Page 93 of The Moment They Can't Forget

“But when you find the right person, it’s worth it, Roman. I’m coming closer now. Will you let me do that? I know you and Mrs. Stubbs were friends and that she used to ride you and groom you, but now it’s time to let someone else do that, boy.”

He held his breath as she walked closer still, now only a foot away from the large horse with large teeth and big hooves that could crush her in a heartbeat.

He tensed, ready to run.

“That’s it, good boy.” She bent at the waist and held out the treat.

He watched as the horse snorted and tossed his head.

“Come on now. You know you want this,” Zoe said calmly. “Just like you want a better life.”

How was she so relaxed? He felt like every muscle in his body were about to shatter they were clenched so tight.

Roman moved just a small step toward Zoe, and then he stretched out his long neck and took the treat from her hand. She pulled another from her pocket and held that out. JD watched her repeat the process six more times, and each time, the horse seemed to inch closer.

He towered over her. His eyes were big and brown, and he had silver lashes, and his coat would be silver with darker gray dapples. He was skinny, and his hooves needed trimming, but he was a beautiful animal.

“Be careful,” he whispered, not wanting to speak and scare the horse.

“We’ve got this. Don’t we, Roman?” He watched as she stroked the animal’s forehead and then the long line of his neck.

“Zoe,” JD cautioned.

“It’s okay. My guess is he just doesn’t like men, like Potato.”

“Great, because he’s coming to live with one.”

“We’ll work on making JD more feminine, won’t we, Roman?” she said.

“Not in this lifetime or the next,” JD said.

“You have the same grooming regime and clothing labels as a few of the women I know.”

“How sexist of you, Ms. Duke. Not all men rely on soap and water to smell good. Some of us spend more than ten dollars a year on our clothes too, unlike your siblings.”

Her giggle was ridiculously cute.

“JD?”

“Right here.”

“You need to be an asshole, because it would make things easier.”

“Because?”

“Then I wouldn’t like you more than I should.”

Chapter26

“If it helps, I don’t really like peanut butter,” JD said from behind Zoe while she soothed the horse. “I eat it because it’s an American thing, but it’s not my favorite. I hate that it sticks to the roof of my mouth. I’ve never eaten a PB&J sandwich either.”

Zoe gasped softly as she slowly put on the head-collar and told Roman what a good boy he was. The horse threw his head in the air but didn’t back away. “That pretty much does it. I don’t feel anything for you now. You’re dead to me, Hopper.”

“Liar,” he whispered. “But I also don’t like fireworks, and with all the celebrations this country has and, more specifically, this town, that’s not easy either.”

“Do they scare you?” Zoe stroked the muzzle with a finger. Just a soft brush, and the horse allowed it.

“No, they don’t scare me,” JD scoffed. “I don’t like them because they frighten animals.”

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