The coach smiled, offering her hand. “You’ve done an incredible job starting him.”
“Thank you, ma’am,” he said, returning her handshake.
As they continued to discuss logistics, a shadow fell across the barn entrance, and Aubrey stepped into view. Jaxon was hauling a horse today, and Charly was at the bar, so Eli became curious. He turned back to the family, taking the reins from the teenager after she dismounted. “Just shoot me a text when you have that vet appointment scheduled,” Eli said, wrapping up the conversation as he caught sight of Aubrey’s furrowed brow.
“Will do,” the father replied, tipping his own cowboy hat to Aubrey before guiding his daughter and her coach away from the arena.
With the potential buyers gone, Eli brought Ranger back into the barn. Aubrey stood by the crossties, nibbling her lip.
“Everything all right?” he asked her. His voice was even, but his gut tightened as she approached, her eyes sharp with concern.
“Can we talk about Willow?” she asked, her voice cutting straight to the heart of matters, as was her way.
“Of course,” he replied, pausing with a halter in hand. “Is she okay?”
“Look, Eli,” she started. “We’re going to talk straight about this. I’ve never been one to beat around the bush. This fake relationship thing you’re doing is stupid.”
Ranger lowered his head as Eli began removing the bridle. “I’m not sure what you—”
“Willow needs stability, honesty,” she interjected, her tone firm yet laced with a pleading undercurrent.
Eli slipped on the halter and then tied up Ranger to the crossties, feeling the weight of her words settle in the pit of his stomach. Charly loved Willow deeply, but Aubrey’s protective instinct was fierce, and he respected her for it. But it was the unspoken understanding between them, a shared knowledge of what Willow had survived, that made him take a hard look at his own intentions.
“I won’t hurt her,” Eli said quietly, as he placed the bridle on the hook on the stall. “I’m trying to help her.”
Aubrey’s gaze softened slightly. She ran her hand over Ranger’s face. “You are, but just make sure you’re not giving her mixed signals, okay? I know, Willow, truly know her, and she likes you.”
“Well, I like her too,” he said, undoing the cinch.
“Like her?” Aubrey said with a snort. “Isthat all? Because the way you were looking at her last night did not pass the friend vibes.”
He couldn’t refute that. “Listen, I’m not the one that sent me flying on my ass when I kissed her.”
“I know that,” Aubrey said. “But that was also three months ago. I know no one has said this to you,” she said firmly, and then pointed at him, “so I’m saying it now. Be careful here. If at any moment, this fake thing starts to look like it will hurt Willow, it stops. Promise me.”
The truth of Aubrey’s words hung heavy in the air as his jaw clenched. “I won’t hurt her. That’s an easy promise, Aubrey.”
She gave a curt nod, her expression softening as she turned to leave Eli with his thoughts, the scent of hay and leather.
With his hands stilled on the saddle, he watched Aubrey’s retreating figure, her words still echoing in the barn.
“Aubrey,” he called out, his voice firmer than he felt.
She paused, halfway through the door. “Yeah?” she asked.
“This isn’t some game that I’m playing. I’m not that guy.” He struggled to find the words, his usual composure broken. “I’m truly doing this to help her.”
“Are you truly helping her though?” Aubrey asked. “Or was this just a really good reason for you both to play pretend because it’s easier to do that than actually go all in?”
He swallowed hard, tasting the dust and the remnants of fear that clung to his throat. Memories of Willow’s laughter, the way her eyes sparkled with life, flooded his mind. But so did the shadows that lingered there, cast by a past that had nearly broken her and him.
“Like I said, I’m doing this to protect her.” His voice cracked, sharp and raw. “The rules for this have been set out. Determined. We end at New Year’s.”
“I see,” Aubrey said slowly. “Well, I guess all I can say is that’s a real shame because Willow...her warm, sunny soul...it fixes everything, Eli. Trust me.”
The raw honesty in her voice struck a chord deep within him. His heart was a drumbeat, loud in the quiet of the stable, echoing the truth of Aubrey’s words. He couldn’t deny the feelings that surged through him whenever he thought of Willow, but he’d taken a step back when she turned him down.
Maybe that was the wrong decision. Maybe he should have pushed more.
