He watched Wilder and Savannah pull in with their twin girls, and he even smiled in their direction, though they had no idea he lurked in the shadows around the corner of Courage Reins. He liked the Glovers a lot, and they were good men and good allies to have. Whenever something went wrong, Colt knew he could call on them, and they’d show up with tools and helping hands, no questions asked.
Then Easton Walker got out of a big, black truck, and as he darted around the hood to open the door for his girlfriend, Marta. Elaine dropped out of the back on the driver’s side, and Austin on the other.
Colt couldn’t take his eyes off her, and his heartbeat accelerated at an alarming pace. She held some sort of power over him he didn’t understand, and when she smiled over to Easton and fell into step with him and Marta, he was finally able to blink and breathe.
His eyes tracked her the whole way into the barn, and he only got distracted when his phone buzzed and lit up in his palm. He looked down at it and found that Sariah had texted to say she’d just made the turn and would be there any minute. She didn’t want to walk in by herself, and Colt had promised he would meet her in the parking lot.
He pushed away from the building and stepped out into the parking area. Other cars and trucks were still arriving, as Finn Ackerman was probably the most popular cowboy in town. His family’s legacy helped, as his momma and daddy had been showing up to help people around the Panhandle for forty years now.
Colt’s momma had established the same legacy at the orchards, and it was something that he tried very hard to live up to. He knew Finn did the same, and he genuinely loved celebrating with his friend.
“Howdy, Colt,” Trap said, and Colt switched his attention from the incoming headlights to one of his very best friends.
“Hey.” He grabbed onto Trap in a man hug and stepped back just as quickly. “You brought Lila Mae?” He tipped his hat at the pretty blonde. “Howdy, Lila Mae. What did he have to do to get you off the cat sanctuary?”
She smiled at him first and Trap second. “He brought me Bit O’ Honey this time.”
“It’s a long drive,” Trap said. “You’ve got to have something to suck on along the way.”
Colt chuckled, because itwasa long drive out to Three Rivers Ranch, and yet so many people had come.
Finally, he saw Sariah’s dark green SUV, and he raised his hand and waved so she’d see him. She did, but she pulled into the next available parking spot, which she was being directed into by Sammy, Finn’s younger brother, and Rich, Henry’s younger brother.
They certainly did things efficiently here at Three Rivers Ranch, and Colt knew that good organization meant a good time.
He moved toward Sariah’s car and met her just as she rose from it. “Hey,” he said in the same jovial tone he’d used to greet Trap. “Thank you so much for making the drive. I had to be here so early with the apple cider.”
“It’s no problem, Colt,” she said.
Colt leaned in and gave her a quick hug and swept a kiss along her cheek, feeling very Texan and proper as he did so.
“I’ve been to a center like this before,” she said. “A place like Courage Reins.” She gazed fondly at the sign hanging over the door.
“Yeah? What for?” Colt suddenly had so many questions, because Courage Reins was a therapeutic riding center, and that meant people came who had physical disabilities, as well as mental ailments. They met with counselors and did specific exercises with horses to regain strength in their bodies and minds.
“I was in a car accident about six years ago,” she said. “I broke my leg in three places, and I went to an equine center to do some rehabilitation with the horses.”
“Oh, wow.” Colt had not noticed a limp or anything, and he couldn’t help looking down at her jean-clad legs. “Yeah, sometimes we just go riding for fun. The horses are really gentle.”
“I’m sure they are,” she said, linking her arm through his. She’d transferred to one of the banking chains here in Three Rivers, after learning her daddy had Alzheimer’s and would needhelp at home. She currently lived with him in Amarillo, as her mother had passed a few years ago.
Colt wasn’t sure if he should be comforting her about the car accident or not. So he simply pointed them toward the barn. “Should we go in?”
She drew in a deep breath. “Yeah, all right. I’m ready.”
He smiled at her. “There’s nothing to worry about. There’s so many people here. We can just get some food and say hi to Finn and leave if you want.”
“It’s a long drive to do that,” she said, looking over to him. “Is that what you want to do?”
“No,” Colt said, and he grinned at her as they stepped up onto the sidewalk at Courage Reins. “I want to take you around and show you off to all my friends.”
She scoffed and smiled as she ducked her head.
“They’ll all wonder how I got the most beautiful woman in town to go out with me.”
“You’re such a sweet talker, Colt,” Sariah said, and he wasn’t sure why he could say such pretty things to her when Elaine left him mute.
“And I don’t live in town,” she said. “I just commute here.” Sariah squeezed his hand and seemed to beam moonlight from her eyes. “Anyway, I think they’re all going to be wondering how I got you to look my way.”
