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“If I fall, my daddy will never let me ride again,” Chloe cried.
“You’re not going to fall, sweetie,” Beth answered. She had enough room to ride up next to Chloe and hopped to the ground.
“Keep an eye on him, would you?” Grayson asked Eli.
“Sure.”
By the time he wove his way past the horses and shrubs along the trail, Beth had helped Chloe to the ground and was working to reset the saddle. Beth, Chloe, and Jackson were about thirty feet behind Mason’s horse.
“Looks like you’ve got everything under control.”
She nodded toward Jackson. “Not exactly.”
Grayson moved up the trail to where Jackson sat on his horse. “It’s not easy to be teased. I get that.”
Jackson didn’t respond.
“Sometimes, kindness works. Not always, but sometimes.”
“Her dad is marrying my mom.”
Grayson had nothing.
Jackson reached down to his horse’s mane and ran his fingers through a tangle of it. “I was the last to know.”
“That sounds tough.”
Jackson nodded. “They thought we could bond together at camp this week.”
“Not working out, huh?”
“She hates me. Like it’s my fault.”
“It’s possible you’re both hurting.”
Jackson glanced back. Chloe was back on her horse, tears in her eyes. He looked away, his eyes resting on his horse’s ears.
Beth still stood next to Chloe and patted the girl’s leg.
Chloe sniffed. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I don’t…hate you.”
Jackson looked down.
“You stayed with her.” Grayson nodded toward Chloe. Jackson should have been up with the other riders, but despite their button-pressing, his actions had shown his true nature.
He cared about his future stepsister.
Beth rubbed her hands together. “We’re not counselors, but we can talk to your parents about working with you. Maybe finding someone.”
Doubt creased Jackson’s face.
“Think about it, okay?” Grayson said. “I’ve been in some hard places. It can help to talk it through.”
Chloe and Jackson nodded.
“Truce?” Beth asked.
They both gave reluctant agreement.
