Harper nodded.She didn't want to say that she might not believe it even then.
But Shelley gave her arm a squeeze."I think, and I truly hope, that this is right for you, Harps.I know your life has taken a lot of twists and turns, but maybe it was always leading you here."
"I hope so.But it makes me sad—sad for Emily."
Shelley shook her head."You shouldn't be sad.You could see it as a good thing."
"How's that?"
"Emily had a wonderful family, but she didn't get to stick around for them.You never had a family, and now you get to love and care for them.Neither you nor she got the fairy-tale life.But it seems to me that you both at least have half the fairy tale."
Harper had to swallow."Wow, I never thought of it that way.Thanks, Shelley Bells."
They walked in silence again for a while.Harper turned over in her mind what Shelley had said.She liked the idea a lot.Half a fairy tale was more than she'd dared to hope for, and knowing that Emily had gotten the first half of it, she couldn't even regret that it wasn't a whole one.
"You okay over there?"Shelley asked after a little while.
"I am, thanks.Just letting your wisdom sink in."
Shelley chuckled."You're welcome.I've been thinking about that for a while.I had to tell you."
"I'm glad you did."
"Oh, look, is that Brody?"Shelley asked.
"Yeah, he seems to have been over here more often the last week or so.He comes to hang out with Jim.Oh, wait—he's not skipping work, is he?He's not supposed to be at Trip's place right now, is he?"
Shelley laughed."No, he's fine.I wouldn't know what his schedule is anyway.But it's not like he's Trip's employee.He's his foreman.He runs the place."
"Yeah, I knew that," said Harper."I don't know why, I just panicked for a minute there.Hey, have you heard anything more about Brooke and him?He never got in touch to let me know when that concert was."
Shelley smiled."It's this weekend."
"Oh.I thought…" She frowned.
"Relax.It's all okay.Brooke had told Brody she was busy this weekend because she wasn't sure if she'd be able to go without causing problems with Blane.But in the end, she decided that she's going to the concert anyway."
"With Brody?"Harper asked with a smile on her face.
Shelley shrugged."That much I don't know."
"I hope something works out for them," said Harper."But they're going to have to come clean with Blane sooner rather than later.He is not someone to get on the wrong side of."
Shelley laughed."Seemed to me like you and he were getting along well enough on Friday night."
"We were.We're good now—now that he's decided we're on the same team."
"Hey, Shelley, Harper."Brody lifted his hand in greeting as he approached."Jim's inside if you're looking for him."
"Inside the barn?"Harper asked.
"Yeah, he came to hang out while the farrier was here earlier and stayed to chat."
"Well, we weren't looking for him," she said, "but if he's not busy—"
Brody chuckled."You'd better come and say hi now.I told him the two of you were out here."
They followed him the rest of the way to the barn, and when they stepped inside, Jim greeted them with a grin from his spot in a big armchair at the end of the aisle that ran between the rows of stalls."Hey, ladies, are you looking for me?"
