I smiled as I snapped my phone closed.  Whipped cream…I was a genius.  Obviously it was for my strawberry shortcake desert, but she didn’t know that.  Besides it could totally have alternate uses as I had hinted.  A heat wave rushed through me just thinking about the combination of whipped cream and Ashley.  My parting words intended to work Ashley up were now working on me.  Yeah, way to go genius….I was going to be stuck in hot scrubs the rest of the day.

Friday was flying by for me. I worked a morning shift at the clinic that kept me running until my 2pm class.  I had a quiz, which apparently was synonymous with midterm in my professor’s mind as it had over 40 questions.  I still managed to finish it early and headed out to take care of Ellen’s horses before I met Ashley at 7.

It was only 3:30 when I got to the barn so I had plenty of time to do the chores and then get home to get ready.  I put halters on all three horses and snapped leads to Pearl and Josie.  I never had to lead Jack; he would just plod along following his stable mates where ever they were going.  I decided to walk them through an oak tree grove on the backside of the property.  Halfway through the walk Pearl and Josie’s ears perked up.  They heard something I didn’t so I stopped and listened intently.  I heard a guitar and faint singing.  I tightened the leads and continued slowly as the path bent through a small group of trees.

I saw the source of the music and it was a stunning sight.  Ashley was engrossed with her guitar and the lyrics she was singing.   Her voice was beautiful.  I knew the song she was singing very well as it was one of my favorites from Po’ Girl, Take the Long Way.  She was playing and singing it perfectly.  I felt like was intruding into her personal space, so I was about to turn the horses around when Josie stamped a hoof and snorted impatiently.

Ashley’s fingers skidded across the strings as she whirled around.

“Christ on crutches, Spencer!!  You about gave me a damn heart attack!” Ashley said as she caught sight of me.