Chapter 4
Chapter Four
“ L et go!” Max shouted at him. “She’s not worth it.” He stepped up on the rung of the corral.
“Like hell I will,” he grunted, tightening his grip on the reins. “Come on, baby, we can do this.” He squeezed his thighs a little harder.
The mare jerked under him and did a little sideways buck.
But he held tight, his grip firm but steady as the mare fought against him.
Her muscles coiled beneath him, her wild energy crackling like a live wire.
He could feel her frustration, the way she tested his control, but he wasn’t about to let go.
“Easy,” he murmured, shifting his weight with her movements. “I know you’ve got more in you. Let it out now and be done with it.”
The mare tossed her head, nostrils flaring, but he kept his hold on the reins, refusing to let her win.
“Abe!” Max’s voice cut through the tension. “Damn it, man, don’t be stupid. Just get down before she throws you.”
Abe barely heard him. His focus was locked on the horse beneath him, on the challenge of earning her trust, proving to her that he wasn’t going anywhere.
She bucked again, harder this time, but he was ready. His body moved with hers, instinct kicking in. He’d been on enough stubborn horses in his lifetime to know that giving up wasn’t an option.
“Come on, baby,” he coaxed, loosening his grip just enough to give her the space to think, to choose. “You don’t want to fight me. You just don’t know me yet.”
The mare’s breathing came heavy, her sides heaving, but the wildness in her eyes flickered just for a second.
Abe exhaled slowly, keeping his voice calm. “That’s it. You and me, we’re gonna figure this out.”
Another tense beat passed. Then, finally, she stilled beneath him, her muscles relaxing just a fraction.
Abe ran a hand down her neck, feeling the slight tremble there. “That’s my girl.”
Max let out a low whistle. “You’re a damn lunatic, you know that?”
Abe grinned, reaching up to wipe the sweat from his forehead. “Takes one to know one.”
Max shook his head, muttering something under his breath, but Abe could hear the relief in his voice.
He straightened in the saddle, giving the mare a final pat. “She just needed someone to believe in her.”
Max snorted. “You always gotta make it poetic?”
Abe chuckled. “Only when it’s true.”
He took one last deep breath before easing the mare into a slow, careful walk around the corral. And as he did, he couldn’t help but think that maybe he and this horse weren’t so different.
He just needed someone to believe in him. Someone like Dylan.
He couldn’t get the woman out of his mind, and that scared him. He was almost as spooked as the horse under him.
“You should have seen him,” Max said between bites of pizza. “Just like the rodeo. I thought for sure he was going to fly through the air at any moment.”
“I’m glad I didn’t see it.” Juliette laughed. “I probably would have screamed and spooked the horse even more.”
“Naw, Stormy is chill,” he said, causing them both to laugh.
“We haven’t settled on her name yet,” Max pointed out.
“Horses name themselves.” He slapped Max on the shoulder.
“What’s the other’s one’s name?” Juliette asked.
He thought about it then smiled. “Blaze.”
“I like that,” Juliette said. “Stormy and Blaze.”
“Then it’s settled.” Max lifted his beer glass. “To Stormy and Blaze.”
They all cheered and then drank.
“Oh!” Juliette cried out, then she jumped up and crossed the pizzeria.
They watched her go, and his heart did a skip in his chest when he saw her walk over and hug Dylan, who had just walked in.
For a split second, he saw Dylan drop her guard and smile and hug Juliette back. Then her eyes landed on him and the veil lifted again.
To his surprise, Juliette dragged Dylan over to their table.
“Max, Abe, this is Dylan Beck,” Juliette said happily. “She’s back in town for the summer. I missed talking to her the other night at the bonfire. Dylan, you have to sit with us after you get your food.”
“Right,” Dylan said, her eyes landing on him. “Sure.”
He hid a smile by taking a sip of his beer.
Juliette sat back down next to Max, and the three of them chatted while they waited for Dylan to order.
“What does Dylan do for a living?” Max asked.
“I’m not sure. She was going to school for law, I think, the last time I heard. Her father died last year, leaving her this beautiful cabin and a ton of land up not far from our place,” she told him.
He thought about the loss of his own dad. Not from death, but by absence. The man had never been part of his life.
“Does she have any other family? Siblings? What about her mother?” Max asked.
Juliette shook her head. “No, no one else. Her mother died in childbirth, along with her baby brother, a few years after she was born. Her father was the veterinarian in town way back when. He retired after being kicked in the chest by a cow. All I know is that the last few years of his life were pretty tough.”
