Total pages in book: 124
Estimated words: 116570 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 583(@200wpm)___ 466(@250wpm)___ 389(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 116570 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 583(@200wpm)___ 466(@250wpm)___ 389(@300wpm)
“We are happy to be here. How is our new addition?”
“Settling in quite nicely. Would you like to see him? He is a beauty.”
I nodded.
“You got another horse?” Odette whispered as we walked into a stable.
I still didn’t answer, just took us farther and farther inside until we arrived at the dark-haired horse with a white underbelly and mark on his forehead shaped like a maple leaf.
Immediately, she let go of my hand, stepping forward. “Maple?” She spun back to look at me. “No way.”
I nodded.
“Maple?” She laughed again, going up to the horse. He was startled at first, then sniffed once again before moving closer. “Hey, boy! Hey! Look at you! Oh, my God. Gale, how?”
Stepping up beside her, I said. “Magic.”
She scoffed but let it go, brushing through Maple’s coat. The truth was, I had asked Balduin to search for him before the garden party. He had spent days looking through sales records and book logs before finally finding that Maple had been sold to breeders in Kentucky. It cost a pretty penny to have him brought over. Of course, her father would have given her a one-of-kind, thoroughbred Arabian stallion. But seeing how happy she was, seeing the tears that filled her eyes, but she didn’t let fall, was well worth it and much more.
“We can come to see him whenever we have time,” I said, reaching out and brushing him as well.
“Thank you.” She sniffled, stroking his nose, and smiling wildly. “Really, thank you, Gale.”
“It’s me who should be thanking you,” I whispered back. Thanking you for being here.
“For?”
I shook my head, turning to look back at the men behind us. “Would it be all right to take them both for a walk?”
“Yes, of course.”
“Both?” she asked.
I pointed to the stall beside me, my noble steed with a mouth full of hay by my head. When I tried to pet his nose, he brushed me off to eat more.
“Well, it is good to see you too.”
Ass huffed.
“I don’t think he’s forgiven you for that broken leg.”
“He’s a bit stubborn, but he loves me,” I replied, using a bit of the hay to get his attention, and finally, he came to my hands.
“You’re bribing him.”
“I would never.”
“Yeah, sure.” She laughed as they brought both our horses for us.
“Yes, I am sure,” I said, taking the reins and stepping closer to her. “I also think this is a good time for a rematch.”
She stepped up to my face, staring me down. “Don’t cry when you lose.”
I grinned. “After you, bevilën.”
He let me win. I knew he did. But I was far too distracted by the scenery even to say anything about it. He had told me about the valley of rolling green hills and the wide-open, clear-blue sky, but it was even more beautiful here near the top of the hill, overlooking the small town in the far distance. It was like a painting, like art, right in front of my face. Hopping off Maple, I walked up the hill more, and as the breeze blew, I couldn’t help but lift my hands like I was Maria in the Sound of Music or Elizabeth Bennet in Pride and Prejudice.
“It’s beautiful,” I said.
“Extremely,” he whispered, coming up beside me. When I looked at him, he was looking back at me. But instead of saying anything, he lifted a picnic basket for me to see. “Hungry?”
“Famished.” And to prove my point, my stomach growled.
He took my hand to lead me to the tree, and I turned to remind him about the horses, but Thelma was already watching over them. Iskandar was standing at a slight distance from the tree where a picnic blanket and pillows were already waiting, looking over the hills as well. It was strange how I was starting never to notice them, either.
“What is wrong?” Gale asked when I didn’t sit down.
“Nothing.”
“No, don’t do that. Say what you are thinking,” he said, sitting down first and bringing me into his arms. “We’ve said nothing already. I want to know what is going through your mind.”
“Didn’t we do that too and end up fighting?”
“Yeah, but I think I prefer the fighting to us avoiding each other.”
“I wasn’t avoiding you,” I lied, and he made a face, obviously knowing I was too. “Okay, I was avoiding you. But you avoided me too.”
“I did. I’m sorry. And yes, I am apologizing.” He cupped my cheek. “I also wanted to say there is nothing between Sabina and me anymore. Ever since you entered my life, I haven’t even spoken to her or anyone else. I never loved her. I never truly loved anyone before you. And I never want to know a world after you, either. Everything is so unlike before. Even I miss Seattle, and it’s horrible weather.”
I wanted to laugh, but I just shifted, wrapped my arms around him, and hugged him tightly. I didn’t know what to say other than, “I love you, Gale.”