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Megan could see them now, holding court on the new couch next to the fire, talking with Laura and Carter, while Holden colored on the coffee table. Ash was talking shop with Jordan and the guys from Station Three over some drinks. The rest of them had laughed when Jordan said something, but Ash just smiled and took another sip.
Megan made a note to check in with her later. She knew she was under a lot of pressure with work. She had recently been transferred to investigation and the difference was visible. They hadn’t hung out after yoga recently, since Ash hadn’t made it to class two times in a row.
It wasn’t until tonight that Megan noticed the change and wondered if Laura could see it too.
“Hey, want to go get some fresh air?” Troy asked as he came back into the kitchen, wiping his hands after dropping the drinks off in the cooler. “We have a big day tomorrow.”
“Sure we won’t be missed?”
“Nah, I put Carter in charge.”
Megan glanced over to where Carter gave her a thumbs-up while Laura made a shooing motion.
“Come on. Tomorrow we’ll have our first guests.”
“Let’s go check on the horses.”
Troy smiled and led her outside with promises to be right back. She hopped up into his truck like before and leaned back into the comfortable seat as he steered them deeper into the ranch where they could see the stars.
His hand found hers in the dark and held it gently as they drove.
Megan glanced over.
Troy was relaxed and at peace. His hand was draped over the wheel, guiding them along the dark road toward one of the older barns where they had moved the horses. Since the fire, he hadn’t had as many nightmares. His therapist had referenced exposure, and now he was in a new treatment. He still had hard moments, but the nightmares had subsided and routine had done him well.
“I wanted to tell you, I heard back from the insurance company today.”
Megan bolted up and turned to him. “Oh good! Did they accept the appeal?”
He pulled his lips in tight and shook his head.
“What do you mean? Buzz’s report showed that it was the frayed wires in the trough heaters. That was the start.”
“They cited something about the wires being outside of the main structure and an add-on.”
“But that’s not right! They’re required in our part of the state.”
“They also went on to—”
“Find another loophole?”
Troy let out a bark of laughter. “You’re not wrong. They said the faulty equipment hadn’t been serviced, and as a result was negligent on our part.”
Megan’s mouth fell open. Troy shrugged. “Dad did have to sell off everything in that barn before I came home. It had been empty for a while. They’re citing that as their main point, and it’s something we can’t dispute.”
“Are they paying anything?” she asked incredulously.
“Yes, but after factoring in wear and tear, it’s not even close.”
“This is ridiculous. The army won’t try to take the horses, will it?”
“No, not with the other barn. It’s not ideal, but it’s workable for now until we save up enough collateral to get a loan and rebuild.”
“I’m sorry.”
Troy shrugged again, but she could see the worry pulling his shoulders down. Megan shoved her own anger into a box somewhere in her mind and squeezed his hand.
“It’ll all work out. Something will change soon. It has to.”
