Theo continued, “This last one is the most important thing, Fern.”
“I’m listening.”
“If you feel off—about anything—you tell us. No justifying it, okay?”
She clenched her fingers in her lap until they grew chilled. Her breaths came faster. “I understand. I’ll share any weird feelings.” Her voice wavered.
“Come on.” Crew slipped his hand down to cup her elbow. “Let’s get some air.”
On the way out, she saw him exchange a look with Theo. They would have more to discuss, but for now, Crew guided her outside, and she followed numbly. They walked toward the pasture where the horses grazed. The sun was warm on her face, but she couldn’t stop shaking.
Crew stopped near the fence and turned to face her. “Fern.”
She looked up at him, and the concern in his eyes undid her. Tears spilled over, hot and fast, and she covered her face with her hands.
“Hey.” His voice was soft. He stepped closer, and then his arms were around her, pulling her against his chest.
She fit just right. Like she belonged there.
She clung to him, her fingers digging into his shirt as she tried to pull herself together. His hand moved in slow circles on her back, and she focused on the steady thud of his heartbeat beneath her ear.
Long minutes passed with only the sound of nearby horses and her own tears trailing off.
“Thank you,” she whispered at last.
He didn’t respond, just held her tighter.
A small voice pierced the silence. “Cwewww! Neigh-neigh!”
Crew’s arms loosened, and Fern pulled back, swiping at her tears. A little girl, no more than two years old, with the same gray eyes as Willow and Theo Malone, stood a few feet away.
Crew crouched down to the toddler’s level. “Where’s your momma?”
The girl took off in the awkward, stiff-legged run of a child who didn’t quite have the physical skill to run. “Neigh!”
Crew straightened and looked at Fern. “Wanna see the neigh-neighs? They always make me feel better.”
A watery laugh bubbled up. “I’d like that.”
He pointed to the child running to the fence. “That’s…Navy.” He seemed to push the name out, as if it stuck in his throat. “She’s Rhae and Denver Malone’s little one.”
Fern felt so out of control, but watching Navy gallop to the fence, chattering in toddler babble about each horse, made her feel better, just as Crew promised her it would.
With Navy’s enthusiastic voice filling the air, it was impossible to feel the same doom she experienced when seeing that truck.
Fern talked to her about how pretty the horses were, and got a bunch of gibberish in return that made her smile.
Fern leaned against the rail, and suddenly a small hand slipped into hers. She looked down at Navy, some of the tension easing from her shoulders.
Crew stepped up beside her, his arm brushing hers and his eyes blazing with something new, something she hadn’t seen there before. “You’re good with kids,” he rumbled.
She glanced at him. “I used to work with them. At a preschool.”
She could see he wanted to ask, but didn’t.
Her gaze drifted back to the horses. “I had to leave.”
He didn’t pry. He just pulled her into his side, his arm settling around her shoulders.
