Page 33 of Huckleberry Hill
It had been staring me in the face, and I’d been too blind to see it. I hadn’t wanted to see it.
My afternoon conversation with my father came roaring to the surface. Maybe our breakup really was a blessing in disguise.
I wasn’t ready to concede. To concede meant I had to let my entire reality crumble to the ground before I built it back into something stronger, more resilient.
I shoved back from the table.
“Where are you going?” Muddy asked. “You haven’t touched your food.”
“I’m not hungry.” I marched toward the front door.
“Let her go, Mom,” Dad said. To me, he called out, “Bear spray.”
I swiped the can of bear spray and my coat and headed out the door. My boots were on the porch. I slid into them and put on my jacket on the way to the stables.
Spending time with horses was the only thing that seemed to straighten out my brain. I could be alone with big, majestic, emotional animals that just seemed to get me.
Mom had loved to ride. Salem wasn’t much of an equestrian, so it was something Mom and I had shared. Her brown spotted Appaloosa mare was in her stall. She lifted her head, blew out a breath of air, and came toward me.
I patted her nose. “Hey, Goldie.”
The sound of clopping hooves had me turning my head. Declan was leading a handsome gray stallion into the stables.
“Hadley,” he said in surprise.
“Hey,” I greeted. I smiled at the spirited stallion who attempted to say hello by moving its head over Declan’s shoulder toward me. “Who’s this handsome guy?”
“I’m Declan,” he teased. “We’ve already met.”
I rolled my eyes.
Declan patted the stallion’s nose. “This is Merlin.”
“Hi Merlin,” I murmured. I looked at Declan. “May I?”
“Sure thing.”
I reached out and stroked his nose. He bumped my shoulder, causing me to laugh.
“Beggar,” Declan stated. “He’s looking for a treat.”
“I was just about to feed Goldie a carrot,” I said.
“Merlin loves carrots,” he said.
I reached into the metal bucket hanging on Goldie’s stall door and offered my palm to Merlin. The carrot was gone in two chomps.
“Were you putting up trail cams?” I asked.
“Nah. Merlin and I haven’t had a quiet moment since the two of us got here. Thought I owed him an evening ride.”
“He’s beautiful,” I commented.
“Yeah. Good ‘ol Merlin. He was on the rodeo circuit with me.” Declan led Merlin into a stall next to Goldie and then began taking off his saddle. “What are you doing out here? I thought it was dinner time.”
“It is. But Muddy and I . . . we kind of got into it.”
“Into it? About what?”
