“My mission is to share my love of a life lived alongside animals—a love of the outdoors—with others, while helping to find a respect for the awesome healing power of nature and community. I speak from experience because I’ve been healed by y’all literally”—I lift my arm—“and figuratively. I think it’s also worth mentioning that my nightmares have completely stopped, since I started working on this plan.”
Now, Mom’s the one who is blinking back tears. “Seriously?”
“Seriously.”
“Oh, honey, I’m so—” She swallows hard and covers her mouth with her hand. “So relieved. They were awful.”
My voice wobbles. “Thank you.” I look at Mom and Dad, heart thundering. “We’re kind of a dream team, if I say so myself.”
Dad smiles. “I love how y’all support each other. That’s important.”
“It’s important to support each other,” Mom replies. “We’ll have to talk about this a little more—a lot more—but Billie, I think you’ve hit on something real interesting here.”
“I imagine there’s a need for this kind of program in Hartsville too.” Dad is nodding. “I haven’t heard of any other animal therapy programs in the area.”
“Believe it or not, ours would be the only program in a hundred-mile radius.”
Ryder nods. “My mom had to drive me to Austin.”
“You had therapy with animals?” Dad asks.
“I did. I had a speech delay when I was little. The therapy really helped.”
Dad looks at Mom again, and I know with a certainty that’s nonsensical they’re going to say yes.
Holy fucking shit.
Holy shit, this is happening.
The life I’ve dreamed of but never thought would happen is, well, happening. Right now.
“We’re interested,” Dad says at last.
“Very interested,” Mom says.
“Interested in what?”
I turn, pulse halting to a sudden, painful stop when I see Colt standing in the doorway.
CHAPTER 28
Good News, Bad News
RYDER
“More importantly,”Colt continues, giving his sister a look I can’t decipher, “what’re the tears about?”
I can tell by the way Billie clenches her jaw that she wants to roll her eyes, but she’s trying to play nice.
“They’re not there because of Ryder, if that’s what you’re implying.” Turning, she curls an arm around my waist so that we’re standing side by side.
I return the favor and wrap my arm around her shoulders. “Hey, Colt.”
He looks…not great. Bags under his eyes. His face his scruffier than usual, and his hair curls out from underneath his hat in a tangle of curls that are several inches too long.
I feel that stab of guilt again.Am I wholly responsible for the way he looks?I know the new consultant Mr. Wallace brought on, Lainey, has been busting his chops. Beck told me as much when I called him again to ask how Colt was doing. And being a single parent is always an exhausting endeavor.
Still, I hate to see my friend suffering this way.
