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“That’s wonderful, but hold on, Susan is with me. I’m putting you on speaker.” “Hi, Bailey. How’s Cocoa?”
“Absolutely fine, and I know someone who’s willing to lend me a rig so I can get them home.”
“You don’t have to bother. We’re already on our way.”
“You are?”
“We are!” Mandy interjected. “I can’t wait to see Lizzy, and we’re in the barn’s horse van, so it’s a really easy trip. We can bring our horses home today!”
“That’s fabulous, except…”
“What?” Susan asked urgently. “Is there a problem?”
“Not for you two,” Bailey replied, looking at Rick. “I’m under contract, I can’t just leave. I mean, I could, but that would leave Tammy in the lurch. But wherever Miss Piggy goes, I want to stay with her, and I know she’d be happier back at our barn with Lizzy and Cocoa. I honestly don’t know what to do. How soon will you be here?”
“According to the navigator, we should be arriving in about an hour.”
“Bailey, tell them to come in through the livestock gates on the east side. I’ll let Deedee know to leave a pass for them.”
“Hey, Susan, enter the show grounds through the east gate. It’s where the livestock is, and the barns are here. There’ll be a pass for you.”
“Okay, will do. See you soon…and Bailey…what you’ve done…” Mandy sputtered, her voice suddenly cracking. “I just can’t believe how brave you were. How can we ever thank you?”
“I’m just grateful I stumbled across them, but I can’t talk about it or I’ll get emotional again and I’ve only just started to feel normal. Text me and I’ll meet you at the van when you get here.”
“Okay, bye.”
“I guess this nightmare is finally ending,” she murmured with a sigh as she ended the call. “Actually, that’s the perfect word for it, because it’s beginning to feel like a bad dream.”
“Not all bad,” he said softly, reaching across the table and taking her hand.
“No, not all bad. You’re the silver lining.”
“So, what will you do? Go back with Miss Piggy and your friends, or stay with the tour? Finding her was the only reason you signed on for it, right?”
“Yes, the timing made it a no-brainer. Now I’m beginning to think it was meant to be.”
“Back to the question. What will you do?”
“I…uh…I don’t know, but I want to spend some time with her. Will you come with me?”
“Sure. I even have a couple of carrots, then I need to head over to the stands. The bull ridin’ will be startin’ soon.”
“Ooh, that’s right. We have to see if anyone beats your score.”
“We?” he repeated, rising to his feet and pulling her up into his arms. “I like the sound of that. What about you? Do you have a performance later?”
“Assuming I don’t go back with Mandy and Susan,” she replied, leaning against him. “This is so hard.”
“Hey, you can’t make a mistake.”
“What does that mean?”
“‘You have great instincts. Whatever you decide it will be the right thing, and I’ll support you whatever it is.”
CHAPTER TWENTY
As they left Rick’s motorhome and began walking towards the barn where the horses were stabled, Bailey looped her arm through his and leaned against his shoulder.
