“Aside from horse flu, he’s gonna be fine.” Frank slaps Zane on the back. “This one hasn’t slept. I’ve offered to take over, but he’s a little like his pa when it comes to matters of the heart. He’ll see this through.”
“Dad, I’m fine,” Zane says, but I see the bags under his eyes, and it yanks at my heartstrings. Then, to me, he gives me a chin lift, his voice deep and quiet. “Glad you got home okay.”
Home.
I swallow, knowing that even though I’ve only been here for just under two weeks, I’ve never felt more at home, or alive for that matter, in my entire life.
And I’ll admit, it has a lot to do with the Lawless farm. Maybe one Lawless family member in particular.
CHAPTER 19
Zane
Dad and Grandpa excuse themselves as Sadie waves the thermos at me. “Coffee?”
She’s gone to a bit of trouble, so I say, “Sure.” Running a hand through my hair, I watch her pour the steaming liquid into two little cups, and it’s something about that gesture that makes my heart lurch in my chest.
The concern in her eyes when Dad was talking. I know she’s an animal lover, and even if she hasn’t actually been on the back of a horse yet, I know she’s fond of coming to the stables and helping out.
“I’m so sorry about Zeus.” She hands me a cup, then looks down at my boy, who’s resting in his stable. “Will he be okay?”
“He’ll be fine. He’s older than the others, almost twenty now. It takes a little bit for him to recover.” I feel it in my chest. The deep sadness at the idea that one day he won’t be here. I know it’s a part of life. That it happens to all of us, but Zeus knows me like nobody else. When I went through my breakup, he was theone I confided in. It was just me and him, sometimes we’d ride for hours, taking our time along the trail.
People say you save animals when you rescue them, but I’m not so sure he didn’t save me first. “He’s just…special,” I add, my voice cracking on the last word.
“I’m sorry, Z,” she whispers. She’s been calling me that lately, and I don’t mind it. Just like I don’t mind her being around at my house, not that we’ve seen each other all that much yet. And I wasn’t sure at first, thinking Mom had gone insane, but so far, it’s working out just fine. We’ve been like ships passing in the night, but maybe my mom is onto something after all. Knowing she and Mindy are safe and have a roof over their heads resonates somewhere deep within me.
“I’m glad you’re back.” The words are out before I can stop them. I warm my hands on the plastic cup as I look at her.
“It’s good to be back. I made you ham sandwiches if you’re hungry.”
I glance at her. “You handled meat?”
“I used the tongs.”
I snicker.
“How long until Zeus is back to normal?”
“It’ll be a couple of weeks resting for him, but the doc says he’ll be good as long as he keeps the medicine down, and we keep him separated from the other horses so they don’t get infected. He won’t mind that. A little R and R, hey bud?”
Zeus raises his head slightly, then settles back down. He doesn’t often lie down, but the drugs are kicking in. I’m glad about that because he’ll be able to get some well-needed rest.
“Is there anything I can do for him?” she asks, her face looking so sad I want to sweep her up in my arms.
I shake my head. “He’s fine, but thank you.”
She nods, leaning back against the stable wall. “Do you mind if I stay for a while?”
“Are you sure you don’t want to rest? You’ve had a big drive today.”
“I’m fine,” she says. “Honestly. I want to be here.”
“This isn’t exactly the homecoming you were expectin’.”
She waves a hand at me. “Don’t be silly. I know how much your animals mean to you, and I’d be exactly the same if anything happened to Mindy.”
“Zeus and me.” I shake my head. “We’ve been through some shit together.”
