Page 25 of Time To Learn

“What’s wrong? Kristian?”

I stop breathing for a second, but then a smile breaks out on my lips when the woman turns around, no doubt alerted to our presence.

But it’s not just any woman.

Laura.

Her eyes widen in surprise.

Immediately, I begin walking again, still ignoring Lise, before I stop at the fence. I rest my arms on the top, admiring theview.

“We meet again,” I call out to Laura, before I glance up at Ailith. As recognition fills her eyes, she smiles wide at me. “Hello, Ailith. Enjoying thebook?”

Ailith turns the pony and trots towards me, stopping at the fence.

“Hello,” Ailith says as she pulls on the reins in front of me. “I love the book! Thank you again for buying it forme.”

I grin at her. “I’m glad you’re enjoyingit.”

She claps the pony’s neck. “This is Lady, my very own pony.” A puzzled look settles in her eyes and she tilts her head at me. “What’s yourname?”

Chuckling, I push up on the lower half of the fence, swing my legs around, and jump down. Carefully, I stop next to the pony, making sure my feet are well away from its hooves, before I reach my hand up to Ailith.

“My name is Kristian. Sorry I forgot to tell you that the otherday.”

She pulls off one of her riding gloves with her teeth and she leans forward in her seat and shakes myhand.

“I like your name,” she tells me, making me grin again.

“Thanks. I like it, too. Where I’m from, it means royalty.”

“Oh! That’s neat. And where are youfrom?”

“I’m from Denmark.” I grimace. “My accent gave me away again, didn’t it?” Iask.

She giggles. “A little. It’s weird.”

“Ailith, please,” Laura’s melodious voice interruptsus.

I shake my head at her as she stops on the other side of thepony.

“It’s okay. I know my English isn’t thebest.”

“Even so, Ailith knows that wasn’t very polite.” Laura looks up at her daughter, resting her hand on her thigh. “Make sure to walk off Lady while I talk with Kristian for a bit, yeah? Make sure her joints are nice and loose. She’s not as young as she oncewas.”

Ailithnods.

“Okay, Mummy.”

She looks back at me as she gathers the reins in front ofher.

“You’re not going to disappear again, areyou?”

I shake my head. “Nope. I’ll be here for a whileyet.”

Nodding briskly, she says, “Good. I want to ask you about your tattoos.” She clucks her tongue and I take a step away as the pony, Lady, starts to walk. “Come on, girl.”

I look at Laura as she keeps an eye on her daughter for a bit. I can’t believe she lives here—it feels like fate. Lise steps up next to me, and I turn to her when she puts her hand on my arm. The twinkle in her eyes make me narrow my own. I haven’t forgotten how she loves to play Little Miss Matchmaker.