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Ah. It had just started clicking with him where they’d driven. “Not today. Remember we’re going to see that someone and have an unbirthday party?”
“Does he know we’re coming?”
“Nope. It’ll be a surprise.”
Vic took the turnoff for Hershel’s. After they drove through the gate, Jeremy turned to him. “Who is it?”
“You’ve seen this guy before.” He kept going until they reached the parking area near the corral. Only one tiny horse was outside this morning. Mr. Hershel waved to Vic from the fencing.
He got out of the truck while Jeremy got out the other side. Vic noticed Claire stayed in the truck. The two of them walked over to the owner.
Mr. Hershel smiled at Jeremy. “This little guy you met the other day has been waiting for you to come back.”
Jeremy’s eyes rounded in shock. He looked up at Vic. “Are we having an unbirthday party for him?”
“That depends on if you want him for your pet.”
He blinked. “You mean you’ll buy him for me?”
“Why don’t you go get acquainted with him first and see what you think.”
He scrambled around to the entrance of the enclosure without waiting for Mr. Hershel. While Vic watched his son, Claire joined him at the fence. His pulse raced. It seemed she hadn’t been able to stay in the truck after all. What pleased him more was that she’d come to stand next to him.
“Have you ever seen Jeremy so excited?” His son had gone over to the little horse and sat down so it would come to him. The horse seemed fascinated and started sniffing him. A giggle came out of Jeremy when it licked his face.
“I love him, Dad!”
He felt Claire’s hand on his arm. It sent curling warmth through his body. “Did you hear that, Dad?”
Vic’s heart thundered in his chest. He studied her lovely profile before facing her. “I heard,” he whispered back, holding her gaze. “When love hits, you know it.”
Her eyes grew a darker gray before she removed her hand and leaned over the fencing. “I think he likes you, too, Jeremy.”
“I know he does.”
“Put your arms around his neck and pull,” Mr. Hershel suggested. “He’ll lie down on you.”
Jeremy did as he said and the horse climbed right into his lap and lay there like a baby. Vic’s eyes smarted as he pulled out his phone and took picture after picture while his boy talked to the horse. Then he took a video. “Have you thought of a name for him?”
“Yeah. Daken! That’s the name of Wolverine’s mutant son.”
Claire smiled at Vic, who’d lowered the phone. “You heard the man, Jim. Daken it is.” Her eyes lingered on his face as if she couldn’t look away. His breath caught. Vic knew she was remembering every single event that had happened from the moment Jeremy had disappeared. Their journey to find him had bonded them in a special way. He could feel it and her eyes didn’t deny it.
“I think we should have a birthday party for him, Dad.”
“But we don’t know when he was born,” he said while still looking at Claire. “That’s why we’re having an unbirthday party.”
“You’re funny, Dad. Let’s play like today is his birthday! What do you think, Claire?”
“I think that’s a perfect idea,” she answered before switching her gaze to Jeremy. Vic noticed new color in her cheeks. If he didn’t know better...
She took some pictures with her cell phone.
The next half hour passed in a blur as Vic did business with Mr. Hershel and the little horse was loaded in the trailer.
“I want to ride with him, Dad.”
“You can’t.”
