“No, it won’t. I get it. Seeing that venue and hearing about your program made me a believer. I understand what it means to you. My body wants what it wants, but my head knows you need to leave on Monday. I’m not the one for you. End of story.”
“What if I lose your family’s good opinion?”
“They don’t have to know. You could slip out and back in undetected. But even if they find out, they won’t judge.”
She let out a breath. “Then why were you so reluctant to say anything about you and me?”
“I wasn’t afraid of being judged. I just didn’t want to face a bunch of questions. I didn’t say they wouldn’t be curious. But—” His phone chimed. “That’ll be Monty.” He put his phone to his ear.
His side of the conversation indicated that Monty had studied the photo and agreed with Jeb. Luis confirmed it after he hung up. “He’s got a stall prepped. He’s ready for him.”
“That’s awesome.”
“At the next intersection, go right. That will take you to Laughing Creek. We’re almost there.”
“Got it.” She made the turn onto a deserted two-lane. They’d encountered very little traffic in the last half-hour or so, likely because everyone had made it to wherever they’d spend the rest of the day and evening.
Before this development with Fudge, she’d looked forward to seeing her first Fourth of July laser show. She no longer cared about that, but she hoped Monty would finish up in time to go back to town.
“The next right will be it.”
She put on her turn signal even though there was no one to see it. Anticipation bubbled up within her, despite her worry about Fudge. Luis had described the ranch in loving detail. Now she’d see for herself what— oh, my goodness.
The massive wrought iron gate featured a metal version of the same black horse that was on her shirt, the running mustang that Zay had made into a 3-D version for the H&H parade wagon. “What a spectacular entryway.”
“Sure is. By the way, the gate’s automatic. Pull up to the keypad post. The code’s 0714, Mom’s birthday.”
Pulling over to the left, she rolled down the window and tapped in the code. The gate slowly opened and she drove through, checking in the rearview mirror to make sure the trailer cleared before the gate closed again. “That code’s a lovely way to honor your mom.”
“It’s more of a family joke. Dad loved the idea of automated gates. She reluctantly agreed to this one because it was a good way to keep the wild horses in, but then he wanted to put them everywhere and she was so against it. Thought it would make us all lazy.”
“And?”
“He finally wore her down and we have automated gates everywhere, all with the same code, which gives you a taste of his sense of humor. Now the gates remind her of him and she loves them.”
“That’s touching.”
“Reminds the rest of us, too, but then almost everything on the ranch does that.”
“Is the wire fence on either side of the gate electric?”
“It is. One of our biggest expenses, but without it, we have no sanctuary for the horses.”
“I had a mental picture from looking at the website and reading Mila’s diary, but seeing it in person is so much better.”
“Glad you came?”
“That’s a complicated question.” A white fence now lined the road to their left and eventually they came to another gate with a fancy LCR at the top. Sure enough, it had a keypad post, too.
“Why is it a complicated question?”
“There are so many aspects to this visit.” She tapped in the code and pulled through.
“There are multiple aspects to working with a troubled horse. You deal with them the same way I do, one at a time as they present themselves.”
“This isn’t even remotely the same.”
“Sure it is. Right now we’re going to get Fudge some help. Then we’ll see where we are.”
