The height.
The way the world looked different from here.
Caitlin mounted Jasper with the help of the mounting block, settling into the saddle with a little laugh.
“Okay,” she said. “This is already my favorite part of the day.”
Grant stepped back, giving them room.
“Have fun,” he said.
“Don’t do anything stupid,” Naomi added.
“Define stupid,” Caitlin said.
Naomi just looked at her.
“Right,” Caitlin said. “No stupid. Got it.”
Izzy gathered her reins, glanced once at Grant.
“See you later,” she said.
He met her eyes.
“Yeah,” he said. “You will.”
She turned Ghost toward the open doors.
Caitlin nudged Jasper forward beside her.
They rode out.
* * *
The trail narrowed as it climbed, trees closing in on either side, the farm falling away behind them.
For a few minutes, neither of them spoke.
Caitlin let it go longer than usual.
Watched Izzy instead.
The way she sat a little too straight in the saddle.
The way she hadn’t looked back at the barn.
The way she was very deliberately not saying anything.
Yeah. Something had happened.
Caitlin smiled to herself.
“Well,” she said finally. “This silence is suspicious.”
Izzy didn’t look at her.
“Is it?”
