“Yeah.I know that.But she’s going to have to tell everyone that her mother is dead.There’s no glossing over that.”
“The truth sucks sometimes.”
“No kidding.”He rubbed his mustache.“She brought me a burger from Hawthorne’s.Was that your idea?”
“Hawthorne’s was my idea.Bringing you food was hers.She thinks about you, Archer.”
“You think we’ll get there?She and I?”
“I do,” I said.
“You think she’d want to go on a ride with me before dinner?”
I smiled.“I think she’d love that.Go ask her.”
He paused.“You want to come with us?”
It was on the tip of my tongue to say yes.
“No,” I said, my tone gentle.“You don’t need me there.”
“I wasn’t asking because I need you there,” he said, taking a step closer.“I was asking because I want you?—”
The front door opened, and Lenni came outside.“Muddy said you’re supposed to take me on a trail ride before dinner.”
Archer turned his head over his shoulder to look at his daughter.“Did she, now?”
“Please?”she begged.
“I was just coming in to ask if you wanted to do just that,” Archer said with a laugh.
“Yeah?”Lenni’s eyes slid to mine and I knew she was going to ask me to join them.
“I need to help Muddy prep dinner,” I said.“You two go have fun.”
I brushed past Archer, wishing I could shove the words back into my mouth and go with them.
ChapterTwelve
The House
The next morning, I was sitting at the kitchen table enjoying a cup of coffee and a quiet house when the front door opened.
“We’re here!”Poet called out.
Lottie’s hooves clopped across the floor.Her little tail was swinging back and forth, and she let out snorting noises.Mildred popped up from her dog bed in the corner of the living room and came to greet her.
“They’re touching noses!”I yelled.“I’m about to expire from the cuteness overload!”
Salem, Hadley, and Poet finally made it into the kitchen, sans outerwear.
“Sorry that took so long,” Hadley said.“You try getting your boots off when you’re ready to pop.Salem couldn’t even bend down to help me.”
“I told you to wear slip-ons,” Salem said with an eye roll.
Lottie and Mildred went to the dog bed and laid down together.
Hadley clapped her hands and put them underneath her trembling chin.“Oh my God!They’re adorable!”
