Page 67 of Falling for Her

Fifteen minutes later, I’m holding rice and pieces of golden chicken with a honey sauce.

“It smells so good,” I compliment, sitting down at the table beside Asa and waiting for Lincoln to join us.

“So,” Lincoln starts as he sits down, “you know how to ride horses?”

I nod my head, taking a bite. My eyes widen as the honey chicken hits my tongue. “This is so good.”

“Thank you.”

“She rides horses like the rodeo,” Asa cuts in.

“Not really,” I say. “I just . . . It was my sport when I was growing up. My grandparents had a farm. A ranch, really, and I started riding horses then.” I don’t want to say too much. “When my grandfather saw how good I was, he got me lessons.” I smile when I think of the memory. “From that day on, I lived and breathed horses.”

“Why did you stop riding?” Lincoln asks.

“Someone told me that I didn’t smell good and he’d prefer it if I stopped,” I admit softly.

“If you’re as good as Asa says you are, I’d go back.”

I can feel his eyes on me, and I make the mistake of looking up. I give him a smile. “Thanks, I was thinking I should.” I look at Asa. “You have to take your dad riding someday. And have him send me pictures.”

For the first time in my life, I feel sadness about leaving. All my life, I’ve been shuffled from place to place, from my parents to my grandparents, to boarding school and back. I’m used to temporary living, which is why this job that’s just for a month seemed like a perfect fit. But I’ve never gotten used to a place like I have here.

We finish dinner, and I get up to clean. Lincoln puts a hand on mine. “I’ve got this. You’ve worked like crazy this week. Why don’t you clock out and go relax?”

“Okay.” I walk over to Asa and give him a hug. “Be good to your dad, or not.” I ruffle his hair. “I’ll see you on the flip side.”

“Later,” Lincoln says, and I have to wonder how much later he was talking about.

I spend that night in my apartment on the couch, wishing Lincoln would come knock on my door. At 8:00 p.m., my phone beeps, and I rush to it, thinking it’s him texting me, but it’s from Collins.

Collins:

Want to go out for breakfast tomorrow, my treat?

Me:

I thought you would never ask.

Collins:

Bahahaha, it’s a date.

Me:

Are you going to the barbecue at Harmony’s?

Collins:

I just heard about it from Theo. I’m off, so we’ll be going, are you?

Me:

I told her I would drop in.

Collins:

Amazing, okay, see you tomorrow at nine?