He jumped the fence and was almost to the barn when he heard a squeal. He picked up the pace and followed the next scream to the tack room. Most likely Liz had had her first encounter with a snake or a mouse. He slung open the door to find her with half a dozen open boxes surrounding her on the floor as well as on the table, and Christmas decorations everywhere.

“Liz, are you okay?” he asked.

She jumped and squealed again. “Dammit! Raylen, you scared me.”

“Well, you scared me. I heard you yelp and thought you were hurt,” he said.

“It was excitement, not hurt,” she said. “I found all these gorgeous old decorations so I can make my house pretty for Christmas. Want to help me?”

He raised an eyebrow. “Tonight?”

“No, but before Thanksgiving. Mama and Aunt Tressa are coming the week before Thanksgiving, and I want it decorated by then.” The light from the window made the ornaments glitter and glow.

“Sure,” he said.

“What are you doing over here?” she asked and sniffed the air. “Have you been riding? I smell horses.”

“You’ve got a good nose as well as a loud squeal,” he said with a grin. “I was exercising Danny Boy, one of our prize stallions. That’s my afternoon job several days a week.”

“Tell you what, I’ll trade off help,” Liz said. “If you will help get my house decorated by the time my family gets here, I’ll help you exercise the horses when I’m not at the cafe. I love horses,” she said.

“You ride?” That was as believable as belly dancing.

She picked up an ornament, wrapped it and put it back in one of the boxes.

“Our carnival has pony rides for the kids. We used to have Shetlands, but now we have Rocky Mountains. Ever heard of them? I ride in the winter months every single day. And Poppa has bigger horses out on the property, the ones that we can’t use for the carnival but he can’t bring himself to sell. So, yes, I ride.”

Raylen’s face registered shock, but he threw up his palms. “Sorry I doubted you. And yes, I’ve heard of Rocky Mountains. Dewar could talk for hours about Vanner horses. He’s been buggin’ Mama to invest in a pair, but she told him if he wanted to play with the fancy horses then to go ahead, but to keep them on his property. And I’ll take you up on that offer. I’ll help decorate the house if you’ll help me exercise the horses.”

“Thank you,” Liz said. “Dewar will have to come to the carnival when it comes to Bowie and see Aunt Tressa’s four Rocky Mountains. They’re spoiled rotten, and she treats them like babies.”

“When he hears about the horses, I’m sure he’ll be there.” Raylen leaned on the edge of the table and pretended interest in the boxes. Liz had been dressed like she was that afternoon, back when they were both teenagers. He’d wanted to be a jockey, but even though he was the shortest O’Donnell brother, he was still too big to qualify as a jockey.