“I won’t. I can’t. It’s gotta feel right. And so far….” He shrugged. “I guess I am picky.”
“She’ll show up. I’m glad you’re waiting for someone special. You deserve that.” Saying it made her chest hurt, but she ignored it.
Emotion flickered in his eyes. “Your clinic’s going gangbusters. I checked out your website.”
“Everything’s worked out exactly as I’d hoped.” She drained the last of her lemonade.
“That’s good to hear. I didn’t expect you to be married with kids, but….” He paused and looked away. “Never mind. None of my business.” He finished off his drink, too.
“Hey, I put myself right in the middle of your business. If you’re wondering if I’ve found anyone special, there was a guy.”
“Was?”
“He was personable, fun to be with. Although I never plan to get married, I thought?—”
“Wait. You don’t want to get married? Ever?”
“I don’t have the personality for it.”
“I don’t know what that means.”
“It means I’m a load. I expect too much from people.”
“I sure didn’t see that when we were at the clinic.”
“Of course not. It was only three days. Anyway I warned this guy that I expected a lot and he wasn’t worried. He offered to be my front man, book the venues and help me grow my business so I could concentrate on the thing I love best, working with horses.”
“Sounds like a good arrangement.”
“I thought so, but he spent money on advertising that didn’t work and created a new website I hated. Then he got in a kerfuffle with the owner of one of my regular venues and I almost lost that space. We parted ways and sure enough, he said I expected too much of him.”
“Sounds to me like he was inept.”
“Or my expectations are too high. Bottom line, I function better when I go solo.”
He gazed at her. “Not me.”
“Makes sense. You grew up with the Bridger Bunch. I’ve been pretty much on my own my whole life.”
His eyes widened. “You have? I thought you had a family.”
“Strictly speaking, I did. Still do.” She shifted her attention to the crowded square. Even in that mass of people, she easily located the cluster of women wearing H&H T-shirts and caps. Gave her a cozy feeling. “Nothing like yours, though.”
“I figured that since you never talked about your parents. You mentioned your big brother, Cole, but his name is all I remember.”
She turned back to Luis. “He’s a sweetie. Works construction. Tried to talk me into training as a carpenter so we could go into business together. But carpentry isn’t my jam.”
“Clearly. You’re a natural with horses.”
“So are you. I have a vivid memory of you interacting with Scout before the clinic had started, before we’d met. You were giving him your undivided attention, connecting with him on a level I rarely see. I couldn’t wait to meet you.”
“My attention wasn’t all that undivided. I was fascinated with how you communicated with Fudge. I knew I’d found a kindred spirit.”
“Kindred spirits! What a great description. It sounds like we’re connected but in a disembodied way.” She looked at him. “What do you think? Can we go with that?”
He hesitated. “Do you want the truth?”
“Always.”
