Page 12 of Stolen Dreams

“It’s been six months,” I remind her, “and you are too good for him.But I’ll let it go for now.”

“Thank you kindly.”She laughs.“Wish me luck.”

“Good luck,” I say, “and I want all the details.Also send me your location.I'm not sure I can get to you, but at least I’ll know where you are.Oh, put an air tag in your bra.”

She laughs.“You need to stop listening to those true crime podcasts.And you have to fill me in on the guy you said you were going out with.”I close my eyes, thinking about the horrible date I had with Caleb.

“Yup,” I reply, not to make her late.“Be safe.”

“Love you,” she says, disconnecting as soon as I sit in the truck.

Instead of going straight home to shower, I head to the barn to see Juliet.I see the clouds haven’t cleared up, but it hasn’t rained yet.Keeping my head down, I do not look over at Emmett’s black Mustang as I walk toward my stall.“Hey, pretty girl,” I greet, opening the gate and heading inside.I put my head to her neck.“I need you today,” I admit, letting the one lone tear come out, “more than ever.”I whisper to her, “I am letting him go.”She holds all my secrets.“It’s time to let him go and find love with someone who will love me back.”I wipe my tear.“Let’s get you some water, yeah?”I walk over to the hose, grabbing it and dragging it with me.I fill up her water and then walk over to the fridge, where I grab two carrots, then go back and grab two more.“Here you go,” I tell his horse as I hold out the carrots for him.“It’s not your fault.”He nuzzles my hand before I walk over and give Juliet her own two carrots.

That night when I slide into bed, I feel a sense of mourning wash over me.I toss and turn, and by the third day of him not being here, I think I have everything under control.Or at least that is what I’m telling myself.

I’ve never felt more lost in my life than I have the past three days.I do what I need to at work, but I think everyone knows something is off even though no one says anything.It’s like every single time I walk out into the barn to deliver a message or something and I see his desk without him sitting there, the ache just becomes even bigger.“Hey, Sammy.”I walk over to him.“We are going to have to switch up Rosy for Rudy,” I tell him.“I was with her for two hours this morning.”

“Two hours?”He comes over.“That’s more than normal.”

“Couldn’t sleep,” I tell him.“Figured I would come to work early.”

“Okay, I’ll switch them now,” he says, grabbing the paper and walking over to put it in the logbook.I turn on my boot and head back toward my office.I’m walking past Charlie’s office when I see him standing in the middle of it, and he looks over at me.Except my eyes are not on him.No, they are on Emmett, who is standing there with a little girl by his side.The little girl looks so much like him it’s like I’ve been kicked in the stomach.My hand flies immediately to my chest, and I try to put on a brave face.

“Lilah,” Charlie calls, and all the blood drains from my body.

Emmett turns his head toward me, and I can see his eyes aren’t as light as they used to be.Instead, they look tired and drained.I’ve never seen him look like this.“You’re back.”I put on a smile even though I’m dying inside.

“Lilah,” Emmett finally says as he looks at me.His eyes go down to the little girl by his side.I’m prepared for it, at least I think I’m prepared for it, but nothing—and I mean nothing—could prepare me for the words he says.“I would like you to meet my daughter.”

ChapterSeven

EMMETT

Iwatch her eyes the whole time, from the second she walks into the room and her eyes find mine.I don’t know why I feel nervous all over again.She looks at me and then at Lucy, who is standing in front of me.“Lilah.”Her name on my lips makes my pulse speed up faster than it has for the past couple of days.“I would like you to meet my daughter, Lucy.”Her hands shake in front of her as I watch her throat swallow.“Lucy.”I squat down in front of her.“This is Lilah,” I say with a smile.“She works with me and the horses.”I look back over at Lilah.“She’s one of the best riders I know.”I’m sure my words surprise Lilah since all I do is give her shit when she rides.

She takes another step into the room and smiles down at Lucy.“Hi, Lucy.”She holds out her hand, which isn’t shaking anymore.Her voice is soft and warm, like a welcoming hug.“It’s so nice to meet you.”I see Lucy watching me, then Lilah before her hand slowly moves from her side and lifts to shake Lilah’s hand.

