Page 119 of Paper Horses

“Where is Auntie Liv?” my brother asked as Tori scanned the ranch.

“Inside fooling with her lip gloss. You know that woman has thirty tubes of the stuff? Who needs that much lip gloss?”

“Someone whose man likes her lips to be rosy and kissable,” I said, coming up behind him.

“Auntie Liv!” Reid barreled toward me, coming to a halt at my feet and looking up at me. We had an agreement, no touching, but I hadn’t seen him for a few months, and damn if I hadn’t missed the little rugrat.

“Olivia,” Hudson’s distinct command had me peering over at him. “It’s okay. He won’t bite.” I knew what he was doing. Something he’d been working on with me, breaking down my boundaries even further. Pushing me physically while I pushed myself mentally, filling journals regularly and keeping the general store in business.

I stooped down, seeing Reid’s eyes grow large. Our understanding defined our relationship, but maybe it was time to redefine it.

“Ready for a week with me?” I asked, and he nodded.

I tipped his hat brim and gave him a smile, making his eyes large as saucers.

“Good. I’m going to teach you to ride while you’re here.”

“You are?”

“Yup. So you know what that means?”

He shook his head.

“I gotta get used to hugging you.”

His smile was instant, reminding me of Gabe before my father had taken the smiles from him. I stretched my arms out, inviting him in, and only winced slightly when he threw himself into them.

“Now fold them in,” Hudson said.

“Smartass.” I folded my arms around Reid, the power of the moment not lost on me. I looked up at my brother, seeing the same melancholy mixed with joy in his eyes. And I hugged Reid tighter to me, wishing I could go back and hug my little brother when he’d needed it, when he’d stood up for me and taken my place as the older sibling.

“I love you, Auntie Liv.”

My heart lurched, and I bit back the pounding at the back of my eyes. “Don’t push it,” I said, peeling myself from him as my boundaries quickly rebuilt.

Hudson shifted his feet and gave me that look that told me I could do better. I sighed, flicking Reid’s hat and saying, “I love you, too, little guy. Why don’t you go in and find your room? It’s upstairs and ready for you.”

He took off when I stood, and Tori stepped in his place, giving me a big hug that I stiffly returned. I wasn’t ready to become a hugger like she was.

“I’m so proud of you,” she said.

Always going for the kill. That was Tori, tugging at the heartstrings.

I pushed her back gently. “I’ve got some new socks for you inside. Sheila had chickens this time.”

She pulled her jeans up, showing me the rabbit socks I’d sent home with Gabe when he’d visited four months earlier.

“That’s a nice look, Tori.”

“I sent a pair to Cindy and my mom, and they’re addicted.”

“Great. I’m setting a trend I never wanted.”

She laughed, and Hudson said, “Come on in. I’ll get you something to drink. Olivia and I have lunch ready when you guys are hungry.”

“Sounds great.” They walked into the house, Hudson leaning in as he went by and saying, “Good girl.”

I tried not to blush as the door closed behind them. Gabe came up the stairs and stood next to me, his hands in his pockets, that familiar distance between us.