Page 98 of Slow Burn

Epilogue

Lyla

EIGHT MONTHS LATER

“So what exactly are we all doing out here?” Skye asks as she, Sutton, and I approach the fence surrounding the pasture.

As soon as we finalized all the paperwork to give me part ownership of Wild Sage, we immediately got to work turning the empty land into Wild Sage Rescue. We built a new run-in shed on one end of the field where the horses will be free to roam, and we installed a new fence with a ring where Austin will be able to train them. I’ll vet the homes we find for them to make sure they’re going somewhere where they’ll be well cared for, loved.

The rescue isn’t just my heart work, though it does feel like a dream come true. It will also be a source of revenue for the ranch, and the charitable nature of the work will open up a few tax breaks as well.

And as luck would have it, I still get to keep doing the job I enjoy, that I know I’m good at. Shirley hired me into a mostly remote position, and I’ve now officially taken over the home office. I even painted it my favourite shade of lavender and brought in my own decor. The only thing I left the same was Kenny Roger’s bed in the corner. He’s really taken to being an inside goat.

“Hopefully watching Austin get bucked off a horse,” I laugh.

“Has Austin ever been bucked off?” Sutton asks.

“I’m sure it’s happened,” I answer. “It’s a rare occurrence, though.”

Beck, Nash, and Austin are already out in the field with Shania Twain, the first horse we brought back from auction. She’s a stunning roan mare with big brown eyes. She was timid at the auction ring, but despite how anxious she appears, Austin assured me he saw potential in her.

Now that she’s out in the field, she’s skittish as all hell. Austin’s been trying to approach her for the last few hours out here with no luck. So he called us all down to help.

Austin doesn’t shy away from even the most temperamental, stubborn horses. It’s what makes him the best horse trainer in southern Alberta, and I think it’s why he’s managed to be friends with Beck for so long.

I’ll give Beck credit where credit is due, he’s softened a lot since I showed up here. Watching him now, as we near the enclosure, a smile on his face as he and Nash laugh at Austin as he approaches the horse with an outstretched carrot, I realize I’ve fallen so deeply in love with this man.

At first it was slow, seeing little glimpses of the gentle, kind heart behind his surly exterior. But I’ve been falling harder and faster with every passing day.

I run the rest of the way to the paddock, and Beck turns around, his face lighting up as he sees me coming. I jump up on the bottom rail of the wooden fence and he meets me on the other side, greeting me with a warm kiss.

Nash lets out a soft whistle, and I smile against Beck’s mouth as I kiss him back.

“Break it up, kids,” Austin calls from the middle of the paddock. “Not around the lady.” He gestures toward Shania.

I break away from Beck for a second, long enough to flash Austin a you can’t tell me what to do look and stick my tongue out in his direction. Then, I plant an exaggerated kiss on Beck’s mouth, earning a rumbled laugh from him.

Austin has finally come around to Beck and I being together, and I suspect he might even be happy for us. His best friend and his little sister.

Beck has always been his most trusted friend, and now he’s determined to prove to Austin that he’ll take care of me for the rest of our lives. My whole body thrums with joy at being able to be free with our love in front of all of our friends.

Austin walks over to the group of us now, leaving Shania standing in the field. She seems to settle when she sees Austin retreating, her ears relaxing to the side instead of perked forward like they were.

“You think you’ll be able to make any progress with her?” I ask. She’s been here for two days already, and hasn’t made much progress at all.

“Oh yeah,” Austin answers. “She just needs time and patience. You can’t rush the process. It’s not about breaking the horse, it’s about building trust. And building trust takes longer. This girl has been hurt before, I can tell. She’s wary of people, but she’ll come around.”

“What can we do?” Skye asks.

“Did you bring the blanket I asked you to? And the drinks?” Austin asks, looking between the three of us.

I hold up the plaid picnic blanket, and Sutton holds up the cooler of beers she brought down.

“This is what we do. We sit in the field and hang out next to her until she learns that we’re not going to harm her.”

I spread out the blanket, which isn’t big enough for all of us. I take a seat, and Beck sits next to me, putting his arm around my shoulders and hugging me into his side, planting a soft kiss on my temple. Skye sits with us, while Nash and Austin stretch out in the grass, Sutton takes a seat on the top of the fence once she finishes handing out the drinks.

I hold mine up in the air. “Cheers to new beginnings.”