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After filling up his water and putting a bucket of food in the stall, I gave him a good rubdown, then headed out and locked the stall door. “He’s going to be special; I can feel it.”
Lily walked up next to me and admired the gelding. “How do you do it?”
“Do what?”
“Know these horses like you do? It’s like you communicate with them in a way none of us can.”
“I guess you can say wedocommunicate, in our own way. I can relate to the ones who have been tossed aside or neglected. I understand how they feel, and I’m guessing maybe they can sense that. All they need to realize is that there’s someone out there who will love them enough.”
I could feel her gaze on me, and I turned toward her. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
She lifted a hand and cupped the side of my face, causing me to lean into her touch. “I love that. What you just said.”
Kissing her on the forehead, I whispered, “I loveyou. And you also have a gift with these horses, Lil. I hope you know that. They do things you ask them to do that I’m not sure they’d do for me, your dad, or Nathan. Although, Nathan has his own way with these horses, as well.”
She nodded. “He reminds me a lot of you when it comes to the horses. I love how he watches you with them. He’s like a sponge, absorbing it all.”
“He’s a good kid, and one hell of a rider. Don’t tell yourdad this, but I think he’s going to be better at training them than Tanner.”
Lily made a motion to lock her lips, then tossed the pretend key over her shoulder. “Before I forget to tell you, Ben stopped by.”
I raised a brow. “What did that asshole want?”
Scrunching up her nose, Lily replied, “To be besties again. It appears he and Abby didn’t work out. She cheated, baby wasn’t his, that kind of thing.”
“Oh wow. What did you say?”
“Do you want the short version?”
Laughing, I said, “Sure.”
“I told him no. Then Nathan punched him, and basically told him to get off the ranch and never come back.”
I stared at Lily for a good thirty seconds, then started to laugh. “I love that kid.”
She giggled. “It was something else to see.”
Leaning down, I kissed her. “We better get going so your dad’s not waiting on us.” I turned to the gelding. “You need me to take the reins?”
He bobbed his head and Lily laughed as I took them, then we walked hand in hand out of the barn.
I couldn’t help but send a little prayer to the man upstairs. I never in my life, ever, thought I could be so damn happy.
Christmas at the Shaw Ranch.
It turned out that Thanksgiving was simply a steppingstone to the Big Holiday.
This year, it was at Dirk and Merit’s house. They weren’t technically Shaws, but they were family nonetheless. Themoment Lily and I stepped into the family room, I did a quick sweep of the crowd.
Bradly and Avery, Dirk and Merit’s kids, were arguing in the corner about what music should be played.
Next to them sat Kipton and Hunter, the two of them wearing dreamy looks, and Hunter’s hand on her stomach. I couldn’t wait for that to be me and Lily. She must have noticed as well, because she slipped her hand in mine.
“Look at Blakley trying to get Bradly to pick her up,” Lily said with a laugh.
Bradly reached down, picked her up, and gracefully swung her onto his shoulders while still arguing with his sister.
“Ryan’s already holding a few shot glasses in his hands. Is he going to drink… Wait. Is he giving those to Morgan and Georgiana?”
