Page 118 of Blue Jean Summer

I had just leaned in to kiss her when a shadow filled the doorway.

“Hi, Zach!” she said cheerily.

Hallie’s son, Zach, poked his head inside and peered around curiously. I wasn’t entirely sure how he felt about living at the estate. School kept him busy most of the year, but summer was halfway over and I had barely seen him out and about.

“Did you come down to check it out?” Catherine asked. “What do you think?”

Zach stuffed his hands in the pockets of his shorts and nodded without much excitement. “Cool.”

“Did we miss anything?” Catherine asked hopefully. “You know, I was thinking we need some kind of projector or something, so people don’t have to crowd around a computer to watch videos.”

Zach nodded solemnly. “Yeah. Probably.”

“Are you going to come to the grand opening tomorrow?” she asked.

He shrugged again. “Dunno.”

“I hope you do,” she said with a bright smile. “And you should invite your friends from school to come out here on Saturday.”

Zach didn’t answer. Instead, his eyes flicked over to the pasture. “Is it true that Mr. Grey rescued that cow?”

I nodded. “Catherine brought the little one here after someone dumped her at the ag supply, but Mr. Grey brought Blanche here because she was being mistreated.”

“People suck,” Zach muttered.

“You wanna go see her?” Catherine asked.

Zach’s brows lifted. “Is that okay?”

“Sure,” she said. “Maybe stay on the other side of the fence and see if she’ll come to you first. She needs to build trust with you before you go into her space.” Catherine grinned. “Dorothy will snuggle up to you like a lapdog, though.”

Zach kept his head low and hid a smile as he disappeared through the doorway.

Catherine sighed. “I was hoping he’d come out of his shell a little more this summer.”

“Give him time,” I said, smoothing my hands up and down her arms. “You never know how someone needs to process the way they see the world or the way the world sees them.”

She nodded and wrapped her arms around my neck. “I like the way you see the world.”

I pecked her lips. “You got plans tonight?”

She glanced around. “I was going to keep neurotically rearranging things until I inevitably go to bed and toss and turn all night because I’m nervous as hell about this weekend.”

I cupped her cheeks and kissed her again. “It’s going to be a hit, but I’m more than happy to worry with you.”

Since Maisey needed to get used to being ridden by different people, I walked alongside her as Catherine sat in the saddle, waving goodbye to Zach as we left the cottage. When we made it back down to the stables, the two of us made quick work of removing the saddle and bridle, hanging the blankets we used as a saddle pad, then brushing Maisey down and checking her over.

Kamikaze, one of the anticipated derby winners, was grazing in the paddock when Catherine led Maisey in for a little relaxation. Midnight eyes locked on Catherine, and Kamikaze charged. Before I could jump in to get her out of the way, Maisey whipped around, hid Catherine behind her large body, and let out a menacing bluster at Kamikaze. It was so out of character for Maisey that I was momentarily stunned. The asshole thoroughbred thundered toward her, but Maisey didn’t flinch. I grabbed Catherine and yanked her out of the paddock as Maisey held her position. At the last second, Kamikaze turned and trotted away, throwing his head from side to side as if to say, “Just kidding.”

Catherine pressed her hand to her chest. “Oh my god.”

I held her close as I reached over the gate and gave Maisey a loving rub. “Attagirl. Good looking out, Mais.”

Maisey tossed her head over the fence and accepted the praise and attention.

Catherine stayed tucked into my side as we made our way up to the house.

“Something smells good,” Catherine said as we squeezed through the kitchen door.