Page 60 of Never Left You

Abi and I had spent the majority of the week in close proximity with each other. She was always in the stables, focusing on the horses that Rhett was supposed to take care of. She loved it, and even though she wouldn’t admit it, I knew it was where she was meant to be. Maybe I was just imagining it, but she wouldn’t fake a smile. I began to get the genuine ones. The smiles when Stetson ran in the stables after school were the best. The second ones I craved were the ones only for me, theones where she would turn and look at me before she left the stable, our eyes connecting for the briefest moment. She would smile, I would mirror it, then she would turn and leave, her son at her heels. I would watch until they were gone, taking the smiles with her.

I wanted—needed—to be around her more than anything.

Wasting no time, I tossed the phone on the bed and went through my morning routine. Shower, wranglers, boots, meds, and hat. My mind was focused on one thing and one thing only. Getting to that ranch.

You’re not weak.

Her voice still rang in my ear.

I pulled up the ranch in record time. With no cars on the road this early, it didn’t surprise me. Whatdidsurprise me was the light coming from the stables. It wasn’t even five. Lachlan was more than likely getting his coffee before coming out. It should still be dark. The main house had its porch light lit, a soft gleam coming from one of the windows, but other than that, it was still.

Something seemed off.

Furrowing my brow, I took one step towards the stables.

Hook was in his stall, popping his head out for a pat once I reached him. Charming was resting, Nova bobbed her nose when I walked by—but my focus was on the blonde, walking in circles around the arena guiding a stunning, black horse around.

Abi looked overly tired. But she walked…and walked…

“Abs.” I shoved my hands in my pockets and walked onto the dirt. “What are you doing?”

She blinked, her eyelids heavy. The dark circles that surrounded her eyes became more apparent the closer she came to me.

“Hey.” Even her voice was heavy. “You’re here early.”

“Couldn’t sleep. Who’s this?” I asked, tilting my head towards the horse next to her. He stopped and started pawingat his stomach, his back leg raising slightly. “He’s got colic.” It wasn’t a question. I had seen this—and walked—more horses with colic than I’d like to count. Poor guy had to be just as uncomfortable as Abi looked tired.

Abi nodded, her shoulders raising with a deep inhale. “This is Boone.” She patted the horse’s nose. “He got here at the beginning of the week, remember?”

Giving her a slight nod, I took another step towards them. I did remember him coming in. He was a racehorse, here for a few weeks for some races. I remembered being introduced to him with a much longer name, but Boone fit him.

“He started showing signs last night. We had the vet come out, but he had to order medicine from the city. So…we walk until the medicine can come.” She leaned against him, but his nudge told her he needed to move. “Lachlan walked him until about midnight, then I took over.”

“You’ve been walking him for four hours?”

“We take breaks. I don’t want to over-tire him, but walking seems to be the only thing that makes him comfortable.” She took a step; so did Boone. “Come on boy…just a few more hours.”

“Abi,” I stopped her, touching her arm lightly. Her gaze went from my hand to my eyes. “You need to rest, let me walk him.”

“No, I got it. It’s my job.”

“Technically, it’s Rhett’s job.” I flashed her a grin, giving her a wink. Amazingly, she smiled back, even if it was a sweet, sleepy, smile. “Let me walk him. You have a boy to get ready for the school day—”

“Kyla said she’d get him—”

“Let me walk him.”

Her chest moved as she inhaled, then she handed me the lead.

“Thank you,” a soft whisper left her lips.

I pulled her into me, then braved a gentle kiss to her temple. I could feel her lean into me, sighing as her entire weight spread over me. She needed to sleep; she didn’t need to be here with a horse.

“Go inside. I’ll wait for the vet.”

Abi stepped away, her arms folding over her chest. She gave me a single nod before turning to leave the barn.

Lachlan arrived as soon as the vet pulled up, his eyes just as heavy and his morning scruff thicker than normal. His eyebrows pinched once he saw me with Boone, but he asked no questions. He accepted me just as simply as he would any ranch hand.

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