Lucy doesn’t say a word, which isn’t surprising to me since the last word that came out of her mouth was five days ago when she asked if she was coming to live with me.After that, she hasn’t said a single word—not to Mr.and Mrs.Graham, not to Charlie, and not to Autumn, who came up yesterday to try to help.Not to anyone.She would shake her head or nod, and that was the extent of it.It was pushing me to the edge of the cliff I was already hanging on to by my fingernails.

“Do you want to come with me and see some of the horses?”Lilah asks and looks down at me.The bottom of her eyes brimming with tears as she fights them back, smiling through whatever she is going through.“We got a couple of new horses this week,” she says to Lucy, “and my favorite, Rosy, is in there now.”She waits a couple of seconds for Lucy to answer her, and when she doesn’t, she looks at me.

“Would you like to go with Lilah and see some of the horses?”I ask Lucy, who shrugs but then slowly nods at me, so I get up from in front of Lucy and share a look with Charlie, who raises his eyebrows.

“I’ll be right there,” I tell Lilah before looking at Lucy.“I’m just going to finish in here, and then I’ll come and get you, and we can go to the house.”She doesn’t acknowledge me.Instead, she looks at Lilah, waiting for her to move so she can follow her.

When the two of them walk out of the room, I let out my deep breath.“Jesus fucking Christ.”I run my hand through my hair, ready to pull it out.

“Give her time.”Charlie keeps repeating things that he’s been telling me for the past five days.

Instead of just giving them time to themselves, I head out to follow them to the barn.

I step into the barn and see Bobby right away, who gives me a chin up before I make my way over to Lilah, who is with Lucy.“This horse here is named Coffee,” she tells her, and Lucy just looks up at her.“I’m not even sure that is his name,” she whispers.“I don’t even know if they will keep the name,” she says of the horse that looks like a coffee with a splash of milk.“I’m going to try to get everyone to call him that so it sticks.”She laughs by herself as they walk down the stalls, showing Lucy all the horses.

“And this one is my favorite,” she whispers, “but don’t tell the others.”Lucy gives her a soft smile.“This is Rosy,” she says.“Would you like to meet Rosy up close and personal?”I close my eyes, waiting to hear her voice, but it isn’t there.My eyes open to see her nod.Lilah smiles at her and opens the stall.“Do you want to hold my hand?That way, if you get scared, you can give me a squeeze.”She holds out her hand, and I watch in amazement as Lucy lifts her hand and slips it in Lilah’s before walking into the stall with her.“Hey, Rosy,” Lilah says to the horse, “I brought a friend to meet you.”I lean against the wall in front of the stall, watching both of them.

My heart is stuck in my throat as I watch the woman I’ve tried not to care about with the little girl who has now taken over my heart.Even though I have no idea what love is, I’m pretty sure it feels like this.“You be nice to her.”Lilah holds up her hand to pet Rosy’s side.“This is Lucy,” she tells the horse.“You can hold up your hand,” she instructs Lucy, “and she will smell you.”She shows her by extending her hand, and Rosy sticks her whole muzzle in Lilah’s hand because she trusts her.When Lucy holds up her hand, it takes Rosy a couple of seconds, and she takes a step back, which must scare Lucy because she also takes a step back.

“It’s okay, she won’t hurt you,” Lilah assures both of them, “I promise you.”I see her squeeze Lucy’s little hand as she holds up her empty hand again, and this time, Rosy comes forward hesitantly, just as hesitantly as Lucy.“It’ll be okay,” Lilah tells both of them as Rosy moves her neck down toward Lucy’s hand.The minute her muzzle finds her hand, Lucy moves her hand back, scared a bit.“It tickles, right?”Lilah asks with a smile.“You get used to it.”She rubs Rosy’s side.“See?”She looks down at Lucy, who lets go of her hand and puts both of them for Rosy to nuzzle.

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