Page 135 of Captivated

Bailey stuck his head over the stall gate and gave a softwhinny.

Zeeb smiled and walked over to him. “Hey you,” he said in a low voice. “Is that better? Your stall all nice ‘n’ clean?” He stroked Bailey’s nose, and the horse pushed into his hand. “An’ you can quit lookin’. No apples right now.” He cocked his head. “Maybe it isn’t food you’re lookin’ for. Wanna go for a ride?”

His heartbeat quickened.

An’ I know exactly where we’re going.

The same place he’d been every morning for the past two weeks.

As he tightened the cinch, Paul led Lucy into the stable. “I thought you were supposed to be working in here.”

Zeeb didn’t even glance at him. “Goin’ for a ride.”

There was a pause before Paul spoke. “Zeeb, if you ever?—”

“Don’t,” he blurted. That single word came out more harshly than he’d intended. Zeeb sighed. “I know y’all mean well, but I don’t wanna talk about it, all right?”

“I hear you. Doesn’t change a thing, though.”

“I know that too. I won’t be long. Just need to be someplace else right now.”

He led Bailey out into the warm morning light, and over to the mounting block by the paddock fence. Zeeb leaned in close.

“You know where we’re going, don’tcha?”

It wasn’t long before he’d left the ranch behind him and was riding through the meadow. The breeze carrying the scent ofwildflowers and sunshine, the birds chirping in the trees without a goddamn care in the world… These things usually lifted him, filled his heart with joy and light.

Not today.

Not for a few days.

Lord, I got it bad.

Zeeb nudged Bailey into a gallop, as if picking up speed would leave such thoughts in his dust, but he knew they’d cling to him, like horse shit on the heel of his boots, stubborn and persistent. When he heard the creek’s happy babble, he slowed, until at last he reached the hitching post across from where the cabin sat.

It had been cleaned after Nate’s departure. Not only that, Matt had brought an overnight guest the previous week, and Zeeb had made sure to avoid it like the plague until he knew they’d vacated it.

He didn’t want to chance hearing anything that might dip his heart deeper into ice.

Except ice was wrong.

It was envy.

Zeeb clambered off Bailey and secured him to the post, then crossed the steppingstones. He stood in front of the porch, gazing at the Adirondack chairs, recalling a warm night, cold beers, and good conversation.

This was as far as he’d gotten every single time. He couldn’t bring himself to step inside. All traces of Nate were gone, he knew that.

What remained were memories that had the power to shatter him with their intensity.

I should’ve told him how I felt.

I should’ve been honest.

Nate’s words rang in his head.

You don’t see me as broken, do you?

No sir, he did not.

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