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Doc was right, it looked to be at least a half mile away, maybe more. She set off on foot, her sneakers soon soaked through from the dew on the grass.

Fiona felt certain they were approaching the back of the horse barn. It looked familiar, but she couldn’t be sure if she actually remembered the structure or if it was just that she liked being around horses.

Doc and Rex had taken up a position on either side of her. Despite Doc’s earlier request that she stay behind them for safety, she’d taken the lead. After they walked for several minutes, she turned slightly, angling toward the north side of the barn.

The guys didn’t protest. Her wet toes in her shoes grew chilled, but she ignored the discomfort. The scent of hay, manure, and horses wafted toward them as they drew closer. If she were honest, she’d admit she loved the scent.

She was home.

A jarring thought, considering she didn’t remember living with her father. Her only memory was of a small cozy kitchen.

Overhead, a cloud momentarily obscured the moonlight. Her step faltered, as she couldn’t see the back of the barn as clearly now.

Thankfully, the cloud drifted past, and the moon once again illuminated the area around them. It took longer than she had anticipated to reach the barn.

Doc snagged her arm when they were along the north side of the building. “Hold up,” he whispered. “Who lives over there? The staff?”

She turned in time to see what appeared to be a small cottage nestled in a grove of trees. The sight of the cute yet small dwelling surprised her.

“I do.” The memory of moving into the guest house came rushing back. She had gladly called the small cottage home, and the close proximity to the barn was an added bonus. She’d wanted to pay for her own utilities, but in the end, it had been difficult to sort out the cost of her cottage compared to the main house, so she’d reimbursed her father a set amount each month to cover the cost.

As she stared at the cottage, the sound of horses moving inside the barn behind her calmed her nerves.

This was going to work. It had to. She was already remembering more with each passing step.

“Wait, you live there?” Doc’s hand tightened on her arm. “You remember that?”

“Yes, I remember moving in, against my father’s wishes, I might add.”

“Was that the source of your argument?” Doc asked.

“No, he just thought I would be more comfortable in the house.” She waved a hand at their surroundings. “As you can tell, it’s rather fragrant here.”

“I noticed,” Doc admitted with a wry smile. He turned toward Rex. “What do you think? Is it worth going inside to check it out? Maybe we’ll learn something about what happened to send Fiona running.”

“No, I want to head into the barn,” she protested, before Rex could answer. “The horses—” She stopped abruptly at the creak of the barn door opening.

“We have company,” Doc whispered. Rex nodded, and the two men stepped forward, in tandem, blocking her view.

“It’s probably one of the grooms.” She appreciated their attempt to protect her, but the whole point of being there was to help her remember. She quickly skirted around them to follow the side of the barn toward the front.

“Fiona.” Doc’s low whisper was frustrated as he and Rex quickly caught up. She ignored them, turning the corner of the barn in time to see an older man in his sixties sporting a shaggy gray beard opening the second side-by-side barn door.

“Fiona?” The grizzled man’s jaw dropped, and she instantly recognized him as Teddy Bonner, their groom. “Where have you been?”

“Teddy.” Relieved that even more of her memories were returning now, she rushed forward to grasp his arm. “It’s good to see you. How is Syracuse? And Goldie?” The name of her childhood horse came tumbling back. “I know Goldie is getting up there in age. Has the vet been in to check on her recently?”

“Goldie and Syracuse are fine, just missing you, of course.” Teddy’s gaze narrowed on the two men behind her. “Who are they?”

“Oh, these are friends of mine, Doc and Rex.” She shot them both an annoyed look when she realized both men had drawn their weapons. “This is Teddy Bonner, our groom for the farm. He’s not a threat.”

Rex and Doc exchanged a look, then holstered their weapons.

“Nice to meet you,” Doc said. “Are you always out at the barn this early?”

“These creaky bones of mine make it hard to sleep well, but yeah, I generally get here around six in the morning.” Teddy turned toward her, his expression softening. “I’m glad to see you, Fiona. We’ve been wondering when you would come home.”

His comment caught her off guard. Teddy and likely the other stable hands had realized she’d disappeared for a couple of days without sounding an alarm. “You heard about the argument with my dad?” Fiona asked the question carefully, hoping Teddy would fill in some of the blanks.