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One eye cracks open. "Don't."

"Don't what?"

"I know what you're thinking."

"Pretty impressive considering you're asleep."

Her lips twitch.

I lean across Charlie and kiss her.

She kisses me back, soft and sleepy, then pulls away. "You have horses waiting for you."

"They can wait."

"They cannot."

"They absolutely can."

Charlie makes a noise between us.

Lainey points down at her. "And your daughter needs breakfast."

I sigh. "Everybody around here is needy."

She smiles. "You asked for it."

I puff out my chest, grinning. "I absolutely did."

She curls deeper into the pillow. "Go feed your horses, cowboy."

Chuckling, I kiss her again. Then I pick up Charlie and drag my ass out of bed.

Life is pretty damn perfect.

"I'm going to take Charlie to your mama's."

Lainey slowly sits up. "What time is it?"

"Seven."

"Crap." She tosses the blankets off her. "I've gotta start Two-Step's therapy."

"Relax. The horse will be there all day," I tell her.

She gets out of bed. "Beau is probably already in the barn." She steps in front of me, kisses Charlie's head, and glances at the clock, wincing. "I need to shower."

"Okay. I'll get Charlie over to your mama's."

The morning moves fast. It's later in the afternoon when I stop in the Butterfly House to check on Charlie. I overhear Lainey fret, "I paid it, Mama. But it's highway robbery!"

I freeze. The hairs on my neck rise.

Lorraine asserts, "You shouldn't have done that."

"What was I supposed to do? Let Daddy get behind with them again?"

"You should have talked to him first," Lorraine states.