Page 45 of In Full Bloom

“I’m fine, I promise. Not my first fall, won’t be my last.”

“That doesn’t help,” I say as I grit my teeth and try to force my breath to steady.

She gives me a half-hearted smile and a shrug, which causes another wince. “Is Aurora okay?”

I nod. “Yeah, I think so. I was more worried about you.”

She raises an eyebrow at that. “Really?”

“Yes, really.”

“And here I was thinking you were going to bollock me for being reckless or something.”

“Oh, that’s definitely coming. What the hell were you thinking?”

“I was thinking I was doing my job. I was thinking Aurora was doing fabulously and was ready for the next step.”

“What about having someone here to keep an eye on you?” I remove my cap and run my hand through my hair

“You’re right here,” she snaps, gesturing between us. “I can’t have a spotter every time I work with an animal, but I’m also not stupid. I wouldn’t have done it if you weren’t here.”

I exhale heavily and push up to my feet. I extend a hand and help to pull her up too. Another flicker of pain crosses her features but I manage to not ask if she’s okay, again.

“I’m sorry,” I say instead.

She blinks at me, then raises a hand and presses it against my forehead. “You feeling okay? Or am I hearing things?”

I roll my eyes and she grins. “I overreacted, okay? About Sadie and about you just now.” I scuff a boot in the dirt. “I couldn’t handle it if either of you got hurt.”

Katie reaches out and wraps her fingers around my forearm. “Thank you. I appreciate the apology. I promise I’m not being reckless, especially with Sadie.”

“I know you’re not. Thank you for looking after her.”

She shoots me a smile. “I’ll hang out with your kid any time, cowboy. She’s awesome.” She tilts her head towards the horse. “Better get back to this one and make sure she’s okay.”

“Alright. I’m pretty much done around here, so I can get Sadie out of your hair for the afternoon.”

“Do you mind hanging around for another ten minutes or so?”

“Yeah, no worries. Why?”

“Because I need a spotter.” She turns towards the horse and shoots me a cheeky grin over her shoulder. “The boss keeps accusing me of being reckless and I want to prove him wrong.”

I shake my head and laugh, then scale the railings to stand next to Sadie.

“Is she okay?” Sadie asks, her expression filled with concern.

“She’s absolutely fine,” I reassure her.

A few minutes later, Katie is back astride Aurora, her grin wide and confident as she glances over at us.

Sadie waves. I can’t because I’m too busy gripping the fence rail, digging my fingernails into the wood.

But as Katie slides off the horse, on purpose this time, I relax and the hope that’s been smothered by panic and fear while watching her work with the horse revives itself.

The hope that maybe one day she’ll think I’m as awesome as she thinks my daughter is.

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