Page 20 of Ride With Me
Emma:Love to! Snooze? Or somewhere else?
Kaylee:Yes for sure! Need to hear all the gossip!
Alex:I’m in!
Paige:Have to work, but next time for sure!
Avery:Yes yes! Let me know details!
Savannah:So…. long story, but I’m with Logan. At his dad’s ranch. Come here for brunch/lunch? 11?
A flurry of emojis followed, confirming the plans. I sent the address of the ranch, and slid the phone in my pocket.
13
Savannah
By10:30,thestallswere done. Craig had taken care of the hay and had started on the water.
There was still no sign of Logan.
I headed back into the house, hoping for a quick shower before the girls came over.
Logan sat at the kitchen table, typing away at a laptop. He was wearing dark-framed reading glasses.
Holy crap, he looked hot.
He looked up at me and smiled as I tried to decide whether to disturb him
“What are you working on?” I grabbed a glass of water and slid into a seat next to him.
“Just finishing up a brief. It’s due in a couple days, and I took time off for the next two weeks. Wanted to make sure it got done in time.” His gaze ran over my mud-caked jeans. “Did you work in the barn this morning?”
I nodded as I brought the water glass to my lips. “Yeah, I woke up early with nothing to do, so I helped turn horses out and then mucked stalls. I invited the girls over. I hope that’s okay.”
“Of course. Let me know if you guys need anything. Do you think they’ll want to ride?”
I tried to picture Kaylee on a horse. Yeah, that girl did not do mud. Or the outdoors. “I don’t think so. Probably just some food and girl talk. What’s on your agenda for today?”
“Not much, just getting some work done. I’m here if you need me.” He winked as he turned back to the computer.
I showered upstairs before pulling on a clean pair of jeans and a t-shirt. I brushed out my coppery hair, leaving it to air dry.Wash and wear,my mom had called it. At one point in my life, I would have given anything for curly hair, but the simplicity of being able to just leave it alone was a blessing now.
My phone buzzed on the dresser where I’d left it. I put down the brush and reached for it, grinning. Who’d gotten lost this time?
My money was on Emma.
I swiped to open the message without seeing who it was from.
Unknown number:Hey, Savannah. This is Dan from Practical Horsemen Magazine. Would love to do a story on your accident at VHT, your recovery, and how you’re doing now. Let me know when you’re available for an interview.
A rock settled in my stomach. How had a reporter found me? I deleted the message and put the phone face down.
After the accident, I’d been contacted by plenty of media outlets for interviews. The sad tale of the promising young starlet and her horse, tragically cut short. My boyfriend at the time had tried to pressure me to talk to them.Sell the story,he’d said. I’d refused, not wanting to relive the horror. Between that and my slow recovery, he’d disappeared. Slowly, at first. He’d just called less often, visited less frequently. Then my calls and texts had gone unanswered, and I realized it had been weeks, then months, since I’d heard from him.
I shook my head, trying to dislodge the memory. That was in the past.
Kaylee, Emma, Alex, and Avery gathered in the living room when they arrived. They wasted no time before turning to me, firing questions one after the other.
