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I turned.

Boone stood at the edge of the dance floor with Josie’s hand in his. He’d changed his shirt after the arena closed, clean dark flannel with the sleeves rolled once. Josie wore a pale dress under the barn coat she’d pulled on against the evening chill, the coat still too big, the hem of the dress moving around her boots.

Boone bent his head. Said something to her.

She looked up at him, face open.

Then he walked her away from the lights.

Toward the horse barn.

I watched them cross the yard.

Priya followed my gaze. “Where are they going?”

“Knowing Boone? To discuss hoof care.”

“At a dance.”

“He’s romantic.”

Boone opened the horse-barn door. The aisle light came on, a dim amber bar through the doorway. He held the door while Josie went in. Then he followed.

Something about the movement snagged me.

Not suspicion. Boone could take Josie anywhere he pleased, and whatever they did in his cabin was their concern and none of mine. But he’d been strange all afternoon.

For Boone, strange meant he’d spoken six extra words and checked his shirt pocket four times.

“You stay here,” I said.

Priya’s eyes narrowed. “That instruction has never worked on me.”

“I’m going to make sure Boo isn’t eloping without witnesses.”

“Why would he need witnesses?”

“For me to mock him accurately.”

“Cash.”

“I’ll be back.”

I kissed her forehead and crossed the yard.

The music softened behind me with every step. Gravel replaced arena dust, then packed dirt. The night air cooled the sweat under my shirt. The horse barn stood beyond the edge of the strings of bulbs, old boards silver at the corners, the open door showing the concrete aisle and one line of stall fronts.

Nickel shifted somewhere inside.

I reached the doorway.

Josie stood halfway down the aisle, back to me. The barn coat hung from her shoulders. One hand covered her mouth.

Boone was on one knee in front of her.

That was all.

No speech that I could hear. No ring lifted toward the light. No crowd gathered. No fiddle arranged outside the door. His big hand held hers. His head was bent for a second, then he looked up.