Abe leaned back in his chair, letting Juliette’s words settle in. He glanced towards the counter where Dylan stood, her arms crossed as she waited for her order. She looked relaxed, but he’d spent enough time around guarded people to recognize when someone was holding back.
No family. No one left.
He understood that kind of loneliness. Maybe not in the same way, but enough to recognize it in someone else.
Max took a sip of his drink, his brow furrowed. “Tough how?”
Juliette sighed, lowering her voice. “I don’t know the full story, but I heard he struggled after his accident. He drank a lot. Isolated himself. Dylan was the one taking care of him towards the end, during those last few weeks.” She shook her head. “She never really had it easy.”
Abe’s gaze drifted back to Dylan. There was something about her that intrigued him, something beyond her sharp wit and the way she acted like she didn’t care who he was. She had an edge, a quiet strength, but there was also a weight there. A past she carried with her.
He knew what that was like.
The bell over the door chimed, and a couple of teenagers walked in, whispering and sneaking glances in his direction. Abe sighed. He’d been hoping to keep a low profile.
Dylan turned, her gaze flickering between him and the teens before she grabbed her pizza box and made her way back to the table.
“Looks like your fan club found you,” she said, setting the box down and sliding into the booth next to him.
Abe smirked. “Looks like.”
She arched an eyebrow. “You thought you could just waltz into town and no one would recognize you?”
He shrugged. “Worked for a couple days at least.”
Dylan rolled her eyes, but there was a hint of amusement in them. She reached for a slice of pizza but paused when she noticed the look on Juliette’s face.
“What?”
Juliette hesitated, then shook her head. “Nothing. Just… it’s good to see you back.”
Dylan didn’t respond right away. Instead, she picked up her pizza and took a bite, chewing thoughtfully before finally saying, “Yeah. I’m not sure how long it will last.”
Abe watched her carefully.
He wasn’t sure why, but he suddenly found himself wanting to figure her out.
“But you are staying for our wedding, right?” Juliette took Max’s hand. “I know we weren’t very close, but I’d love it if you came.”
“Yes, please,” Max added. “Abe is going to do a full set at the after party.”
“Sure, why not,” Dylan said, stealing a glance in his direction. “I’m sure everyone is excited for another private concert.”
Abe caught the flicker of something in Dylan’s eyes. Was it sarcasm? Amusement? He couldn’t quite tell, but it made him smile.
“Private concert might be a stretch,” he said, leaning back in his seat. “I’m just playing a few songs. Just me and a guitar.”
Max scoffed. “A few songs? Come on, man. You’re doing a whole set. Including our first dance as husband and wife.” He took Juliette’s hand and lifted it to his lips and kissed her knuckles.
Abe shot him a look. “Save the mush for your wedding.”
Max laughed. “Trust me, I have enough mush for before and after the wedding.”
Abe didn’t miss the way Dylan picked at the crust of her pizza, seemingly uninterested. Unlike everyone else in town, she wasn’t fawning over the idea of him playing. Hell, she hadn’t even reacted when Max first mentioned it. That only made him more curious about her.
“So, at least you’re sticking around town for a short while,” he said, watching her closely.
Dylan shrugged. “Yeah, I guess for now.”
Vague. Noncommittal. He recognized the move—keep people at arm’s length so they don’t get too comfortable. It was something he’d done himself more times than he could count.
Juliette beamed. “That’s great! Maybe we can catch up before the wedding. You still like hiking?”
A brief hesitation. Then, “Yeah. Sometimes.”
Abe didn’t miss the way Dylan shifted in her seat, like she was ready for the conversation to be over. She wasn’t one for small talk, that much was obvious.
The bell above the door chimed again, and this time, it wasn’t just a couple of teenagers sneaking glances at him. It was a large group of people whispering and pointing in his direction.
Dylan noticed too. She arched an eyebrow and leaned in slightly, her voice low enough for only him to hear. “You always have this much trouble enjoying a slice of pizza?”
He let out a short laugh. “Depends on where I am.”
“Guess you should’ve worn a hat.”
He smirked. “Guess so.”
Juliette and Max were already chatting with some of the newcomers, who were clearly working up the courage to ask him for an autograph.
Dylan stood. “Well, this has been fun, but I should get going.”
Abe felt an unexpected pang of disappointment. He wasn’t ready for her to leave just yet.
“Where’s the fire?” he asked.
She tilted her head at him and grabbed her pizza. “See you around, superstar.”
And with that, she walked out. He watched her go as he started signing autographs for the group of teens.