We’d turned the indoor arena’s office space into a mini buffet, cramped as it was, but there were picnic tables nearby, so people could spread out.
Theo had organized the animals a bit differently, making sure any shy ones were away from where people would be milling about, and he’d even cordoned off the corrals that were farthest away from the stable. We’d also blocked the road to the new stable’s foundations that we’d poured two days after I’d signed the paperwork to make Twin Star officially mine.
Now, a week later, we had our grand opening under the new ownership—myself, Theo, and Sierra—which would double as a celebration of Ruth’s life’s work.
There were blown up photos on many walls or on stall doors, and Bucky was wearing a bow tie. We hadn’t bothered the ladies with any decorations, but Rey and I had given all the dogs baths yesterday, so their coats shined even more than normal.
Cook and Rey had worked together for the buffet, although we’d also ordered some from a catering company to keep it from becoming too much for either of them.
The foal that had been dumped was doing well, even though it had been touch-and-go initially. We’d decided to call her Delilah the Second, or Dellie for short, in honor of the mare on our logo.
As I did a final round of the yard, I decided to sit down for a while before having to socialize.
Everyone was either re-dressing in clean clothes or finishing whatever tasks they had left, so I went to Theo’s cabin and sat in the rocking chair I’d bought for his front porch. There was no room for a porch swing, so I’d joked that at least this way he could still be a cantankerous old man.
He’d shaken his fist at me and told me to get off his lawn. I loved that man.
As soon as I sat down, Mollie materialized from somewhere to jump on my lap. She began to purr loudly as she kneaded my thigh through my jeans.
I closed my eyes just for a moment, petting her as I gathered some energy.
I startled awake at a softboofnext to me.
Theo stood at the bottom of the steps with Bucky. “Well done,” Theo told him, petting his head.
Bucky wagged his tail, fancy in his—shit! “How long was I out?” I asked, wiping the corner of my mouth in case I’d drooled. Mollie didn’t like me moving and gave me the side-eye.
“Fifteen minutes. The first guests should start arriving in another fifteen.”
I carefully lifted my arms, reaching my fingertips toward the ceiling as I stretched my back.
“Okay, Mollie, it’s time to get up,” I told her gently and stroked her back.
I wasn’t sure if cats could huff, but she gave me a patented Look as she got to her feet, stretched, dug her claws into my thigh, and then jumped to the railing to wash herself.
Pushing to my feet, I smiled at Theo. “You ready?”
“Yep. You know how I gave Izzy a good wash earlier?” He held out his hands to take both of mine. He pulled me close and kissed me.
“Uh-huh.”
“Guess who just rolled around the only dusty bit in his paddock?”
I laughed. “Well, I’m sure Hope is giving him the evil eye.”
The volunteer ladies had braided Hope’s long mane and put some flowers in it. Truce hadn’t been as into being groomed as thoroughly, but he was shiny and handsome, too.
Theo kissed me again, then hummed against my lips. “You know I’m gonna get you on Izzy in a couple of days, right?”
I shook my head and chuckled. “So you keep saying.”
“If Reina is mine, I think Izzy could be yours.”
I shrugged. There was no rush. We didn’t need to sell any horses, and while I got better at riding every time I got on a horse, Izzy was still a rowdy boy and needed more training.
“One day?”
“As long as you’ll be mine right now, I think that’s okay.”
