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We hold hands, but I let go of her a minute later to guide Wildfire away from the stables. “Come with me,” I say.
Liv struggles a bit to get Destiny going, but she soon gets the hang of it and pairs up with me like a natural.
“Are you sure you’ve never ridden a horse before? You’re good at this!” I say, impressed.
“I think I’m just good with animals,” she says, shy. “I don’t have any now, but my dogs were always very well trained.”
I smile and nod. “Remember anything from the day I took you riding?” I say, suggestive.
“Well, if I picture a white curtain of rain surrounding everything, maybe!” Liv says, laughing, but then turns to me, even more suggestive. “Where’s the cabin again?”
Snickering, I bring the horse to make a left turn and Liv follows me.
We’re on the outskirts of the lake ten minutes later, and just ahead of us is the cabin where we had our first night of passion.
“Remember that?” I point it to her.
“Oh, there it is!” she says with cheer. “So many memories…”
She sighs in an exaggerated manner, and I can’t help but laugh and reach for her hand again.
I want to tell her that I love her so badly, but I’m afraid to jinx us. Having her say she’s my girlfriend was already a process, so telling her that I love her may have her running away into the sunset like there’s no tomorrow.
So, for now, I’m happy just to look at her, the way her brown eyes shine red like rubies in the sun and see how her dark hair contrasts with her pale skin, or the way her soft lips always seem to be smiling, no matter her mood.
“Why did you choose this family to benefit, Alex?” she asks as my thumb caresses her chin.
“Why?” I frown, just slightly, enough for her to take up the challenge to defy me.
“There are plenty of people in Helding Heights suffering through life. Hell, forget Helding Heights, what about the whole city, the state, the country? How about the world?” she asks, her cynical side showing.
I bow my head and contract my mouth into a thin line, resigned to my fate of answering her. “Liv, I would dote on every low-wage family in this world if I could. But not only the money, but the logistics of it, would be a nightmare. So, I’m helping who I can. And right now, the ‘who’ is Helding Heights, and the Winslow family.”
Liv looks at me, committed to getting some truths out of me. “Why Mrs. Winslow?” she asks, still not happy with my answer.
“Because it happened,” I shrug. “Mrs. Winslow is active in the community, and Harlan is friends with her grandchildren; when tragedy struck, I offered a hand to help. Why not? I have the means!”
I see her bite down on her lip, and she shakes her head, a hand on her temple, deep in thought.
“The whole of… You!” she points at me, “Makes a knot in my brain! How can anyone be this charitable and not want anything in return?”
I bow my head again, but this time, it’s to let out a slow and hearty laugh. I know she’s getting mad at me because she’s growling, so I answer her as soon as possible.
“When my savings account reached five million, I invested it all on a monthly interest account that generates me a hundred and fifty thousand a year. I don’t need more than that to live. I am set for life! But then the money kept on coming, and I had no idea of what to do with it — that’s when charity came into play. I know I’m still doing relatively little, and I want to do even bigger things.”
Her eyes are starry. She looks at me with a mix of adoration and disbelief, the kind of feeling that makes me feel all self-conscious. I just hope I’m not turning red.
“I don’t know how you can be this good of a man, Alex. But I’ll sure be glad discovering.”
She leans forward to kiss me again, tender, warm, full of love and respect. I return it with the same intensity, but I’m forced to stop when my horse takes a step away from hers.
“You know what else I want to do?” I guide Wildfire to start going around the lake.
“What?” Liv pulls on the reins and kicks with her heels to make Destiny follow us.
“A new housing complex,” I say, looking onward toward the future.
“Like cheap houses for the poor?” she asks, and I feel a hint of disdain in her voice.
