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As Rusty resumed reading, his voice filled the quiet of the pasture, creating a serene bubble where only he and Snickers existed.
“Underneath the starlit sky, the rugged cowboy, Cade, couldn't resist the fiery gaze of his forbidden love, Isabella. Her raven hair cascaded down her shoulders, a stark contrast to her delicate features. Cade's heart hammered in his chest as he took in her beauty, feeling an ache that went beyond the physical desire burning within him.”
Snickers’ once-tense body seemed to relax ever so slightly. Her large, expressive brown eyes glistened in the sunlight. "Fan of Cade, huh?"
Rusty continued reading, pleased that Snickers seemed comfortable with his presence. The more that he read, the more invested in the novel’s story he became. However, as the chapter drew to a close, Rusty felt a pang of sadness tug at his heart. It was obvious that Cade and Isabella would wind up together. But some relationships, unfortunately, were just forbidden period. There was no changing the narrative. No happy ending.
Closing the book gently, he glanced at Snickers, who had moved a bit closer to him during their reading session. He was about to comment on it, but his stomach rumbled, interrupting his thoughts.
“Think we’ll take a break there, girl,” he told her. "Just gonna grab me some lunch. I’ll see you in a little while, okay?"
Much as he'd love to read to the horse all day, Rusty had other jobs to do around the ranch. Animals to check in on, fences to patch up. Even so, he'd been spending a lot of time with Snickers. The mare needed him right now, and he wanted to give her his full attention.
Right after some lunch, that is.
As he walked through the open grounds toward the ranch house, Rusty spotted a group of people gathered for an art therapy session led by Nicole, one of the Littles, in the open air. Nicole had only been at the sanctuary a few weeks and was thriving. She was a sculptor by trade, but had recently come under fire from the media when her latest exhibition had explored her life as a Little, and audiences were way more shocked by it than they had any right to be.
"As you create your sculpture," Nicole called out, "try to think about what your piece is really saying. Don't be afraid to be honest—Littlecreek Ranch welcomes your authenticity."
Rusty noticed a flash of red out of the corner of his eye, and that’s when he saw that Janice was among the group, a little way back from the others under the shade of a tree. It was the first time Rusty had seen her since her arrival, and he couldn't help but stare. She looked physically healthier now than when he’d last seen her. More pink in her cheeks and a little more meat on her bones. The bandage on her arm tugged at his heartstrings, reminding him of the pain she had endured.
Sitting in the shade like that was typical of Janice. Her pale skin and red freckles made her burn like a lobster, so she always sought out the shady spaces. Even so, something about the way she sat there today—hunched shoulders, dropping head, downcast eyes—made it seem like she wasn’t just sheltering—she was hiding.
"Hey, Rusty!" Nicole called out, waving enthusiastically. "Wanna join us?"
Rusty hesitated, his eyes darting toward Janice, who seemed engrossed in her artwork. "No thanks," he replied with a smile. "I’m off to lunch, and not really one for artistic pursuits, but I appreciate the invitation."
"Alright," Nicole shrugged, a playful grin on her face. "But you're missing out on all the fun!"
"Maybe next time," Rusty promised, forcing a smile.
As Rusty walked away from the art therapy session, he couldn't shake the image of Janice from his mind. He found himself pausing to look back at her one last time.
She was weaving long strands of what looked like willow to make some kind of basket, her brow furrowed in concentration.
"Hey, Janice! Can I borrow your scissors a minute please?” called out Rosemary, who was also in attendance. “I’m making a very special sculpture for a certain top secret club I’m in, and I need to cut up some ribbon for it.”
Rosemary was one of the older, more mischievous Littles. Everyone knew the club she was talking about was the Mischief Makers, but everyone pretended to have no idea. That was the kind of place the ranch was. You were allowed to have fun and even play at having secrets, but really, at its core, the place was built on total honesty.
Another reason Janice couldn’t stay at the ranch long-term.
Because Rusty could never, ever be honest with her about why they’d broken up.
“Sure,” replied Janice, and Rosemary bounded over to her.
Rosemary was so full of excitement that she accidentally bumped into Janice's table. The impact sent Janice's delicate sculpture tumbling to the ground, breaking into pieces.
Rusty's heart skipped a beat, his hands instinctively clenching at his sides as he fought the urge to rush to Janice's aid.
“Oh no!” squeaked Rosemary. “I’m so sorry, Janice! Here, let me help you pick up the pieces.”
Janice looked down at her broken basket, her eyes wide with shock. The previously serene atmosphere around her was immediately filled with tension.
"Janice, are you alright?" Nicole asked, concern etched on her face.
"I-I'm fine," she stammered, trying her best to hide her disappointment. "It was only a stupid sculpture. Anyway, I’m no good at art.”
"I really am sorry," Rosemary said, wringing her hands, her eyes full of remorse.
