Page 58 of Heartstrings & Horseshoes

“Oh my god!” Delilah shouts, launching off the couch.

“Jesus! Scared the shit out of me. What?” I ask, my heart knocking against my ribs.

“I have so much to tell you. You’ll never guess what I saw today,” she says, bursting with excitement. I love when she’s happy like this.

She’s sunshine personified and I’m one lucky bastard to bask in her light.

“Tell me,” I say, happy to indulge her love of gossip.

“I ran to town with Izzy this morning to get her dirty chai, and while she waited, I walked down the block since the weather was so nice. I got to Clark’s Hardware and popped inside to say hi to Greyson.” She’s vibrating with excitement.

“I asked how things were going, and he said the arrangement with Liv and James is working well and what a relief it’s been not worrying about Harper during the workday. He said he was waiting for them to come get Harper for a day at the stables.”

She’s dancing around like she’s going to piss her pants. Now I’m buzzing wanting to know what she saw.

“When I left to walk back to Bean & Brew, James was walking around the back of the hardware store to Grey’s apartment. I figured he was heading upstairs to get Harper.” She’s like the cat who got the cream, smug satisfaction on her face.

She’s about to burst but I wait her out. I’m not coaxing it out of her. She wants to be the one to tell the secret and it’s fucking adorable.

“Olivia came from behind the building, and they started MAKING OUT!”

“Are you serious?”

“Yes! He had her pressed against the brick wall and they were going to town on each other. I ran away before they caught me spying. I barely kept my shit together when I got back to Izzy. I told her I didn’t feel good and asked her to bring me back here because there’s no way I could keep it a secret all day.” She’s talking so fast she’s out of breath.

Them fooling around isn’t really our business, so I’m good watching this play out.

“Is that it? Was there something else you were excited to tell me?” I ask, damn well knowing what happened to her first thing at the ranch this morning.

“The whole Best Friend’s Little Sister scandal has drained my brain power today. I forgot to tell you what happened this morning!” she says.

“Before the scandal, or after?” I ask.

“Before! After you dropped me off at the ranch this morning, Izzy said Reid wanted to talk to me and brought me over to the stables. He was grooming Hope, a new horse they just rescued. She’s a black paint, her color contrast is brilliant—as if night was splattered across her pristine white coat. Connor, she’s beautiful, I’m in love with her.”

And now I’m jealous of a fucking horse—I’m pathetic.

“Did you know Hope is Izzy’s middle name? How crazy is that? It’s like fate brought her to Lucky Spurs Ranch,” she continues, her joy like a drug to me.

“Anyway, Reid said my advisor contacted him since he’s making a name for Lucky Spurs Ranch and their new equine program, and he agreed to be my internship sponsor this fall! Can you believe it?” she squeaks.

Yes, I can believe it, because I orchestrated it.

When Delilah’s internship fell through, I got with Reid and told him the situation. He wasn’t sure how he could help.

I had to tell the truth and let him in on my secret sponsorship of Delilah’s education. He was stunned to say the least, but impressed I’d gone to such lengths to take care of my girl.

Yea, he knows she’s my girl. Perceptive bastard. Thankfully, he’s kept it to himself.

I worked it out with her advisor for Lucky Spurs Ranch to facilitate her internship, and they’d bring in licensed therapists to work with Delilah. It took some convincing, but after also confessing my secrets to the advisor, they agreed. Everyone loves a good love story.

I’ll pay Reid directly for any out-of-pocket costs—since Delilah thinks she’s on a full-ride scholarship—as well as the equine therapists brought in to mentor her.

“I’m so happy for you, doll. See, I told you everything happens for a reason.”

The reason just happens to be that I’m in love with you.

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