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“Terrific, my dear.” Mr. Donaldson beamed. “This young man here even helped me get some paintings loaded up for my customers.” He gestured to Chet who was now at her side. “You’ve got a keeper there.”

Yet another comment regarding her non-relationship with Chet. Had someone been talking? More importantly, did Chet care? She slid her gaze his way but couldn’t tell if he was bothered by the assumption.

Thankfully, she was better prepared and didn’t put her foot in her mouth. She nodded and murmured, “I’m so glad your day went well. Let us know if you need any additional help to clean up.”

“Of course.” He stepped forward and held out his hand to Chet. They shook and she walked away before the two of them got talking. With each step she took, she turned over how things might be different if they were right. Lydia almost hated how easy it was to envision a future with him, and that was her self-preservation failing. She’d been hurt before, and she wasn’t ready to experience that pain again so soon. Sure, it’d been a while, but the pain was a memory she couldn’t shake off completely.

Not because she still wanted to be in a relationship with the man, but because she’d come to question her ability to see what was right in front of her face.

Lydia got lost in her thoughts as she went through the motions. She made it to the end of the line before it registered that Chet had stuck with her through it all. When she turned around to check for him and found him inches away, a startled squawk escaped her lips. Her eyes flared wide and her hand along with the clipboard flew to cover her heart. “Geez, Chet.”

He didn’t back up. He didn’t even smile. Those dark blue eyes of his bored right through her and a tsunami of emotions swept her under. The only thing between them was her clipboard. He must have put his down somewhere.

She pulled her lower lip between her teeth as she searched his eyes, for what she couldn’t say. A pull tightened in her. It urged her to lean closer, to explore why the hold he had on her was so strong. Lydia couldn’t be certain that she didn’t want to, which went against everything she’d told herself.

Lydia shouldn’t have been expecting it, but she didn’t even flinch when Chet reached up and cupped her jaw. His fingers wrapped around the back of her neck and his thumb trailed along her cheek. The touch was so intimate. Too intimate for a couple of friends. So why did it fit so well?

Lashes fluttering until they closed, she allowed herself to do exactly as her body insisted. She leaned into his touch and waited for him to do whatever he had in mind. Why else would he touch her like this?

Thousands of possibilities flashed behind her eyes. Her breathing grew shallower and her whole body flushed with heat.

Cold seeped into her skin when he removed his hand. Lydia gasped at the sensation and her eyes opened. Chet was no longer in front of her. He’d retrieved his clipboard and was pointedly not looking her way. It would’ve been so easy to believe she’d imagined the whole encounter.

Her lips parted but nothing came out. One second Chet behaved like the friend she knew him to be and the next she questioned whether he wanted more. To anyone on the outside looking in, they probably looked like so much more than they were. Chet’s behavior was a splash of cold water. If nothing else, he reminded her that they weren’t going to be more than they already were.

And the part that frustrated her the most?

She couldn’t even blame him.

At the next training session, Lydia got to use Lola to help. She nuzzled Chet’s horse, murmuring, “I’ve missed you, pretty girl.” The horse chuffed out a sound that made Lydia laugh because it sounded so much like an agreement.

On the far side of the paddock, Chet was working with Misty. From what Chet had said, Misty tolerated Lola plenty. They got along well when they were in the same paddock. Chet had mentioned that Lola calmed Misty far more than anything else they’d tried.

Lydia glanced their way, her gaze lingering on the cowboy. She’d always been a sucker for rugged, strong men. And someone like Chet who could make her laugh? All the better.

He turned and their eyes locked. His smile was genuine, but was it more strained than she remembered it?

Neither one of them had talked about what had happened at the end of the art fair. She didn’t dare ask him why he’d touched her as he had because she wasn’t sure she’d like the answer.

As far as she was concerned, nothing had changed.

Chet jerked his chin for her to lead Lola toward Misty. His hope was that they could get the two horses walking side by side while on their lead ropes.

Lydia clicked her tongue. “Come on, beautiful. Let’s get going.”

Lola followed immediately. She didn’t even need a rope most of the time. Her training had been impeccable. Avoiding Chet’s eyes when she approached, Lydia turned her thoughts to the training. Tate was still pushing her to make a firm decision about being hired, but she couldn’t say for certain if this was the path she wanted to take. Working for family could be tricky.

She wanted to be a trainer, though, that much was settled. The thought of working with young girls who were interested in equestrian sports stirred an excitement that had been missing for a while.

The vendor surveys had gone back to city hall, and the council had thanked her for stepping in on short notice. Two artists had already asked her to contact them if she organized another event. Having Chet handle half the vendors had left her free to deal with the questions that needed her attention. She’d have to remember that the next time she insisted she could do something with her eyes closed.

They came up beside Misty and Chet.

“Stay within five feet of me if you can manage. We’ll take it slow.” He was all business which was for the best. It allowed Lydia to get lost in her thoughts so she didn’t have to think too hard about what to do next.

They made their rounds a few times until Misty got restless. That was when Chet removed the lead rope from the halter and let her roam freely with Lola. He nodded toward the far side of the paddock where the gate was located and Lydia followed.

Right as they reached the edge, Jason materialized. “Chet, I need you to check a few things in the barn. I’m doing a supply run tomorrow. Can you get me numbers for everything on this list?” He handed Chet the slip of paper.