AllFreeNovel
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Bending forward, Greyson balances his elbows on his worn jeans and says, “I have anidea.Shelby has the horses outtoday.He’s getting them ready for tomorrow’sclass.Why don’t you go ride? You haven’t been out there in a while, and you could use a break from Theo for afew.”
I roam his startling blue eyes—exact eyes his sonhas. “Are yousure?I feel bad leaving him while he’s sick.”
Craning his head over my shoulder, he peers into the livingroom.With his hand, he forces me to look at Theo snoozing on the couch, his teddy clutched tightly in hisarms, Geralt curled up by his side.“He’s okay. I got this. You go take the afternoon and just ride or go into town and grab acoffee.Whatever you need.”
I stand and arch over to give him a hug.“You’re such a good daddy andfriend.We make a good team, don’twe?”
He smirks. “Of course we do. Come on, with a manly man like myself, how could we everlose?”
I roll my eyes. “I won’t be gonelong.Thankyou.”
“Anytime. You know that.”
* * *
Driving into SoS,my chest swells. Grey put so much of himself into this place. It’s hard to be anything but proud.
He started from the dirt up, creating a place infused with his essence, his playful and wild nature clear as I take in the rock-climbing building, the horse stables, the vast mountains—perfect backdrop. His dream is a reality.
Time to find mine.
Shelby’s boisterous voice carries over from the stables and I smile when I glimpse his wiry, white hair poking out from under his weathered cowboy hat.
The horses respond to him like chicks to their mother hen, patiently waiting for instructions, tails swishing from side to side, regal and grand.
“Hey Shelby,” I call out as I get closer, resting my arms over the wood slats of the horse ring.
“Howdy there, Miss Scarlett. How’s things going with you?” He leads Rebel, one of the gentler horses, over to me. I reach out and rub my hand up and down her silky head, watching as her long wispy eyelashes bat at me from over luminous chocolate eyes.
“Good. Busy with the charity, planning their annual banquet. Theo’s sick and Grey shooed me out the door so I could get some space to clear my head.”
“Hope the little guy gets to feeling better. You here to ride? Rebel needs to get out and run if you’d like to take her.”
Rebel’s ears perk and twist at her name. “Yes, I’d love to. Thank you.”
Once I’m astride Rebel, we exit out the side fence and trot across the field and pass several buildings on the property. It’s not unusual to see any number of people on horseback as guests and clients walk to and from their activities.
Savy waves as she heads toward the rock-climbing facility where her archery yard is, and I veer right to the trail specifically for the horses.
Each bounce on her back centers me, and the wind whipping through my hair calms me. This is what I’ve been missing. The horses.
Rebel gallops at my command once we’ve reached a safe area where she can run freely and we race across the grassy field, the wheat slapping under her hooves as my laughter bubbles up from my chest. The last few years melt away and it’s just me and this majestic animal, the earth trembling beneath her, the world falling away until it’s just us.
The forest edge comes into view, and I slow her to a stop so we can rest. I rode her long and hard and I want to make sure she can make it back.
Sliding off the saddle, I caress her long mane, and every bit of stress dissipates. My cheeks hurt from smiling and my head floats above the clouds.
“Rebel, this is better than that pot Grey used to have back in college. Don’t tell anyone we did that, okay?” I laugh as she nudges my hand with her head in affirmation.
For several minutes, I soak up the raw beauty around me. The sky—a perfect shade of blue, no clouds in sight—and the lush forests pulses with life. It’s no wonder Grey loves it out here. There’s no harsh reality smacking you in the face, no one to please, no one to answer to.
I stroke Rebel’s soft hide before the tiny nudging of an idea takes root and blossoms in my mind.
What if this is what I’ve been waiting for? Too excited to keep it contained any longer, I hop on Rebel and ride back to the stables, the idea solidifying and growing with each stride we take.
“Grey!” I burst through the front door, him leaping off the couch and running toward me.
“What, what? Are you okay? What’s the matter?” His eyes are wild and tinged with fear.
