Born In The Saddle - Quicksilver Stud - Book 1 (#wattys2016)

Chapter 3

'I guess. So where's your mum? If you don't mind me asking.'

'Course not. She's not horsey. Mum and dad split up when I was two and I lived with her mostly, that's why I've got her name, Warner, not Michaelson. She remarried a few years back and runs a beauty salon back in Aukland.'

'Don't you miss her?'

'Yeah, course but when dad came back here to run the stud farm it was either lose one parent parent or lose one parent and horses. No brainer really. We still talk loads it's not like she's gone. Oh sorry.' She bit her lip and looked sheepishly from under her thick fringe. My heart automatically tightened as her idle comment sent a little dagger through me. But I urgently pushed at the pain, shutting it firmly in a little box.

Instead I focused on Amber's bright, bubbly character. She continued to peek from beneath her thick hair. And, when she realised I wasn't going to fall to pieces, she playfully screwed up her nose and crossed her eyes at me – sending me into a round of childish giggles. Looks like I had found a friend in Yorkshire after all.

'So are you coming down for dinner?' She asked when I finally stopped giggling. 'My stomach's rumbling just from the smell.'

'Hmmm, yes.' I automatically rose from the bed and then hesitated as I recalled why I'd been hiding up here in the first place. Amber clearly sensed my hesitation and instantly hit the nail on the head.

'I know they look the same. I've seen the pictures of them together. But this first time will be the weirdest. Good to get it out of the way. Like removing a plaster. Rip it fast and clean so it hurts the least.' She said merrily over her shoulder as I followed her out of the room.

Amber practically danced down the stairs and straight into the kitchen while I followed at a steadier pace. I hovered in the doorway as soon as I heard his voice. A strong, commanding Yorkshire accent, with an unfamiliar Kiwi twang to it.

Grandpa Joe caught sight of me across the room and everything fell silent. Maggie moved from the table back towards the oven and then there he was. Tall, strongly built but fit with thick black hair, partly hidden beneath a well worn, brown suede stetson. He removed the hat and then turned so we were face to face. My heart leapt into my mouth for a second as I could have sworn it was my dad standing before me. I bit the inside of my lip before it started shaking. My legs remained ready, as if running was a likely option.

Clay's eyes looked wary at first but as we held each others gaze they slowly warmed and a gentle welcoming smile spread across his face.

'Hi Jenna.' He said simply.

'Hi.' Was all I could manage in reply.

'Been a long time.'

'Uh-huh.'

'Well, let's all take a seat shall we.' Maggie said, breaking the sudden tension and ushering everyone to the table.

The five of us sat and feverishly started on the most delicious meal I ever remember eating. It tasted even better than it had smelled. I relaxed as time passed but found it hard to join in much with the conversation. Joe chatted mostly, with Maggie chipping in, and Clay would reply every so often to their questions about the yard. I focused hard on the plate in front of me but every now and again my eyes were dragged up by some unknown force and landed on Clay.

It was the strangest thing. To be sitting here and talking about ordinary things with my father. Only he wasn't my father. He was a stranger who wore my father's face. It's uncanny how similar they look. Even though Clay was a couple of years younger than my dad, from their looks, they could have been twins.