Page 116 of Country Contract

“I’d love nothing more.” I walk around to her side and see that she has a brand-new saddle on. It’s a Western saddle in black leather with intricate gold stitching, vine-like engravings, brass studs and buckles, and there is a burned crown on the side. It’s not the typical crown we’ve seen in medieval times, it’s thinner and sweeter, almost like something Arwen fromThe Lord of the Ringswould wear. Her saddle pad is a cream color with her new name stitched on the side.

Hecate.

“This suits her,” I say before slipping a foot in the stirrup and grabbing the horn. He smiles warmly at me and nods in agreement.

Once I’ve mounted her, Harrison makes sure I’m settled before hopping on his own horse.

“Well, let’s take advantage of grandparents while we can!” Hunter yells before kicking Snickers and leading us out.

We ride a little while in a line before we get to the open fields farther back on the Hill property. Once we get to a place where we worry less about field crops, livestock, and people, we move into two pairs, trotting.

It’s weird for me to sit in the saddle rather than posting in a trot, but I adjust quicker than I thought. The seat on this saddle is so comfortable, and the cantle has the perfect slope for me to lean into when needed.

Hunter and Cassidy are ahead of Harrison and me, and they laugh and chat away. Despite claiming to be a city girl, Cassidy fits into this farm perfectly. I can’t imagine her living a life other than this one. Working remotely, living on this farm, and raising B. Life really does work out the way it’s supposed to.

Harrison and I share a simple conversation, mostly about Hecate and how she’s doing.

I look over the land, brown fields that still have some strange charm. Trees that are dead, yellow, red, and brown. Piles of colored leaves all over the place in a windblown mess. The sky is blue, and the clouds are thick. The people in front of me look like they belong in a movie.

I slow down to a walk and let them all get ahead of me before I pull my phone out to snap pictures. As if he could sense it, Harrison looks back at me.

I snap the shot: a golden boy with golden hues surrounding him. That wool-lined jacket and hat combo with his bright blue eyes. I don’t think I need a picture to remember it, but I snap it anyway. When his eyes meetmine, his face lights up and his bright teeth peek through perfect lips in a smile.

The sky, trees, land, and people behind him are all lost in his beauty.

Tucking my phone back into my jacket, I grip both reins and signal a canter. Hecate seems so happy to take off, so I tighten my thighs and let her gallop. We pass everyone in a blur, a loud whoop leaving them as we ride past. Her heavy hooves beat into the earth, and I feel a resounding pound in my chest. My thighs burn as I hold myself close. This feeling is something I missed.

When I would ride in the past, I rarely took a horse to gallop. Trail rides were more refined, but this is purely primal. A broad smile grows on my face and then I hear it: the sound of another pair of hooves coming up behind me.

I look over my shoulder to see Harrison catching up, a smile spanning across his face.

“Yeah!” he yells, and we continue to take off.

Maybe it was only a few minutes, but it felt like forever. I would have stayed in that time loop for the rest of my life—a wild ride, our eyes going to the land ahead of us and back to each other, big smiles on our faces, and our laughter as we took turns pulling ahead.

We all take a break at the plot of land Harrison wants to build on. Hecate is on a long lead, but the others stay close on instinct.

“This place is pure magic,” I say, fiddling with her lead.

“Wasn’t before you got here, witch.” Harrison runs his hand up and down my back, and I stiffen.

No.

I don’t want to take this magic away from him. I don’t want to turn this beautiful place into a bad memory for him.

“No, sir. It’s all the memories you’ve built here. You,your brother, your whole family. Thank you for including me. I think you’re actually the one who has all that power.” I joke to keep it light, but I want him to remember his family here more than me.

I want to preserve how special this space is.

We all chat for a short period before riding back to the main barn. My heart is a storm of emotions. My head seems to be the only thing that is on straight. There is one thought that is cycling through it:

It’s time to go home.

Chapter 44

Harrison

Witch: You coming by the bunkhouse tonight?

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