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Jo blinked as her face heated, unsure of how to respond.
Cheyenne looked up, studying her face. “I mean, I’m right, ain’t I? You like him? And he likes you?”
“Well . . .” Jo shrugged awkwardly. “Yeah. We like each other well enough.”
Cheyenne rolled her eyes. “Oh, come on. I ain’t dumb. I can see how it is. Y’all like-like each other.”
Despite the awkward tension, Jo laughed. “Okay. We like-like each other.”
“But you’re still leaving?” Cheyenne asked. “Just like that? Leaving him here on his own with Another Round?”
“Brooks is a grown man,” Jo said firmly. “He can take care of himself, and believe me, he’ll have more choices than he could imagine when it comes to hiring another trainer for Another Round.” She stood, walked to the end of the bed, and resumed packing. “I’m not discussing my relationship with Brooks, but I will tell you this much. He and I just want different things right now. We’re choosing to go in different directions. That may change in the future, but for now, it doesn’t look like it’s going to happen.”
Silence fell between them. The only sounds were Jo’s shoes stepping softly across the carpet as she continued packing, retrieving toiletries from the bathroom, and returning her foundation and lipstick to her makeup caddy while Cheyenne watched her in silence.
Then Cheyenne stood and, fidgeting with the hem of her shorts, eyed Jo hesitantly. “So . . . what is it you want that Brooks doesn’t?” Her gaze skittered away as Jo faced her. “I mean, what are you wanting to do besides train Another Round?”
Sensing the cautious tone in Cheyenne’s voice, Jo stopped packing and sought her eyes, holding her gaze. “I want to go back to Lone Oaks Crossing and take care of the horses we’re boarding. I want to get Earl home so he can rest, watch the horses graze under the sun on the back deck, and enjoy the spring weather. I want to work with Frankie to start renovating the main house and updating our stable so that we can build a new business for Lone Oaks Crossing and maybe invite more people in need to stay with us. And I want to get you settled back into your daily routine, help you study for your exams and get great grades, and explore what you want to do with your future.” She spread her hands. “After all, your grades are excellent right now and you’ll be starting your sophomore year after summer. If you decide to continue taking classes online, you’d be able to stick to your current schedule and still work with the horses every day.”
“After summer?” Cheyenne’s brows lifted, her eyes widening. “You mean . . . you’re going to let me stay at Lone Oaks Crossing even after I finish my community hours?”
Jo smiled gently. “I’m not ‘letting you.’ I’m inviting you to stay with me, Earl, and Frankie at Lone Oaks Crossing for as long as you want. It’d make me happy for you to call Lone Oaks Crossing your home.”
Cheyenne’s chin trembled. “Y-you mean you want me to stay for good? Like . . . as part of your family?”
Jo crossed the room and nudged Cheyenne’s chin up, meeting her eyes. “As far as I’m concerned, whether you decide to stay at Lone Oaks Crossing or not, you’re already a part of our family. We’ll always be here for you.”
Two big tears rolled down Cheyenne’s cheeks and a smile broke out on her face, lifting her cheeks and lighting her eyes. “I’d like that.” She threw herself into Jo’s arms, pressing her cheek to Jo’s neck, her hot tears damp against Jo’s skin. “I’d like that a lot.”
Jo, blinking back tears of her own, hugged her close, then smoothed her hand over her hair. “Does this mean you’re not going to give me any more grief about us going home now?”
Cheyenne laughed, her slight frame shaking against Jo before she eased away and dragged the back of her forearm over her wet cheeks. “Yeah. I’m okay with going home.” She narrowed her eyes. “So long as you let me ride shotgun? I’m sick to death of the back seat.”
“Always the negotiator.” Jo laughed, then nodded. “I think we can handle that.”
Two hours later, after Jo had shared her decision with Frankie and Earl, she, Cheyenne, Earl, and Frankie were all packed. They carried their bags to the parking lot and began loading them in Earl’s truck.
“I see y’all are getting a head start on the trip back.”
Jo, standing by the tailgate of the truck, hefted the last bag into the back, then glanced over her shoulder. Brooks stood a few feet away, his hand shoved in the pockets of his jeans as he surveyed the packed truck.
“Yeah,” she said. “We wanted to hit the interstate before the heaviest traffic.”
“Hey, Brooks?” Cheyenne left the passenger side of the truck and walked over to Brooks, hesitating a couple feet away from him. “Will you . . . will you tell Another Round ’bye for me?”
Brooks smiled. “Of course. I’ll even give him a hug for good measure.”
He held Cheyenne’s gaze for a moment, and when she didn’t move, he removed his hands from his pockets and spread his arms. Immediately, Cheyenne ran over, threw her arms around his waist, and pressed her cheek to his chest. He hugged her, smoothing one strong hand over her hair and dropping a kiss on the top of her head.
“I’m gonna miss you, kid,” Brooks whispered, his voice barely discernible above a car passing by through the parking lot. “Take care of the horses for me, okay?” He looked up, his eyes meeting Jo’s. “And Jo, too, all right?”
Cheyenne nodded against his chest, then pulled away, scrubbing the heels of her hands over her wet cheeks. “I-I will.”
With that, she darted back to the truck, opened the passenger door, and climbed inside.
“Good luck at the Preakness,” Earl said, walking over and hugging Brooks. “And be careful on the road.”
“I will.” Brooks smiled as Frankie jogged over and wrapped him in a bear hug, too. “Y’all be careful on the road, too. Give me a call when you make it back safely, okay?”
