse again. He’s insane! Damn thing almost killed me!”

  April ignored him and called out to Hailey. “Back off. Let me get him.”

  Hailey returned to the group and April faced Triumph. The large chestnut held his head and tail in the air and pounded the ground with his huge feet. He danced backwards and forwards along the fence, spooking every now and then at things like the wind, or the small rocks scattering into the fence rails. His nostrils flared, scenting for danger and reacting with a panicky snort. He careened along the fence, spinning on his hind end and kicking up his heels in distress.

  April took a deep breath. She hadn’t seen Triumph like this in months. When they had first found him on an abandoned farm down the road, he had been terrified of everything. He would even spook at his own shadow. He was flighty and took off at the smallest noise. When they first brought him home, he was a rack of bones. His feet had never seen a farrier and his teeth had never seen a vet. He was riddled with lice and ticks and had no life left in his eyes. He was nearly feral.

  But when the Blue Haven crew had worked together to put weight on him and get him healthy again, April had seen a spark in those huge, dark eyes. That’s when she knew he could be saved. He didn’t have a name, so once she started working with him and found that his will to survive was stronger than any horse she had ever known she had named him Triumph. It suited him perfectly, even to this day.

  April watched the horse trot back and forth along the arena wall, trying to find an escape. She attempted to step in front of him but he pinned his ears back and rushed her. She jumped out of the way just in time and caught her breath. He wasn’t going to be easy to get a handle on.