Page 125 of Seeing Harper

“It’s okay. He’s not going to ruin our day,” Clay said.

Harper looked up at him. “I hope you’re right.”

“I am. I promise.”

Harper considered giving him more information about why she was pretty sure things wouldn’t go so smoothly with her father, but then, instead of disagreeing, she simply smiled up at him and placed it all in his hands. “Okay.”

He smiled down at her, leaning over to kiss her lips in a quick peck.

“Can I at least ask why they’re here?”

“When I spoke to them, I told them I was coming here to look for you. So, they probably decided to come support you, or us. It’s us now.”

Harper grinned and hugged him again.

The stranger had been waiting for Harper to focus on the horse trailer instead of the people that had arrived before he unveiled her surprise. When Clay looked toward him again, he gave Clay a nod and started unchaining and unlocking the back of the trailer.

Clay glanced toward the highway again when more vehicles turned in. Riley’s truck had just made the turn onto the driveway and was slowly coming to a stop near Libby and Travis’s vehicles. Seconds later Summer’s car came into view, just barely slowing down enough to make the turn as she brought up the rear.

“What’s happening, Clay?” Harper asked as she watched their family and Pride members arriving.

“You went missing. Everyone was worried.”

“Yes, but despite every one of them knowing where this place is, not a single one of them has ever cared enough to come by here before, except for Summer and that was a rare occasion,” she said, glancing toward everyone who was making their way to where her mother stood quietly speaking to her father as she stood far too close to him and stared directly up into his eyes as he nodded and agreed with whatever it was she was telling him.

Clay gently placed a finger on her chin and turned her face toward him. “Do you trust me?”

“I do.”

“Then forget all that. This is about us, you and me, not them in any way, shape or form. Focus on us.”

Harper nodded. “You’re right.”

“Close your eyes, hon.”

Harper opened her mouth to object, but then realized this was Clay, and she trusted him. She gripped his hand tighter and did as he asked, stumbling along beside him as she held onto him while he led her to stand just a few feet away.

“Go ahead,” Clay said to the stranger. Then he spoke to Harper. “We’re just going to stand here near the fence for a minute or two.”

Harper nodded, but kept her eyes closed as she wondered what Clay could possibly have to show her, and how this day could become anymore perfect than it already was, despite the arrival of her family and their Alpha.

She startled at the first loud clang of the doors on the horse trailer being opened, followed by the thud of the ramp on the horse trailer being lowered to the ground, but Clay reassured her by putting his arm around her and pulling her against his side. Then she heard footsteps in the distance coming up the drive and she knew her family was getting nearer. But that thought was suddenly blocked out by the hard clip of heavy hooves on the floor of the horse trailer, then stomping down the ramp and the sound of the stranger clicking his tongue and speaking softly to whatever horse he was unloading.

“What did you do? Did you buy another horse to help us set up our programs?” she asked, keeping her eyes closed tight.

“No, this one is just for you,” Clay said.

Huge hooves crunched on the gravel as the massive animal pranced excitedly, recognizing where it was. A shrill whinny filled the air.

Harper’s breath caught.

“Open your eyes, Harper,” Clay said, his lips right near her ear.

With her heart in her throat, Harper slowly opened her eyes, afraid that her senses were lying to her. But then she saw him, and her hands flew up to cover her mouth as though it was almost too much for her to experience.

Hephaestus stood proudly, his nose in the air, nostrils flaring as he scented the familiar landscape, his beautiful silver mane and tail blowing in the breeze. Then he zeroed in on Harper and whinnied again as he went to her, pulling the stranger who tried to hold onto his lead along with him. She reached her hands out to him and he rested his giant, graceful head against her hands as she tried and failed to contain the sob that breached her throat.

“Oh, my God! Oh, my God! How did you do this?” she cried, as she pressed her forehead to the massive gray Percheron’s face.