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“Wait, let me rephrase that.” Mike held up his hand.
“Nope, too late. No take backsies.” Jade grinned and clapped her hands before flying off her chair to hug and kiss him on the cheek. “Thank you, Uncle Mike. You’re my favorite uncle.”
“I’m your only uncle,” Mike reminded her with a grin. “And I thought when we discussed this earlier, I said that I was open to considering the possibility of you getting a horse.”
“No, you didn’t say that.” Jade shook her head and glanced at the large silver clock over the kitchen door. “Oh, my show’s about to come on.”
“Oh, so our conversation is over?” Mike’s eyebrows shot up.
“Yes… Wait, no.” Jade turned back toward him after starting to head for the living room. “Can we go to the stables tomorrow?”
“Sure, why not?” Mike said, smiling.
Being out at the horse ranch on the outskirts of town would get his mind off the store, his decision to sell it, and mostly Nicky. At least at the ranch, he wouldn’t stand a chance of running into her again and making a complete dolt of himself.
“Great!” Jade kissed his cheek again before hurrying out the door and calling over her shoulder. “Oh, I’ve already bathed, but some hot water should be left for your shower.”
Mike sighed as he knew Jade’s interpretation of leaving him some hot water was him taking a lukewarm to cold shower. He heard the television go on and took that as his cue to shower. Standing under the warm spray, Mike reflected on the day’s events. He still couldn’t believe he’d had two encounters with Nicky that day. Mike couldn’t believe how both encounters had taken him by surprise, and he cringed inwardly as he remembered them. He had never been one to stumble over his words, and yet Nicky had left him tongue-tied and gaping like a goldfish in a bowl. He leaned his arms against the shower wall, his thoughts drifting back to her.
The following day, after a restless night of dreams that tormented him with images of Nicky and the bookstore, Mike woke up with a headache. After a good stretch and run, he felt a lot better. Jade convinced him to go to the stables in the morning to join Harry, Sam, and their daughter Gemma for a trail ride.
On the way to Bailey’s Horse Ranch and Stables, they stopped at Jade’s favorite café for breakfast and arrived at the ranch just after ten. Jade chose his horse for him, and it was no surprise that it was Midnight. There was no doubting how beautiful the horse was. As per his name, Midnight had an inky black coat that shone and glinted in the sun. He stood seventeen hands high with long, powerful legs and a full mane.
They were saddled up when Harry, Sam, and Gemma arrived. Their horses, which they stabled at the ranch, had been saddled for them.
“Howdy,” Harry joked, loving anything referencing cowboys, and grinned pointedly at Mike. “I see you’re attempting to go horseback riding again.”
“I can ride!” Mike said defensively. “I took lessons for a year, if you remember?”
“Uh-huh!” Harry nodded, skillfully mounting his horse, Robbins, that he stabled at the ranch. “Of course, I remember.” He walked Robbins over to where Mike was sitting awkwardly on Midnight. “Why on earth are you riding Midnight?”
“Because Jade wants me to test drive him.” Mike patted the fidgety horse’s neck and had to stop himself from jumping as the horse’s skin shivered. He hated it when it did that. It gave him the creeps. “She wants to buy him.”
“He’s not a car.” Harry shook his head, grinning as he noted Mike getting creeped out.
“I know he’s not a car,” Mike breathed and muttered, “Although I really wish he was.”
“You may want to reconsider riding Midnight,” Harry suggested. “He’s a wonderful horse, but with an experienced rider like Jade, Sam, Gemma, or me.”
“I can ride!” Mike stipulated again, frustrated that his best friend didn’t trust his abilities to ride a darn horse. “I’ve got experience.”
“Hi, Mike,” Sam greeted him, riding her roan mare, Crispin, over to them. “I see you’ve chosen to ride Midnight.”
“Yes,” Mike said. “And, before you say anything, I can ride, and I’m going to be fine riding Midnight.”
“I wasn’t going to say that,” Sam told him. “I was just going to say that Hannah Scott was a little annoyed that someone else was riding her favorite horse.”
“Scott?” Mike’s heart jolted in his chest, and his whole body vibrated. “She’s here?”
“Yes, Hannah, Steph, Lorry, and Nicky are going to be riding the trail with us.” Sam’s words sent shock waves zinging through him.
“Don’t the Scotts have their own horses?” Harry asked his wife.
“Yes, and Midnight’s one of them,” Sam reminded him. “Lorry’s the one selling Midnight.”
“Oh, well, they’ll be pleased to know that Mike’s taking him for a test drive,” Harry teased Mike.
“You’re thinking of buying Midnight?” Sam’s eyes widened in surprise. “Are you sure?” She looked from Mike to the horse, which was getting a little edgy. “He’s a lovely animal and gentle.”
