Total pages in book: 124
Estimated words: 122578 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 613(@200wpm)___ 490(@250wpm)___ 409(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 122578 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 613(@200wpm)___ 490(@250wpm)___ 409(@300wpm)
I peeked his way, teeth roughing at my bottom lip at the sight.
The man an imposing force that could annihilate me.
Drop me to my knees.
But this morning those icy eyes were soft, lingering long as he moved deeper into the kitchen, his fingertips gliding over the small of my back as he passed.
“Good morning,” he murmured.
“It is a fine morning, isn’t it?”
“A very fine morning,” Evelyn peeped up.
I bit down on my lip like it might contain the rush of everything I’d never thought I’d possess. Because I wanted to hold it forever. Cherish it.
This beautiful gift.
Caleb went to the coffee pot and filled a mug. “What are you two up to today?”
“We are going to take Mazzy on a super really long ride, the farthest we’ve ever been. We’re packing a lunch. See?”
Tenderness filled his features as he turned to look at her. “I see that.”
“You wanna come?”
I saw the reservation flash through his eyes. Something close to revulsion. I laughed. “I think we already established riding horses is not his thing, but he’s super happy that you and I love it so much, isn’t he?”
I looked at him when I said it.
A low chuckle roughed up his throat, a tease rolling through his demeanor. “Super happy.”
My heart went giddy.
“All right, I think we’re all set, Evie-Love.”
“Let’s do this!” She turned and jumped off the step stool, giving me a high-five as she went. Her little boots hit the floor with a thud.
“Be careful out there.” His features turned to stone when he said it.
“Of course,” I promised.
I stood there with Evelyn’s hand in mine, wanting to go to him.
Kiss his rigid, beautiful face and tell him I would guard her with my life.
But I think he already knew it with the way the hardness eased free. The way his shoulders dropped and his lips parted on a soft breath.
Yep. I was done for. Nowhere else to fall because I was already at the bottom. Floating in his dark, dark waters. Never a chance to come up for air.
“We’ll see you later,” I said, forcing myself to move before I stood there a love-struck fool gaping at him all day.
“Bye!” Evelyn sang, trotting along beside me as we moved out the door.
Sunshine rained from the bluest sky, and we started down the path toward the barn.
“I think it’s going to be the bestest day in ever, don’t you think? Because I got the best horse Mazzy, and she loves me so much, and I got seven new friends and three new cousins.”
She held up the five fingers of her free hand.
My spirit pulsed. Too full. Too perfect. And I was sure in that moment the amount of love I had for her might strangle me. “That’s right, you have so many friends and so much family who care about you.”
“Family and friends are really important.”
I clung tighter to her hand. “That’s right, they are, Evie-Love.”
We went into Mazzy’s stall, and I saddled her with Evelyn’s help, then led her out to the exterior stall that we always used. I tied her lead rope to the middle rung and packed the saddle bags with our lunch and supplies.
Only when I turned around, Evelyn wasn’t there.
My heart climbed to my throat. “Evelyn?”
“I’m right over here,” she shouted back.
The worry eased off when I saw she’d wandered over to a patch of wildflowers, bent over picking a handful of them. Then it regathered when I realized where she’d ended up.
Close to the pen where a brand-new colt was being kept. He’d arrived two days ago.
His coat a glossy brown, as gorgeous as could be but as wild as ever.
“Evelyn,” I called, “you need to stay away from that pen over there. That colt isn’t broken yet.”
She straightened at my voice. “It’s okay, I know to stay away from the fences because those horses are so big and fast and I’m not even old enough to ride one yet.”
The colt whinnied and kicked, agitated by her presence.
She started to trot my way, grinning as she skipped, her hand held out in front of her with the bouquet of purple wildflowers she had picked. “I’m coming, and I got you a pretty present!”
“They’re so pretty,” I told her. Still, agitation had me shifting on my feet. “Hurry, sweetheart, we need to get a move on.”
Behind her, the colt banged against the gate.
It busted open.
Horror streaked down my spine.
Ice cold.
My stomach spilling onto the ground.
The colt came bolting out, kicking and bucking.
“Evelyn.” It was a prayer from my soul.
I sprinted her way, my boots pounding as my heart pounded out of my chest.
I dove for her, pushing her out of the path of the horse a second before it would have run her over.
I toppled to the ground where she’d been standing.
She was safe. She was safe.