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“I picked it up from The Crispy Biscuit. I hope you like broccoli and cheese casserole. I’ve not had this one before. Oh, and when I was in town, I stopped at the hardware store and pick up all the items you asked for to make those repairs.”
I met Connor’s eyes. Immediately, my throat got tight. He didn’t need to say anything; he didn’t have to. I already knew that Ember was gone and that there was nothing he could have done to save her.
Immediately, I covered my mouth to stop the sobs that were trying to escape. I turned away from him, hiding my face, but my body betrayed me, shaking as the stifled sobs tried to escape. He wasted no time. He stepped across that kitchen floor and immediately wrapped his muscular arms around me. I turned toward him, his touch causing the dam to break and the tears to flow, and I buried my face in his chest.
* * *
Two weeks later, Connor and I sat on the front porch after dinner. I’d been struggling each day since we put Ember down. I’d pretended like everything was fine, but deep down inside, I was a mess, and I knew Connor knew it.
I sat down on the porch swing beside him. He patted the cushion right next to him and placed his arm across the back. I met his eyes and moved over, resting my head on his shoulder, as I adjusted the blanket I brought out up and around my shoulders.
“You’ve been quiet lately. You sure you’re doing okay?”
I shrugged. “Not really, but I’m trying. I miss that damn horse so much,” I said, tears welling up in my eyes.
“It gets easier.” He wrapped his arm around me in a comforting embrace. “If you’d like, I can always bring Cinnamon over here. He loves to get out for a ride every now and again.”
I blew out a breath and quickly wiped a tear from my eye. “Oh, I don’t think so. Ember was my baby. To be honest, I don’t think I want another horse.”
Connor rubbed my arm, pulling me in closer to him. “I don’t mean as a replacement. Just as a friend. I know how much you love getting out for rides.”
“It’s okay. No need. There’s a lot of work to be done around here before winter,” I said, sitting up and fixing the blanket again.
We both grew quiet as I curled into his side once again. This was how things had become between us. We enjoyed meals together, movies, occasionally we could talk, and then on the nights things were really bad, we’d comfort one another. I let out a deep breath, along with a sigh. “Thanks for the offer, though.”
“Anytime you want me to bring him over, just ask. I can tell you, though, that life will go on and you will love another horse again. That I promise you.”
“Really? Is that how it works?” I questioned, thinking back to my conversation with my brother before he’d left. How he’d told me that Connor needed someone and that I could be that someone. That perhaps I could be the one to heal him. “Because that isn’t how it looks from where I’m sitting.”
I shifted nervously and sat up, pulling the blankets tighter around me. Connor looked over at me, a questioning look on his face.
“Why do I feel we aren’t talking about horses?” he asked.
I hadn’t meant for it to come out the way it had. It had irritated me that Connor just couldn’t let the horse issue go. I looked at him and then stood up, walked over to the railing, and leaned against it, looking out over the fields.
“Cadence?”
I closed my eyes, steadying my breath, doing my best to keep from crying. Losing Ember had stung. He’d warned me, and yet I didn’t listen. I never should have taken her out there. Yet I had to remember that it hadn’t been Connor’s fault, and here I was, taking it out on him.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to say it like that. It’s just Gabe asked me to help you, and well, perhaps had he said those words I just said to you, then maybe you’d be dating someone right now,” I answered, not hiding my thoughts from him.
Connor was silent for a long time. I felt horrible. I told Gabe not to leave me in charge of this shit. I warned him that the last people I’d cared for ended up dead. I had a feeling my friendship, or whatever this was with Connor, was heading to the same place as my grandparents.
I leaned against the railing, listening as I heard Connor’s footsteps on the old wooden porch. He should just leave. He wanted to leave. I knew he did. I could sense it. I was just about to turn to him and tell him to go when I felt his large hands on my shoulders.
He spun me around so I was facing him. I didn’t look up. I didn’t meet his eyes. I just kept my eyes trained on his chest. That was when I felt his finger on my chin. He tilted my head up, just until our eyes met, and that was when he leaned forward and placed his lips on mine.
He was hesitant. I could feel the tension in his body, in his lips. At first, I couldn’t breathe. I could feel my body shaking, but the longer his lips were on mine, the more relaxed we both became. His lips danced over mine, and I could feel an overwhelming heat building in my body.
Then our lips parted, and I slowly opened my eyes, meeting his. “It only appears that way, Cadence, that life hasn’t moved for me, because the girl I’m interested in hasn’t taken notice of me just yet.”
My cheeks were on fire as he looked into my eyes. He gently smiled as he cupped my cheek with his hand. “Hopefully, now I’ve given her enough of a hint, because lord knows the same feelings just rose from me as they did the last time I kissed her. I feel alive.” He said nothing more, just made his way down the front steps of the porch. He was just about to his truck when he turned and returned partway.
“Cadence, I was wondering if you’d like to go to the fall fair with me tomorrow night? Tomorrow is the last night, and not only will there be fireworks, but dancing as well.”
I softly smiled. I hadn’t been to that fall fair since I was fifteen. Connor didn’t dance then, not that I’d have had the courage to ask him. Instead, I’d danced with my brother. I slowly nodded my head. “I’d…I’d love that.”
“Okay.”
