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I point at Honey. “She knows what she’s doing even if you don’t.”

“Oh, good. My life is in Honey’s hands.”

“Hooves.”

She stares at me.

I shrug. “Ready?”

“No.”

“Good enough.”

I move beside Honey and show Nora where to put her foot.

“Left foot here. Hold the saddle. Push up and swing your right leg over.”

She tries, pushing off the ground while gripping the saddle, but gets approximately nowhere.

“Jude.”

“I got you.”

I put my hands around her waist.

And immediately regret every decision that brought me to this moment.

Fuck.

Focus.

Horse.

Nora.

Horse.

Definitely the horse.

I lift her, and she lets out a startled sound before landing in the saddle.

“Oh my God.”

“You’re up.”

“I’m very high up.”

“You’re five feet off the ground.”

“That’s high when the ground is trying to kill you.”

“Honey’s not going to let you fall.”

“You better not either.”

The words hit somewhere they shouldn’t.

I look up at her. She’s gripping the saddle, completely unaware of what she just said.