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“If I get back super early and say you picked me up for breakfast, no one will know,” Chloe said.

I knew it was one of those lies we told ourselves—all to enjoy the moment and believe this was secret to us—just like the lies Chloe told herself about no one knowing she was pregnant. As I traced the lines of her ribs and gentle curve of her bump, I knew there was no way to ignore this. People would know if they didn’t already.

“It’s weird, I know,” Chloe pulled away.

I tightened my grasp and whispered. “It’s not. You’re beautiful. Someone should spoil you, Chloe. I know I’m not much, but at least let me do it for the night.”

She nuzzled my chest and silently drifted to sleep, holding me so close. I realized perhaps for the first and sadly the last time how natural this felt. I recognized just how hard I wanted to love this woman. If all of this happened on another timeline, could it have ever worked? And what if I said I wanted to try—to really date her—before this?

I only had the nevers and maybes.

34. FABLE

COLE

After watching Chloe mainline a breakfast burrito the size of my head, we met up with Riley and rode to the barn. I pretended to be chill, but the longer we rode, the harder it was not to notice that the meal wasn’t sitting well with Chloe. I watched her from the backseat and worried. She became visibly more uncomfortable and cracked her window. She turned and shifted in her seat. Riley kept driving, dancing to their music.

She squeaked, “Stop! I’m gonna hurl!”

Confused, Riley stopped. Chloe hopped out and raced to the ditch where she lost her breakfast. She gagged several more times before standing upright, snapping back to Perfect Chloe Markham, and climbing in the truck.

“It’s fine,” Chloe lied, clipping herself in.

“You better not be sick, Markham!” Riley drove off.

“Stop being a germaphobe!” Chloe said, annoyed.

“I mean it. I have a big ride⁠—”

“You can’t catch this. You got yourself fixed,” Chloe said to Riley.

Riley once more pulled over. “I’m sorry, but what!?”

Chloe crossed her arms. “I don’t want to get into it but that’s why I’m not riding greenies.”

“Chloe… how? What? Why?” Riley stammered.

“Uh… it doesn’t matter. I’m doing this on my own, okay?” Chloe said. “I didn’t tell anyone my plans, and I was supposed to do it during a lull to come back for next year’s winter season. I had visions of toting a baby around in a carrier at HITS Lamplight. Instead, I’m going to be promoting a book and praying that my publisher doesn’t fucking end me.”

“Chloe, I’m not mad. Just concerned.”

“Don’t be! I’m fine!” Chloe’s voice warbled the way it did when she was about to cry.

“It’s okay, Chloe,” I said gently. “You will do great.”

I wanted so badly to wrap my arms around her. Despite the awkwardness, I longed to comfort her. Instead, I exchanged a confused glance with Riley in the rearview mirror, signaling they should do something. Riley read me and squeezed Chloe’s knee reassuringly.

“Cole is right.” Riley asked. “You are going to make an amazing mother. And we will be there to watch your baby so you can get back on Zee and kick ass.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Good lord! Could I possibly judge a baddie for doing her own thing. If you want to have a baby in the barn, we will… make it work.”

I expected Riley to ask more questions, but they realized we were headed into a strange barn for Piper’s project horse and dropped it for a moment.

Then, as we turned onto a dirt road, they asked, “So like, when are you foaling out?”

I snickered. “Riley, it’s called giving birth. She’s not a broodmare!”