Page 66 of Ethan

“Come on. You’ve got it bad for her and she feels the same. What’s the problem?”

Ethan sighed. “I’ll call Mom.”

“You know she’s going to say yes. She’s been waiting for you to find someone since Claire left.”

“I know. Naomi and I are taking it slow.”

“Why? When it’s right, it’s right.”

“I guess.”

Cole was quiet for a moment. “You’re in love with her,” he said. Not teasing this time. Just saying it.

Ethan started to shake his head. Then nodded. “Yeah.”

Cole slapped him on the back. “Scary feeling, isn’t it?”

Ethan laughed despite himself. “Damn scary.”

“I’ll see you Sunday, little brother.” Cole headed for the door.

Ethan turned back to the arena. Naomi rode Vader over to the rail.

“I don’t have to go, Ethan. Cole threw that out without asking you first.”

“It’s fine. I just need to let my mom know.”

“If it’s a problem I won’t go. I don’t want to be a bother.”

“Oh, you’re a bother alright.”

She laughed. “Right back at you. Seriously though, I don’t have to go.”

“It’s fine. Really.” He stepped back from the rail. “I need to get to the house. Client’s coming.”

“Okay. I’ll see you later.”

“Damn right, you will.”

Naomi laughed.

He touched the brim of his hat and walked out of the arena.

The week settled into a rhythm he hadn’t realized he’d been missing.

He was up before five as he always was, but now there was coffee waiting when he got to the barn because Naomi was always up before him and she’d started leaving a thermos on the fence post outside Vulcan’s stall without saying anything about it. He’d never mentioned it either. It was just there, and he’d started counting on it.

He watched her work Vader every morning and the horse was coming along faster than he’d expected. She had a gift for reading them, knowing when to push and when to back off, and Vader was starting to show it in his times. Johnny and Serena had noticed too, and even Rowdy, who didn’t notice much, had remarked that the black gelding was looking good.

Evenings they spent together more often than not. Sometimes at her place, sometimes at his. They’d fallen into a comfortable back and forth that felt nothing like the carefuldistance he’d been trying to maintain two months ago, and he’d given up trying to maintain it.

Kurt had asked about her twice more and both times Ethan had answered shortly and changed the subject. He wasn’t going to make an issue of it unless it became one, but he also knew that Kurt wasn’t any type of threat. He would never overstep. Everyone knew he was a softie when it came to women. Hell, he even flirted with Ryan and Skylar when they came by.

Saturday he took her with him to The Feed Store, and she charmed everyone she met within five minutes, which didn’t surprise Ethan at all, and Sam Garrett, the sheriff of Clifton County, had pulled him aside afterward and said simply, “Don’t be an idiot about that one.”

Ethan had told him to mind his own business. Sam had laughed and gone back outside.

Life was good. He hadn’t said it out loud, but he felt it, solid and quiet.