Page 83 of Falling for Love

“Okay, Macy,” I murmured, pulling out my tools and approaching the striped escape artist. “Let’s see what we’re working with.”

Macy eyed me suspiciously, her ears twitching as I crouched to inspect her hooves.

Despite her knack for sneaking out of enclosures and causing chaos, she was surprisingly cooperative when it came to hoof care. I used my hoof pick to clean out each hoof, removing bits of dirt and debris that had built up. Once they were clean, I grabbed my rasp and began smoothing the edges.

“You know,” I said to the zebra as I worked, “if Liam were half as charming as you are, he’d probably have his own fan club by now.”

Macy snorted, and I couldn’t help but laugh. “Yeah, yeah. Don’t let it go to your head.”

After finishing up with Macy, I moved on to the horses.

First up was Duchess, a sweet mare with a gentle disposition. I tied her to the hitching post and began the process again, cleaning and trimming her hooves with practiced precision.

By now, farrier work was second nature to me—the rhythm, the attention to detail, and the quiet satisfaction of knowing I was helping these animals stay healthy.

As I worked, I couldn’t help but let my mind wander back to Liam. He was easy to talk to, quick to laugh, and so genuinely kind that it was almost disarming.

By the time I finished Duchess and moved on to the next horse, Toby, the sun had climbed higher in the sky, warming the frosty air. Toby was a bit more stubborn than Duchess, shifting his weight and testing my patience as I cleaned his hooves.

“Come on, Toby,” I said, holding onto his leg firmly. “Work with me here.”

It took a little coaxing, but eventually, he settled down, and I could trim and file his hooves without further incident.

When I finally packed up my tools, I felt the satisfying ache of a good morning’s work settling into my muscles. I glanced toward the Lodge, and sure enough, Liam was standing on the porch, waiting with a fresh mug of coffee.

“How’d it go?” he called as I walked toward him.

“No injuries, no escapes, and Macy didn’t try to bite me this time,” I said, taking the coffee he offered. “I’d call that a win.”

“Sounds like you earned your breakfast,” he said, holding the door open for me. “Come on in.”

Stepping into Honey Leaf Lodge always felt like stepping into another world. From the moment the wooden door swung open, the warmth of the place wrapped around me like a cozy blanket.

First, the scent of fresh coffee, baked goods, and faint traces of pine hit me and then came the low hum of friendly chatter.

The wide entryway gave way to a grand yet welcoming space. It was always easy to see why this lodge was such a popular destination place.

The polished wooden floors gleamed under the soft light streaming through the tall windows, showcasing the view of the lake and snow-covered trees beyond.

The stone fireplace at the heart of the room crackled with a soft, inviting glow, its mantle adorned with simple greenery that blended perfectly with the lodge’s rustic charm. Honey Leaf Lodge wasn’t trying too hard to impress anyone—it just did effortlessly.

I barely had time to take it all in before Beck’s voice broke my thoughts.

“There she is!” He smiled and glanced at his brother. “You made it. I was starting to think Liam was fibbing about having a girlfriend.”

Liam’s head looked like it was about to explode.

“Girlfriend?” I choked out.

“Oh, sorry.” Beck grinned. “Have you two not had the talk yet?”

Liam patted his brother’s back and nodded. “Thanks for that. Appreciate it.”

“I just assumed…” Beck shrugged and wandered out of the room, leaving Liam and me staring at one another.

“You’ve told them I’m your girlfriend?”

“I think they assumed it. You sound surprised,” he said softly, winking at me before sipping coffee.

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