I lean down and kiss him. "I'll think about it."
A week ago, my boss gave me one final extension on my leave. One more week to "get things settled with family." That time is almost up now. Fall Classic is a week and a half away, and Lauren is expecting me back.
I haven't told anyone I'm even thinking about staying. Not Denver. Not Eli. Not Mae.
I don't know how to say it out loud when I'm still not sure what the answer is.
Eli releases my wrist and stretches, muscles shifting under skin in the dim light from the window. "I'll put coffee on."
By the time I'm dressed and in the kitchen, he's already there. Jeans low on his hips, no shirt yet, hair sticking up in about five different directions. He hands me a mug without a word and I take it, letting the warmth seep into my palms.
I lean against the counter, taking that first sip, and he moves behind me. His arms come around my waist, pulling me back against his chest, chin resting on my shoulder.
"Morning," he murmurs against my neck.
"You already said that."
"Felt like saying it again."
I smile into my coffee, letting myself lean into him. His skin is warm, solid, and I can feel his heartbeat against my back. Slow and steady.
This. This is what I didn't know I was missing.
His arms around me while the sun comes up. The easy silence that doesn't need filling.
We stand like that for a long moment, just breathing together, and I let myself pretend this could be every morning.
"We should go," I say eventually.
"We should." Neither of us moves. His arms tighten slightly, and he presses a kiss to my temple before letting me go.
The drive to Clark Ranch is quiet, his truck rumbling through the pre-dawn dark, my hand on his thigh. When we pull up to the barn, Mae's kitchen light is already on, same as every morning.
The colt nickers when he hears us approaching his stall. Two weeks of consistent work and he's starting to anticipate the routine. Look forward to it, even.
Eli grabs the halter and I follow him in, running my hand down the colt's neck while Eli clips the lead.
"He feels good," I say.
"He does."
We lead him out to the round pen and fall into the rhythm we've built. Eli warms him up on the lunge line while I watch, checking his movement, looking for any sign of soreness or resistance.
There's none.
Just smooth, powerful strides. Confidence in every step.
Addie shows up at four-thirty, right on schedule, already talking about the pattern she wants to work on. She rides for anhour while Eli and I watch, making small adjustments, calling out encouragement.
The colt is ready. Really ready. You can see it in the way he moves—listening, trusting, confident. Addie sits him like she was born to it.
Renee's two horses are arriving next week, right after the Classic. Two more inquiries came in yesterday. Mae's started talking about hiring help for mucking stalls.
Everything is working.
Everything.
By the time we cool the colt down and turn him out, the sun's fully up, painting everything gold.
