Page 31 of Saddle Storm

The horse looks familiar.

Tucker.

She’s riding my horse.

He moves beneath her like he trusts her completely.

She sits deep in the saddle, legs steady, hands relaxed, in full control.

“Here we are,” I say, stepping out, my left arm sore from maneuvering this thing the last ten minutes.

The kids hop out, still playfully arguing over something.

“You can’t rename the pony,” Max argues.

“Daddy said if I pick one as mine, I can,” Ellie claims.

“Why would you want a pony? When you can have a horse?”

“Why have a horse, when you can have a pony?” Ellie shrugs. “And I don’t like Winter. It’s cold. I want her name to be Poppy.”

Ellie sure is getting a lot more comfortable on the ranch, that’s for sure.

“Before you go doing that, let’s see if my mom thinks Winter will even let you walk her. She said she’s a tough cookie.”

What did he just say?

“Oh, Cookie would be a cute name,” Ellie muses and skips ahead.

Max shakes his head, following behind her.

I stay where I am, watching, almost in a blur, as the kids race away and over to the arena where Storm finally sees them, her face lighting up as she halts Tucker. Looking over their shoulder, her smile fades and I swear she pales.

“Mom,” Max calls. “Can you tell Ellie she can’t rename Winter?”

She tears her eyes off me, blinking, and focuses on Max. Then hops off my horse. “H-hey, kids. The, um, the ponies are just taking a break now in the barn, but I’ll bring them out in a minute. You two have fun today?” She inhales sharply like she’s catching her breath.

“I had fun. Max said he was bored like a hundred times,” Ellie claims.

“It was boring, but then we had ice cream. And then Silas came and gave us a ride in that.” He points to the vehicle just behind me now as I approach them.

Storm sweeps her gaze over me. “Thanks for bringing them over.”

I don’t answer. I just look at her, eyes narrowing as I try to figure out how the hell I missed that Storm had a child.

“I’m so excited about the wedding. Daddy said if anyone can get Winter ready, it’s you.”

Storm tears her eyes from me then takes Ellie’s hand with a warm smile. “Well, if your uncle Silas can walk her in a semi-straight line, I think you certainly can.” She turns to Max, cupping his chin gently and something tugs in my chest. “I’m sorry you were bored today, honey. I promise we’ll do something fun tonight. It’s still early.” She straightens and ushers them forward. “Now go and wait for me inside. I’ll get the ponies.”

Without a second thought, I follow her into the barn. I know she’s well aware I’m behind her, but she doesn’t stop. Moving to the first stall, she brings out the darker pony I saw in the pen with her earlier. “If you’re here to help, you can grab Winter. She’s three stalls down.”

“You have a kid.”

“Can’t get one past you,” she mutters.

I stop in my tracks. “Are you trying to?”

She snaps her head back. “Of course not, why would I?”