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The dark bay lifted his head, watched us for approximately two seconds, and then started toward the fence with the determined stride of an animal who knew perfectly well he'd been missed. The others followed at varying speeds, although Belle was old enough to consider urgency beneath her dignity.

Ash stopped beside me and counted them. “Six. You were actually telling the truth.”

“Why would I lie about how many horses I own?”

“You lied about the donkey.”

I sighed. “We're not starting that again.”

Étienne reached us and shoved his nose against my chest hard enough to move me half a step backward.

“Bonjour, toi.”

I scratched beneath his jaw before running my hand along his neck, and Ash watched the entire exchange with far too much interest.

“He missed you.”

“He knows I bring treats.”

Ash grinned. “You say that about every animal that likes you.”

“Animals are transactional.”

“So are hockey players, but we still have feelings.”

I looked at him long enough to make him smile, then turned back to Étienne before I did something ridiculous, such as telling Ash I loved him beside a horse pasture while Luc was still within hearing distance.

Instead, I introduced him to the horses.

Étienne and two of the mares were sound, trained, and regularly ridden, while the other three had arrived over the years for different reasons. Belle was an elderly gray whose owner had gone into long-term care with nobody able to take her. Roscoe had an old tendon injury that meant his riding days were behind him, although it hadn't affected his ability to steal apples, while Margot had been badly handled before she came here and had made her opinion about carrying people very clear.

Ash listened to every story before looking across the pasture again. “So only three of the six can actually be ridden?”

“Yes.”

“What do the others do?”

For a moment, I genuinely didn't understand the question. “Whatever they want, mostly. They eat, sleep, annoy Luc, and cost me money.”

Ash smiled slightly. “That's not much of a job description.”

“They don't need one.” Belle had wandered close enough for me to scratch beneath her forelock, and she leaned into my hand with a contented sigh. “They don't have to earn their keep.”

The change in Ash was immediate but subtle enough that I might have missed it if I hadn't spent so much time watching him lately.

He went quiet.

I glanced at him. “What?”

“Nothing. It's just a nice way to think about it.”

I frowned because I hadn't thought I'd said anything particularly meaningful. “They needed somewhere to go.”

“I know.”

Something about his voice told me there was more behind the answer, but he reached toward Belle and let her investigate his hand before stroking her nose.

I left it alone.