Page 105 of Hot Ice, Tennessee

“Mason,” he said, giving me a quick kiss, his eyes widening afterward. “That’s incredible.”

“I’m still nervous as hell. I don’t know how I got to the point where teaching people horseback riding makes menervous.I literally used to do it every day.”

“You just fell out of practice.”

“I took fewer clients every week until somehow, I ended up with none,” I said. “I missed it, all the time, Jesse.”

He ran his hands through my hair. “You know your dad would be proud.”

I smiled. “He would clap me on the back and saythere he is again. Back in business.”

“I like it.”

I sighed. “Something like that, at least.”

I felt my throat get a little tight, even now.

“I know it isn’t going to be the same, ever again,” Jesse said. “But you can handle anything. Nervous riders, confident riders, total beginners.”

“I know. I’ve known that all along, I think,” I said. “I just miss him.”

Jesse tucked my head in close against his chest, stroking my back. “Proud of you. And you know what? Kane’s going to be proud of you, too. And Finn, and Ori, and even Max and Andrew, probably. Hell, maybe even Thomas at the diner with his cinnamon rolls.”

I puffed out a laugh. “Maybe even him.”

Jesse kissed me again and I felt the same way I always did with him. At home.

A couple of days later, Jesse came over in the late afternoon, waving his phone in the air as he walked in the front door.

“Aced it,” he said.

“Hah!” I said, leaning in to tackle him in a hug. “Told you that Physiology was going to be a slam dunk.”

“Going to get an A in both of my summer classes,” he said. “Fuck. I’mback, baby.”

“So tonight we’rereallycelebrating,” I said.

“Tonight’s not about me, but sure,” Jesse said. “I’ll certainly be accepting free shots at the bar.”

We’d been planning on going to the Hard Spot tonight to celebrate the fact that I was taking riding students again and Jesse was done with his summer classes. Now there was even more reason to party.

Jesse and I walked from my house down to the center of Bestens. We made the walk anytime the day wasn’t too hot, and every time we walked past the spot where he’d picked me up in the rainstorm, he made fun of me.

And told me he loved me.

And told me he wassoglad I got in the car with him that night.

Tonight, we walked most of the way hand-in-hand, other than when Jesse crouched down to rescue a lizard from the middle of the road.

We ambled down onto Laurel Ave, and I glanced over at the Red Fox Diner, seeing a little sign on the window.

Closed for the next two hours, sorry! Try some drinks & snacks at the Hard Spot or Hank’s BBQ if you’re in need :-)

“Closed,” I said, furrowing my brow. “Ori and his parentsneverclose that place down, rain or shine. What do you think is up?”

“No clue,” Jesse said. “All I know is I want one of Max’s weird-ass cocktails. Let’s go.”

He tugged me across the street to the Hard Spot. Before we went inside, he paused outside the doors, making me wait for a second.

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