AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Avery put her shredded chicken sandwich down. “But they could become familiar with us. Right?”
“I don’t know,” I answered honestly, hating to disappoint her. “There are a lot of factors. Mostly, the personality of the horse, their age and experience, and how the kids act around them.”
“We’d be good.” Avery’s gaze was pleading. This girl had pretended I didn’t exist Saturday at the clinic. But give a guy a horse and he was suddenly worth her time?
I liked her standards.
I exchanged a glance with Emery. Her expression was apologetic.
Avery doubled down on her effort. “Dad said he was going to look for a place where I could take lessons in Bismarck, but that’s not going to happen anymore.”
The amount of bitterness in a kid Avery’s age was startling. Landon wasn’t the only kid affected by their dad’s absence.
Emery was shaking her head, getting ready to shoot down Avery, but something about Avery’s request broke down my determination to keep my distance.
She was giving up hope for something she’d been told could be possible. She was old enough to know that they lived too far away to make it happen, and the person who was supposed to make her dreams come true wasn’t going to try again.
I knew that feeling. I also knew what it was like when a dream you planned went to shit. When my world tanked and I was left rudderless and alone, I’d been an adult.
I could be more than the fun guy around kids. “Maybe I can talk to your mom?”
Incredulity entered Emery’s eyes. “Holden, no. You’ve already done so much.”
I hadn’t done anything but show up. I knew this was my chance to turn back, but I forged ahead with no idea why. “No promises. Just talk.”
Emery wasn’t appeased, but she said, “After dinner.”
Avery smiled and did an excited wiggle with Afton. I chuckled, but I knew the discussion wasn’t over. It would be a hard sell, and if Emery said no, I wasn’t out anything. I wouldn’t have to figure out the logistics. When would I teach a kid how to ride? How would I teach a kid to ride? I’d taught Nora and had helped my cousin Isla out when Stetson was teaching her, but that was when I was a teen. I had to be a mature adult and plan,ifwe were going to do this.
All I knew was that I’d be disappointed if Emery said no.
