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Phoebe heard the undertone in Bella's voice and looked over at her. "Why did you hesitate?"
Bella was quiet for a moment. Finally, she spoke. "Jacob had a rough childhood. It still affects him."
Phoebe nodded. "I gathered that."
"He's the toughest man you'll ever meet, but also, he's fragile in some ways. So fragile." Bella's voice was filled with such love and affection that Phoebe's throat tightened.
To have someone speak about her with that kind of love would be incredible. Jacob was so lucky. "I keep checking in with him to make sure we're not too much for him."
Bella smiled. "You are too much for him, I think, but in a beautiful way. In a way that none of us have been able to be."
Phoebe watched Annie look up at Jacob, hero worship on her face. "What do you mean? He says he doesn't like people, but he doesn’t mean you guys."
"No, he loves us, but he still has to work sometimes to calibrate himself when he's around us. But looking at him with Annie and you…" Bella smiled. "I've known him for a long time, and I've never seen him relaxed like this before, not even with his horses. And it's making him more relaxed about me and Lucas being in his space."
A warm feeling settled around Phoebe. "That makes me happy," she admitted. "I was worried that we were bad for him."
"Bad? No, that's not the word I'd use." Bella cocked her head. "Can I ask you something?"
Phoebe nodded. "Of course."
"What do you think of Jacob?"
Her heart started to race. "He's a good man."
Bella burst out laughing. "Oh, come on, Phoebe. Seriously? What kind of answer is that? You know what I'm asking."
Her heart beat faster. "He's a treasure with Annie," she admitted. "My daughter needed him, and every moment she has with him is a gift."
Bella smiled. "That's so crazy. I know Jacob's amazing with traumatized horses, but I don't think any of us besides Dylan would have guessed how he is with Annie. But it makes sense. He's got the biggest, most beautiful soul of anyone I know."
Phoebe smiled, watching him lean forward and whisper something to Annie. "I can see that."
"What about you? What do you think of him? Do you think he's hot?"
Oh, Lordy. "I don't want to date anyone."
"Not what I asked."
She glanced at Bella. "I'm not used to having girlfriends to talk about men with."
"Well, then you need me, clearly." Bella rode closer and lowered her voice. "Here's my real question, what I really need to know. And I want as honest an answer as you can give me. Okay?"
Phoebe nodded. How could she deny anything to this family that was taking such care of her and her daughter? "Okay."
"I love Jacob with all my heart, and we've all been protecting him his whole life. But I see the way he is with you and Annie, and I know that something about you guys has touched his heart despite all his efforts to isolate himself. I need to know: if he falls for you, is there a chance that you would meet him halfway? Is there a chance that you feel anything for him?"
Phoebe felt her cheeks heat up. "We just met him yesterday."
"Yep. But magic is magic when it's there." Bella waited.
Phoebe bit her lip. "I don't want to date anyone."
"I know. You already said that. Be brave, Phoebe. Feel whatever it is you're feeling and tell me what it is. That's what the Harts do. It's a rule we live by. We're always honest with each other, no matter what. We don't keep secrets from each other, no matter what. That's what kept us alive as kids, and we still live that way."
"I'm not a Hart."
"You are for now."
