“So he’s decided to close himself off,” I say, hating the words.
My mother pats my hand. “Maybe this is for the best, Lark. Being with Tristan Stone is a complication that would hurt many people.”
“He’d be worth it.”
Her lips purse. “Then make him prove it. He’s going to need to do it to have a chance at winning the Gatlins over.”
I wish I knew how to do that.
“Lark! You’re here!” Sadie calls. She’s standing over by my barn with her horse on a lead. What in the heck is she doing?
“I am, but what are you doing over here? Does your daddy know?” Just the thought of Tristan causes a spasm of pain in my chest.
It’s been two days of no contact.
Two days of feeling empty and sad.
Forty-eight stupid hours where I’ve missed him, hated him, loved him, thought about him, and tried to forget.
Clearly, I’m winning at life.
But here his daughter is, and I’m pretty sure he has no clue.
“He does. I told him that you were willing to work with Cloud, and he said to come talk to you.”
He did, did he? Oh, so his daughter can talk to me, but he can’t. Asshole.
While I’d love to give him a piece of my mind, I’m not going to do it through his daughter. Sadie has done nothing wrong. She’s cute and sweet, and I did promise I’d help her.
I force a smile, trying not to look at how her nose is just like her daddy’s or the shape of her eyes. I try. I fail. I decide I need to get to work so I can stop myself.
Focusing on the horse is the cure to this.
“Well, you caught me at the right time. I just finished doing what I had to for the day and have about two hours. Does that work for you?”
Her head bobs up and down furiously. “Absolutely. Two hours is great.”
I smile. “Perfect. How long has it been since anyone has ridden Cloud?”
Sadie pulls her lip between her teeth. “A while.”
“What’s a while?” I ask again, needing this information. “I only ask so I can do the right thing for Cloud.”
She sighs heavily. “It’s been years. After I fell, no one’s been allowed to ride him.”
Cloud shifts and then settles when she pats his neck. “I see. Okay, well, I’d like to work with him for a few times before we think about anyone else mounting him. Why don’t you come to the tack room with me and we can see how he does in the arena?”
Sadie looks as though she might scream in delight as she follows me back. Together, we pick out the saddle, blanket, bit, and lead. She tells me about her camp, how much she missed the chickens, how one hen is broody and she thinks they might get new chicks, and I avoid anything about her dad.
“I’m so ready to go back to school. I can’t wait to see my best friend,” Sadie says as she climbs up on the fence, swinging her legs over the side to watch me with Cloud in the ring.
“I used to feel the same way. Aunt Mary Lou and I would practically run to each other at the beginning of every school year.”
Sadie smiles. “Did you know my mom?”
Holding on to Cloud’s bridle, I turn to look at her. “I did.”
“Did you like her?”
