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“It’s fine,” I said, not wanting him to get the satisfaction of knowing it was heavy as fuck.

After we accounted for all the saddles and grooming kits, loading began. The Haywards worked in tandem. Piper never argued with her father, and he never talked down to her. He trusted her to use her brain in a way many parents didn’t. My mother would have barked constant orders at me. Piper was strangely efficient for a teen.

With ten colorful horses loaded, ready to go, and eating hay happily in their confines; it was time to leave.

“I’m buying pizza for everyone when we arrive,” Hayward said.

“You really don’t owe us anything,” I promised.

“Just don’t argue. He’ll keep insisting. Pizza is Dad’s love language,” Piper joked.

“I won’t turn down a good pie,” Riley announced. “Chloe jokes her love language is tacos, though.”

I blushed. “I love tacos.”

“Tacos are also good,” Hayward agreed. “A good Al Pastor wins my vote. Either way, I’m feeding us all when we get up there.”

“I’ll take it,” I agreed.

“Can I ride with you?” Piper brimmed to Riley.

They shrugged. “Sure, kid, why not?”

“Do you have a Bluetooth camera in there?” Mr. Hayward nodded at my gooseneck. “I meant to ask but⁠—”

I answered. “No. Both the backup and the interior cameras are wired.”

“Oh,” he said.

“He’s a nervous nelly,” Piper giggled. “He insists on having them on camera the entire time. Someone always has to watch.”

“I am a bit anxious. Especially with the young ones.”

“Gotcha,” I said. “Well, maybe Piper rides with Ry and you can hitch a ride with me?”

“Sure,” he agreed.

I waited for the commentary I’d come expect from most men, but Cole remained quiet and focused on the camera as we left. He didn’t judge my handling or tut about speed. I drove like an old woman with a loaded rig. And following Ry, there was no other way to do it.

“You’ve got a nice setup,” he said. “Do you usually take both rigs?”

“We will on Friday when we head out to Lamplight. That’s a massive show. We’ve got fifteen horses competing and Ry and I are hauling half of them.”

“Great. Yeah, I get nervous about my boy. He’s sort of precious to me.”

“I understand. My favorite horse, Raven, was like that,” I said. “I am a sucker for a black horse, honestly.”

“Me, too.”

As we pulled north onto the expressway, he said, “You really didn’t have to do this. It means the world to Piper—and me—but you didn’t have to take pity.”

“It’s not pity. It’s just…” I breathed deep. “My mother has been through a lot in her life. She came from nothing. She always said she worked hard so we didn’t have to work as hard, but she reminds us that we owe it to others to help as we can.”

“That’s kind, but we aren’t a charity case. We are very fortunate⁠—”

“Mr. Hayward, I’m sure you think I’m going all Daddy Warbucks here, but I’m not. It’s not about the money. It’s not charity. It’s mutual aid. I’m going through something right now. Seeing Piper so upset—and so angry that she lost her home and everything she loved—reminded me that even though I was whining about being trapped in a freezer that night at a launch party, I had little to worry about. You two still have each other. You have the horses. I just wanted to make sure you got to keep your herd and your business.”

He took a moment. “I appreciate that. Now, we’ll see if I can find a rental so I can keep Piper with me. The market is rough up north and she's starting a new high school. She swears she’d rather do it up there than to start where her mom lives in downtown at some fancy Catholic school, but… I dunno. Maybe it’s worth the commute? I’d live in an RV on my land if the state wouldn’t have a heart attack.”