The Impossible Art of Falling (Impossible Art #1) Read Online Free PDF Page A

softly up the stairs. "Come join us for dinner." It was an invitation, not a command, a gesture Jena appreciated. Throwing her hair in a messy ponytail and grabbing a sweatshirt, she padded down the stairs softly and walked into the dining room.
    "Those mares are adjusting nicely,” Rob was saying to Meg. “They will definitely be ready to breed come next spring. One thing my brother knew was thoroughbreds. They will make a nice addition to our program." Jena cringed at the mention of her father. Rob's back was toward her, unaware that she was listening.
    "Oh, good. You heard me, sweetie. Why don't you take a seat here?" Meg had noticed Jena in the shadows of the stairwell and smiled warmly at her, pretending Jena didn’t just overhear the conversation, but Jena saw when Meg turned to give Rob a stern look. She hadn’t had a chance to talk to her husband yet about Jena, and what she suspected was Jena’s new attitude toward the horses. Not to mention that it was evident Ted’s death was still a raw and open wound on her heart.
    Jena took her place at the table next to her aunt. Meg began dishing out the stew, while Rob sliced the still warm bread. Jena poured herself a glass of water from the pitcher on the table and watched the steam curl up from the fresh bread. Suddenly, she noticed that the table was set for four, not three. Her brow wrinkled as she wondered who else would be eating with them, when she heard screen door open again. A few seconds later, Luke, the man with the sandy blond hair walked in. He paused for a moment when he saw her, his clear blue eyes staring at her. She felt naked beneath his intense gaze.
    "Don't forget to take your hat off at the table," Meg scolded.
    Strong hands reached up and pulled the offending item from the top of his head and hung it on the chair. He grinned at Meg sheepishly and all was forgiven. Meg dished out stew to the plate directly across from her, which is where he sat down. He kept his eyes on her the entire time and Jena felt a shiver reach down her spine.
    "I'm sorry I haven't had a chance to introduce you two until now. Jena, this is Luke Thomas. Luke, this is my niece, Genevieve, but she goes by Jena."
    "Pleased to meet you… although, I kinda already met her when I took her things upstairs," Luke responded, turning toward Meg. Jena opened her mouth to mutter a greeting but nothing came out, as usual. Instead, she nodded and cautiously dipped her spoon into the hot stew.
    "Luke works for us. He lives here, takes care of the horses, and helps run the trail rides. We also have another young man, Kyle, who works here as well. He is only here to help with the trail rides. You’ll meet him tomorrow.” Luke looked up at her, and she could clearly see the watery color of his eyes. His gaze was intense… almost challenging. Great. This was not what she’d expected when she accepted her aunt and uncle’s invitation to live with them. She had thought it would only be the three of them. It felt like her presence made it one too many. She looked down at her dinner and picked at it delicately, trying to avoid Luke’s stares.
    Most of dinner involved small talk between Rob, Meg, and Luke, allowing Jena to simply disappear into herself. She smiled and nodded appropriately, just to keep up appearances. Luke glanced at her curiously from time to time but seemed content to let her sit in silence. Luke had been told that Meg and Rob’s niece would be coming to live with them. Other than that, they had given him very little information. He knew she was some big show jumper and therefore, he assumed, probably had some stuck up attitude, and her lack of conversation earlier proved that. She was quieter than he imagined. Still, that was okay with him. He had no desire to start up a conversation with her anyway.
    Her looks, however, weren’t something he had been prepared for. Her blonde hair fell in waves around her and framed an oval shaped face. Eyes that were an unusual gold