“Can I, Nana?” Susie asked, bouncing on her toes.
Trixie rose to her feet and said, “Hi, I’m Trixie Jericho from Rising Hope. Annabelle is a therapy horse and she’s used to children.”
“Oh, how lovely. I’m Meredith Enders. It looks like we picked the perfect day to visit my mother.”
“Can I pet her, Nana?” Susie pleaded.
“Sure, honey, but be gentle.”
“I will.” Susie petted Annabelle’s neck. “She’s soft, Nana. Pet her.”
Meredith petted Annabelle. “She is soft and sweet. How old is she?”
“She’s four,” Trixie answered as Annabelle turned her head to look at the little girl.
“Look, Nana, she likes me! I want a little horse.”
“So do I,” Jordan said with a soft laugh.
Meredith lowered her voice and said, “Susie’s birthday is next month. Does Annabelle do parties?”
“She sure does.” Trixie gave her a business card. “Here you go. My contact information and website address are on the card.”
“Thank you. We’ll be in touch.” Meredith took Susie’s hand. “Come on, sweetheart. Grandpa is waiting for us. Say goodbye to Annabelle and thank Miss Trixie.”
“Goodbye, Annabelle.” Susie gave Annabelle one final pet. “Thank you, Miss Trixie.”
As they headed for the door, Jordan said, “I have a feeling you won’t have to do any marketing for your business. Annabelle will do it all for you.”
“Alfie, too. He’s a doll.” As they walked out to the parking lot, she said, “I really enjoyed our visit. Thank you for giving me a chance to show you how great Annabelle is.”
Jordan petted Annabelle. “She’s a sweetie. I look forward to setting up another visit and seeing more of both of you. If our next visit goes well, maybe we can set up monthly visits and give our residents something to look forward to.”
“We’d love that. I also wanted to thank you for the referrals you gave me. I’ve been working through the list, and I’ve already set up quite a few appointments over the next few weeks.”
“That’s wonderful. It sounds like Rising Hope is on its way to finding its niche. Oh, and I meant to tell you that I met with Jax.” Jordan lowered her voice. “You didn’t mention how charming he was.”
Trixie laughed. “He’s a great guy. I hope he was able to help you.”
“Are you kidding? He’s Jax Braden.” She said his name the way other people said Henry Cavill or Jason Momoa. “Everything he designs is absolutely gorgeous, but I put off my wedding again.”
“You did?”
“I did,” she whispered conspiratorially. “I think my feet are moving toward the frozen aisle.”
“Oh, Jordan. I’m sorry.”
Jordan waved her hand dismissively. “If it’s meant to be, it’ll be. I’d better get back inside. I appreciate your coming out. It was nice spending time with you. Be sure to let me know when we can schedule our next appointment.”
“I will. Thanks again.” As soon as Jordan was inside, Trixie hugged Annabelle. “We did it, baby! Everyone loved you. You were amazing. Let’s go home and tell your daddy!” As soon as she said it, a pang of discomfort and longing hit her, remaining as she loaded Annabelle into the trailer.
Nick’s house wasn’t home, even if it felt like it was, and she didn’t want to think about how easily daddy had slid off her tongue. He sure felt like he was her horses’ daddy.
And my other half.
He cared about them just as much as she did. She didn’t think that would change in the weeks between seeing each other after she went home, but there was one part of their lives that would. The next time she had a client visit, Nick wouldn’t be waiting to hear about it when she got home. Would her brothers or parents be excited to hear about it?
She tried to push those thoughts away as she climbed into the truck, and her phone dinged with a group text from Lindsay to Trixie, Amber, and Brindle. Amber Alert! Trixie, I hope your meeting went well and you’re having fun with Nick the Sex God, but Amber’s agreed to host a signing for Dash Pennington at her bookstore! We need to take her shopping and teach her to flirt. Stat! Does next weekend work?
Before Trixie could respond, her phone chimed with a text from Brindle. How was the visit with Annabelle?
A text from Amber rolled in next. I’m hosting a book signing, not the Dating Show! I’m a professional. There will be no flirting. Trix? How was it?
Trixie had to get in on this and thumbed out The meeting was amazing! I’ll give you all details later. But don’t worry, Amber. We’ll find you something that makes you look like a lady in the bookstore and a vixen in the bedroom. She added a winking emoji.
Another text from Lindsay popped up. Amber, you can practice flirting at JJ’s next week at ladies’ night with me and Trixie.
That pang of longing returned. She couldn’t believe that soon she’d be there with them and not with Nick, but she couldn’t think about it too long, because Amber texted an angry emoji and No thank you. You know I hate those weeniefests, which made Trixie laugh. Trixie thumbed out, I can’t text right now, about to drive to Nick’s. YES to shopping next weekend. Amber, you can practice flirting on us peen free. Love you all! She added a kissing emoji, sent the text, and put her phone down.
On the way home, thoughts of Nick crept back in. They’d gotten so much closer and more aware of each other’s feelings in the days since their argument, she couldn’t imagine anything coming between them. Last night, after grooming the horses, they’d grilled steaks and eaten them in the moonlight with Pugsly on Nick’s lap and Goldie and Rowdy lying in the grass. Nick had surprised her with a trip to Tully’s after dinner for the chocolate pie she loved and had missed out on the last time they were there. The bar had been crowded for a Sunday, but even with women eyeing Nick and one who had been brazen enough to send a drink to their table, Trixie had been more annoyed than jealous. Things had changed when Nick had told her how he’d felt about her, and she’d realized that women would vie for his attention forever. He was a handsome, virile man, and his brooding nature made him even more attractive to women who wanted what they couldn’t have. Trixie wasn’t about to waste any more time worrying about women she didn’t know when she had a man she did know and trusted to do the right thing. They’d ended up dancing the night away, and she’d been so swept up in them, she savored every moment, tucking the memories away for the lonely nights they’d have apart in the future.
Now she turned onto Nick’s driveway and headed for the barns. She unloaded Annabelle, and they found him coming out of the barn, shirtless, wearing low-slung jeans and his black hat and carrying Pugsly. Lord have mercy. It was easy to imagine him twenty years from now with graying hair and a boy of his own to teach about ranching.
Their eyes met and his lips curved up, bringing her back to reality. “I didn’t miss your call, did I?” He patted his back pocket, as if looking for his phone.
“No. Were you waiting for me to call?”
“I might have had my ringer turned up.”
“I’m sorry. I saw it on the counter when I left and figured it’d be there all day.” Pugsly snorted and grunted, wriggling and whining to get to her. She reached for him, and Nick took Annabelle’s lead.