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“We can get a pole barn up in the spring,” I said. “We’ll have shelters up by the end of October. The arenas can wait. I’ll just use the big round pen. It will be here by the end of September.”

“But the house, Dad?”

I didn’t want to tell her the truth or break her heart.

“I'm looking into rentals,” I said. “They’re saying eighteen months for something that big. It’s a large project and everyone got hit. There are some people who are much more needy than we are, sweetheart.”

“So what? You want me to move in with Mom? Because that’s what she wants!”

“Absolutely not. I am still figuring it out.”

It was not what Brynn wanted at all. Right now, Brynn took the kid every other weekend to her lessons at Ravenswood. She didn’t want more responsibility. Brynn had never been the primary parent. Even when I was still in real estate, she was a publicist—available to clients 24/7. I retired in my forties to slow down while Brynn flew into overdrive building her own firm. Her lifestyle didn't afford her time as primary parent.

“Okay. I wanna trust you.”

“Sweetheart, I will tell you if it changes. But for now, do not worry about having to move in with your mom, okay?”

She nodded. I turned back towards the road as a dually pulled in. A blonde woman with massive sunglasses stopped a few feet before the grass and hopped out. She was exactly what I expected a dressage barbie to look like—perfectly matched in head-to-toe pink breeches and a polo with her logo. She was hot and not at all rough-and-tumble, as expected. Or, perhaps I should have said they?

A masculine person with plain jeans and a polo climbed out the passenger side and I expressed confusion.

“Riley!” Piper rushed over to the one in jeans.

“Hey, kid!” Riley said. “I’m glad you’re safe.”

So that was Riley? I reminded myself about the pronouns, not wanting to be an ass. These folks were too kind. But still, who was the cute blonde in the breeches?

“Hi, Piper,” the woman said. “I’m Chloe. Our working student showed me your video. He recognized that mare of yours. She’s such a cutie.”

“She is. Her name is Cash,” Piper said. “Thank you for caring so much and trying to come all the way out here.”

“We want to see if we can help,” Riley said. “This is your dad?”

“Yes,” I answered. “Cole Hayward. And what you’re standing on used to be Hayward Paint Horses. But… it’s a little bare right now.”

“Jeez. It’s a beautiful bit of land,” Riley said. “It’s awful what happened, but I’m glad it spared you.”

The blonde pushed her sunglasses on top of her hair, revealing a beautiful pair of blue eyes.

She held out her hand. “I’m Chloe Markham. It’s nice to meet you.”

The mayor’s sister? Oh, it made sense now. I knew Chicago’s mayor had a colorful younger sibling, but had no clue she looked like this or that she owned a barn. A pretty nepobaby was something I didn’t wish to attach myself to. However, I was up shit creek, and no one would take in a stud horse. I didn’t know what to do.

“How many head do you have?” Riley asked. “Or, really, which ones do you need help with?”

“We have 15 right now counting foals,” I answered. “My parents are taking 5 until we can bring them back here. So, it’s ten-head all told. Some of those are client horses, but the rest are mine—and hers.”

I looked at Piper.

“I have two,” Piper said. “Cash is the thoroughbred. And then there is Opal. She’s my paint mare. I show her in pattern classes. She’s a showmanship machine.”

“Well, I think we can probably do something,” Chloe said. “Can we look around? Meet your horses?”

“They’re standard models,” I said. “I know you say you don’t want me to pay you, but I have client horses. I couldn’t dream of boarding them at a facility like yours without paying you.”

Chloe took off towards the pasture. “Oh my god, there is the black and white horse. Doobie, right?”

How the fuck did she know his name?