“There y’all are!” Remi said. “Everything good?”
“Really good,” Keegan said, smiling at Remi, then hugging Cristie. “I’m going to get another piece of cake.”
“I’ll see you over there,” Cristie said.
She and Remi stood just off their back porch, watching Keegan go.
“You going to tell me what that was really about after everybody goes home?” he asked.
“You going to tell me why Kaiser really left here after everybody goes home?” Cristie asked.
Remi raised an eyebrow. “I guess I need to now.”
“Same,” Cristie said. “But I would have told you anyway.”
“I love you,” Remi said.
Cristie paused before she answered, smiling softly as she felt the words Remi had just said. “I love you, too,” she finally answered.
“First time you’ve ever said it,” he said, kissing the tip of her nose.
“Yes, but it’s not the first time I ever thought it.”
“You ready to join our party?” he asked.
“Let’s go,” she said, slipping her hand into his as they started around their home to where the party was taking place in the driveway between all the houses.
She was pulled to a stop because Remi had stopped. She looked back at him and watched as he picked up a rock from the driveway and slipped it into his pocket. He smiled at her. “Some people remind themselves to stop and smell the roses, appreciate the important moments in life; our family will alwaysstop to pick up a rock instead on the happiest days, so that the memories of the day are never forgotten.”
“I love you,” Cristie said, leaning against him as they walked toward their family and Pride.
“That’s two times,” Remi said.
Cristie laughed, as Remi made it clear he was going to keep count of the times she told him she loved him.
“We’re going to need more space for all these rocks,” Remi said, as he leaned over and picked up another one to put in his pocket.
~~~
Harper backed out of her parking spot and prepared to pull out onto the highway, but just as she began to lift her foot from the brake, somebody stepped into her field of vision. She shielded her eyes from the glare of sunlight with her hand, trying to focus on the person’s face. “Clay?” she asked, rolling down her window.
“Hey. I saw you leaving, thought I might tag along.”
“Why?” she asked.
Clay shrugged. “Because being around so much family gets to be a little much sometimes. And I heard your parents giving you crap, and I just thought it might be nice to meet some of your horses.”
Harper smiled. At least somebody was interested in the work she did at the arena. “Sure, why not? Get in,” she said, unlocking her doors.
Clay walked around her car and got in the passenger side. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.”
“So, how did you get started working at the arena? I know you’re always there, but I don’t know how it started.”
“It’s a long story,” Harper said, on a chuckle as she pulled out onto the highway.
“I got time,” he said.
