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It feels so odd not to have her here, mounting her own horse. I can hear her voice in my head. I go to shake my head and turn away, but I can’t move at all. I feel so heavy.
“You can do this, Cakes. You’re my little sister. There’s nothing you can’t do and this isn’t even the hardest thing you’ll do in your life.
“Come on, get on that horse and show me what you got. Let’s go, times a wasting and we don’t have time to waste, now do we?”
I swipe at the tears I didn’t realize were falling. Pook said those very words after my very first fall. I was lucky not to break anything, but I didn’t want to try again. I wanted to call it a day and go back to playing with my dolls.
I was so happy when I didn’t quit because that day was one of the best rides of my life. Trevor, Cliff, and Tom had stopped by and they allowed me to ride with them to the lake, where we all had a picnic. I believe that was the day my crush on Trevor started.
I shake the memory away and blow out a breath while rubbing my suddenly sweaty palms on my jeans. I swipe the tears that haven’t stopped falling. Leonardo must think I’m a mess.
“No, Pook. We don’t have time to waste,” I mutter under my breath.
With a sage nod to myself, I mount the horse and breathe. From the moment I settle in the saddle, it’s like taking my first breath in months. I close my eyes and feel the faint breeze against my skin.
It’s as if my heart blooms and I return to a place I didn’t know I left behind. I press my palm against Smoke’s neck and give a gentle stroke. However, I can’t resist looking back toward the stable where I left Wild Heart.
He would have been perfect for this. I know I would have reconnected with riding if I got to ride him. I shake the thought off and watch as Trev mounts his own gorgeous horse on my left side.
Leonardo climbs onto a horse of his own as well, like a salesman taking us out on a test drive. We start on the trail slowly. I’m grateful to be left with my emotions and thoughts as everyone remains silent, although I can feel Trevor watching me as he rides behind me.
Leonardo leads us out to a clearing. It’s a wide-open space where I can allow Smoke to stretch his legs out.
Come on, Cakes. You can do better than this. I’ll race you. You win; you can have anything you want.
In my mind, I know her voice isn’t real, but I also want to win to have her back. So I take off. Riding as fast and as hard as I know how.
In the moment, if I have to race time, space, or the universe itself, I’m going to do it and win. My hair blows behind me and the wind whips against my face. It’s not until I get across the clearing that I realize how crazy my thoughts are.
I’m only racing myself. I don’t know if I want to laugh or cry, so I do both as I continue to ride. Everything falls away. My sorrows, my thoughts, the sounds of the birds and the hooves of the other horses behind me. I stretch my arms out at my sides and just feel.
Trevor
It all happens so fast.One minute I have a smile on my face as I watch Lynn take off and ride like the wind. I don’t botherto chase after her; I want to allow her her moment while I talk business with Leonardo.
I want that horse for her. Wild Heart belongs to her. It’s not even the coincidence between his name and the fact that Pook used to call us wild hearts. That horse has been waiting for her.
I saw it as I watched them find each other. I’m not leaving here without buying him for her. I can see Leonardo is weary to part with the untamed horse, but he can name his price. I’ll meet it.
“AboutCuore Selvaggio,” I say, ready to negotiate.
However, that’s all I get out. Lynn cries out asFumobucks, releasing a cry of his own. Lynn slips off and falls to the ground. All else forgotten, I race across the clearing to get to her.
I dismount before my horse comes to a full stop. Lynn isn’t moving and Smoke has trotted away. I drop to my knees beside her and brush her braids from her face.
“Lynn,” I call out as I cup her face. “Lynn, baby girl, open your eyes. Please, darlin’, speak to me.”
CHAPTER 33
I’m Right Here
Lynn
I hearthe beeping sound before I open my eyes. My head is killing me and my left arm hurts something terrible. When I force my eyes open, I’m a bit confused at first.
I try to figure out the last thing I remember. Smoke… I was riding Smoke in the clearing and then…
“There was a snake,” I murmur through my dry lips.
